This summer has seen a huge revival in staycation popularity in Ireland, according to new consumer spending figures. The research by online bank and payments company Revolut showed a monthly 5% increase in consumer spend over the platform this July – with that spend being driven by staycation spending. Many Irish holidaymakers have chosen to stay put in the middle of the summer due to the surging heatwaves seen across mainland Europe. In terms of accommodation, spending on hotels and resorts in Ireland has risen by 15% compared to last summer, while Revolut customers are spending more than 38% more on health and beauty spas compared to this time last year too. For those looking for a slightly more outdoorsy or cost-effective alternative, the amount spent on camping sites and caravan parks has seen a more than 14% jump in July 2024 versus July 2023. Maurice Murphy, General Manager at Revolut Bank UAB – Ireland Branch, said: “Once a trusted travel card, this record month of spending clearly indicates our evolution into many customers’ preferred bank and why we’re a mainstay for the people of Ireland. Revolut’s ecosystem of financial products is the answer for people whether at home or overseas, and helps them make the most out of their money. It’s so great to see our customers choosing to spend on their staycation with us, while others are doing the same as they jet off abroad too.”

To celebrate the 25 th  year of  National Heritage Week  (17-25 August) in Ireland and mark almost a year since its  partnership  with  Historic Houses of Ireland , Airbnb has curated a wish list of  Historic Homes  for those looking to explore and embrace Ireland’s rich heritage. Launched back in July 2022,  Airbnb’s Historical Homes category  supports Airbnb’s commitment to heritage tourism and makes it easier for people to enjoy Europe’s rich heritage. As of 2024, there are around 43,000 listings globally categorised as Historic Homes. From exploring the ancestral home of High Kings and traditional Kings of Connacht at a  Garden Cottage  in County Roscommon to learning the ins and outs of horse shoeing at  The Cookhouse  farm stay in County Dublin, Airbnb offers many unique getaways in Ireland for those looking to connect and explore the country’s rich history and heritage. Some are even  Guest Favourites  – a collection of the 2 million most-loved homes on Airbnb based on ratings, reviews, and reliability – showing how guests can travel to amazing heritage properties, without compromising on comfort or luxury. Airbnb is committed to supporting the preservation of unique and historically significant buildings in Europe, and last year,  announced a partnership  with Historic Houses of Ireland. The collaboration included the creation of a fund available to members of Historic Houses of Ireland to support the development, maintenance and restoration of these important properties.  Derek Nolan, Head of Public Policy for Ireland at  Airbnb , said:  “National Heritage Week is a brilliant festival to remind us of Ireland’s beautiful historic houses, which provide a depth of history and a uniqueness to local tourism across Ireland. These homes contribute to the beauty and heritage of rural Ireland, and this week they will open their doors to visitors looking to immerse themselves in Irish heritage. At Airbnb, we are proud of our contribution to supporting these historic sites through our partnership with Historic Houses of Ireland and are committed to helping their members generate income to maintain and promote these heritage properties”. Thomas Cosby, Chairman of Historic Houses of Ireland said:  “Ireland’s National Heritage Week – led by the brilliant team at the Heritage Council – is an important week for our members and provides a great opportunity to showcase the rich heritage Ireland has to offer. A large portion of these homes are situated in rural parts of the country and rely heavily on tourism to keep these Historic Houses alive. Initiatives like Heritage Week and support from Airbnb through our partnership, provides the opportunity for more of our members to open their houses to visitors and continue to promote Ireland’s heritage for years to come.” Some of Ireland’s Guest Favourite Historic Homes on Airbnb Dromana House and Gardens – Cappoquin, Co. Waterford This historical duplex overlooking the Blackwater river offers exceptional views of the surrounding native wildlife. As part of Heritage Week, guests will have the opportunity to take a guided tour of the extensive gardens, and take in one of Ireland’s ancient hidden wonders dating back to the 13th century, Dromana House. While visiting, why not also try your hand at croquet, which was invented in Ireland, with references dating back to as far as the 1830s! Durhamstown Castle – Navan, Co. Meath A Norman Castle dating from 1420, Durhamstown is a Recorded Monument as the oldest inhabited house in County Meath. Perfect for those looking to immerse themselves in culture during Heritage Week, the Castle is complete with original vaulted rooms, allowing visitors to venture from the Middle Ages to the Victorian Era as they explore the grand estate. During the week, the owners will offer guests guided tours and a selection of afternoon tea treats with all the trimmings. The Garden Cottage – Castlerea, Co. Roscommon The Courtyard at Clonalis provides an elegant stay at a Georgian cottage perfect for those looking to step back in time with friends or family for Heritage Week. Guests can immerse themselves in the local history and avail of tours of the historic Clonalis House, the secluded 700-acre ancestral home of Ireland’s last High Kings and traditional Kings of Connacht. The Cookhouse – Delahasey, Co. Dublin This stunning cottage, located on the grounds of Whitestown House estate, The Cookhouse, is the perfect spot to stop during this year’s Heritage Week. Guests can enjoy a unique evening of Irish traditions in action at Whitestown House itself, which will open its doors for guests for Heritage Week. Guests will experience the magic of traditional craftsmanship including fly tying, a master farrier will share the process of shoeing a horse – a vital trade in country estate life. Trohanny Cottage – Kells, Co. Meath With whitewashed stone walls, original A-frame beams with peg and dowel and an original inglenook fireplace, Trohanny Cottage is a truly unique farm stay experience that offers visitors a chance to step back in time.  Known for magical histories and stories dating back over 200 years, it is the perfect space for a culture and heritage experience this week, with horses, donkeys and cows welcoming guests on arrival. The Stables – Bagenalstown,  Co. Carlow Opt for an entire cottage located near the River Barrow this Heritage Week, and experience an 1860s stables full of rich history to explore. Guests can wander the gardens of an old rectory, or relax in the sunny courtyard before retiring inside where they will find decorative antiques and a wood-burning stove for the full heritage experience. Georgian Stable Yard House – Athy, Co. Kildare Set in the historic Burtown House, this three-bedroom home is complete with a private courtyard garden, surrounded by 10 acres of land to explore. Dating as far back as 1710, this stay boasts what are considered to be one of Ireland’s finest gardens. Guests can enjoy meadow walks surrounded by historic parkland, mown pathways, and stone sculptures, and take their pick from an abundance of organic kitchen garden produce right on their doorstep. Castlehaven Barn – Skibbereen, Co. Cork Those looking to enjoy Heritage Week activities in County Cork can choose to stay at Castlehaven Barn by the Wild Atlantic Way. Enjoy a coastal field walk to the village accompanied by cattle, or try some local produce and meet the residents of Castletownshend, just a few minutes away from the cottage.

Award-winning Irish chef Rob Curley is bringing a taste of Valencia to his unique pop-up eating experience, in Ballymena – the Slemish Market Supper Club – Co Antrim for an unmissable Paella, Pintxos and Tapas night. This won’t be any run of the mill grub; as Rob has partnered with Visit Valencia and brought onboard Chef John Kenwright to help. John Kenwright – from The Townhouse Restaurant, in Dundalk – is representing Ireland at this year’s World Paella Day Cup Final in Valencia next month. Rob also, earlier this summer, hosted a Paella cooking demo in Cork, which ITTN’s Carrie Day attended and  covered . For his part, Chef Rob competed at World Tapas Championship in Valladolid 2020, The World Paella Day Cup in Valencia 2021, and the World Patatas Bravas Championship Palencia Brava in Palencia Spain 2022 and he will cook his 2021 World Paella Day Cup dish as well. What: Slemish Market Supper Club Son’s of Paella & Tapas Night Where: Incredible Edibles, Old Mill, Main Street Cloughmills, (Beside Froccess Road Medical Centre), Co Antrim. BT449LF When:  Friday 23rd August 2024 – Arrival: 6.15pm | Dining 6.30pm Price: £70 per person To book a place message Slemish Market Supper Club, phone Chef Rob Curley on +44(0)7547804975 or email  slemishmarketsupperclub@gmail.com …and remember… BYOB ! “Paella Is A Passion” – ITTN Joined Visit Valencia For A Paella Cooking Demonstration in Cork | ittn.ie

Expressway – Bus Éireann’s premium coach service – has announced that the Free Travel Pass is accepted on all if its services and is open for use by all eligible passengers. Expressway makes 250 trips per day, across 14 national routes. Tickets can be booked online up to 5 minutes before departure. Andrew Yates, Head of Expressway, Bus Éireann said: “We want to remind Free Travel Pass customers that our Expressway services are perfect for connecting with friends and family and doing the things you love. We offer stress free travel by sitting back, relaxing, enjoying free Wi-Fi, power sockets and enjoying the journey in comfort without the worry and expense of taxi’s, tolls, or car parking fees. There is no better way of exploring what Ireland has to offer by travelling with Expressway and we would like to thank all of our customers for their continued support.”

This year’s mega summer of concerts isn’t even over with yet – with Coldplay gearing up for their 4-night Croke Park stand this week and next– and the 2025 line-up announcements have already begun in earnest. The Gallagher brothers have temporarily put their differences aside for a shed-load of money and have confirmed they are reforming Oasis for a series of huge live shows next summer, to mark the anniversaries of their first two iconic albums; and they will play Croke Park as part of the celebrations. Oasis will mark the 30 th anniversaries of debut album Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? with a slew of concerts in Manchester, Dublin, Edinburgh and London next year. So, if Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, P!NK, AC/DC, LCD Soundsytem, Shania Twain, Take That and Coldplay haven’t been enough for you…or, for that matter, Liam Gallagher doing his solo Definitely Maybe tribute, then get your wallets ready…tickets go on sale this weekend!

On Sunday 22nd September at 6pm, four of Ireland’s top traditional artists will be performing in St. James’ Church, Dingle as part of the Irish Traditional Music Archive’s annual  Drawing from the Well  Concert Tour.  Singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, dancer Stephanie Keane, accordion player Derek Hickey and fiddle player Aoife Ní Bhriain will be joined by special guests Eoin Begley (accordion, concertina) and Andrea Palandri (fiddle) for the Dingle concert, one of six stops on the nationwide tour.

Breast Cancer Ireland’s annual Very Pink Run fundraising event takes place across the next three weekends in Dublin , Kilkenny and Cork . Each event – a mix of 4k, 5k, 8k and 10k runs – is open to all the family – women, men, boys and girls…and training, running, nutrition and fundraising tips are all available on the VPR website www.breastcancerireland.com/verypinkrun/ Details: VPR Dublin (Leopardstown Racecourse), Saturday August 31 (10k – 12pm; 5k – 12:30pm) VPR Kilkenny (The Watershed Facility), Sunday September 1 (8k – 12pm; 4k – 12:15pm) VPR Cork (MTU Bishopstown), Sunday September 8 (10k – 12pm; 5k – 12:30pm)

Dublin City Council has just shared some exciting news: Vilnius in Lithuania and Lublin in Poland are now part of the Dublin Portal network! Originally designed as a video link between Dublin and New York, the portal now lets you connect with people strolling through the streets of these two Eastern European cities as well. The live streams will switch every three minutes, giving you a fresh view of each location. You can experience the portal daily from 1pm to 8pm on North Earl Street in the heart of Dublin. The Lord Mayor of Dublin, James Geoghegan , expressed his delight at the network’s expansion to include Vilnius and Lublin. “The Dublin portal has drawn in over 340,000 visitors since it launched in May, bringing new energy to North Earl Street,” he said. In Vilnius, the portal is set up near the central station, while in Lublin, it’s on Litewski Square, right in the city centre. Interestingly, the connection between Vilnius and Lublin has been up and running since 2021, making it the first in the global portal project. Beata Stepaniuk-Kuśmierzak , a representative from Lublin, welcomed Dublin and New York to their portal network, saying , “We can now glimpse into Manhattan and Dublin’s city centre, share our cultures, experiences, and even start new projects together.” With more cities joining the portal, the project’s original vision—to create a global artwork that encourages people from different countries to come together in unity—is coming to life. Benediktas Gylys, the founder of portals.org, said, “Our mission is to build multiple portals that form a global network—a bridge that invites people from distant cultures to meet beyond borders, differences, and narratives.” “It took us eight years to reach this special day, and we’re grateful for the ongoing support from our partners in Dublin, New York City, Vilnius, and Lublin,” he added.

County Clare’s rural traditions and craft producers will be celebrated in Kilrush on Sunday, 8 th  September when the 2024 Vandeleur Walled Garden Harvest Day takes place. The family day out will feature a range of activities, demonstrations and events such as a localproducers market, demonstrations of traditional skills, a group artist exhibition and a local produce competition. Brian Markham, Acting Head of Operations at Vandeleur Walled Garden & Visitor Centre  commented: “We are very excited about welcoming people, both young and old, from all over Clare and further afield to Kilrush on September 8th for what will be a celebration of our many producers and those who have kept rural traditions and crafts of old alive.” “We look forward to celebrating the very essence of the harvest days of old which brought communities together to support and toast the end of a good season,” he added. Visitors will be able to witness local craftspeople at work including Deirdre Hetherington of West Clare Willow as she carries on the time-honoured tradition of basket making, wool craft and knitting demonstrations with Valerie Leonard from the Loop Head Alpacas, a metalwork demonstration by Blacksmith Jamie Smith of Triscele Forge, and forging with Paddy Murray of Kilkee Forge. The Bean an Tí will be demonstrating the art of butter making, while there will be Aran Knitting, Weaving, Crochet, Needle Felting, Wool Crafts and Wood Turning. Vandeleur Walled Garden’s Victorian-era glasshouse will host a local produce competition in a range of categories including Funniest Shaped Three Carrots, and the Best Loaf of Brown Bread, Vase of Flowers, Six Onions, Six Potatoes and Four Sods of Turf. The public is asked to present their entries to the venue by midday. Among the other events taking place will be Foraging with local Homeopath and Herbalist Suzanne Hammond in the woods around Vandeleur Walled Garden, a demonstration by a local beekeeper and horseshoe throwing for the kids. Meanwhile, a group artist exhibition with Delaney Davis, Ailish Malone and Hazel Murray will run throughout the weekend from Friday 6th September to Sunday 8th September. The Harvest Festival at Vandeleur Walled Garden takes place from 12:00pm to 4:00pm on Sunday, 8 th  September. See  www.vandeleurwalledgarden.ie  for more.

Oasis are hotly tipped to add a third night to their Dublin run of concerts next summer. The band is currently scheduled to play Dublin’s Croke Park on August 16 and 17 next year , when they tour for the first time in nearly 20 years to mark the 30th anniversaries of their first two iconic albums Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? . In the UK, they are due to play two nights in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium , four nights at Wembley Stadium in London, two nights at Edinburgh’sMurrayfield Stadium and four nights at Heaton Park in their home city of Manchester . However, they have already added one night in each of London, Manchester and Edinburgh…and Dublin is expected to get the same treatment.

Monaghan is about to become the blues capital of Ireland as the Harvest Time Blues Festival returns September 5th-9th . This much-anticipated event is set to fill Monaghan town with some fantastic performances, making it the perfect place to be for music lovers this weekend! What’s On The festival has a jam-packed schedule, featuring some of the best blues acts sourced locally from around the world! The Blues Trail will guide you through various venues across Monaghan, each hosting a lineup of incredible performances. Expect to see crowd-pleasers like The Revolutionaires , known for their high-energy swing blues, Crow Black Chicken with their gritty southern rock blues, and the exceptional Dom Martin . The festival also promises late-night sessions that will keep the music going until the early hours, ensuring the good times don’t end too soon. One of the highlights is the Acoustic Room , which offers a more intimate setting for experiencing the raw, emotional side of blues music. This venue will host stripped-back performances where the passion and skill of the artists truly shine. Additional Details & Tickets The festival will run from September 5th to 9th across various venues in Monaghan town. Tickets start at just €10 for individual events. There are also combo tickets available for those who want to experience the festival in full. The festival runs throughout the day and night, with events scheduled across different times and venues. Check the official website here for the full schedule.

We’re back for another round of Taste of the Suburbs! This week, the Travel2Ireland team asked the locals of Stoneybatter what their favourite places to eat and drink are! Here are their top choices. Start the Day off Strong at the Social Fabric Cafe Located in the heart of Stoneybatter, Social Fabric Café took over the old post office and transformed the space into the go to spot for delicious, healthy food and great tasting coffee. They have carefully designed and decorated the café to create a welcoming and inviting space! From the cushions on the seats to the artwork on the walls, the team has worked hard to create an open and warm space for where everyone can enjoy great coffee and even better food. Whether you want a quiet place to read a book while sipping a latte or catching up with old friends over brunch, Social Fabric Café welcomes you with open arms. Brunch at Joli Located on Manor St., Joli’s mission is very simple. They serve great coffee, treats and hot food from their cosy cafe to the Stoneybatter community and beyond! Come in every weekday from 8am, and weekend from 9am, for a great tasting coffee by Roasted Brown, and fresh sandwiches and sausage rolls made in house every day. Not to mention, their Açai bowls are absolutely delicious. Pick-me-up pint at Walsh’s Walsh’s is a traditional Irish pub situated in the heart Stoneybatter. They offer the very finest beers, wines and sprits in comfortable and welcoming surrounds. You can sit cosy in their snug, or soak up the pub atmosphere in their main bar or lounge area. For entertainment, they show televised sporting events, from Rugby and All Ireland Championship action to Premier League Football. The Guinness here is the perfect midday pick-me-up! Dinner at Grano Also on Manor St. and included in the 2024 Michelin Guide, Grano is the perfect place to go for dinner – if you can get a reservation, that is! Grano combines fresh natural ingredients, farmed using organic and biodynamic techniques, to create a contemporary cuisine that respects the roots and traditions of Italian cooking. By sourcing their ingredients from small Italian food and wine producers, it is Grano’s mission to contribute to the preservation of local food cultures and the revival of ancient cultivation techniques, making for an amazing meal. End the day with a glass at A Fianco Located in Norseman Court, A Fianco is an Italian vineria packed full of passion for Italian wine and food. They choose wines that are farmed using old techniques, by small organic producers, with indigenous grapes, respecting the land, respecting nature. They believe that these old ways are the future. Their food combines natural seasonal ingredients, sourced from small Italian and local Irish producers to create a menu that makes the wine shine. Walk-ins are also always welcome!