Get ready to chug some Guinness: Travelzoo's offering an Ireland package for $499 that includes round-trip airfare, six nights' accommodations on the grounds of a castle and a car rental for you to go exploring the western parts of the Emerald Isle.

The flight takes you to Shannon, in County Clare. Then you'll head to Limerick, where you and three of your buds (the package is based on four travelers) can crash in a three-bedroom private villa on the grounds of Adare Manor, a historic Irish castle that was just named one of the top three resorts in Europe by the 2009 Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards. You'll also get a full-sized car to shuttle you around the nearby sites, such as Galway, Killarney, the Cliffs of Moher and the Blarney Castle. But brush up on driving stick, or learn how to do it, since these rides won't be automatic. ]]> Jennifer Kester 2009-10-30T14:54:19-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/15/9395/44923

Among the tourist attractions that make us go "ew", Ireland's Blarney Stone has always been high on the list—the thought of kissing the same piece of rock that all those strangers have kissed is kind of gross.The great news today is we're not the only OCD travelers around thinking this.

A new TripAdvisor list says that the Blarney Stone is #1 on the "Top 5 Germiest World Attractions" list. Not the kind of list you want to be at the top of, right?

After polling some 4,600 travelers, TripAdvisor also discovered that Seattle's Wall of Gum and Oscar Wilde's tomb in Paris are considered very germy too. At number four, St Mark's Square in Venice is a clear germ choice thanks to the pigeons. Rounding out the top five are the famous hand and footprints in Hollywood. Looks like wherever we travel we totally need our germ-busting nano scanner wand.

Related Stories:
· Germiest Vacation Spots [Boston Globe]
· Ireland's Blarney Stone Stuff-Up [Jaunted]
· Nano Scanner Wand Makes The World A Cleaner Place [Jaunted]

[Photo: bowbrick] ]]> amandak 2009-06-15T11:42:11-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/6/71334/96299

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so you better finalize those plans to head over to the Emerald Isle. You don’t want to miss out on any of the green beer—although we’re hoping for a more authentic experience with less of that and fewer leprechauns.

Here are just some of the deals you can find right now. We searched for flights that leave the Friday before the big day, and return the following Saturday—that way you’re there for the official celebration as well as the pre-game. ]]> kjb 2009-03-06T12:11:15-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/4/30/72456/9152

There's a hot destination in Ireland that we haven't been to yet, but want to check out: Dingle. Doesn't the name alone make you want to visit this town in County Kerry, in the pretty southwest corner of Ireland? A recent decision could've made it very hard to find Dingle, but there's been a change of heart.

You see, changes to Irish language laws meant that the anglicized name of Dingle should actually have been changed back to its original Irish name of An Daingean. But many locals were concerned that the good reputation Dingle has with tourists--they say because of the landscape, we say because it's a silly name--would be lost, and with it, much of the town's revenue.

So in the friendly spirit of the Irish they've made a compromise. The official name of the town is now Dingle Daingean Ui Chuis. Nice choice, guys. We can really see that fitting nicely on a map.

Related Stories:
· Irish Town Wins Battle [AFP]
· Ireland Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: khoogheem]]]> amandak 2008-04-30T09:15:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/2/25/23957/5397

If you've been on the tourist trail in Ireland you'll know all about the Blarney Stone: a piece of stone in the Blarney Castle near Cork, which is meant to give you the "gift of eloquence" if you lie on your back and lean awkwardly out to kiss it.

But one recent study is now suggesting that since 1888, tourists have been kissing the wrong stone. Smooching with the original Blarney Stone apparently involved being lowered down the side of the castle, with some trustworthy friend holding your ankles. The researchers suggest that someone (cleverly) decided this could be dangerous, and simply started telling people the Blarney Stone was another one.

Naturally enough the current keepers of the Blarney Castle dispute this, eloquently. We dispute it too, since we've kissed the allegedly fake Blarney Stone in the past--and surely here at Jaunted we're nothing less than eloquent?

Related Stories:
· Think You've Kissed the Blarney Stone? [Independent]
· Ireland Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: bmoyles]]]> amandak 2008-02-25T09:40:43-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/1/31/7357/16927

This is probably not what the Irish wanted to read in the newest Lonely Planet guide to their fine country:

Ireland's 40 shades of green don't, it seems, include the all-important eco-green.

These days, that hurts. The guidebook worries that Ireland's carbon footprint is apparently more than twice the global average--although statistics, as we know, can say nearly anything one wants them to.

The guide does mention that the recent introduction of a tax on plastic bags has helped Ireland's green credentials. The country's infrastructure and size make it popular for cycling and walking holidays, which are obviously pretty eco-friendly, too. So maybe Lonely Planet's being too tough on the Emerald Isle. Then again, when you're a country whose national color is green, it makes sense to play up that fact.

Related Stories:
· Lonely Planet Challenges Ireland's Green Image [Belfast Telegraph]
· Green Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Ireland Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: bass_nroll]]]> amandak 2008-01-31T09:00:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/5/15/6125/23764

Options for grabbing a ferry between Britain and Ireland have got bigger and better this year with the introduction of the Stena ferry service between Fishguard, United Kingdom, and Rosslare, Ireland.

With a fast crossing time of just 2 hours, they're obviously hoping to hold onto a market that could be tempted to flock to budget airlines. Stena's also got summer specials of £80 for a single ticket (car included) plus extra adults for just 17 quid a piece if you sail mid-week.

150 cars can squeeze onto a Stena ferry. And 650 people telling Irish jokes. For the record, Stena also sails to Holland and Scandinavia, but the jokes there cost extra.

[Photo: isotopp]

Related Stories:
· Stena Line [Official Site]
· Superferry Roils Hawaiian Waters [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong's Ferry Smoggy [Jaunted]]]> amandak 2007-05-15T09:34:35-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/