Wicklow Town  Arts Festival 2010

Looking for supporters and sponsors. Get Involved!

With a great line up featuring comedians, sopranos, crafts, artisan market, art on the rails and art trail, kids fun and so very much more you can surely find something or someway  to get involved with and celebrate your community!

Here at The Wicklow Way of  Living we are giving our support through advertising and promoting the event as much as we can to our hundreds of thousands of onlien visitors.

You can do something too! – even if its simply coming along to enjoy the fun!!

Read all about what this years festival holds here >>

To sponsor or to volunteer for the festival:

Email info@wicklowartsfestival.ie

Tel Eliza Kane on 087 934 6795

For further information on events check out www.wicklowartsfestival.ie.

Wicklow Arts Festival

27th to the 30th May 2010

There’s still time to book your place for sunday 18th april

Photography Walk:

Sun April 18^th

HilltopTreks and the Killruddery House in Wicklow have teamed up for this unique walking and photography event.

If you enjoy walking in the great outdoors and have often thought about getting some photography lessons and improving your camera skills so you catch that wonderful sunset, then this is the walk for you.

As the name suggests this is hands on outdoors experience 1 day basic photography course.

You will learn basics of photography, including composition, focusing, exposure.

While visiting very scenic parts of the country.

Price €65

Includes:

• Introduction to landscape Photography
• Guided walk
• Lunch
• Entrance to Killruddery Grounds

For more information about these walks and others

Visit http://www.hilltoptreks.ie/photo_walks.htm

Email: Info@hilltoptreks.ie

Or Phone 087-7849599

Airsoft, Fishing and Pet farm at Rathbeggan Lakes Co Meath

Whilst Wicklow truly is the garden of Ireland, it must be said that its nice to go for a day out elsewhere on occasion, and yesterday we went to celebrate a friends birthday at Rathgeggan lakes in Meath.

Whilst I have come across Rathbeggan lakes on the internet via tourism forums and allotment chat, I had not yet been and was wonderfully suprised to see just how professional and organised this family friendly attraction was.

Located just off the main road to Navan at Dunshaughlin, Rathbeggan Lakes has something for everyone.

For the game lovers they have the very popular Airsoft game – where you get to dress like soldiers and find combat solutions to a variety of scenes ( It is less painful than paintball too!! – Ideal for a hen or stag party with a difference!)

For the younger folks they have a lovely pet farm with friendly and colourful animals such as donkeys, goats, chickens, a gobbly turkey , rabbits and more plus wonderful open vista views with scenic park benches to have a family bbq or picnic outdoors overlooking the gorgeous lakes themselves.

These man-made lakes offer fishing for children and adults with bait and equipment for hire at a very very reasonable fee.

There are also paddle boats to a small island that you can hire. At such a low cost (€2) to enter this great attraction is only a few miles from blanchardstown yet you feel a hundred miles from the city!

Being so affordable also means that your kids can have a real treat on a sunny day without having to break the bank.

They also have a new area for Motor Homes so if your looking to park your motorhome up for a few nights then this is the place to go.

The allotments are also extremely popular- 80 in total, and a great place to get in touch with nature whilst living in the city.

So make a day of it and get out to Rathbeggan in Meath- say hi to Dave and Mary from the wicklow way!

Features include:

• Paddle Boats
• Water Pistol Zone
• Rifle Range
• Frizbee Golf
• Airsoft Games
• Nature Trail
• Pet Farm
• Kiddy Fishing
• Birthday Parties
• Mini Football Pitch
• Allotments
• Garden Games
• Falconry
• Childrens Play Area
• BBQ Hire
• Picnic Area
• Private Hire
• Motor Home Stands
• Coffee shop

View our images from the day here >>

Visit them on the web at: www.RathbegganLakes.com

Staycation holidays in wicklow

So Tourism Ireland are planning to put together some great stay-at-home-vacation-ideas ( Staycations) for all us recessioned-out folks, to promote holidaying at home in Ireland this year

Well, that’s a great idea, as Ireland truly has some gorgeous fun family orientated and adventure based holidays to offer.

In fact Mary Clissman of Clissman Horse-Drawn caravans represented our wonderful county  and indeed Ireland East also at the Tourism Ireland stand in France this year.

The Wicklow way has often seen these horse drawn caravans on our way round wicklow.

Unfortunately many of the roads are so busy these days it may not be as peaceful as one might wish…( thank god for those of us who expect them and slow down on bends especially round deputys pass!!) yet any visitors that yours truly has spoken to has said that they really enjoyed it – once the weather stayed fine of course!

A romantic holiday break in wicklow for sure – If you don’t love each other after this there’s no hope for you I suppose…

Wicklow Community Pride Photo Competition

Wicklow Community Pride Photo Competition is looking for your photographs of inspiring community pride showing how you are ‘working together for our communities’..

Prizes include a weekend break -( yes pleeeeease,) to the 4-star Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel ..

send your entries to nationalspringclean@fd.com before April 30th 2010

Nordic walking Classes Kilruddery

Whats Nordic Walking I hear you ask?

Well it’s a form of walking using specially designed poles to enhance your whole walking experience as it was.. Basically its a form of excercise ( using actions similar to cross country skiing ) that gives your whole body a great excercise workout.

so dont delay – visit them today to book your place here >>

Family Things to do in wicklow

Sharpeshill Animal Sanctuary in Ballygannon Mor – (well its off the glenealy to rathdrum road…) are having an Easter Events day this Sunday 28th March 2010.

Celebrating their 100 year on the day with story, art AND photo competitions, so get your camera and family pet out to pose!!

Juvenile and adult categories so no reason for mans best friend not to show up – that’s you dad!!!

great fun- always remember to consider volunteering to walk those sweet doggies of which Our Snipe is a past member – and how he made sure we brought him home!!!

You can find the map here on our previous post >>

Loving It – the wicklow way of  living
with
Roz and Skippythe dog – and his mate snipe!

Wicklow Mountains National Park Walk this Weekend

As featured on our February thing  to do in wicklow post, the Wicklow Moutains National Park are holding a  fun 4-5 hour hike round Djouce mountain ( Roundwood ) featuring information on the famous Red Grouse.

Saturday 27 March – thats tomorrow folks!! book on 0404 45425

see our feb post here and don’t say we did’nt tell ya! >>

The Circus comes to Wicklow and Arklow Town…

Many people have mixed feelings about the circus, however, here at The Wicklow Way Dot IE we LOVE it!

We especially love the trapeze artists, and acrobats that can astonish and amaze!

My littel neice is an avid circus fan and watching her little face light up at the amazing acts whilst eating her candy floss always makes me smile..

Which is why we will be going along to see the fine performers at the upcoming Circus Gerbola, who are coming to town ( Wicklow and Arklow to be precise) in April!!

Special Discount!! Mention ‘ The Wicklow Way Dot IE ‘ at the box office and admission for all seats all nights is only €7.99!!! Now That’s Value!!

see details below:

PRESS RELEASE…PRESS RELEASE…

ROLL UP! ROLL UP! CIRCUS GERBOLA TO AMAZE
AUDIENCES IN WICKLOW & ARKLOW!!

The award-winning and critically acclaimed Circus Gerbola rumbles into Wicklow from April 1st to 5th and Arklow from 6th to 8th April

For their latest exhilarating spectacle, Gerbola, Ireland’s premier family circus, are set to thrill the town with a troupe of home grown and international performers creating a mesmerizing feast of circus delights.

Be prepared to be spellbound by their Aerial Artists, Chinese Pole Acrobats, Comedy Trampoline, Liberty Horses, Crazy Clowns, Incredible Foot Jugglers, The Slinky and much much more.

You can’t miss the Gerbola Big Top on the Ashford Road Roundabout in Wicklow or beside Arklow Building Supplies, Arklow.

Circus Gerbola is known for quality family entertainment and won the AOIFE Best Festival Entertainment Award in 2009! The show in 2010 is even bigger and more daring!

For the younger ones, Barney & Friends will be visiting schools and shopping centres all week so look out for the big purple dinosaur and be sure to ask him for discount vouchers!

Showtimes Wicklow:
Thur 1st 7.30pm
Fri 2nd 5pm & 7.30pm
Sat 3rd 5pm
Sun 4th & Bank Holiday Monday 5th 2.30pm & 5pm
Location: Ashford Road Roundabout in Wicklow

Showtimes Arklow:
Tue 6th 7.30pm
Wed 7th & Thur 8th 5pm & 7.30pm
Location: Beside Arklow Building Supplies, Arklow.

Special Discount!! Mention ‘ The Wicklow Way Dot IE ‘ at the box office and admission for all seats all nights is only €7.99!!! Now That’s Value!!

Bookings 086 3700620
Email: info@circusgerbola.ie
www.circusgerbola.ie

Remember the circus when you were a kid? Give your child the gift of that memory…

Got an Idea that involves the outdoors in wicklow?

Check out this press release from The Heritage Council

Calling all Event Organisers!
National Heritage Week 2010: 21st-29th August

It’s never to early to start planning your event for National Heritage Week which this year will run from the 21st to the 29th of August.

Event registration for inclusion in the National Heritage Week event guide will be available online at www.heritageweek.ie from the 1st of April.

The deadline for inclusion in the National Heritage Week event guide is the 31st of May.

This year, we’d especially appreciate it if you would consider running events that where possible encourage outdoor activity, are interactive, involve active participation and “doing” and that are child friendly (if feasible).

Check back to the National Heritage Week website for further updates and info over the coming weeks. Further Information