Page 353 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  351

DIRECTORY
Travel Safety Advice
Australia
Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade
∑ dfat.gov.au
∑ smartraveller.gov.au
UK
Foreign and Common wealth
Office ∑ gov.uk/foreign-
travel-advice
US
The Heritage Service-run Parke’s Castle in County Leitrim (see p237) US Department of State
∑ travel.state.gov
and villages. Opening hours Heritage Card, allows unlimited,
can be somewhat erratic and free admission to all sites Tourism Ireland
many are open only during the managed by the organization Offices Abroad
summer season. Local museums for a year. At €25 for adults, United Kingdom
and libraries can be another €20 for senior citizens, €10 for For the whole of Ireland: Tourism
useful source for a selection of children and students (valid ID Ireland UK, Nations House, 103
tourist literature. is required), and €60 for a family Wigmore St, London W1U 1QS.
Before leaving for Ireland you ticket, the card is good value. Tel 0800 039 7000.
can get brochures and advice Popular Heritage Service sites ∑ tourismireland.com
from Tourism Ireland. Their include Céide Fields (see p208), ∑ discoverireland.com
Discover Ireland offices can be Cahir Castle (see p202) and the
found in major cities all over the Blasket Centre (see p162). United States
345 Park Avenue, New York, NY
world. Fáilte Ireland (the Irish Entrance fees in Northern 10154. Tel 1 800 223 6470.
Tourist Board) and the Northern Ireland are about the same as ∑ tourismireland.com
Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) in the Republic, also with
can also supply you with maps discounts offered to students Tourist Board Offices
and leaflets. For more local and senior citizens. North of the in Ireland
infor mation on sights, accomm­ border the National Trust has a
odation and car rental, it’s worth membership scheme, but is Fáilte Ireland
contacting the regional tourist more expensive (about £63 per Baggot St Bridge, Dublin 2.
offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway year per person or £111 per year Tel 01 602 4000.
and Limerick. for a family ticket). The card can ∑ failteireland.ie
Lists of places to stay provided be used at sights such as Mount Northern Ireland
by tourist offices will not Stewart House (see p286–7) and Tourist Board
necessarily include every local Carrickfergus Castle (see p279). 59 North St, Belfast BT1 1NB.
hotel and guesthouse – these The card only represents good Tel 028 9023 1221.
lists recommend only those value for money if you are also Belfast Welcome Centre:
establish ments that have been planning to visit National Trust 47 Donegall Place.
approved by the Tourist Board. sites elsewhere in Great Britain. Tel 028 9024 6609.
∑ discovernorthern
ireland.com
Admission Opening
Charges Times Other Contacts
Most of Ireland’s Opening hours Heritage Ireland
major sights, are usually Tel 01 647 6000.
including ancient between 10am ∑ heritageireland.ie
monuments, Heritage Card giving access and 5pm. Some National Trust
museums and to historic sites sights close for lunch. Tel 028 9751 0721.
national parks, have Few places are open ∑ nationaltrust.org.uk
an admission fee. For each place on Sunday morning and some
of interest in this guide, we museums shut on Mondays.
specify whether or not there is a From June to September all still choose to close at this time.
charge. Many sights offer the sights are open but crowds Some attractions close for
discounts for students and peak. July is the marching winter, while others keep
seniors. season in the North (see p53) shorter hours. Many places
Heritage Ireland maintains but tensions have eased in open for public holidays, such
national parks, museums, peacetime Belfast and Derry; as Easter, and then close again
monuments and gardens. The many shops and restaurants until summer.

350-351_EW_Ireland.indd 351 08/03/17 11:08 am