FATHER & SON TAKE 'FLYING COW' AND 'MINI-MIG' TO THE SKY!

Language Travel Ireland is proud to announce that a father and son, from one of our farmstays in County Limerick, will take to the skies on July 19th! Bray is a beautiful seaside town located on the East Coast of Ireland just south of Dublin city. Gerry Humphreys and son Harry are creating a piece of air show history this month, as they both take to the skies for the annual Bray Air Display.

One of Ireland’s top aerobatic pilots, Gerry Humphreys, is a former RAF pilot-turned organic beef farmer will be taking his home-built two-seater ‘flying cow’ to the skies on July 19th!  Gerry’s son, Harry (age 21), will be making his Bray Air Display debut this year, in the titanium-built ‘Mini-Mig’ plane, having first secured his private pilot licence on his 17th birthday. Named after Harry Ferguson, the first Irishman to build and fly his own aeroplane, Harry Humphreys is currently studying for his commercial pilot licence and his grandfather, Chris, was also a pilot in the RAF.

This will be the 10th Annual Bray Air Display. The organisers have got an extra special programme lined up for families. From vintage aircraft to supersonic jets, and from smoke-filled displays to precision formation flying, they will be showing the public the very best of what Irish and international aviation has to offer.  The Bray Air Display, starts at the earlier time of 2.00pm on Sunday, 19th July, and is expected to attract over 80,000 visitors to the East Coast that day.  The good news is that it's all free and no tickets or admission charge applies.

Jets from Aer Lingus, Ryanair and CityJet will also be taking to the skies above Bray that day and spectators are strongly advised to use Dublin Bus, DART and other public transport services, as traffic restrictions will be in place. All visitor information about the free Bray Air Display is available from www.brayairdisplay.com and www.braysummerfest.com.

The Bray Air Display is one of the many exciting events happening in the Dublin region this summer. There is so much for students, who have come to Ireland to do an English course, to enjoy!

Lough Gur – a magical place in County Limerick!

Lough Gur is located in the scenic countryside in County Limerick, just 20km from Limerick City. Lough Gur is one of Ireland's most important archaeological and historical gems. The area has been a place of continuous habitation for at least 5,500 years since the arrival of the Neolithic people and represents in microcosm, each of the different ages. The lake side comprises of stone circles and megalith tombs, crannogs and castles. Trained guides, who are local to the area, can show you the many historical sites in Lough Gur.

In the centre of Lough Gur, just adjacent to the lake there is a small Heritage centre, built to replicate a home of the age. The centre houses a number of display cases which illustrate the story of the manufacture and use of flint and bronze material and their eventual deposition in the area as well as their recovery - whether as a result of scientific excavation or random finds.

There is a replica of the Bronze Shield and of Stone Age pottery as well as other artefacts depicting the lifestyle of the first inhabitants of Lough Gur. The original bronze Shield has been on long term loan in the Natural History Museum in Dublin. Hear about Hempenstall- the wicked hangman known as the “Walking Gallows " Learn about the Earl of Desmond one of Irelands greatest noble families, their mighty fortresses at Lough Gur, and how they fell from grace for defying the English crown.

A trip to Lough Gur is well worth while for people of all ages!  Students who come to the Limerick area to do English courses in Ireland are very welcome.  It is a great way to experience some of Ireland's ancient history and culture.  Its also a great way to learn English in Ireland.

Tours can last one to two and a half hours or we can tailor a tour suited to yours or your groups needs. For more information please check the our website: http://www.loughgur.com/

Written by:
 
Roseanne Dunne

Marketing Facilitator
Lough Gur Development Society
http://www.loughgur.com/

New Flights from Paris to Shannon International Airport!

Good news for the Limerick & Shannon Region; Aer Lingus is to begin a new service of flights from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to Shannon Airport, commencing on 17th December, 2010. The new flights will run 3 times per week. This new route is a significant boost for tourism in the West of Ireland. Paris is one of the world's busiest airports. A large population live in Paris and the surrounding region. This new direct service will greatly facilitate the many students from France who come to Ireland to learn English and attend English courses in Ireland.

LTI offer intensive, one-to-one, homestay and farmstay English courses in the Limerick and Shannon Region. They have a large network of host families who are delighted to welcome French students who want to learn English in Ireland. The Limerick & Shannon Region is also a great place to enjoy Ireland as there are many attractions; King John's Castle, spectacular Cliffs of Moher, beaches of the atlantic coastline, the Burren Region landscape, Bunratty Castle & Folk Park and charming towns and villages like Adare and Killaloe.

La compagnie aérienne irlandaise Aer Lingus va opérer un vol, Paris Charles de Gaulle - Shannon trois fois par semaine à partir du 17 décembre prochain.  Entre ses centres urbains pleins de vie et ses impressionnants paysages d’une belle campagne intacte, ses plages immaculées et sa côte magnifique, la région de Limerick et Shannon est une formidable destination où venir étudier l’anglais. 

LTI offre des séjours linguistiques en Irlande chez votre professeur dans la région de Limerick et Shannon.  L’Irlande a été nommé comme étant le pays le plus accueillant au monde par le guide de voyage Lonely Planet. Vous avez donc la garantie d’un accueil chaleureux de votre famille Irlandaise ainsi qu’un environnement familial accueillant pour pratiquer votre anglais.  LTI propose également des séjours linguistiques à la ferme en Irlande.   Un séjour linguistique à la ferme en Irlande donne l’occasion unique d’être totalement plongé dans la langue et de participer aux activités de la ferme.

St. Patrick's Day Festival 2010: Enjoyed by All!

The St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the majestic city of Limerick were launched in style by the National Lottery Skyfest which light up the skies with an amazing fireworks display. King John’s Castle provided a stunning backdrop to this year’s breathtaking fireworks display where dazzling colours and explosive effects were unleashed over one of Ireland’s most well-known and cherished treasures, the River Shannon. And all this choreographed to an amazing soundtrack.

St. Patrick is the national saint of Ireland and S. Patrick’s Day is one of the most important public holidays in Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on the 17th March and on this day the people in Ireland and Irish people all over the world celebrate. Indeed, this has become a world festival with parades taking place from the USA to Australia!  Even the world famous Sydney Opera house went green!

This year, Limerick city was in celebration with a full programme of activities for the festival weekend. Festival activities included live bands, fire jugglers, face painters and much more. The main event, of course, was the St. Patrick’s Day parade which was one of the largest in Ireland. A great time was had by all including thousands of students, visitors and tourists who came to Limerick and Ireland for the celebrations!

English and Farmstay Programme in Ireland - A Great Success in 2009

Our English & Farmstay Programme in Ireland  proved to be one of our most popular programmes during 2009.  We are expecting a very busy year in 2010.   The feedback from students was very positivie.  They really enjoyed staying on a real Irish farm and getting involved in the farm activities.  The English & Farmstay programme gives a great opportunity for an authentic experience of Irish life and culture as you stay with a real family on a real farm and get involved in the day to day life of the family and the farm.  It is also an opportunity to enjoy the fresh air, home cooking and beautiful countryside of Ireland. 

Like all of our English Courses in Ireland, the most important part of our English & Farmstay programme is that it allows the student to learn English by receiving a full immersion in the English language.  Students speak English all the time as there are no other foreign students on the farm at the same time.  Our students have found that getting involved in the farm activities makes it easier to build confidence in speaking English. 

Our English & Farmstay holidays in Ireland are different as they allow the student the opportunity to get involved in life on the farm and the farm activities.  A lot of other so-called farmstay holidays are B&B or guest houses that happen to be on a farm.  You are separated from the family and you eat your meals alone.  You never receive the opportunity to get involved in the farm activities. 

Our students have told us that they love our Farmstay Programmes as they offer the opportunity to get involved in farm life and family life.  You are treated as a member of the host family from the moment you arrive.  You eat all your meals with the family.  Most importantly, your English improves very quickly.  We expect that demand will be very high for our English & Farmstay Programmes this year.  Anyone interested in booking should contact us as early as possible to avoid dissapointment.

If you have stayed on one of our farm stays in Ireland, we would be delighted to hear from you and to receive your comments or photos.

Un séjour linguistique à la ferme en Irlande vous donne l’occasion unique d’être totalement plongé dans la langue en vivant avec votre propre professeur particulier et sa famille dans leur ferme en Irlande. Les étudiants bénéficient des cours d’anglais particuliers de leur professeur, de l’hébergement en pension complète et participent aux activités de la ferme.  Nos séjours linguistiques à la ferme en Irlande sont vraiment différents de toute autre expérience d’apprentissage de l’anglais.

Christmas Time in Ireland!

Christmas will be here soon and Santa will be arriving to deliver presents for all the good boys and girls. Like other countries around the world, Christmas in Ireland is celebrated with great joy and enthusiam. In Ireland, there are some unique traditions around celebrating Christmas. Read on to see how families in Ireland celebrate Christmas.

Candle in the Window

The tradition of placing a lighted candle in the window of a family house on Christmas eve is still very popular in Ireland. It is said that the candle is a sign of welcome for Mary and Joseph who on the first Christmas eve were looking for somewhere to stay. According to the tradition, the candle is light by the youngest member of the family and should be extinguished by a girl with with the name "Mary". The name Mary was very popular in Ireland in the old days.

Decorations

Decorating your house both inside and outside is very popular in Ireland. The holly bush grows wild. It is a tradition to decorate the family home with holly during Christmas. A holly wreath is often placed on the front door of the house. This is a tradition that has been passed down through the years. In modern times in Ireland, a lot of families now use electric Christmas lights on the outsides of their homes. All decorations are traditionally taken down during Little Christmas (January 6th). It is considered bad luck to take them down any earlier than this. Christmas decorations are then put away and stored until the next Christmas!

Santa Claus

In Ireland, Santa Claus or "Santie" arrives late on Christmas Eve after all the children have gone to bed. He leaves presents under the tree and fills the Christmas stockings. The tradition is to leave something for Santa to help him on his long journey. So maybe Santa will be left a mince pie and a glass of milk or Guinness! And of course, a carrot for Rudolph the Reindeer.

The traditional Gaelic Greeting at Christmas

The traditional Irish or 'Gaelic' for 'Happy Christmas' is 'Nollaig Shona Dhuit!', pronounced 'null-ig hun-a-dit'.

A Time for Family

Christmas is a very important time in Ireland for the family. Older children who have moved away from home always try to return home for the Christmas celebrations. It is one of the few days during the year when all the family can be together and spend time together. All shops and pubs are closed on Christmas day in Ireland. On Christmas morning, there is great excitement when the family members exchange gifts and the children open their presents from Santa. Most families normally attend Christmas services at church and then the family spends the day and night together. A great feast is had for Christmas dinner which usually includes a turkey, ham, Christmas cake and maybe some wine or guinness.

We would be very interested to hear about Christmas traditions in other countries. If you are reading this and from another country, please write to us and tell us all about your Christmas. We would be delighted to hear about it. Or if you are in Ireland to learn English during the Christmas period, please tell us all about your experience.

Happy Christmas and a happy new year to everyone!

Hope Santa Comes!

Learn English by Living it in Ireland

I believe the best way to learn English is by living it. So I decided to start my own business in Ireland that would offer foreign students the opportunity to learn English by living with a real Irish family and receiving private one to one, intensive English lessons. Our organisation is called Language Travel Ireland and our website is www.englishireland.ie/.

Our English courses in Ireland provide the unique opportunity to learn English by living it . Students receive a unique experience of Irish family life and culture. The aim of our English courses in Ireland is to help students make rapid improvement in their English in the shortest possible time. All of our English courses are intensive but varied. Students are really surprised at how much their English improves in such a short period of time.

We invite you to look at our new website and to let us know what you think.

Why the photo of the cattle you may ask?

We have a special course called English & Farmstay programme;

The English & Farmstay Programme provides the unique opportunity for a full immersion experience, living with your own private teacher and family on their farm in Ireland. Students receive private English lessons from their own private teacher, farm activities and full board accommodation.

Students can experience life on an Irish farm, take part in the farm activities and enjoy the home cooking, fresh air and fine views of the beautiful countryside of the Golden Vale region of Ireland which borders the counties of Limerick, Tipperary and Cork. This is the Midwest region of Ireland.

Farm activities will vary depending on the farm but some examples are as follows: fruit picking, harvesting the vegetables, collecting eggs from the hens, feeding the farm animals, milking the cows/goats, haymaking, preparing the firewood, working in the garden, preparing bedding for the animals etc.