Things to do in Ireland
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Cavan Farmers Market
Held in the Town Hall St public car park.
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Caves
The Doolin area is popular with cavers. The Fisherstreet Potholes are nearby, and Poll na gColm, 5km northeast of Lisdoonvarna, is Ireland's longest cave, with more than 12km of mapped passageways; see www.cavingireland.org for more details. A little over 1km north of Roadford you'll find Doolin Cave, which boasts an enormous stalactite that looks like a giant squid. The main entrance is at the Fisherstreet Potholes; tour times vary by season.
The rocks to the north of Doolin Harbour are honeycombed with an unusual system of undersea caves called the Green Holes of Doolin. They're the longest known undersea caves in temperate waters. Nondivers can look (with care) into…
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Chapter One
Heaving at lunchtime when locals descend to dine on the huge range of filled bagels, soups, nachos and specials such as quesadillas, this friendly, informal place is one of the town's most popular cafes.
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Chaz Bar
Across from the gentrified waterfront, this throwback pub hides behind a modest green facade. There's good live local music most nights in summer and the owner is a fount of local info.
reviewed
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Chez Sara
Irish lamb, red snapper and a beautifully cooked steak are just three of the highlights of this cosy French restaurant in the middle of the village.
reviewed
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Childers Park
About 300 metres east of the Square, Childers Park spreads out to the east. Within the park is the Garden of Europe, opened in 1995. Its 12 sections represent the 12 members of the EU of the day. There's a bust of the poet Schiller and, strikingly, Ireland's only public monument to those who died in the Holocaust, and to all victims of injustice.
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Chocolat
Make that very international. This trendy, minimalist place has been packed since its recent opening and no wonder. Food spans the globe – from Thai mango chicken and Singapore noodles to German meatballs and Toulouse sausages, plus plenty of northern, central and southern American classics, including finger-licking ribs. And, of course, there's chocolate, such as Snickers Belgian mousse and white chocolate cheesecake. The inventive, generous cocktails are the best in town, and include a chocolate coffee kiss (Kahlua, Baileys, creme de cacao, Grand Marnier and chocolate syrup).
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Chorister's Hall
Set to open in 2012, this new museum traces the city's rich medieval past and covers all the steamy and stinky details of local life until 1700. It's located in the renovated 12th century Undercrofts. The star attraction will be the magnificent 1372 4m-long Great Charter Roll which shows portraits of five medieval kings of England.
reviewed
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Cineworld
This multiscreen cinema is where you'll get all the mainstream releases.
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City Sightseeing
A typical tour should last around 1½ hours and lead you up and down O’Connell St, past Trinity College and St Stephen’s Green, before heading up to the Guinness Storehouse and back around the north quays, via the main entrance to Phoenix Park.
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Clarke & Sons
This wonderful old boozer is right out of a time capsule. Clarke's unrestored wooden interior features snugs and leaded-glass doors that read Open Bar. It attracts an arty crowd and is gay friendly.
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Coastal Zone
You'll find more activities for kids at the Coastal Zone, including marine-life exhibits, a touch pool, rock-pool rambles and fossil hunts.
reviewed
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Cobh, The Queenstown Story
The howl of storms almost blows your hair, there's a bit of fake vomit and the people in the pictures all look pretty miserable. That's just one room at Cobh Heritage Centre. Housed in the old train station, this interactive museum is far above average. The room described above deals with the mass Famine emigrations across the Atlantic: trips where the people were green – and not with envy. Displays show how conditions improved – except for the Titanic or Lusitania, which have fateful links to Cobh.
There's also some shocking stuff on the fate of convicts, shipped to Australia in transport 'so airless that candles could not burn'. Scenes of sea travel in the 1950s,…
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Conamara Gaelic Culture Tour
Visit tiny farmhouses and learn about Connemara's rich traditions of singing, dancing, storytelling, booze-making and more.
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Cooley Birdwatching Trail
Much of the Cooley Peninsula is protected and is home to various species of birds including godwits, red-breasted mergansers, buzzards, tits and various finches. Ask at the tourist office for information on the trail.
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Copper
Recently relocated from Warrenpoint, Copper is an elegant, white-linen-tablecloth kind of restaurant that serves meat sourced from local farms and fish bought from the quayside at Kilkeel, with simplicity and integrity. There's a separate vegetarian menu with inventive dishes such as roast squash grating with confit tomatoes.
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Cork City Tour
Hop-on-hop-off open-top bus linking the city's main areas of interest. The Outer Limits Tour takes you outside the centre.
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Cork Historic Walking Tours
Runs 90-minute tours from the tourist office.
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Cork Literary Tour
A free audio walking tour of Cork; pick up a copy or download one onto your MP3 player at the Cork City Library.
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Cork Walks
Cork City Council's two free self-guided tours cover the South Parish and Shandon. Pick up the guide and map at the tourist office.
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Cornstore
The buzzy bistro's bar is a swishy place for a cocktail.
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County Courthouse
South of Parnell St you'll spot the refurbished County Courthouse, designed by Richard Morrison in 1802. It was here that the Young Irelanders of 1848, including Thomas Francis Meagher, were tried and sentenced to transportation to Australia.
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Craft Village
This little courtyard is home to a handful of craft shops selling Derry crystal, hand-woven cloth, ceramics, jewellery and other local craft items. Enter from Shipquay St, Magazine St or Tower Museum.
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Crane Lane Theatre
Their courtyard beer garden is a central Cork oasis.
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Crazy Crab
Nab a table on the patio and you can enjoy views of the sea beyond the playground across the way. All manner of fresh seafood is on offer – from classic fish and chips to fancier bistro fare.
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