ANTRIM ARMAGH CARLOW CLARE   CORK

ANTRIM:

Glenariff Forest Park:
The park covers an area of 800 hectares of beautiful scenery. William Makepeace thackeray, a 19^th century English writer called it ‘Switzerland in miniature’. There are laid out nature trails, the longest walk lasts three hours.

ARMAGH:

The Argory: (Derrycaw Road, Moy):
A National Trust 19^th century neo classical house and gardens in a Jane Austen like setting. The house dates from 1824. The house is unchanged since the turn of the century, has no electricity and contains interesting furniture of the period. The house is set in 130 hectares of wooded countryside overlooking the River Blackwater. It has two formal gardens; a charming rose garden with dwarf bush roses in box-edged beds and another larger garden known as the Pleasure Ground with a terrace overlooking the river.

Open 2–6pm daily, except Tuesdays, June–August. April-May and September: Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holidays and Easter. Tel: (048 87 784753).

CARLOW:

Altamont Gardens (Near Ballon, between Tullow and Bunclody):
Large, old world garden sloping down to a lake surrounded by rare trees and shrubs. There is a formal and informal garden, an Arboretum, Bog Garden and Ice Age Glen and wonderful views of the Wicklow Mountains.

Open: April-end October 2pm-6m, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

CLARE:

Craggaunowen (6 kims east of Quin):
An open air living history museum, which brings Bronze Age and Celtic culture to life. Among the exhibits are, ancient recreated dwelling places such as a crannóg, (a man-made lake dwelling) and a ring fort, complete with souterrain. On the site also is a ‘fulacht fiadh’ a hunter’s cooking place, Craggaunowen Castle, a fortified house, and Tim Severin’s leather boat in which he crossed the Atlantic in 1976 while trying to prove that St. Brendan reached America before Christopher Columbus. Very interesting but best when the weather is fine.

Open: mid-March-October: 10am-6pm every day. Tel: 061367178.

CORK:

Bantry Houseand Gardens:
This 18^th century house is in a magnificent location overlooking Bantry Bay. It has been the home of the White family (formerly Earls of Bantry) since 1739. The house has an interesting mix of art and furnishings from all over Europe including wonderful French and Flemish tapestries. There is an air of decayed and faded elegance about the place. The gardens are beautifully maintained and feature an Italian Garden inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence, an English rose garden and the "Staircase to the sky" which leads to terraces offering a great view across the bay.

Open daily late March to late October: 9am–6pm. (Tel: 027 50047). In the grounds is the 1796 French Armada Centre which records the story of the ill fated attempted French landing in 1796 including artefacts rescued from the French frigate ‘La Surveillante’. Open April-September, 10am-6pm. (Tel: 021 451796)

Fota Wildlife Park and Arboretum: (13 kms from Cork City on Cobh Road):
An open zoo, Fota breeds and reintroduces wild animals to their natural habitat. Cheetahs, in particular, are bred and exported to their countries of origin. The Park creates as natural an environment as possible for the different species of animal: giraffes, kangaroos, onyx, flamingoes, penguins and zebras. The cheetahs are the only animals kept in an enclosure. There is a small train, which links the various sections of the park.

Open: Easter-October: 10am-5pm. Opens 11am on Sundays.

Garinish Island/Ilnacullin(Glengarriff).
This island, situated in the sheltered harbour of Glengarriff in Bantry Bay, was once a bare rocky island of holly and birch scrub. In 1910, Harold Peto took up the challenge to transform the island into a floral paradise for a Belfast businessman, Annan Bryce. The gardens are planted with subtropical flowers and shrubs. They thrive due to the peaty soil and the influence of the Gulf Stream, which creates a micro-climate in the area. In May and June the island is a riot of colour when the camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons are in bloom. The colonnaded Italian Garden, with an ornamental lily pool, is the centrepiece and is surrounded by a wild garden and a glade called Happy Valley. The boat trip takes fifteen minutes and the journey often has the added delight of a chance to see cavorting seals in the Bay.

Open March-October: Monday-Saturday: 10am-6.30pm. Sunday: 1-7pm. July and August: 9.30am-6.30pm. Sunday: 11am-7pm. March and October, Monday-Saturday: 10am-4pm. Sundays: 1-4.30pm. Tel: 027 63040.