The weekend of November 15th is fast approaching! We round up some of the best things to do, see, eat and hear in Ennis, Co Clare!

Pride of Place Organised Activites

Pride of Place Special Events and Activities

 

It’s less than two weeks until the Irish Pride of Place Official Awards Ceremony 2014.This year the competition will be taking place in the beautiful Treacy’s West County Hotel in Ennis, Co. Clare. But that’s not all that’s on this weekend – the team have organised some special discounts and events for those attending the ceremony. The choice is yours, so we’ve rounded up some of the highlights to help you plan in advance!

Arrive on Friday 14th November to an array of events to kick start your weekend.

If you love stand up, be sure to attend Des Bishop’s hilarious new show ‘Coming Home.’ Through his own take on the world, Bishop relays his experiences living in China and adapting to a culture so different from his own. As an American who moved to Ireland and found success with his own humorously objective viewpoint, Bishop will no doubt hit the nail on the head again reminiscing about living in China. Pride of Place is offering reduced rates of €22.50pp for the show, so get your tickets now on http://www.glor.ie/book.

Looking for something a little more lavish?

Bunratty Castle is one of Ennis’s most breathtaking historical buildings and they’ve kindly organised a fantastic medieval banquet. The best way to experience the history of the castle is to become a part of it! You’ll be treated to a glass of mead and a delicious banquet whilst listening to the tales and songs of medieval Ennis. The butler will be seeking the King’s approval for each dish, but a scoundrel will be revealed during the meal. The 35 minute spectacle that follows will decide his faith! This is a truly unique evening that should not be missed; the 2½ hour show costs €45pp.

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Continue the festivities after the shows with a trip to one of Ennis’s many traditional pubs for a night of music. Starting between 9:30 and 10:30pm till late, you’ll see the best of what Ennis has to offer. The choice of pub is yours; you’ll have plenty of craic agus ceol wherever you end up!

Saturday morning will be an exciting time in the build up to the awards ceremony,

so why not clear your head with a breathtaking walk around the Cliffs of Moher? One of Ireland’s most iconic natural attractions, you can be one of the one million visitors per year with a complimentary bus journey organised by Pride of Place. Enjoy the view from O’Brien’s Tower and see as far as the Aran Islands and Galway Bay. No trip to Clare is complete without seeing this fantastic natural beauty. Just decide during the weekend and book your seat!

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Or maybe you still haven’t had enough of Bunratty? With a Pride of place rate of €10 for a Saturday day tour ticket (or just get the combined banquet ticket for €50) you can explore the rest of the grounds. The most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland, Bunratty is full of history and stories. After you’ve toured the castle itself, check out the Folk Park with its houses, pubs and shops. Finish the day with a visit to the Bunratty Walled Garden, which have been resorted to their former glory. Modelled on the original Regency period garden which supplied fruit, vegetables and flowers to Bunratty House, the gardens are refurbished to their original Victorian style. Definitely worth a visit to get a glimpse of Bunratty through its historical periods!

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Excited yet? Us too!

Time to start planning your weekend to make sure you don’t miss out a single minute of the fun. We’re looking forward to seeing you for another memorable night at the Irish Pride of Place Awards 2014.

Fun Facts about Clare

Fun Facts about Clare

The Irish Pride of Place Awards 2014 are sneaking up on us. This year the ceremony takes place in Ennis, Co. Clare.

You’ve been preparing for the ceremony but are you prepared for Clare?

One of Ireland’s most beautiful and interesting counties, we’ve put together some fun facts for you to build up the excitement for November 15th and this year’s Pride Of Place Awards Event:

  • Clare has not one, but three famous natural feature points:
    • The Coastline (home to the famous Cliffs of Moher)
    • The Burren
    • Loagh Derg
  • Much of Clare is underlain by limestone

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  • The county colours are saffron and blue
  • Clare is known as the banner county, due to its history of symbolic banners being led at important political events. It’s also home to some of history’s most well-known figures, including Michael Cusack, founder of the GAA, and former president Eamonn de Valera.
  • Father Ted was filmed mostly in North Clare

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  • Clare is home to the most western airport in Europe – Shannon and indeed it was a local Clare man Brendan O’Reagan invented duty-free shopping in 1947.
  • After visiting the birthplace of his great-grandfather in (you guessed it!) Clare, Muhammad Ali was made the first Honorary Freeman of Ennis.

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If this doesn’t get you even more excited for the Pride of Place Awards 2014, then we don’t know what will! Get down to Clare armed with these facts and prepare to blow away the locals with your knowledge!