Conference tallis::celt

    Maria, call 1-800-IRELAND.  They'll help you out.
    
    /George

	
        Travelers to Ireland should contact:                     
    
        "Irish Tourist Board"
         Bord F�ilte
         757 Third Avenue 
         New York, N.Y. 10017
         (212) 418-0800      
    
                                           
    	They will send you all kinds of info about vacationing in Ireland.
    

Hey, that was fast - and appreciated!

Maria

Air fares are EXPENSIVE.  I just checked with Aer Lingus and
it's $759 + $18 for a return trip leaving on the weekend and
staying at least 7 days in Ireland.

Note she mentioned that if you're going back for a Morrison
Visa, they'll give you $100 off (you need to give them a
case number).

Also remember that Aer Lingus is a member of the One Pass
program for frequent flyer miles.

Bernard

    
    That's outrageously high Bernard!!!
    
    For that...you could go to Australia!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    /Jen
    

    
    If booked before the end of February, the fare was 579 + 18 tax
    for "High Season" in July-August.
    

I don't know about anyone else, but I can't IMAGINE knowing
before the end of February exactly when I'm planning on
taking a vacation.  I've only just finished scheduling
this with my sister in Israel so we're both in Ireland
at the same time -- and I think THIS is early.

I'm going to check out charter fare prices, cause this
is way too much.

Bernard

Price Fixing.

Following a suggestion from Liam Ferrie, I checked with
American Airlines and they offer a price from Logan to
Dublin of ... $729.  And that's flying via London !!

I'll check out other options.

Watch this space for details.

Bernard

    
    Bernard,
    
        We Celt's have taken a vote and are more than willing to pitch in
    and buy the ticket for you.
    
    
        But as with anything,, there is one little hitch.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    It has to be a one way ticket     8*)
    
    paddy 

Gee, Paddy I'm deeply moved.

Let me check out the cost of the return portion, and I'll
get right back to you.  ;-)

Bernard

    
    No No Bernard....  You gotta stay there.......  8*)
    
    paddy

    There is at the moment a compulsion on all transatlantic flights into 
    Ireland to land at Shannon airport. This stems from the historical r�le
    played by Shannon in the days of limited-range aircraft flying the
    Atlantic in the 1950's.
    
    Recent discussion to change this and allow free access to all airports
    in the State was met with a blizzard of protest from people livng near
    to Shannon an dthe west in general.
    
    Aer Lingus state that there isn't as much interest in Shannon as a
    direct destination and cite it as the reason for the high airfares.
    
    Local people in the town that has grown up around the airport and the 
    people of nearby Limerick are very worried about their jobs.
    
    It looks like the E.C might force the government to drop the
    compulsion. This might mean cheaper airfares but would sound the death
    knell of the west of Ireland.
    
    I recently attended a few meetings and it was the number one subject
    of discussion at all of them. Not one person had a thing to say against
    retaining the compulsory stopover.
    
    

    I doubt it would be the death knell of the west of Ireland,
    but it certainly would be a major loss to Limerick and maybe
    Clare too.
    
    It is an archaic rule which is kept on due to economic
    interests in the Shannon area.  Would Cork and Galway care
    if the Shannon requirement were lifted?  Maybe so.
    
    If Ireland does drop Shannon, then it should beef up flights to/from
    other regional airports in Cork and in the Mayo/Sligo area (to offset
    the obvious loss of activity to Dublin)..
    

    re .4
    How much is that in punts??
    
    Therese
    

    RE:12
    
    Galway, it would appear from meetings I've attended and the deafening
    silence from the Pro side ( if any) does care and wants the Shannon
    stopover policy retained.
    
    You allude to the spreading of wealth.  Dublin, which would be the main
    beneficiary of any relaxation of the present rules, already has enough
    economic advantages over the rest of the country. It is the capital and
    seat of power for the rest of the country, nearly 90% of the civil
    service still work there. Nearly all the headquarters for companies are
    there, and so is the main airport and 2 of the seaports. THe national
    media, both print and electronic are based there and all advertising
    and political opinion therefore has a strong pro-Dublin bias.
    
    It's not surprising that 30% of the population of the country live
    there, mostly migrants from the impoverished west put at the mercy of 
    unscrupulous land-lords and property developers who are out to make a
    killing on the backs of these people by now depriving the west of what
    little advantage it has left. (House prices in Dublin are typically 50%
    dearer than elsewhere.)
    
    These interests hope that jobs lost in the West will be replaced by
    jobs in the Dublin area and they hope to make a profit on the resulting
    relocations.
    
    A meeting in Limerick drew a crowd of 30,000 people including  local
    D�il deputies, to object to the proposed change. The minister
    responsible for Transport is from Galway West and she had better make
    the right decision if she is to retain her seat in the next election.
    It is doubtful if she will do otherwise.