Top Things to Do in Dublin this Christmas!

The team at the Stillorgan Park Hotel have put together some of their top choice’s of things to do in Dublin during this Christmas Season!

7up Christmas on Ice in the RDS - There's something for everyone at 7up Christmas on Ice in the RDS. Skate and chill out listening to only the coolest music of the season. Delicious Ice Café to chase the chills away with a delicious hot chocolate, gourmet coffee, festive eats and treats or a tempting snack from the ever popular Chocolate Fountain. Enjoy the ultimate winter experience with ice skating, hourly snow falls, Skating Santa, and the magic of Christmas.

Leopardstown Christmas Racing Festival- This popular race course holds the renowned Annual Christmas Festival which is attended by people from far & wide. The festival runs from Saturday 26th December to Tuesday the 29th December & is one of the highlights of the National Hunt Season.

Dundrum Town Centre – Visit Santa’s grotto, a magical Winter Wonderland. From the glistening ice scenes of Lapland to the quaint snow-covered rooftops of Santa’s village and a traditional Nativity scene, children and adults alike will love the unique series of animated scenes within the grotto. Mrs. Claus is on hand to tell stories and you will also be treated to a sneaky peek at Santa’s elves busily working to get Santa’s sacks filled!
Children can enjoy transportation from McDonald’s to Hamleys on Dundrum Town Centre’s Christmas train, the Dundrum Town Centre Express.
Hamleys will host a magical Breakfast with Santa every Saturday and Sunday until December 23rd from 8am-9am, when Santa’s Elves will greet and entertain guests.

The Moving Crib - The Moving Crib in St. Martin Apostolate in Parnell Square in Dublin is still, for many people, one of the most charming aspects of Christmas in the City. It has fascinated generations of children from Dublin and all over Ireland, and 50 years after it first began it still draws the crowds. It features a selection of biblical scenes acted out by mechanical puppets including Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, the Three Wise Men and of course the Nativity. A true reminder of what Christmas is all about.

Take a trip to the Theatre – This year, there is a show to suit everyone in Dublin. From the Cheerios Panto Cinderella in the Tivoli Theatre, Jack & the Beanstalk in the Gaiety Theatre, A Christmas Carol in the Gate Theatre, to the Wizard of Oz in the National Concert Hall. Each show will be as enjoyable as the other; all you have to do is choose one!

The Live Animal Crib at the Mansion House - This unique event in the centre of Dublin will be open to the public outside the Mansion House. The Live Crib consists of a traditional nativity scene set among live animals in a specially constructed, life-size stable. The animals are brought to the Crib every morning and are returned to a farm on the outskirts of the city in the evening. It is the only one of its kind in the country and is meant as a gesture of goodwill from the Farmers of Ireland to the people of Dublin as they celebrate Christmas.

Funderland - Funderland is the largest travelling Theme Park in the Europe. There are always a host of attractions that are sure to appease even the most seasoned thrill seekers who dare to be suspended upside down, turned over or whisked through the air. When a complete day of satisfaction for the entire family is what is required a visit to Funderland is a must.
So whether you are young or young at heart why not come along and see why Funderland has become a national institution.

Dublin has something for everyone this Christmas. Let us know if there is an activity that you would like to add to our list!

Rebecca to take New Years by Storm..

Pieta House, Ireland's only centre providing a therapeutic service for the prevention of suicide and self-harm has announced the extension of its opening hours to cope with demand for its services. Suicide rates in Ireland have increased by 42% this year according to the CSO and similarly demand for Pieta House’s service is up by 120% on this time last year. It will now open four nights a week and on Saturdays to meet this demand.

Joan Freeman, CEO, Pieta House attributes this rise in its service to socio-economic factors that have caused an increase in suicide and self-harm rates throughout the country. Commenting on Pieta House's extended opening hours, Joan Freeman said: "We are inundated with new assessments at the moment and we definitely attribute this to the financial situation many people now find themselves in. We expect this to increase further in the New Year as financial difficulties deepen after Christmas. However, Pieta House, like all charities, is also struggling financially. We are now finding that demand is outstripping supply and we urgently need help to continue our work in 2010."

To help Pieta House fund its suicide prevention service into 2010 and raise awareness of suicide and self-harm in Ireland, Pieta House has launched an extensive Christmas campaign.

The Christmas campaign will include extensive fundraising activity, including a New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner at the Stillorgan Park Hotel in Dublin with international singer and star of ‘Blood Brothers’, Rebecca Storm.

For details & ticket information on the New Years Eve Dinner & Show please contact the Stillorgan Park Hotel on 01 2001800 or email Christmas@stillorganpark.com or visit http://www.stillorganpark.com/

For full details of Pieta House or to make a donation, visit www.pieta.ie.

Pictured above:
Daragh O'Neill, General Manager, Stillorgan Park Hotel

Rebecca Storm

Joan Freeman, CEO, Pieta House

Marian Keyes Captivates the Audience on Friday Nights Late Late Show

The ladies at the Talbot Hotel Group are very excited to get a copy of Marian Keyes latest book “Brightest Star in the Sky”, which is sure to be another bestseller. After publishing many outstanding novels, Marian Keyes continues to keep her audience captivated with her quirky wit and relatable stories & is one of Ireland’s best loved female icons. Don’t take our word for it… check out her thoroughly entertaining interview with Ryan Tubridy last Friday on the Late Late Show at http://www.rte.ie/tv/latelate/index.html and click on “Marian Keyes”.

Let us know what you think!