Aer Arann and Etihad Airways have agreed a special codeshare deal which is seen to be highly beneficial to holidaymakers and business passengers looking to travel from Ireland or the Middle East.

The recent agreement means that Etihad Airways will place its airline code which is ‘EY’ on to the Aer Arann’s regional aircraft which service journeys from Dublin, Cork and Galway in Ireland including the Isle of Man.

In turn, Aer Arann, is to offer passengers smoother connections from Dublin to Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s base, which provides a network of flights across Africa, Asia, Australia and other popular regions.

Chief executive of Etihad airlines, James Hogan said Dublin had quickly become their airline’s most popular airports with holidaymakers which has lead their company to build a ’stronger affinity’ with Ireland.

He said: ‘There is great demand amongst our customers to travel beyond the Irish capital, which this new codeshare agreement now allows.’

Chief executive, Paul Schutz at Aer Arann commented: ‘The importance of regional access within Ireland to major international routes cannot be overstated and this codeshare agreement is a very significant addition to the infrastructure, supporting business and the economy in the Irish regions.’

Dublin, one of the most popular city break destinations will see a huge increase in the amount of holidaymakers strolling its streets in a couple of month’s time as the traditional Irish St Patrick’s Day Festival saturates the entire country.

Celebrations for St Patrick’s Day will take place from 12th March when five days worth of celebratory activities and events take place including a giant party and the famous annual parade on 17th March.

There will be literally thousands of holiday makers and locals littering the city streets of Dublin during the forthcoming 2009 festival. This year’s festival has been named ‘the sky’s the limit’ and much of the celebrations will follow this theme.

Festival goers will see dance shows, street theatre, comedy performances, Irish music concerts, Irish language events and fun events for all the family.

Some of the highlights will be Skyfest - a festival that is free and combines pyrotechnics with fireworks displayed over the top of special lighting and music and also the Big Day Out - a giant playground built in Merrion Square.

Some of the other events will include international marching bands and giant puppets plus much more.

It is soon time for The Six Nations rugby tournament. This will present many more travel opportunities with flights and other travel laid on for those sports fans eager to attend the tournament.

The 2009 annual contest will see England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and France compete in a head-to-head Rugby tournament which will span a full six weeks.

Those fans who are able to take a trip to Rome will be able to see Ireland v Italy’s match at the Stadio Flaminio which is to take place on 15th February 2009. This is prior to Italy taking on Wales on 14th March 2009 before they finally face a match with France on 21st March.

Paris will prove to be a particularly popular place to head for a city break in February 2009, always popular as one of the most romantic destinations to take your partner for a Valentine’s break. Next year the 14th February is also the date for when France face Scotland which will increase flights to Paris even further. Following this game, France are due to face Wales a couple of weeks later on 27th February.

Facing a few interesting fixtures next year, The British Home Nations will also see an ‘interesting’ match between Wales and Scotland taking place in Edinburgh on 8th February.

The England team are due to travel to Cardiff to face the reigning Six Nations champions’ team on 14th February 2009 prior to a game at Twickenham against Scotland on 21st March.

There is talk of additional flights to be available next year for Rugby fans, particularly on routes to Paris during February 2009.

Aer Lingus has just celebrated its 50th anniversary in transatlantic flying which was their first Aer Lingus flight from Dublin and Shannon Airports arriving in New York during 1958.

An afternoon event was held to celebrate the marked occasion which was made up of Aer Lingus management and its retired employees which included the original cabin crew from the historical flight. The event included an exhibition of memorabilia and old photos from the history of Aer Lingus including old copies of their Cara magazine, vintage adverts and menus from the time. The Aer Lingus crew was also dressed in the uniforms of the 1950s and 60s.

Dermot Mannion, CEO Aer Lingus marked the occasion by saying:

“The evolution of our transatlantic service into what it is today is a credit to the people who have worked in Aer Lingus throughout its history. Our evolution from a single route in 1958 to achieving global brand recognition that resonates across North America is an Irish success story. As we look to the future, I have no doubt that the next 50 years of Transatlantic flying are set to be very exciting ones for Aer Lingus and for Ireland.”

It was during 1958 when their Super Constellation plane was operating only one single route from Ireland to New York. In 2008 Aer Lingus is the market leader for transatlantic flights. Now there are 9 Aer Lingus A330 craft that run between the two cities several times a day. It now operates 122 flights per week and will carry in excess of 1 million passengers per annum from 7 destinations across the North of the USA.

Dr Garret FitzGerald commented:

“It was an exciting moment when, during my closing months as the company’s Research and Schedules Manager, we finally launched Ireland’s transatlantic air service. Two earlier postponements of the service had, I believed, been justified because of inadequate demand, but now, in April 1958, the traffic volume finally ensured the successful launch of the service, with leased aircraft which within three years were replaced by our own fleet.”

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said:

“This is a momentous day for Aer Lingus and indeed for the aviation industry in Ireland. The fact that over one million Irish people now fly transatlantic each year is a testament to how far the Irish aviation industry has come in fifty years. As much as today is about celebrating the past, I have no doubt that the next phase in the development of an independent Aer Lingus will meet and exceed the expectations of Irish and international customers alike.”

In the 60’s the flight that left Dublin to New York with Aer Lingus lasted 12 hours, nowadays this is 7 hours. Their aircraft held 100 passengers and 9 crew in the 60’s and today one flight will carry over 300 passengers and 12 crew.

U2 band members own the Clarence Hotel in the centre of Dublin and this week have won their legal battle to redevelop it into a new modern landmark.

Bono and guitarist The Edge drew up a €150 million (£118.5 million) plan to redesign the Clarence Hotel by British architect Lord Norman Foster.

The hotel will be the venue for many luxury holidays in Dublin - it will hav 166 rooms and several futuristic features such as a floodlit glass atrium.

Heritage campaigners found the plans rather controversial saying the development contradicted the conservative planning laws of Ireland, adversely affecting the Temple Bar area’s visual appeal.

However, Ireland’s planning authority, An Bord Pleanala, seemed to disagree with their objections and the proposals were given the go ahead.

In a statement from the Clarence Hotel, the U2 stars said:

“We believe it’s great news for Dublin and for Temple Bar in particular, where we’ve been working for over 20 years and where a hotel has been trading on the Clarence site for 177 years.”

Bono and The Edge bought Clarence Hotel in 1992, making it into a five star establishment.  Famous guests have included former US President Bill Clinton and several international rock stars.

Flights to Dublin are available from many major UK airports.

In September, the fifth annual Bulmers International Comedy Festival will be in Dublin, from the 1st to the 21st September.  Various events will be hosted in different locations all over the Irish capital.

The festival is reputed to be one of the world’s top five comedy festivals and has played host to various comedians in the past including Matt Lucas, Dave Walliams, Lee Evans, Ricky Gervais and Bill Bailey.

This year’s festival is made even more special by the debut of Chris Rock, who is performing two shows at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin on the 4th September.  The Police Academy sound effects cop, Michael Winslow, will also be appearing at the Tivoli Theatre from the 2nd to 4th September.

Other special guests this year include Jimmy Carr, the Mighty Boosh, Rich Hall, Paddy McGuinness and Ricky Tomlinson.

Flights to Dublin can be particularly cheap and there are plenty of guesthouses and hotels close to the city centre.

Authentic Ireland Travel, a tour operator in County Kerry has described County Kerry as a “scenically beautiful” region for holidaymakers to visit.

County Kerry is in the south west of Ireland and is fast becoming a popular area for Brits looking for a peaceful place to take luxury holidays and relax from everyday life’s hustle and bustle.

Marketing Director of Authentic Ireland Travel, Ivan Lynch, said that other popular areas, slightly lesser known but ideal for a quiet weekend break, are Connemara, Clare and the west of Cork.

Mr Lynch said that these areas were not “quite as overrun with tourists” as County Kerry “but are equally beautiful”.

However, he didn’t recommend camping in the area because of unreliable weather and advised that those seeking a self catering camping holiday would be better sleeping in a camper van.

The Central Statistics Office Ireland said that in 2007, around 8.01 million tourists visited Ireland. Comapre this with just 6.3 million in 2000 and you can see how Ireland’s nation is growing in popularity with travellers.

About ten miles from Dublin city centre, Marlay Park will soon be the venue for some great musical entertainment.

Throughout August, the park will host a month of concerts such as Muse, Metallica and the Killers, and the Lovebox Dublin Weekender will take place on the 23rd August.

Its better known London counterpart is scheduled for the 19th and 20th July, and will feature some amazing artists like Maximo Park, Paulo Nutini, Kid Creole and the Coconuts.

Other attractions will include an organic farmers market, a funfair and a childrens play area.

Lovebox is presenting a number of events this year as well as the London and Dublin festivals, including the Eden nightclub in Ibiza every Friday in September until the 19th.

Flights to Ibiza and Dublin are really cheap, so if you’re looking for a bargain holiday, this could be great for music lovers.

Take a luxury holiday to this most popular European destination. Dublin caters to people with varied tastes.

Dublin castle is well worth a visit, you can take in the throne room, the Chester Beatty Library, the Garda Siochana Museum and the Bermingham tower room. But Dublin is not only about towers and museums; you can enjoy the vibrant Temple Bar area with it copious bars, pubs and galleries. This place is abuzz till the wee hours of the morning.

Stepping back in time

The city of Dublin is full of literary milestones and has served as an alma mater of many great writers. The Trinity College houses the famous ornate ‘The Book of Kells’, an illuminated edition of the gospel in the old library. This is considered to be one of the most famous books of the world.

Shoppers’ haven

The well endowed stores and elegantly draped windows will draw in any shopper. It is considered to be the famous shopping destination that attracts celebrities from world over, including film stars and models.

Zooming around the city

The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport system) is an efficient and a safe way to travel. Renting a bike for sightseeing is a fabulous idea and will be an easier option to travel. In Dublin magazine or the Dublin Event guide will give you an update of events taking place. So, enjoy a cheap family holiday and have a great time in Dublin.