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Ireland, is famed for its luscious green terrain split up by rocky mountains and rolling hills. The saying goes in Ireland that you can tell the difference between summer and winter by measuring the temperature of the rain- so by this you can gauge that rain is a dominant feature and there isn’t a lot of temperature variation across the country.

The weather is mild but changeable and rain can be expected at any time of the year. Parts of the country are oceanic, and as you move further away from the coast the conditions become slightly more temperature- however the prevailing factor across the whole country is that few temperature extremes are experienced.

Ireland is affected by the North Atlantic Drift, so this has a moderating affect on the climate and keeps winter in Ireland warmer than places of similar latitudes. Its northerly location, however, means that summers never get particular hot either. The climate is generally fairly typical of an insular climate and is moderated by the moist winds that blow across the island, these winds prevail from the south west, off the Atlantic, and can reach particular high speeds at times of the year.

On the whole the west coast is much wetter than the east coast, so this should dispel common belief that Dublin is the wettest city in Ireland. Lying on the east coast, Dublin sees almost half as much rainfall as parts of the west coast.

Inland Ireland gets warmer in the summer months than the coastal region, though on the flipside it also gets much colder in the winter. These temperature differences are not that great, with central Ireland only being a few degrees cooler than the coast. In the centre of the country across the year will record about 40 days below freezing, however on the coast the mercury will only fall below 0 degrees on average 10 days per year.

The country is made up of a ring of coastal mountains, with low lying central plains in the centre. Due to Ireland's mild climate and significant rainfall this has lead to luscious green terrain and plentiful vegetation which makes for very scenic and pleasant landscapes, which has lead to the island being called the ‘Emerald Isle.’ Home to rolling hills, mountainous rocky areas and dramatic green vistas, Ireland is a picturesque place to visit any time of the year.

DUBLIN - Dublin is the capital of Ireland and sits upon the east coast where it is sheltered from the heavy storms that the Atlantic coast is subject to. The climate in Dublin is a maritime, temperate climate that (like the rest of the country) lacks major temperature extremes and has cool summers and mild winters. Although popular belief leads many tourists to believe that Dublin is a very rainy city, it in fact sees fewer days of rain, on average, than London.

The average maximum temperature in January, the midst of winter, is about 8 degrees while July sees average maximums of about 20 degrees. From May to June will see Dublin basking in the most hours of uninterrupted sunlight as this is when the sky will be the clearest and before the more overcast weather sits in. Because of its northerly latitude, in the height of summer the days will have about 19 hours of daylight before the sun sets. On the flipside the winters days are short and in the peak up winter there are only 9 hours of daylight.

December and August in Dublin are generally the wettest months and record 74mm of precipitation on average for the month. April is, on average, the driest month of the year recording 45 mm of precipitation for the whole month.

Occasionally Dublin is hit by strong winds that blow from the Atlantic, though the storms are much less severe here than they are in other parts of the country. If Dublin is to be hit my strong winds it is most likely to occur in the height of winter. In 1997 on December 24, a region just out of Dublin was hit by winds that gathered speeds of 151 km/h!

There are plenty of things to keep you busy if visiting Dublin and find your self in the midst of a rainy windy day, take in the city streets or take a visit to the original Guinness Brewery- don't worry it'll be here for awhile as it as a 9,000 year lease on it's property.

Dublin is affected by the urban heat phenomenon which means the inner city is a few degrees warmer than more regional areas. The heat is stored up in the city centre and will keep it warmer throughout the days.

 Any variations in rain or temperature are due mainly to varying altitude and proximity to the Atlantic. The east coast sees about 750mm of precipitation, on average, across the year while the west coast sees 1500mm. In the mountains at higher altitude about 2000mm of precipitation will be recorded, before falling to 800-1200mm in lower lying areas.

Though it has been stated that Ireland does lack temperature extremes, it is hit by the occasional heat wave. Historically the highest temperature ever recorded in Ireland was 33.3°C at Kilkenny Castle June 26 1887. During the 20th century, the record high is 32.5°C at Boora, Co. Offaly which was recorded on 29th June 1976.

Riders must wear hard hats, it is manditory in Ireland. We also recommend a body protecter at a canter level and beyond.
 

Accommodation holds up to 18 guests and are of quality comforts with every facility and comfort close at hand. The pitch-pine floors and beams, open fires, and en-suite bedrooms are complemented with colorful patchwork quilts. The setting is a restored grain barn which has been sumptuously fitted out to the highest standards. Each of the bedrooms are en-suite with a number of family rooms available for relaxing and socializing. All meals are catered for in the superb new Bistro with views over the horse pastures. The food is freshly prepared using local produce wherever possible, ensuring the best of Irish food every day of your stay. Sit back by the open fire while you read through the menu of the evening and see what takes your fancy. For Sunday night there are several good restaurants in Tullamore for you to explore.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

The Riding Program: Includes 2-3 riding hours per day up to a total of 12 hrs (or more if you like at additional cost). Whether you are a complete novice and have never ridden a horse before, or a seasoned horseman looking for something more challenging, you will find the experience at this center both rewarding and extremely enjoyable.
You can also reserve the advanced instruction program that includes 3 hours of intense instruction on 6 of the days during your week long stay. The center will design the instructions according to your riding level and include jumping, dressage, cross-country and theory.

Note: Riding hours can be instruction in cross-country, jumpers, dressage or guided hacking.  Additional riding hours can be arranged at 50 Euro / hour.

Horseback Cross-country Course

We have an extensive cross-country course of over 130 obstacles on our 380 acre (160 ha.) farm. They range from simple logs for those who are only starting out at jumping to a full Intermediate Horse Trials event course.

Twice a year we run Eventing Ireland one-day events. The course has been designed by Tommy Brennan International and European Championship course designer.  We run Training, Novice and Open Intermediate Classes ( or CCN* & CCN** by FEI terms ). This course is available to our guests who want to train at a very high level of cross-country and we also have the horses to suit!

More information on eventing in Ireland can be found at www.eventingireland.com

We know that the vast majority of riders do not aspire to compete at very high levels but nevertheless enjoy jumping cross-country.  We have lots of small logs and simple jumps for those who want to just have some fun.  Often people spend all their time training in an arena to show jump, however our cross-country course is an ideal way to do lots of diverse jumping and have plenty of fun and learn some new ideas along the way. 

Tack:		English
Horses:		Irish Half Breds, Irish Hunters, Thoroughbred, Connemara
Pace:		All paces, including jumping | Walk | Trot | Canter | Jumps |
Level:		(1 to 4 out of 5)    All riding levels
Age:		Min 7
Riders:		Min 1 riders	Max 12 riders

The Riding Program: Includes 2-3 riding hours per day up to a total of 12 hrs (or more if you like at additional cost). Whether you are a complete novice and have never ridden a horse before, or a seasoned horseman looking for something more challenging, you will find the experience at this center both rewarding and extremely enjoyable.
You can also reserve the advanced instruction program that includes 3 hours of intense instruction on 6 of the days during your week long stay. The center will design the instructions according to your riding level and include jumping, dressage, cross-country and theory.

Note: Riding hours can be instruction in cross-country, jumpers, dressage or guided hacking.  Additional riding hours can be arranged at 50 Euro / hour.

Horseback Cross-country Course

We have an extensive cross-country course of over 130 obstacles on our 380 acre (160 ha.) farm. They range from simple logs for those who are only starting out at jumping to a full Intermediate Horse Trials event course.

Twice a year we run Eventing Ireland one-day events. The course has been designed by Tommy Brennan International and European Championship course designer.  We run Training, Novice and Open Intermediate Classes ( or CCN* & CCN** by FEI terms ). This course is available to our guests who want to train at a very high level of cross-country and we also have the horses to suit!

More information on eventing in Ireland can be found at www.eventingireland.com

We know that the vast majority of riders do not aspire to compete at very high levels but nevertheless enjoy jumping cross-country.  We have lots of small logs and simple jumps for those who want to just have some fun.  Often people spend all their time training in an arena to show jump, however our cross-country course is an ideal way to do lots of diverse jumping and have plenty of fun and learn some new ideas along the way. 

Passports
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all except:
(a) 1. persons born in the UK travelling direct from the UK (applicable to British passport holders only).
Note: Whilst UK citizens do not require a passport or visa to enter Ireland, most carriers by air or sea now require some form of identification with photograph, usually a passport or driving licence with photo. Visitors should check what form of ID is required with the individual airline, ferry company or travel agent before travelling.
(b) 2. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.
Note: EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.
Passport Note
3. Imposition of a return ticket as a condition of entry is at the discretion of the Immigration Officer at point of entry.

Visas
Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for the following durations:
(a) nationals of EU countries for an unlimited period (nationals of EU countries wishing to stay for longer than three months must register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau).
(b) nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA for stays of up to 90 days.
Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements