Well done again to the winners of the Halloween Costume Contest! You all did a great job

So it’s back to the books this week for all our students and time to learn again for a while before your Christmas holidays! Only a few weeks to go! If you’re staying in Ireland for Christmas take a look at our posts on the Top Ten Places to Visit in Ireland here and here

Remember that many Irish people will be on holidays in December also so you should book hotels and cars or flights this month! Don’t leave it to the last minute as you could pay a lot more money.
Most Irish companies will close on the 23rd of December for some time, and on the 25th almost every business in the country will be closed.  If you are going home for the holidays make sure to lock up your apartment very well! It’s a good idea to set a timer on the lights so that your apartment doesn’t look empty – set the lights to come on at night and off in the morning.

Students looking to party over the holidays should go out on Christmas Eve (24th December), St Stephen’s Day (26th December) and New Year’s Eve. Concerts for New Year’s Eve are often sold-out in advance so make your plans now!
WEEKEND TIP

Have you seen Riverdance? If you think the dancing was fun then you could try The Irish Dance Party in Temple Bar. It costs 12 euro for a two-hour lesson but if you book as a group of students you get a discount!

Edvard Munch prints are on display at the National Gallery in Merrion Square.  You can see the most famous of his works: The Scream.  Entry to the Munch Exhibition is FREE on Mondays and 5 euro on other days.  Entry to the rest of the National Gallery is FREE every day

INIS ( the Department of Immigration) are PROPOSING new immigration rules. All schools/colleges have been invited to COMMENT on the PROPOSAL by the 9th of October 2009.

Abbey College and a number of other schools and colleges are commenting on the PROPOSAL.

It is important to remember that this is only a PROPOSAL and may never take place.

IF these changes take place, and you are already in the country then you will be allowed to finish your course. Students whose visa is due for renewal up to the end of 2009 and whose current course is completed in that time will be permitted to enrol in:

1. Any nationally approved course of higher education
2. Any approved course of futher education (e.g. FETAC) not exceeding 2 years in duration
3. Any language course not exceeding one year in duration provided they have not at this stage already completed 3 years of language education

THIS IS ONLY A PROPOSAL; NO RULES HAVE BEEN CHANGED YET!!

Abbey College will keep you informed on any changes which MAY happen.

Kylemore Abbey

Well, we hope some of you headed off last weekend for a summer adventure outside of Dublin.  Learning English and studying is important but so is having fun

These are our Top Five Places to Visit in Ireland -  please tell us if we’ve left out your favourite place.

Top Five Places to Visit in Ireland

5 Killarney

Killarney is a town in County Kerry. You might have seen pictures of the famous Lakes of Killarney where you can cycle or walk for miles around water and forest.  If you’re feeling lazy, you can ride in a horse-drawn carriage called a Jarvey all the way out to Muckross Abbey. And of course, Killarney is one of the best places in the country to hear traditional music and have an Irish coffee! Travel there by train, bus or air.

4.  Tralee

Tralee is also in Country Kerry, but has a very different atmosphere! You’re more likely to meet local people here than in Killarney.  There’s a great nightlife – lots of students from the Institute of Technology create a good buzz around the town.   Eat at the Blennerville Windmill or drive out to Banna  Beach.  If it rains, visit Siamsa Tire and see some of Ireland’s best artists and folk musicians in action. Travel there by train, bus or air.

3.  Cork

A Cork person will tell you this is the real capital of Ireland! Make up your own mind when you ring the bells at Shandon Tower and look down over the city.  Kiss the Blarney Stone – you won’t need any English classes after that! Visit the Glucksman Gallery for Ireland’s newest artists.  And walk around the city centre with its wide streets and outdoor cafes ( quick before the winter!).  Have a coffee at Cafe Gusto or Mexian food at Cafe Mexicana.  Travel there by train, bus or air.

2. Belfast

Belfast is in County Antrim and you’ll need a few visits to see everything there is to see and do there! Music festivals like Oscillations and the Open House take place this month alone.  If you’re interested in Irish history, you should definitely take a tour around this city, ask your hotel to book a Black Taxi Tour and make sure to ask lots of questions.   The Odessey Arena is home to the Belfast Giants, Ireland’s best Ice-hockey team.   Take a day-trip up to the beautiful Giant’s Causeway and cross the Carrick-na-Rede bridge…if you’re brave enough! Travel to Belfast by bus, train or air.  ( Note: trains are not running this month because of damage to the line.)

1. Galway

The City of the Tribes as locals call it, is one of the most popular places to visit or live in Ireland.  You could start with the Galway Beer Festival next month or try the Tedfest.  Go on, go on , go on.  Sail out to the Aran Islands for a taste of how Ireland used to be.  Walk around Eyre Square and buy some cashmere sweaters or sit back with a pint in one of the friendly pubs.   Watch a performance from the Druid Theatre Company or visit Kylemore Abbey for the day.

Do you agree with our Number One place to visit?
WEEKEND TIP

The Dublin Fringe Festival starts tomorrow, and runs until September 20th. And because the organisers know some of us are not so rich at the moment: here’s a list of  free Fringe Festival events for you! Enjoy