Day tours from Dublin visiting Ps I Love You and brave heart film locations

Film locations Dublin Wicklow

Christmas Leopardstown Race Meeting

Christmas Leopardstown Race Meeting

Shackleton Endurance Expedition exhibition Dunlaoughaire Dublin

The Shackleton Endurance Expedition 1914-1917
Things to do in Dublin, exhibitions, day tours, sightseeing,  aiming to complete the first sea-to-sea land crossing of Antarctica by foot via the South Pole, in August 1914 Shackleton and his team of 27 scientists and seamen set sail from Plymouth aboard their ship, Endurance, just after the outbreak of World War I.

 

Book a private tour from Dublin with a Failte Ireland approved tour guide, our local Dublin tour guides will allow you to explore the very best visitor attractions, in a modern Mercedes Saloon car. This option allows you to escape the crowds. check out http://www.daytoursunplugged.ie

This compelling exhibition is the story of the men’s 22-month ordeal:  the eerie beauty of Antarctica, the sinking of their doomed ship after it became locked in pack ice and was slowly crushed, the extreme hardships the men endured as they set up camp after camp on the drifting ice, their transfer to the relative safety of Elephant Island, and the expedition’s miraculous conclusion.  

That all 28 men survived their terrible adventure was a triumph of hope in the bleakest circumstances, and of faith in their leader—“The Boss”—an Irish-born doctor’s son whose achievements in polar exploration earned him a knighthood and, much later, cult status as an unparalleled role model for leadership in extreme circumstances:  optimistic, tenacious and brave.

At the heart of the exhibition, accompanied by explanatory wall texts and diary excerpts from the journey, are Hurley’s dramatic black-and-white images of the expedition, some made from negatives retrieved by him from the freezing waters inside the Endurance just before she sank.  Some of Hurley’s most compelling images are of the ship’s break-up.  These are presented along with photographs of the men’s camps and their attempted march over snow and ice to reach open water.  Startling original film-footage by Hurley, enhanced by computer animation, shows Endurance as she disappeared into the Weddell Sea.
A replica of the James Caird confronts visitors with the awesome challenge that Shackleton and his men faced in their rescue mission from Elephant Island, sailing an open boat across 800 miles in towering 60-ft waves and gale-force winds, with only a sextant, some charts, an unreliable chronometer and a few sightings of the sun to guide them to South Georgia. 

Today their success in reaching South Georgia—and trekking 32 miles in 36 hours across its uncharted, mountainous interior to reach the whaling station on the other side—is widely recognised as maritime history’s greatest boat journey:  a miracle of navigation, resilience and seamanship.  This part of the story is illustrated beautifully by Hurley’s poignant photographs of Elephant Island, the rocky, inhospitable outcrop where the crew awaited rescue; and of the launching of the James Caird, the crossing and the rescue itself.



The exhibition will run for a period of two years , the venue is the Ferry Terminal building in Dun Laoghaire    

Review Belfast Titanic day tour from Dublin

Firstly this is a day tour from Dublin runs every Tuesday, Thursday, Sat & Sun. We have guaranteed tickets for Titanic Belfast. You will need to book online well in advance. It goes without saying that the outside of the £90 million building is extremely impressive. Constructed to look like the famous ship its 14,000 sq.m and is twice the size of Belfast's City Hall. The first thing that you notice about the 'the world's largest Titanic visitor experience' from afar are the 3,000 individual silver anodised aluminum panels which make up its external façade and seem to always catch the sunlight, simply stunning. Walking around the Titanic centre you will notice that at least three of its four 90ft 'hulls' are in view at all times; this coupled with the  reflective pools of water which surround it give the impression that the building could sail away at any moment.

Titanic Belfast day tour from Dublin

With such an impressive exterior, the Titanic Belfast really had a lot to live up to with its interior, and it didn't disappoint. As you enter the building it's hard to miss the rust effect panels which line the walls, and the compass rose on the floor - giving the modern structure an antique air which is fitting with the theme of the Titanic. The exhibition portion of the building consists of ten galleries: Boomtown Belfast, The Shipyard, The Launch, The Fit-Out, The Maiden Voyage, The Sinking, The Aftermath, Myths & Legends, Exploring the Wreck and the Ocean Exploration Centre - each of which contain a series of interactive exhibitions.
As you enter the exhibition space, you learn a lot of interesting facts about Belfast's industrial past including the linen and rope works and the production of cigarettes. The center-piece of this section is the interactive map of Belfast which you hover over with your hand to learn more about the individual sections of Belfast's history. This is great for kids who love to get their hands on anything and for adults who want to learn a bit more about the past of this great city. You also learn how to send a distress telegram and can look at miniature models of areas of the shipyard itself.

You exit this part of the exhibition through the original gates of Harland and Wolff and you enter the drawing rooms and planning offices of the shipyard which have an interactive floor.

Visitors ascend a replica of one of the huge pillars of the Arrol Gantry and then they embark on the Shipyard Ride. You climb aboard a futuristic car and are transported back in time to the Shipyard of the 1900s. The ride uses special effects, animations and full-scale reconstructions to really give you a feel of how the Shipyard would have been at the time of the Titanic's construction. The sights and sounds really do the trick, there's also the option of skipping the ride and simple reading the information.

As you exit the Shipyard Ride, visitors are met with a huge window which looks down at the slipways themselves where the Titanic once resided. As you watch a short film of the Titanic being launched the state-of-the-art glass in the windows uses electrodes to switch from the real view to a superimposed image of the Titanic resting on the slipways. This is one of the most impressive parts of the entire building and is really a unique and novel way of recreating 31st May 1911.

The fourth gallery is the fit-out of the ship and features a four minute video projected onto three walls which shows visitors a CGI recreation of the ship as you go on a journey through the engine rooms, dining areas and the famous staircase. You can also see replicas of first, second and third class cabins and examples of the types of carpet and linen used on board.

The fifth gallery introduces visitors to some of the passengers on board and we learn about the types and amounts of supplies brought for the Maiden Voyage as it stopped off at Southhampton, England; Cherbourd, France and Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland before setting sail across the Atlantic.
The sixth gallery confronts the horrors of the Titanic's final hours and atmospheric sounds and lighting is used to recreate the night of its sinking alongside transcripts of the communications and distress signals on that fateful night. You then descend the stairs to learn about the aftermath and the enquiry which took place and then you use an interactive touch screen display to find out more about the myths and legends associated with the ship.

Just when you think the exhibition is over, you enter through a set of doors and are confronted with a multi-level gallery with seating in the top half. If you sit for a while you can watch high-definition footage of the wreckage with commentary from the divers. This eerie imagery is coupled with water-effect lighting on the walls to give the impression that you're a part of their journey. Down a flight of stairs is a glass floor with a projection of the wreckage as a whole which is very impressive and below this is the final gallery, the Ocean Exploration Centre in which visitors can access the technologies which modern ships use.

Our passenger feed back has been extremely positive, the building is impressive and a lot of fun. Our passengers have found that the 2 hour visit is ample time to explore this Titanic experience. We depart Dublin at 8am following a comfort stop on route, we will tour the political murals along the Falls and Shankill roads, before our arrival at Titanic Belfast for a timed slot at 1120am. On arrival a crew member will step onto the bus for a short introduction and overview of the facilities in the world's largest titanic experience. You will then be taken into the building, and fast tracked to the first level. ( no queues) as Day Tours Unplugged have a pre-booked slot. There are audio sets available for our guests with all major languages catered for (small local charge will apply) The feedback from our guests regarding the audio sets has been extremely positive. (make sure you have £££ Sterling £1.50) As the centre can be busy there have been long queues at both coffee shops, and gift shop, dont panic, as we will be heading next into Belfast city where you will have approx. 2 hours free time to explore. If you miss the gift shop at the centre we have been made aware that the tourist office in Belfast city has all of the Titanic souvenirs plus much more. You will be dropped at Belfast city hall and are free to explore the city. Most of our passengers to date have done a wee bit of retail therapy, or just simply grabbed a coffee or a pint. After an enjoyable visit to this vibrant city, its finally time to depart, your tour guide will pick you up at Belfast city hall at 15:30 hrs for our return to Dublin at 18:00 hrs.

What do you need to bring with you on this unique Belfast day tour?                                         A smile, camera, comfortable walking shoes, and please remember you are entering Northern Ireland, you will require £££££ Sterling, our passengers have indicated that it appears none of the shops will accept €€€ Euro (You can always us major credit cards) however there will be fees associated with credit card transactions.

Whats included in your Titanic Belfast day tour from Dublin?                                                        All transfers from Dublin - Belfast plus return (0800 am - 1800 hrs)                                                   Tour of political murals                                                                                                                   Entrance and tour at World's largest Titanic experience (Guaranteed fast track ticket)                         2 Hour visit Titanic Belfast experience                                                                                                     2 Hour free time in Belfast city                                                                                                         Approved Failte Ireland guide facilities during your tour                                                                           Air conditioned Mercedes mini coach

Whats not includes in your ticket?                                                                                                   Lunch / refreshments are not included, and must be paid for locally.                                                       Audio headsets (paid for locally)

So what are you waiting for BOOK YOUR SEATS ONLINE NOW

Mystery benefactor returns Titanic letter to Belfast

Titanic letter returns to Belfast

Posted on March 13, 2012 

Belfast Titanic Experience visit the world’s largest Titanic Experience, join us on our historic day tour to Belfast from Dublin.

A mystery benefactor has stepped in to ensure a valuable letter written by an officer days before he died on the Titanic will return to his home town. Dr John Simpson penned to his mother onboard the doomed liner would be bought by a private collector when it was put up for auction in New York with a $34,000 reserve price.

But after hearing about a campaign by relatives of the ship’s assistant surgeon to bring the letter back to his native Belfast a mystery donor stepped in and bought it for the city just weeks before the 100th anniversary of the tragedy.

According to witnesses who survived the 1912 sinking, 37-year-old Dr Simpson stood with fellow officers on the deck of the stricken vessel as it went down. His great-nephew Dr John Martin said he was happy the letter was coming back to where it belonged. ”I’ve never actually seen the original letter itself as it was last in Belfast in the 1940s before Dr Simpson’s son moved away.

”So for it to be on its way back is just amazing and so appropriate now just ahead of the 100th anniversary of his death. We are so thankful to the benefactor.”

The letter, dated 11 April 1912 and written on notepaper headed RMS Titanic, was brought ashore at Cobh, Co Cork (then called Queenstown) before the ship set sail for the US.

It was dispatched to his mother Elizabeth who was living in Belfast’s Dublin Road. In it, the married father-of-one, who was then based in Liverpool, said he was tired but settling into his cabin well. He had worked on the Titanic’s White Star Line sister ship the Olympic for a year previously and observed to his mother that the accommodation on board his new vessel was larger.

Dr Simpson also complained he had found one of his trunks unlocked and $5 or $6 had been stolen from his pocket book. The surgeon, who treated second and third-class passengers, signed off: “With fondest love, John.”

It is intended that the letter will go on display in Belfast.

Award winning Day Tour from Dublin to Belfast its TITANIC

Starting 17 April 2012
Award winning Day Tours from Dublin every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday
Titanic Belfast day tours

Schedule
Tour departs: 0800 am
Arrives in Belfast 10:30 am
Entrance into Titanic Belfast Experience is GUARANTEED
After your visit to this brand new TITANIC EXPERIENCE you will have free time to explore Belfast
Tour departs Belfast: 15:30 hrs
Returns: 1800 hrs

BOOK YOUR SEATS NOW ONLY 29 seats per day

Titanic Belfast Festival 31 March - 22 April

TITANIC BELFAST
FESTIVAL 2012
31 March - 22 April

Titanic Belfast day tours from Dublin

Titanic Belfast day tours from Dublin

Posted on January 24, 2012 

Titanic Belfast day tour from Dublin, book your seat now the Full story in nine galleries: The dramatic £90 million ($134 million) Titanic Belfast visitor attraction opens shortly.

Here is a preview of what’s inside: it’s more of a journey than a set of displays. The story starts in the first gallery with 1912 “boomtown Belfast” and takes you in a caged lift to the fourth floor for an atmospheric six-minute cart ride through the shipyards. The third gallery is based around a glass apex with a film projection re-creating the completed Titanic on the slipways outside. It launches into dry dock for fit out, with depictions of the first-, second- and third-class cabins in the next gallery.

The cave section is a journey through the bowels of the ship, projected on the walls. Gallery five is based on the ship’s maiden voyage and re-creates life on board. In the next gallery, the walls narrow and the temperature drops as we trace the timeline of the sinking from iceberg collision to final gasp of air on April 15. The British and American inquiries into the disaster follow in the next gallery.

The final two galleries are just as evocative, devoted to the legends of the ship, with touchscreen displays of Titanic folklore and a voyage to the Nova Scotia seabed where the wreck now lies, using film footage of an ocean dive in 1985. An Ocean Exploration Centre, developed with marine biologists, completes a memorable visit.

Visit Titanic Belfast 2012

Visit Worlds Largest Titanic exhibition plus Belfast on a day tour from Dublin

Posted on January 24, 2012 

History of Belfast City Hall For many centuries, Belfast was a small settlement. Everything changed in 1613, when a Royal charter gave Belfast town status. It expanded rapidly, becoming an important port and manufacturing cent By the end of the 19th century, Belfast had outgrown its status as a town and was a major industrial powerhouse, known for its shipbuilding, rope making, engineering, tobacco and textile industries.

In 1888, Queen Victoria gave Belfast the title of city and it was generally agreed that a new city hall was needed to reflect this change in status.

Groups visiting Dublin are you interested in visiting the Worlds Largest Titanic exhibit plus plenty of free time to explore Belfast?

Building work Negotiations to acquire the one and a half acre White Linen Hall site, located in Donegall Square, began in 1896 and a price of £30,000 was agreed. Built by local firm H+J Martin, following a design from Alfred Brumwell Thomas, who won a public competition with his classical Renaissance design. Funding for the new building was raised from the profits of Belfast Gasworks

The first stone was laid in 1898 and building work was completed eight years later. In total, Belfast City Hall cost less than £500,000 to build. Belfast City Hall opened its doors on 1 August 1906 during a great time of prosperity for the city.

Today, the magnificent building is a lasting memorial to Belfast’s success and a great source of civic pride.

Free public tours of Belfast City Hall Led by an experienced guide, they last around one hour and uncover the history of Belfast City Hall, while exploring some of its finest features.

Times Public tours are available at the following times:

• Monday to Friday – 11am, 2pm and 3pm
• Saturday – 2pm and 3pm.

They are available on a first-come, first-served basis (no booking needed) and leave from the reception area inside Belfast City Hall. There are no tours on Sundays, bank holidays or public holidays.

Access From Monday – Friday, visitors can access City Hall via the front entrance on Donegall Square North, the side entrance on Donegall Square East and the back gate at Donegall Square South.

If you are taking part in one of our Saturday tours, please use the back gate entrance only.

Visit Belfast 2012 Must see

Albert Memorial Clock

Posted on February 10, 2012

While in Belfast on your Titanic Experience 
day tour from Dublin check out the Albert Memorial Clock situated at Queen’s Square
in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This leaning
clock tower was completed in 1869 and is
one of the best known landmarks of Belfast.
In 1865 a competition for the design of a memorial to Queen Victoria’s late Prince Consort, Prince Albert, was won by
W. J. Barre, who had earlier designed
Belfast’s Ulster Hall. Initially Barre was
not awarded his prize and the contract
was secretly given to Lanyon, Lynn,
and Lanyon, who had come second.
Following public outcry the contract
was eventually awarded to Barre. The construction cost of £2,500
(2011: £181,000) was raised by public subscription.

Being situated close to the docks, the tower was once infamous for being
frequented by prostitutes plying their trade with visiting sailors. However,
in recent years regeneration has turned the surrounding Queen’s Square and
Custom’s House Square into attractive, modern public spaces with trees,
fountains and sculptures.

The sandstone memorial was constructed between 1865 and 1869 by
Fitzpatrick Brothers builders and stands 113 feet tall in a mix of French
and Italian Gothic styles. The base of the tower features flying buttresses
with heraldic lions.
A statue of the Prince in the robes of a Knight of the Garter stands on the
western side of the tower and was sculpted by SF Lynn. A two tonne bell is
housed in the tower and the clock was made by Francis Moore of High
Street, Belfast.

As a result of being built on wooden piles on marshy, reclaimed land
around the River Farset, the top of the tower leans four feet off the
perpendicular. Due to this movement, some ornamental work on the belfry
was removed in 1924 along with a stone canopy over the statue of the Prince.

In 1947, the film Odd Man Out was filmed partly in Belfast, with the Albert
Clock as a central location, although neither the town nor the clock is explicitly identified.