Their very popular Dinner B&B promo for just €49 per person sharing can be booked up to the 31st May so book now if you dont want to miss it.

www.lidl-breaks.ie

Lidl Breaks Launch Pamper Special is a post from: hotelconsult.ie

The new cruise ferry the Julia, which will sail between Swansea and Cork from March 1, is expected to sail to Swansea for dry-docking this weekend.

Julia cork swansea ferry does sea trials is a post from: hotelconsult.ie

Date selected Monday 04^th Jan 1 night on www.booking.com 

Must be at least 3 star hotel

Cork 

 The 4 Star Montenotte Hotel €55.   Free parking & Leisure Centre www.themontenottehotel.com 

Dublin 

Me old sparring mates at D4 Ballsbridge Inn.  Have a 3 night special on www.booking.com that can be booked for 1 night for €35.10.  I won’t tell them if you won’t. 

Limerick 

3 Star Patrick Punches Hotel.  €49.  Now that is value and right smack in the city. 

Galway 

3 star Clybaun.  €39.  Wow.  As far as I know it is out Salthill way 

Sligo 

4 star Radisson Hotel @ €70.  Was not much choice in Sligo.  Is it a city?? 

Waterford 

3 Star Travelodge.  €45.  Stayed here once.  Clean new hotel on Cork road as you come into Waterford

City Good Hotel Value is a post from: hotelconsult.ie

Since I have started the blog I have been trying to pin down the Ships Operations Manager Owen Barry for an interview.   Owen is a busy man but I told him I was annoyed when I saw him giving a scoop to the Irish Examiner over my blog.  

This week I told Owen I would do a blog on him and fill in the blanks if he did not come into me.  Wisely Owen came into see me this morning. 

As I said Owen is the Ships Operation Manager and hails from Timoleague in West Cork. 

Owen has been involved in the shipping industry for 15 years now.  He previously worked with Irish Ferries.   He also spent some time with BP in Singapore & Texas.  

Owen is a key person in getting the Julia ready for action.  Of his many duties working with the ports of Cork & Swansea, suppliers & crewing are keeping him busy at the moment. 

Fuel costs in a year could be as high as €4m running the Julia so getting the best deal possible is vital for Fastnet line.  On a sailing between Cork/Swansea the Julia could use up to 20,000 litres of fuel on her engines & 8,000 on the generators. 

Owen said service speed would be around 19 knots as the Julia cruises across the Irish Sea.  

Among the other duties that the ships Operation Manager is responsible for are 

Overseeing safety procedures for the company 

Moving to new offices at Ringaskiddy 

Talking to customs & immigration in Cork & Swansea 

A big decision to make is where the Julia will go to dry dock for her annual survey in Jan/Feb.  Price and Quality of work will be the major factors in deciding this. 

Owen said Fastnet Line is a close team which will work well for the company.  If you give me the scoops Owen it could even be closer? 

Prices 

We had hoped to have our prices online this week.  Apologies for the slight delay.  We will go live with prices next Thursday the 10^th of Dec in the afternoon or early evening.   Thank you for your patience.

Other news -  Ann Cronin started this week as Sales Manager for Fastnet Line.  I am sure we will be hearing more about Ann on the blog soon.

Operation Julia is a post from: hotelconsult.ie

Louis Fitzgerald is offering Irishbargains twitter followers 15% off.  This means you can enjoy this 4 star hotel for as low as €50 (example Sunday 06^th Dec)     

Can this offer be any better.  Well yes it can.  Louis is throwing in a free bottle of wine per reservation just for this offer.  

How to book?  Go to www.louisfitzgeraldhotel.com   & use Promo Code Twitter

Irishbargains new twitter offer is a post from: hotelconsult.ie

http://www.mulley.net/2009/11/20/taking-advantage-of-the-floods-in-cork/

The way we deal with floods in Cork is a post from: hotelconsult.ie

01st Nov Kinsale area images is a post from: hotelconsult.ie

Why not visit Cork for your Christmas shopping and stay overnight at the Montenotte Hotel from just €44 B&B per person.

Once you have finished your shopping we will pick you and your shopping up and bring you back to the Hotel after you enjoy a free cocktail.

Offer Includes:

Overnight stay for 2 people in a double or twin room in our 4 star Hotel

Breakfast the next morning

Cocktail in the boardwalk bar and grill after your day shopping

Taxi pick up for you and you’re shopping from the boardwalk bar and grill downtown back up to the hotel.

Free parking at the hotel.

Use of Leisure centre

To book go to <a href=”http://www.themontenottehotel.com”>www.themontenottehotel.com</a> and check Shopping Special.

Hotel Deals in Cork is a post from: hotelconsult.ie

I have been using Twitter for a few months now.  How has it been? 

Amazing, Fantastic.  Good days & days that I want to scream.  Overall it has been a positive experience and I have met some great people from it. 

I feel I have made some good progress from chatting on Twitter.  Learnt something’s I did not know etc.

I also think I need to go to a new level.  It is with this in mind I decided I need a dog I do not have.

The dog I do not have.

Yesterday was a very stressful day for me.  I woke up & came down stairs & could not see the Dog I do not have.  I usually go out on a Sat night for pints and always look forward to seeing the Dog I do not have when I wake up on Sunday.  

This Saturday I did not go out so was well up to bring the Dog I do not have for a Sunday morning walk.  I looked everywhere in the house.  I even walked the length & breath of Kinsale but to no avail.  Where was the Dog I do not have?

Sunday lunch with the Dog I do not have was not then same.  I limbered on throughout the day depressed and wondering if I would ever see the Dog I do not have again.  Later Sunday night distraught I decide to go for pints.  I was not in the best of form I will be honest.  

I staggered home later last night & you can only imagine my delight when as I opened the door who was there with a big smile & wagging his tail.  Yes you guessed it.  The Dog I do not have.  We must have spent hours playing last night.

Later when I fell asleep the Dog I do not have must have come into my bed.  He does this some nights.  He must have done last night and lay on me as I did not have a great night sleep as I don’t feel great this morning.  

Anyway he is no where to be seen again this morning.  Hopefully he will be back soon.  How is he getting in and out I wonder?

The Dog I do not have is a post from: hotelconsult.ie