Family fun in Ireland

Family holidays can be difficult to organise. However, with studious planning and knowledge of what's available in the way of entertainment, your holiday in Ireland can be fun and an adventure for all the family. So here is a rough guide to keeping the kids amused while you are here.

Getting here – The Survivor's Guide:
Travelling with children, (particularly ones that are too young to be reasoned with on long flights) can be a stressful to say the least. First things first. When you are booking your ticket, make sure that the ticket agent knows the ages of your children. This is a particularly good idea as a lot of flights may offer special kids menus if they know in advance. You may also be able to avail of child companion fares.

Also, keep in mind the actual distance from the airport to your accommodation when you arrive. There is nothing more steeped in hassle than continuing to travel especially after a long haul flight. It's often a good idea if you have the time to spare to stay overnight in a hotel near the airport. If you are travelling with very small children and you are travelling beyond either Dublin or Shannon then hiring a car is a great idea. It saves on lugging child related paraphernalia around with you on public transport and it gives you a lot more independence if you want to travel around more scenic but less accessible areas.

Tips to Remember:
Never forget that while the mandatory three hour check in time and consequent hanging around in security queues may be horrendous for you, for your kids it's great fun. Airports are like an adventure park for kids with trolleys, slippery floors, conveyor belts and shiny metallic surfaces. Rather than succumbing to panic at this image, it's actually a good idea to use this to your advantage and keep overtired and cranky kids entertained!

Eating with the Kids:
There are plenty of child friendly restaurants to choose from, although parents should keep in mind that pubs in particular don't allow children under 16 on the premises after 7pm. Visitors in Dublin have a fairly decent array of options to choose from. Two of the best are The Bad Ass Cafe in Temple Bar, which has a great kids menu and it's old American Burger Bar interior offers a warm and entertaining setting and Captain America's Restaurant on Grafton Street. Captain America's not only has a wide kids menu but also entertains them with clowns on a Sunday which will be an invaluable facility for travel weary parents! Kids also get crayons and colouring mats to draw on while they wait for their food.

Here is a selection of some of the better family-oriented restaurants:
The Stonecutters Kitchen, Co. Clare: The building is over 100 years old and its welcoming atmosphere and wholesome food menu is ideal for family dining.

Gotham Cafe, South Anne Street, Co. Dublin: Extensive kids menu including special 'smiley' pizzas in a warm and friendly environment.

TGI Fridays, Dundrum, Co. Dublin: Happily located in the middle of one of the largest shopping centres in Europe and right beside a cinema, TGI's caters for everyone and at economy prices.

Cactus Jacks, Millennium Walkway, Middle Abbey Street, Dublin: Cactus Jacks offers Mexican food and has a great kids menu.

Things to Do and Places to Visit:
Irish people may sometimes be known for their blind optimism; however, we do recognise the very critical need for activities that are both outdoor and indoor friendly! This is especially evident in the truly bewildering array of activities to keep the kids and adults alike amused.

Dublin Top Five Attractions:
Imaginosity: visit the Dublin Children's Museum in the Beacon Complex in Sandyford (reachable by the green line luas). This is a really great museum designed for kids under ten and has interactive exhibits that invite the kids to explore the world around them from how a town centre is made to art, music and science features. For more information on opening times and ticket prices check out www.imaginosity.ie.

The National Wax Museum: The National Wax Museum is an excellent way for kids to explore different aspects of Irish history. The museum has four floors of discovery and suits every interest from The Grand Hall of Fame to the slightly more grisly Chamber of Horrors. For more information about opening times and tickets log on to www.waxmuseumplus.ie.

Viking Splash Tours: This tour takes you on a journey through Viking Dublin and is a particularly good way for both adults and children to explore Dublin city centre in a more exciting and historical way. The tour takes place on an amphibious vehicle that actually goes into the river Liffey - an extra special interest on your sightseeing tour! For more information about timetables and tickets log on to www.vikingsplash.ie.

Dublin Zoo: There is nothing quite like an interactive wildlife experience to keep the whole family entertained and with new additions and state of the art improvements to Dublin Zoo, kids will be enthralled. Family tickets are available. For more information about opening times or ticket prices log on to www.dublinzoo.ie.

The National Leprechaun Museum: Opened only this year, the National Leprechaun Museum takes you into the magical world of the wee folk, where everything is big and you are little! This museum lets you actually experience what it's like to be a leprechaun and offers interactive historical exhibits, letting children learn what lies behind the rainbow and pot of gold. For more information about opening times and tickets log onto www.leprechaunmuseum.ie.

Beyond Dublin
If you fancy going further afield, there are yet more places to visit that will keep not only the kids but the adults enthralled whatever the weather. Here are some of the best:

The Aillwee Caves, Ballyvaughan, Clare: These ancient and spectacular caves are one of the oldest in Ireland and offer a slightly more unusual day out. Fun and educational, kids can also see the Burren Bird of Prey centre. For more information, check out www.aillweecave.ie.

Crag Cave, Castleisland, Kerry. Discovered in 1983 and thought to be over one million years old, Crag Cave is a magical wonderland of stalagmites and stalactites. Guided tours leave every 20 minutes and take about half an hour. For more information, go to www.cragcave.com.

Newgrange Farm, Newgrange, Meath: Newgrange Farm in Meath is a genuine family owned and run working farm and educational facility, where adults and children can try the "hands on" experience of bottle feeding, feeding, holding, petting, and seeing all the usual farm animals. The tour takes about an hour and is not far from Dublin if you are looking for an interesting day trip. For more information go to www.newgrangefarm.com.

Pirates Adventure, Units 1-4 Bayside, Riverstown Business Park, Tramore, Waterford. Pirates Adventure is a purpose built indoor family entertainment centre, offering a wide variety of leisure activities all built around a pirate theme! So whatever the weather, the whole family can enjoy a fun and exciting day out. For more information go to www.piratescove.ie.

Wicklow's Historic Gaol, Kilmantan Hill, Wicklow – Interactive exhibition on one of the cruellest times in Irish history. Be warned though, it's said to be haunted! For more information go to www.wicklowshistoricgaol.com

Fota Wildlife Park, Cork: Set on 70 acres on the scenic Fota Island in Cork Harbour (about a 15 minute drive from Cork City), the park is not like an ordinary zoo. Here you can see free roaming animals & birds from all parts of the world. For more information, go to www.fotawildlife.ie.

Barry's Amusements, Portrush, Antrim: This long established amusement park is the largest one in Ireland and has the advantage of being located on the stunning Antrim coast. You could easily take in a visit to the famous and breathtaking Giant's Causeway nearby. For more information, go to www.barrysamusements.com.

Fungie the Dolphin, Dingle, Kerry: The now world-famous leaping dolphin never fails to entertain as you head off on a boat trip in Dingle Bay. Visitors can also hire wet suits and swim with him. Don't bother trying to give him anything though, Fungie doesn't accept gifts. For more information, go to www.dodingle.com.

The Galway Aquarium: The National Aquarium of Ireland is located on the Seafront Promenade of Salthill, overlooking Galway Bay and offers a vivid interpretation of the Irish aquatic landscape, from the mountain streams of Connemara, down through the famous River Corrib and out into Galway Bay. Exhibits include salmon, sea horses, octopuses, stingrays and a real 60ft whale skeleton. Galway national aquarium also has four types of native Irish shark, including the rare angel shark and venomous spurdog. For more information go to www.nationalaquarium.ie.