How to discover Whiskey tourism in Ireland

Whiskey making is a huge tradition in Ireland.

For many years Irish Distillers were the main whiskey producers in Ireland mostly at Midleton Distillery.  They subsequently were taken over by Pernod Ricard and their global market share dramatically increased.

Shortly afterwards small distillers started opening in Ireland and started gaining a foothold in the Irish boutique whiskey market.

Then came the whiskey experience centres resulting in whiskey tourism.   The larger distilleries opened visitor centres throughout the country. Such as the Jameson Heritage Centre in Midleton, Co Cork.

This has resulted in huge numbers of foreign visitors taking part in the whiskey experience.

In a  recent article in the Irish Times, the rise in the number of visitors to these whiskey centres was revealed.
In 2017 the Irish whiskey distilleries see visitor numbers rise by 11%

The number of tourists that travelled to whiskey visitor centres last year stood at 814,000.  The number is according to the Irish Whiskey Makers association.

Some 814,000 people visited the 12 distillery visitor centres on the island of Ireland in 2017, up from 733,000 the previous year.

The 12 centres, including the Slane Distillery in Meath and the Pearse Lyons distillery in Dublin which opened last year, Jameson Heritage Centre attracted the visitors mainly from the US, the UK, Germany, France and northern Europe.   There was a comment from the Whiskey association.
“Continued double-digit growth proves that Irish whiskey tourism is a hot trend right now and an increasingly important part of Ireland’s tourism offer,” said William Lavelle, head of the Irish Whiskey Association.

“Whiskey tourism is delivering tourists, jobs and investment to local economies right across Ireland, from Dublin’s Liberties to rural communities,” he added.

In addition to the newly opened facilities this year, a number of new distillery visitor centres are expected to open this year in locations including Clonakilty and Drogheda.

Mr Lavelle took aim at the government’s alcohol bill which could restrict the promotion and advertising of alcohol. “Advertising of visitor centres could be severely constrained,” he said, noting that it was “yet another unintended consequence of this alcohol bill”.

Tags:  Midleton Distillery,  Jameson Heritage Centre, Slane Distillery, Pearse Lyons distillery,  Accommodation Midleton,

How to Building a vertical corner planter

Here is an excellent project for winter months.  The first step of the project is to build the frame for the corner planter. As you can easily see in the diagram, you need to make an angle cut to the top of the supports. Use sandpaper to smooth the edges.This step by step woodworking project is about garden vertical corner planter plans free.   These simple plans for a simple corner planter with an A-frame shape. If you are into rustic designs or you have some pallet wood you need to use, you should take a look at these plans. You can easily adjust these plans to suit your needs.
Its recommended you invest in the best materials you can afford. Therefore, you should buy weather-resistant lumber, such as pine or cedar. Always take accurate measurements before adjusting the size of the components at the proper size. Drill pilot holes through the components before inserting the wood screws, to prevent the wood from splitting.


Materials
A – 2 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 47 3/4″ long FRAME
B – 1 pieces of 1×4 lumber – 14 1/2″ long, 1 piece – 11″ long, 1 piece – 7 1/2″ long, 1 piece – 4″ long, 8 pieces of 1×1 lumber – 3 1/2″ long SHELVES
C – 9 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 18 1/4″ long BACK
1 piece of 2×4 lumber – 8′
1 piece of 1×4 lumber – 8′
1 piece of 1×1 lumber – 8′
2 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 8′
2 1/2″ screws, 1 5/8″ screws  2″ nails wood filler , wood glue, stain/paint 

Tools
Safety gloves, glasses
Miter saw, jigsaw
Chalk line, tape measure, spirit level, carpentry pencil
Drill machinery and drill bits
Time
One Weekend





Building the frame components

The next step of the project is to lock the frame of the corner planter together tightly. Drill pilot holes through the top of the supports and insert 2 1/2″ screws to lock them together tightly. Add glue to the joints and make sure the edges are aligned with attention.


The next step of the project is to attach the 1×6 slats to the back of the frame. Attach the slats to the frame and align the edges with attention. Leave no gaps between the slats and insert 2″ nails to lock them into place tightly. Use a jigsaw / circular saw to make the angle cuts to the slats. Smooth the edges with sandpaper for a professional result.

The next step of the project is to attach the shelves to the frame of the corner planter. Use 1×4 lumber for the shelves and 1×1 lumber for the supports. Use 2″ nails to lock the supports to the frame of the planter and then attach the shelves into place. You can change the angle of the shelves to suit your needs.

This planter is super easy to build and it will add value to your garden. You can easily knock this off using pallet or recycled wood.

Tags stove glass, replacement stove glass, .

Discover Birminghams German Christmas Market

Once again the spectacle that is known as Birmingham's German Market has begun.  This year it runs from Thursday, November 16 to Sunday, December 24 .

If you havnt been to this event over the years it's well worth a visit.

It appears to be staying there a couple of days longer than it regularly did before 2016's special extension, going right through to the end of Christmas Eve.

That will give people chance to eat, drink and shop at the market right up to Christmas.

Looking at an article in the Birmingham Mail The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Cllr Anne Underwood, officially opened the German Market in Victoria Square on November 16, at 5.30pm – before she switched on the city’s festive lights.

She said: "This is one of the most anticipated events in Birmingham’s calendar, drawing millions of visitors to the city, and for many it marks the start of the festive season. Therefore it’s a great honour to officially welcome the Frankfurt Christmas Market back to the city."

Market organiser Kurt Stroscher, who is Frankfurt City Council's director of festivals and events, told the Birmingham Mail: "Last year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the partnership between Birmingham and Frankfurt, therefore the market took place until the 29th of December.

"This year there is no anniversary. Every year we discuss which time the market should finish and this year we decided the 24th of December."

The market is known by the council and its organiser Kurt Stroscher as Frankfurt Christmas Market Birmingham.

Taking place in Victoria Square and New Street, it's the largest market of its kind outside Germany and Austria.


Birmingham's German Christmas Market is open from 10am to 9pm every day.

Weekends tend to be the busiest times - great if you enjoy a bustling atmosphere but it can get very crowded.

Weekdays are less hectic though it can get very busy in the middle of the day (from noon to 2pm when office workers go there in their lunch break).

It experiences a second busy spell after 5pm on weekday evenings, up until about 7.30pm, as people stop for a drink and a bite to eat on their way home from work in the city centre.
Loads of accommodation to be had in the area  with excellent hotels,  serviced apartment in Birmingham, self-catering apartments in Birmingham all very popular but have to be booked early

Tags: Birmingham German Christmas Market, serviced apartments Birmingham, self-catering apartments Birmingham,

What wine to choose in Portugal

When you visit Portugal the exceptions weather and beaches will inspire you.   Also place of enjoyment like Autodromo Algarve near Portimao.  But the one thing that will stand out is the exceptional value to be had in wines.   In the local supermarket, you can purchase an exceptional bottle of wine for €4.   The bottle of wine can be €6 in Faro Airport duty-free.  Or in a Lagos restaurant €15 in Ireland could pay up to €28  for the same bottle of wine.

Most visitors talk about the amazing wine values you can find from Portugal. The question is what are they… exactly?

Douro River

Here is a small overview of  Portuguese wine we hope you enjoy

“If you don’t recognize the grape variety on a Portuguese wine label, it’s a good thing.”

Because Portugal’s wine culture developed in relative isolation, there are many grape varieties that do not grow anywhere else in the world. So, if you don’t recognize the grape variety on a Portuguese wine label, it’s a good thing.
All told, there are over 250 indigenous varieties and a few imports (including Alicante Bouschet) that have adapted well to the Portuguese landscape
To many wine experts, Portugal is the last frontier of wine in Western Europe; there is still so much to be tasted and explored.

Douro

Port is the most famous, and most copied, wine from Portugal and it grows in the Douro Valley. The hills along the Douro River have been worked by hand into terraced stair steps since the time of Jesus. It’s so impressive that the entire region was made a UNESCO world heritage site.

Wines

Port: Fortified sweet wines. Specifically LBV Port, Tawny Port, and Vintage Port wines which are the best and made by blending “port grapes” which include Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Barrocca and Tinto Cão among many others. Find out more about Port Wine.
White Port and Pink Port: Beyond the red Port there are also Port wines made with the rare white wine varieties in the region. Rosé Port is relatively new and both of these wines are awesome to use in light-alcohol summer cocktails such as the Porto classic: White Port and Tonic

Tinto Douro: Full-bodied red wines. We’ve talked about Douro Reds before, but the same red grapes of Port wine happen to make outstanding full-bodied, tannic, age-worthy red wines. You can find them on the cheap for around $10–$12 a bottle or, if you’re a collector, start looking into wine ratings and expect to spend around $50 for something world class.

Douro Branco: Light-bodied white wines. Douro Branco are crisp, minerally white wines with very little fruity flavors, subtle flinty notes and salinity, and high acidity. Douro white wines are a little harder to find and include the white Port varieties of Rabigato, Viosinho, Gouveio, and Folgazão (etc).
Terras de Cister (Távora e Varosa)

Terras de Cister: Sparkling wines
If you head South over the mountains from the Douro you’ll hit a tiny mountainous region that was first planted by Cistercian monks (the same group of monks that also started the wine thing in Burgundy, France). This area is surprisingly cooler at night and harder to ripen grapes than the Douro. This difference produces wines with much more elegance and acidity, thus making it pretty ideal for sparkling wines. Because of the attraction to bubbles, there are a growing number of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards being planted along with the regional varieties of Malvasia Fina (aromatic white), Cerceal (light white), Gouveio (light white), Aragonês (aka Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca (red) and Touriga Franca (red) among others.

Transmontano (Trás-Os-Montes)

Tinto Transmontano: Full-bodied red blends
If you head north over the mountains from the Douro you’ll find another small-but-spread-out wine producing region called Trás-Os-Montes. The only wine we usually see from this area is Transmontano, which is a regional red blend. Wines are full-bodied, punchy, with higher alcohol levels.


Minho (Vinho Verde)

Portuguese Salad

If you’ve ever drank something ice-cold on the beach that happened to be from Portugal, we wager it was Vinho Verde. Best served young when the wine is at its peak of aromatics and crisp acidity, the wines of Minho are the ideal wine alongside salads, fish, vegetable dishes and even do well paired against citrus-driven sauces.

Wines

Branco Vinho Verde: Light-bodied white wines. Wines often have a slight spritz and fruity, lemonade-like flavours with notes of melon, gooseberry and chalky texture. White Vinho Verde wines are made with a blend of several grape varieties including Arinto, Azal, Trajadura, Loureiro and Alvarinho (a.k.a Albariño). Keep your eyes peeled for single-varietal wines, particularly of Loureiro, Azal and Alvarinho which are some of the most popular grape varieties grown in Vinho Verde.
Rosado Vinho Verde: Rosé. The Rosado wines offer red berry flavours with quenching acidity like lemonade. The reds/rosés of Vinho Verde are found primarily in the southern part of Minho in the sub-regions of Amarante and Paiva. Red grape varieties include Alvarelhão, Amaral, Borraçal, Espadeiro, Padeiro (quite rare).

Tags: Portuguese wines, holiday rentals, Douro, wine,  Vinho Verde, holiday rentals Portugal, holiday rentals Lagos,  First aid course Cork,  First aid Training Cork,  basic first aid  Cork,   Basic first aid Midleton,  manual handling training Cork,

How to take precautions in relation to Fire Safety at Christmas

Christmas can be a time of great celebration but also because of tragedy a time of great sadness.  It's vitally important to take fire safety precautions over the Christmas Holiday Period.
Fireplaces, stoves, stove glass, Christmas Trees, Fairy lights can all be a source of danger.

Here is some excellent advice from Meath County Council Fire Service Authority
Your Chimney

Have your chimney cleaned before the holiday season.

Christmas Tree
Purchase a non-shedding tree. Check the tree for freshness before purchase, fresh needles will bend, dry needles will break. Needles should not fall off if you bang the trunk on the ground.
As soon as you get home cut at least 25mm off the trunk, this exposes fresh wood. Immediately place the tree in a bucket of water and if you are not setting up the tree for a few days keep it outside standing in a bucket of water.
Avoid placing the tree close to a fireplace or radiator. Be careful not to block a door with the Christmas tree or the rearranged furniture.
The tree should be mounted in a sturdy stand. The trunk of the tree should stand in a container of water and the water should be kept topped up. Tall trees should be secured at the top.
Ensure lights comply with a safety standard. Check lights for frayed or exposed wires. Do not attempt to repair a worn set of lights, replace them. Replace broken bulbs only with similar bulbs. Do not leave lights on for prolonged periods and always switch off lights at night and when leaving the area unattended.

Decorations should preferably be non-combustible.

Turn off the heat in the room at night to slow the drying out of the tree.
Remove the tree as soon as possible after Christmas. It is recommended that the tree should not be kept indoors for more than two weeks. Dispose of the tree at a bring site/ recycling centre. Never burn a tree in a wood stove or fireplace.
Artificial trees should be flame retardant, check the label.
Candles
Place candles in a secure holder and locate them where they cannot be easily knocked over.
Do not place candles on a Christmas tree. Do not go near a Christmas tree with any naked flame, lighter, matches or candles.
Never leave lighted candles unattended and never place them close to combustible decorations or to curtains.
Put tea candles and night lights on a suitable heat-resistant container. Never put them directly on a combustible surface e.g. television or table.
Open Fires
Use a spark guard at all times.
Never hang Christmas cards or decorations directly over a fireplace.
Do not throw wrapping paper onto the fire.
Other Safety Tips
A competent adult should fit toys, which are powered from the mains, with a safety plug.
Do not overload sockets. Keep cables tidy and avoid a trip hazard.
Only use certified outdoor lights outside. Use proper watertight connectors on outdoor lights. Secure outdoor lights against wind damage and locate light strings and power cables where pets cannot chew or become entangled in them.
Last thing at night
Unplug lights and other electrical equipment
Put a spark guard in front of the fire
Check for any smouldering cigarette ends in furniture.
Check the kitchen and switch off all appliances.
Close all room doors.
CHECK YOUR SMOKE ALARMS NOW!
Tags:  Candles, Christmas tree,  fire safety, stoves, fireplace, stove glass,

Graphs and Charts on Climate Change

Below we have submitted graphs and charters on Climate Change.  These were taken from an excellent article in the Guardian,  The article was published to fill a demand for more information about Climate change.  In particular graphs and charts going how much change has occurred.
 Much has been written about climate change in recent months, what with that record-breaking hot year we just had and the qualified success of the Paris climate talks.


The forecast is for continued global warming largely driven by continued high levels of greenhouse gases.

MetOffice
Above is a chart from the UK’s MetOffice showing the three main global temperature data sets. These, for the hardcore among you, are known as HadCrut4 (MetOffice), GISTEMP (NASA) and MLOST (NOAA).

Pretty clear, right? All three show 2015 was the hottest year on record.

The chart shows “anomalies” (that’s the temperatures above or below a long-term average), in this case, against the average temperature between 1961 and 1990.

So for the MetOffice data, 2015 was 0.75C above the long-term average.

In December 2014, the MetOffice guessed (and when I say guess, I mean they used some powerful, skilful and sophisticated modelling) that 2015 would be between 0.52 and 0.76C above average. So they were right. Just.

And while we’re talking about forecasts from the MetOffice, here’s another one of theirs from a few days ago.

The MetOffice now makes “decadal” forecasts – that is, another of their guesses (same caveats apply as before with the term “guess”) on “near term” conditions globally over the next five years.

The black line shows actual temperature measurements. The red band are previous predictions and the green band shows the expected range according to climate models.

In short, according to the MetOffice, the forecast is “for continued global warming largely driven by continued high levels of greenhouse gases”.

You can’t really talk about global warming without talking about the oceans, given that this is where the vast majority of the extra heat and the extra carbon dioxide ends up.

The above chart, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows the latest temperature readings from ships and from a network of almost 4,000 floats – known as the Argo array.

A study published a couple of weeks ago found heating of the oceans was accelerating, particularly in the deeper ocean.

No matter how you interpret this graphs they all have one thing in common temperatures are rising  Some nations are taking it more serious than others.

Tags: stove glass,  replacement stove glass, stove glass replacement, stove glass Cork, fast glass replacement,

Have you been hacked ?

Increasingly hacking has become a modern crime.  Despite millions being spent on security software to counter hacking it appears to be increasing. 
The big danger is storing sensitive individual information in one location.   Often this is cloud-based storage system.  Unfortunately with CLOUD as the name might suggest is stored off-site which in some ways increases the security threat.
Hackers come in all shapes and forms are motivated by various means.

Black Hackers as they are known are basically thieves trying to steal personal information that they are then used for their own financial gain.  Sometimes by selling on more time by blackmailing the owners or custodians of the information.
Then you have Hactivists those hacking for religious of political reason, some to expose wrongdoing or even revenge.
State-sponsored hackers basically trying to steal or control the military capabilities of another country.

Then there is the real scary one the Cyber Terrorist his goal is to cause mayhem throughout the world.
We are all targets and potential victims once you use the internet.  So if you for example book a holiday rental or buy a book online be sure your information is stored correctly. 

The latest corporate victim has been Uber and not for the first time.

Uber has become the latest company to reveal that it has been hacked after confirming that the details of some 57 million customers and around 600,000 drivers were leaked.

Understandably, the questions that customers and drivers will want asking is whether or not they’ve had their details leaked, what details were leaked and how dangerous this leak could be.

In 2016 a pair of individuals were able to hack into data that Uber had stored on a third-party cloud server.

Having gained access, the individuals were then able to steal information belonging to Uber and in turn demand a ransom from the company.

Those assurances obtained by Uber involved giving the two individuals $100,000 in exchange for their silence and the promise that the information wouldn’t be shared.

In a statement, Uber’s new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said:

“At the time of the incident, we took immediate steps to secure the data and shut down further unauthorized access by the individuals. We subsequently identified the individuals and obtained assurances that the downloaded data had been destroyed.”


What information was hacked and leaked?


Uber’s official advice following the hack is this:

“We do not believe any individual rider needs to take any action. We have seen no evidence of fraud or misuse tied to the incident. We are monitoring the affected accounts and have flagged them for additional fraud protection.”

Uber says it does not believe that any credit card or payment information was taken and has seen no evidence so far to suggest that it was.

Unfortunately for Uber, security experts believe that the situation is far more serious.

Tags :  Uber, holiday rentals,