Ireland is famous for its stunning castles, manor houses and forts.
With an awe-inspiring architectural history and a timeline that’s littered with bitter county feuds and terrifying invasions, it’s no wonder castles are almost as common as pubs and bars.
The Emerald Isle is home to a wealth of mostly Norman or Anglo-Irish gems.
To help whittle down the earnest tourist’s list, below we list 10 of the most stunning Irish castles.
Kinbane Castle
There’s only one thing better than a nice gold G&T on a summer’s day – a steaming hot G&T on a cold winter’s night in the middle of January. Because Dry January = dry gin, right?
A new rooftop gin bar is opening in the middle of London this week, where you’ll be able to wrap yourself in cosy blankets, while warming your hands on steaming tumbler of gin-laced cocktail.
The pop-up called Swan on a Hot Gin Roof, comes from gin distillery Sipsmith and is being hosted by the Ham Yard Hotel, in their secret rooftop garden.
Sounds magical doesn’t it?
As The Apprentice has proven to us time and time again, we could all be just one step away from getting the boot from our jobs.
Getting complacent and too comfortable in one occupation might seem tempting – but stay on guard! Because bosses offering to make you a cup of tea and the best stapler being out of bounds could be signs that your future is uncertain.
We’re not at all trying to make you feel paranoid but these are the signs to look out for if you think that a P45 might be coming your way.
Please note that this is by no means the basis for professional career advice and should be read as it was written – with one’s tongue firmly in the cheek.
How at risk are you? Let’s see how many of these you can tick off…
1. Someone new, fresh, young and attractive starts shadowing you to learn the ropes.
You have to admit, that smile’s pretty infectious.
Yoda the llama has finally found his forever home after a couple of false starts, and he really couldn’t be happier about it.
It all happened after a volunteer with Farm Sanctuary – a US animal rescue charity that shelters unwanted animals – came across a strange listing on Craigslist one afternoon. The ad offered: ‘Llama, free to a good home’.
The woman Yoda had been living with was losing her home and, although she had found a boarding facility for her two horses, no one wanted Yoda, so she had placed an ad on Craigslist as a last… Read the full story
It’s easily done really. You go out to pee, you go for a little wander, and suddenly you find yourself competing in a half-marathon.
Well, it’s easily done when you’re a two-and-a-half-year-old bloodhound, who likes to roam around town.
This weekend, April Hamlin from Elkmont, Alabama, let her dog Ludivine out of the house to pee and, next thing she knew, her pet hound had come seventh in the county’s inaugural Trackless Train Trek Half Marathon.
The pup had snuck out of the back garden and made her way to the starting line of the race. She then proceeded to run the entire 13.1 mile course,… Read the full story
We all know by now that the world of online dating is not the real world.
That perfect, casual, profile picture that took approximately 45,908 selfies to get right. When you say you love travelling and fine dining, but actually mean you love watching A Place in the Sun while throwing Pickled Onion Monster Munch into your mouth.
And, just occasionally, as you sit in your trackie bottoms swiping gleefully left and right, you catch sight of your reflection on the screen and realise the real you and Tinder you couldn’t be further apart.
Introducing the #OnTinderAtTinder hashtag, started by Someecards.com – the hilarious, and very much tongue-in-cheek,… Read the full story
While most of America’s east coast downed tools on Friday and hunkered down for a weekend of snow storms, one ingenious New Yorker decided to take full advantage.
The Brooklyn resident built an igloo (in what appears to be their back garden) and then listed it for $200 (£140) a night on Airbnb.
Because when life gives you snow, why not build an igloo and charge through the nose for it?
The ad for the ‘Boutique Winter Igloo for two’ was also shared on Imgur and was described as ‘the Snopocalypse of 2016’s most desirable getaway.’
Available for a limited time only.
This Monday people all over Scotland will be celebrating the birth of Scottish poet Robert Burns with a supper of haggis, neeps, tatties and plenty of scotch whisky.
Whether you are Scottish or not or even if you’re not a fan of the poet himself, Burns Night is a great excuse to get some good whisky in and experiment with some new ones, just don’t forget to pour some over your haggis.
1. Monkey Shoulder, £24.95
This is a blend of Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie whiskies and is wonderfully… Read the full story
How does your own zoo, complete with large cats, meerkats, beavers, monkeys, a gift shop, a cafe, a ball pool and a two-bed bungalow for £600,000 sound?
Yes, you could own a small zoo, a house, and your very own ball pool in Borth, Wales, all for the price of a two-bed in Clapham.
And, don’t worry, you don’t need any prior experience in handling big cats – the business already has an experienced team well used to looking after the animals, just in case you don’t fancy getting your hands dirty.
This is, the estate agent blurb explains: ‘a truly unique opportunity to purchase… Read the full story
Wine is more than fine, wine is amazing.
Red or white, from bottle or box, it brings us joy and eases our days in ways nothing else quite can.
It’s there for you on every occasion – from a refreshing blush rose on a summer’s day to a warmed mulled red to keep you cosy in winter.
Whatever the colour, with a bottle glass in hand, everything just seems a little rosier.
But sometimes you do have to stop and question whether you love wine maybe just a little too much – like these people.
MORE: Quiz: Can we guess if you’re a red wine or white wine person?
A couple from Lithuania wanted to show the world that having a baby doesn’t mean your adventures have to stop.
It just means you have an extra person on the road with you.
Johan Van Zutphen and his girlfriend love to travel the world and in the past have hopped on their motorbikes and driven as far as Malaysia.
When baby Leo was born, instead of assuming their wandering days were over, they thought that it would be good fun to swap their bikes for a van and take the little one with them.
With parts of Kentucky seeing as much as eight inches of snow on Friday night, thanks to the massive snowstorm dubbed ‘Snowmageddon’ that hit America’s east coast, one dad decided to make his little girl’s Frozen dreams come true.
Madison dad DeAndre Broady decided to build an extra special snowman to surprise his two-year-old daughter – and Frozen fan – Amaya.
He then captured the moment she spotted the real-life Olaf waving in the window at her from the back garden.
And the little girl’s reaction, which was shared on Imgur, as well as local news site, SurfKY News, is just adorable.
Let’s just hope dad remembers Olaf needs to make a quick exit before he starts to melt.
MORE: This man skating down a frozen road is surely a Disney Princess… Read the full story
Eyebrows. They never used to be this important!
Gone are the days when you could pluck them to within an inch of their lives and be sexy.
Now they need to have ‘the perfect arch’. Damn those Kardashians.
Here are 16 thoughts you have while getting your eyebrows threaded.
1. Oh my god, it’s not my usual lady.
2. Ok, this lady’s eyebrows look good. I trust you, eyebrow lady.
3. How do they do this weird thread in the mouth trick? So talented.
4. Ok, deep breath, and get ready to stretch your eyebrow skin.
5. HOLY CRAP I FORGOT HOW MUCH THIS HURTS.
6. YES! The string… Read the full story
Baby names could be even more important than you once thought.
If you’re wanting your baby to grow up to be a genius, that is.
Genealogy research website Moose Roots gathered 14,750 names of notable philosophers, writers, mathematicians, scientists, artists, composers, inventors, Nobel laureates and MacArthur fellows, identifying the most common first names among them.
Male names ranked higher on the list, with the top 10 being entirely male. Female names followed on in the top 25.
Here are the top ten names with the highest number of geniuses.
Paul reaches the number 10 spot with a genius… Read the full story
You may have lived in London for many years, you may have worked there, you may have been brought up there.
You think you know the place, right?
But after you’ve stepped away from the city to buy a cheaper property, bring up a child or for whatever reason if you go back for a shopping trip or cheeky night out you may find a few things have changed.
Oh yes it’s still the capital you know and love but sadly this fast-moving city has already forgotten you and moved on.
As soon as have you disembarked from your provincial stopping… Read the full story
We at Metro here know you love your gin. Like, SERIOUSLY love it.
When you’re not drinking it, you’re eating it, or you’re dating it, or you’re freaking out about its (improbable) disappearance. You’re spending *all* your salary and inheritance on it, you’re buying things that are THEMED around it, or you’re just wearing it as a perfume.
Forget Pastafarianism; we in Britain worship at the Church of Gintopia, and we worship with pride.
But hang on for minute.
You may think you love gin, but do you really know it?
It turns out Jenga’s good for more than one thing.
Whether it’s a way to spend some family time together, or an alternative to a make-shift drinking game, Jenga can offer you hours of fun.
Or minutes – depending on how well you play it.
But this time, you’ll need an add on to make your box of Jenga a little more interesting. And hopefully, you’ll already have it – a box of Cluedo. Come on, you’ve got to have that one, surely?!
Putting Jenga and Cluedo together, you get The Sherlock Game.
MORE: It’s time to find your old box of Jenga and turn it into the perfect drinking… Read the full story
What could possibly be better than plants and magic? Why magical plants, of course
And yes, you read correctly.
Well, perhaps they’re not entirely magic… but they certainly give off a magical illusion.
Ladies and gentlemen, please prepare yourselves for: the Air Bonsai – a floating bonsai tree that levitates because of its magnetic base.
The Air Bonsai, designed by The Hoshinchu Team, consists of what they call an ‘energy base’ (the bottom half) and floating mossy ball, which they call the ‘little star’.
MORE: This is what soap bubbles look like when frozen at -15 degrees
Both halves have magnets installed… Read the full story
By no means is 20 an old age.
People a few years older may be gritting their teeth at this article for even suggesting the age of 20 is anything but youthful.
But as a 20-year-old myself, I must admit, it was pretty daunting reaching the big 2-0. And that wasn’t as such because I felt it was an old age, it was merely just noticeable that it was a new age.
I was no longer a teen, no longer in college, no longer able to blame my mistakes on not being an ‘adult’.
Sure, 18 is… Read the full story
Read the full story
