SHORTS:If you like the idea of getting up with the lark, Longueville House, in Mallow, Co Cork, has a series of dawn- and evening-chorus walks next month, to celebrate "nature's daily miracle".
The walks, which start at 4am, are followed by traditional Irish breakfast and a discussion. They are being held on May 8th, 16th – which is National Dawn Chorus Day – 22nd and 29th. On May 15th there will be an evening walk, at 7pm, followed by a light supper and a discussion.
Adults €55, under-14s €25, group of four €200. info@longuevillehouse.ie.
Haunted houses
Want a sure-fire way to attract visitors? Get a ghost. Castles and country houses around Ireland are benefiting from paranormal tourism, as ghost-hunters search for things that go bump in the night. Hauntedirishbuildings.com has details of sites around the country for anyone planning a “haunt jaunt”. One is Ballygally Castle Hotel, in Co Antrim, where the ghost of Lady Isobel Shaw is said to knock on bedroom doors. No mention of Kinnity Castle, subject of an episode of the UK series Most Haunted, but it does include what’s agreed to be Ireland’s eeriest spot, Leap Castle, in Co Offaly.
6th
Dublin's ranking in a survey of Europe's most congested cities by TomTom. Brussels tops the poll. Saragossa, in Spain, is the least congested of the 59 cities covered.