SNIPPET: In the Mar-April 2002 issue of Dublin's "Ireland of the Welcomes" magazine, readers shared comments about visiting the "Emerald Isle." Beth COLLIER, Lusby, MD, wrote: "Last year I signed my husband I up for a two-week 'Rick Steve's bus tour of Ireland. I also started to subscribe to IOTW. As a first time traveller to Ireland, I thought your magazine made Ireland a bit too perfect-looking for tourists. I thought to myself, 'It can't possibly be that beautiful.' As our plane approached Dublin Airport, it was! Our tour group travelled from Dublin south around the whole island. It was fabulous! Great food, beautiful sights, friendly people. We were about to tour Dunluce Castle in Northern Ireland, when we heard about the U. S. terrorist incidents. Our tour continued as planned. Our tour group all agreed that any travel delays we experienced were nothing compared to the suffering of families and victims. We were delayed an extra six days in Dublin. Every Irish person we ran into in the hotels, tourist sights, churches, etc., immediately offered us their condolences. Ireland has such a long connect! ion to the U. S. Even our min-bus driver on the Aran Islands had lived and worked in the U.S.A. I have so many fond and unique memories of Ireland - including listening to Evenson at Christ Church in Dublin, watching 'The Quiet Man' on televisin, great ice cream at the 'Rope Bridge Tea Room,' walking through Newgrange burial mound, and watching 'Richard III' performed at Trinity College. We had great mild weather in Ireland. Many of my photos look just like those in your magazine! ... I can now say, 'I was there!'" Bill & Jane DELAHOYDE, Manchester, NJ, shared: "We so enjoyed 'Inisheer, the littlest Aran," by Jo KERRIGAN, with photographs by Richard T. MILLS, in your Sept-Oct 2001 issue. My bride and I visited Inisheer from Doolin on our honeymoon last year. All those stone walls amazed us. We were sorry that you didn't feature the new Cultural Centre up on the hill. As it was a windy, cold day, beyond 'soft,' we stopped in the pub there for a few Irish coffees. Evidently they only had electricity from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; when we enquired as why they didn't generate power from wind generation, one replied, 'Ah sure we had that ten years ago, but they all blew down.' We subsequently discovered that they use honey instead of sugar in their Irish coffees - rather appropriate for our honeymoon!": Judy SCHILLER, NYC penned: I have been to Ireland four times and still haven't seen everything yet! So far my favourite place is the Aran Isalands. It's very magical and certainly another world for a New Yorker. I felt very at peace there. The highlight of this trip was going to two plays. The theatre in Dublin is so superior and so much less costly than here in NY. I saw 'The Lonesome West' at the Gaiety and a production of 'Of Mice and Men' by Steinbeck by the 'Sionnach Theater Company' at the New Theatre in Temple Bar. The acting was really good and you enter this small theatre through a bookstore. Another highlight was hiking to the top of Howth Hill to see all of Dublin Bay. Not only was the view dramatic the day we did it, the wind kicked up and there was a slight drizzle to add to the drama. The third highlight was finding the Irish Jewish Museum, on Victoria Street, off South Circular Road. People here are stunned there is such a museum in Dublin - the h! istory of the Jews dated back to 1660. Looking forward to my next trip! Sharon Diane ROBERTS, New Smyrna Beach, FL wrote: "You should rename your magazine Paradise magazine. Because from the picture of Bull Island at Dublin Bay, by Richard T. MILLS, in the Nov-Dec 2001 issue, that's exactly what you have ... And sandy beaches and luscious golf courses ... With the bartailed godwits, this would be more than paradise to birdwatchers, this would certainly be Heaven on Earth." David M. BOWEN, Indianapolis, IN shared: "Six members of my family and I just completed a 15-day holiday in Ireland. My wife and I were there before in 1996, so we were the tour guides on this recent trip. The improvements of the roads were quite noticeable and much appreciated. The hosts of our B&Bs were exceptional, but the highlight of our trip, believe it or not, was purchasing goods from Michael CUSACK at 'Irish Handcrafts' on Patrick Street in Limerick. We spent a hour and a half being entertained, including one hour after closing by a man who seems to have kissed the Blarney Stone more than once. Besides being entertaining, he is a master in the art of salesmanship... Another highlight was visiting the home of photographer Fergus BOURKE near Moycullen. We arrived unannounced and he was a delightful host. A photograph in your Mar-April 1999 issue prompted us to look him up. We look foward to planning our next trip to Ireland, via the information in your magaz! ine." James & Mildred WIMPY, Independence, MO, wrote: "Ireland is so special to my wife and I, that we spent our 25th wedding anniversary there. The next year we returned with ... our closest friends. We have dreamed of returning with our children. When we talk of our retirement years, our first thought is to spend at least a year castaway in many of its small towns. Our journeys have taken us throughout Europe, but for some mystical reason, Ireland is the place we always long to return to.... We were only a matter of days from purchasing our tickets when the events of September 11th unfolded. I admit that during the emotional turmoil and pain of the days immediately followng that tragedy, there were doubts about a trip... However, as the smoke has cleared from our minds, there can be no doubt. We will return to Ireland. We will return to many places that bring joy to our hearts. Travel will continue to be an important part of our life. We will not be denied the futu! re friendships, future memories, future experiences that will surely enrich our lives." --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.701 / Virus Database: 458 - Release Date: 6/8/2004