With long weekend days to fill, we can be at a loss as to what to do for entertainment, but luckily help is at hand. We at RSVP have researched the length and breadth of the country, and have come up with ten of the best days out that we could find. And, best of all, we have tickets to give away to all of them!
So what are you waiting for 
Have a look through the great places and things to do below, and get those entries in!
Adventure West
Adventure West is a new and innovative adventure company in Westport, Co. Mayo, providing one of the best adventure days out in Ireland. The experiences they offer include sorbing, zipwire rides, coasteering and abseiling. Zorbing is the newest adventure craze to come out of New Zealand and Adventure West have worked closely with the original inventors of zorbing to design their track and site and have two high quality zorbing balls to choose from, the WEGO, which offers a harnessed but faster and more extreme ride, and the H2OGO, which they describe as a mixture of a rollercoaster and a waterslide. Their zipwire ride is 270m long and gives fabulous panoramic views of the grounds of Westport House.
We have gift vouchers for two to give away to six lucky winners. These vouchers will give the winners one zorbing ride of your choice and two zip wire rides.
To enter, please e-mail James on james.duggan@rsvpmagazine.ie, giving your contact details and putting Adventure West in the subject line.
Check out www.adventurewest.ie or call 087 3627828 for further details.
Viking Splash Tours
Viking Splash Tours is Dublin’s only amphibious sightseeing tour, started by Irish-American couple Peter and Lynda Stocks in 1999. They utilise six authentic Second World War amphibious vehicles, DUKWs, to give sightseers an imaginative and exciting Viking-themed tour of Dublin on both land and water all led by one of their ‘Viking Captains’.
With such a rich, water-based history in Dublin, there could be no better way of telling this story than with vehicles capable of travelling on both land and water. All groups are catered for, including birthday parties for children and adults, stag and hen parties, school and college groups, family reunions, weddings, corporate events, incentive programs, team building or even as a means to get around the city in ‘style’.
We have 6 pairs of tickets to give away to Viking Splash Tours.
To enter, please e-mail James on james.duggan@rsvpmagazine.ie, giving your contact details and putting Viking Splash Tours in the subject line.
For more information visit www.vikingsplash.com or call 01 707 6000
Dublinia
Dublinia is an unforgettable experience in a historically important location in the heart of Dublin City, the crossroads where modern and old Dublin meets. There are three exciting exhibitions that will leave you with a new perspective of the city. The Viking Exhibition lets you see for yourself what life was really like in Dublin during the times of the Vikings. You will learn of their long and challenging voyages, their weaponry and the skills required to become a Viking warrior.
With the Medieval Dublin Exhibition you’ll learn about life in the city from the time of Strongbow up until the Reformation. You can visit a medieval fair, visit a rich merchant’s kitchen and walk down a bustling medieval street. The History Hunters Exhibition will teach you all about how archaeology works and how archaeologists piece together the lives of our ancestors. You can see genuine viking and medieval artifacts including those of a medieval skeleton, found in Dublin.
We have six family passes to give away to Dublinia.
To enter, please e-mail James on james.duggan@rsvpmagazine.ie, giving your contact details and putting Dublinia in the subject line.
For further information visit www.dublinia.ie or call 01 679 4611
Laser Combat
If you want a painless alternative to paintball in Ireland, why not try a game of Laser Tag at Ireland’s No. 1 100 acre woodland Laser Tag Venue! Laser Combat allows you to experience what a war is really like. It is ideal for stag and hen parties, team building and is even suitable for kids’ birthday parties, because unlike paintball, it is painless!
The guns and technology used are the same as those used by the military for war games and are accurate to up to 400 metres, so you are guaranteed a realistic experience. With custom missions, you are sure for an entertaining and action-packed day out. Laser Combat is based in Bandon, Co.Cork and in Kilkenny.
We have two passes to give away to one lucky winner.
To enter, please e-mail James on james.duggan@rsvpmagazine.ie, giving your contact details and putting Laser Combat in the subject line.
For further information visit www.lasercombat.ie or call 023 884 3998 or 087 1233117.
Millstreet Country Park
Millstreet Country Park is a leading educational, cultural and eco-tourism destination that has been in operation since 1995. Popular at home and abroad with locals, tourists, walking enthusiasts, nature lovers, day trippers, school tours and families for over the last decade, Millstreet Country Park is equipped with not only scenic views but also with full visitor facilities, a café and restaurant, beautiful themed gardens and water features, a deer farm, native flora and fauna, archaeological sites and a network of signed walking trails.
Both vibrant and tranquil, it is a fantastic place to visit with activities to cater for all ages. It is less than one hour from Cork City (50 mins approx) and a mere 33km from the world renowned Killarney. With over 60 features and attractions on site there really is something for everyone!
We have 10 season 2012 family passes to give away, each with a value of €60!
To enter, please e-mail James on james.duggan@rsvpmagazine.ie, giving your contact details and putting Millstreet Country Park in the subject line.
For further information see www.millstreetcountrypark.com or call 029 70810.
National Sea Life Centre, Bray
Did you know that an octopus has 3 hearts and blue blood? This is just one of the fascinating things that you can learn at the National Sea Life Centre in Bray, Co. Wicklow. Let them take you on a journey of the deep, without you ever getting wet!
With over 30 displays including Rivers of the World, Nemo’s Kingdom and their breathtaking Tropical Shark Lagoon, there is enough here to keep the whole family occupied for the day, while learning something too.
The large selection of sharks, seahorses and other exotic fish at the National Sea Life Centre will leave you in awe of the beauty and majesty of the deep.
We have 6 family passes to give away to our lucky RSVP readers.
To enter, please e-mail James on james.duggan@rsvpmagazine.ie, giving your contact details and putting National Sea Life Centre in the subject line.
Visit www.visitsealife.ie or call 01 286 6939 for further details.
Titanic Belfast
Titanic Belfast is a “must see” visit in any tour of Belfast. It is located in the heart of Belfast, right beside the historic site of this world-famous ship’s construction.
This state-of-the-art visitor experience tells the story of the Titanic, from its conception in early 1900s Belfast, through to its construction and launch to its famous maiden voyage and tragic end. The story is brought up to the present with the discovery of the wreck and into the future with live links to contemporary undersea exploration.
The adventure begins the moment you walk through the door and are surrounded by the four high impact ‘hull’ shaped sections which house the experience. You’ll learn about Belfast at the turn of the century and experience a thrilling ride through the re-construction of the shipyards and the Titanic under construction.
Learn about the passengers, the crew and the heroes of the day; relive the drama of the tragic end to Titanic’s maiden voyage, and visit the wreck on the floor of the North Atlantic. Enjoy breathtaking views of the slip-ways where the Titanic was launched and relax in one of the superb catering outlets. There’s also plenty of souvenirs to choose from in the Titanic Store.
We have 3 pairs of passes to give away to our winners.
To enter, please e-mail James on james.duggan@rsvpmagazine.ie, giving your contact details and putting Titanic Belfast in the subject line.
Visit www.titanicbelfast.com or call +44 28 90766399 for more details.
Trabolgan
Trabolgan Holiday Village in Cork is well-known for its magical surroundings, excellent facilities and range of indoor and outdoor activities. It has been one of Ireland’s most popular family holiday destinations for the past number of years. Considering its popularity throughout the years it’s no wonder that we are featuring it in our ‘Ten Great Ways to Spend a Summer Day in Ireland’.
Day visitors to Trabolgan will have a fun-filled, activity packed day and can avail of the use of outdoor play areas, Florrie’s Den, Jungle Safari play area, admission to live entertainment shows and a choice of either par 3 golf, swimming or a Go Kart session.
We have family day passes (2 adults, 3 children) to give away to five lucky contest winners.
To enter, please e-mail James on james.duggan@rsvpmagazine.ie, giving your contact details and putting Trabolgan in the subject line.
To find out more about Trabolgan or make bookings visit www.trabolgan.com or call 021 466 1551
COMPETITION WINNERS
Ladies Day at Tramore Racecourse
Tramore Racecourse is where the turf meets the surf, and it is one of the most intimate stages for racing in Ireland. The 4-day August festival (incorporating 3 evening meetings) has everything a summer racing festival should have: sun (usually), sea, sand, spectacular racing and anything else that takes your fancy on a hot summers’ day. Running from 16th – 19th August, the Littlewoods Ireland Ladies Day takes place on Saturday 18th August with judge Mairead Farrell.
Congratulations to Aoife Harrison, who won two tickets.
For further information, visit www.goracing.ie
Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show, 2012 – August 15-19
The Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show is taking place from August 15-19. It is a Dublin institution that showcases Irish breeding and best in national and international showjumping. With a range of national jumping competitions and showing classes, the show is certain to be a great five days of action.
The mystifying Frenchman, Jean-François Pignon and his free roaming Camargue ponies are set to take centre stage at the 2012 Dublin Horse Show. Jean-Francois Pignon has become something of a phenomenon, having developed and refined his skills of natural horsemanship to an unimaginable level. He will demonstrate the true trust and understanding that can exist between man and horse through a series of daredevil acts and acrobatics in the RDS Main Arena during this year’s show.
Visitors to this year’s show will find a wide range of consumer goods, fashion wear, millinery, equestrian clothing, wines and confectionary in over 300 trade stands. This year also sees the return of the very popular Kids Zone with pony rides, face painting, bouncing castles and a fun playground.
We had 3 pairs of passes to give away for the opening day of the show on August 15. Congratulations to the winners Deirdre Barton, Mark Broomfield and Mairead Timmins.
For further information and online ticket booking visit – www.dublinhorseshow.com
Ticketmaster booking line: (0818) 719 300;
Good luck!
Ladies Day at Killarney Racecourse
Celebrity judge Sinead Desmond
The magnificent scenery is what draws the huge crowds to Killarney, and the mountains and lakes that cradle the racecourse make it arguably the most beautiful in the country. Couple that scenery with a well-appointed racecourse, exciting racing and a large fun-seeking crowd and you have the ingredients for a heady cocktail of pleasure. You’ll find the time flying down there. Running from 29th August – 1st September, the Littlewoods Ireland Ladies Day takes place on Saturday 1st September with judge Sinead Desmond.
We had two tickets to Ladies Day to give away and the winner was Fiona Nolan of Kilcloon, Co. Meath,
For further information, visit www.goracing.ie
Fab idea for competition guys!
Great prizes
God help your inbox James :0)