Cork City

Tesco Locations in Ireland

Tesco Ireland are growing all the time – and their online shopping coverage is almost nationwide – with about 85% of the population able to shop online at Tesco.
All the main cities and towns are covered as well as many smaller villages and rural areas. It is surprising how far the Tesco delivery vans  will go.
If you register  here on the Tesco IE Website you can find out if your address is covered.

After you register – just click on the “Start Shopping” link an dif your address is covered in the delivery area – you will be able to continue shopping.
You can also register at one address and have shopping delivered to another addresses – such as a holiday home or a relatives address.

The online Tesco Store Locator never seems to be working. It seems you have to register with Tesco before it will work .  You Can Register Here

These are the locations and telephone numbers of the Tesco shops in Ireland
Visit Tesco Ireland Website Here

ABBEYFEALE, Colbert Terrace, Abbeyfeale, Limerick, Tel: 068 51195

ARDKEEN Ardkeen, Tel: 051 311255 Filling station

ASHBOURNE,Frederick Street,Ashbourne,Meath,Tel: 1890928512

Athlone , Golden Island Shopping Centre, Athlone, Westmeath, Tel: 1800 455454

TESCO BAILIESBORO, Thomas Street, Cavan, Tel: 042-9675055

TESCO BALLINA, Market Square, Ballina, Mayo, Tel: 096 21056

TESCO BALLINAMORE, New Line Road, Ballinamore, Leitrim, Tel:

TESCO BALLINASLOE, Dunlo Town Centre, County Galway, Tel: 0909-650100 Filling station

TESCO BALLINROBE, Claremorris Road,Mayo Tel: 949541782

TESCO BETTYSTOWN, Narrow Ways,Bettystown,Meath, Tel: 041 9827406

TESCO BIRR, Railway Road, Birr, Offaly, Tel: 05791 – 69081

TESCO CARLOW, Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Carlow, Tel: 599139140

TESCO CARRICK ON SHANNON Dublin Road, Carrick on Shannon, Leitrim, Tel: 719671551

TESCO CASHEL,  Cahir Road, Cashel, Tipperary,Tel: 062-64620 Filling Station

TESCO CASTLEBAR, Market Square, Castlebar, Mayo,Tel: 1890-928416

TESCO CASTLEPOLLARD Castlepollard Shopping Centre, Westmeath, tel: 04496 62250

TESCO CAVAN, Main St/Pearce St, Cavan Town, Tel: (049)4331422

TESCO CELBRIDGE,Maynooth Road,Celbridge,Kildare,Tel: 16274126

TESCO CLAREMORRIS, Silverbridge Shopping Centre, Claremorris, Mayo,Tel: 094 9372234 Filling station

TESCO CLONMEL EXTRA, Powerstown centre, Clonmel, Tipperary Tel: 526181660 Filling station

TESCO COONAGH, Coonagh Cross, Coonagh, Co Limerick, Tel: 061-327899

TESCO CRUMLIN,Crumlin Shopping Centre,Crumlin,Dublin 12,Tel: 1890928433

TESCO DENNEHEYS CROSS EXPRESS, Orchard Gardens, Cork City, Tel: 021 – 4541412

TESCO DOUGLAS EXTRA, Douglas Village Shopping Centre, Douglas, Tel: 021 4857357

TESCO DROGHEDA EXTRA,Donore Road,Drogheda,Louth,Tel: 041 9878501 Filling station

TESCO TESCO DROGHEDA,West Street,Drogheda,Louth,Tel: 041 9839607

TESCO DUBLIN BALLYFERMOT,Upper Ballyfermot Road,Ballyfermot,Dublin 10,Tel: 01 6266654

TESCO DUBLIN BALLYMUN,Number 7 Towers Centre,Ballymun,Dublin 11,Tel: 01 8421011

TESCO DUBLIN BLANCHARDSTOWN,Roselawn Shopping Centre,Blanchardstown,Dublin 15,

TESCO DUBLIN CLONDALKIN,Booth Road,Clondalkin,Dublin 22,Tel: 01 4593393

TESCO DUBLIN DRUMCONDRA,22A Upper Drumcondra Road,Drumcondra,Dublin 9,Tel: 01 8377632

TESCO DUBLIN INCHICORE EXPRESS,38-41 Tyrconnell Place,Inchicore,Dublin 18,Tel: 14200025

TESCO DUBLIN RATHCOOLE EXPRESS,Main Street,Rathcoole,Co. Dublin,Tel: 01-4010375

TESCO DUBLIN SANTRY,Omnipark,Santry,Dublin 9,Tel: 18429122

DUBLIN TALLAGHT,The Square Shopping Centre,Tallaght,Dublin 24,Tel: 12152000

DUBLIN TEMPLE BAR,40-47 Fleet Street,Dublin,Dublin 2,Tel: 1890928523

TESCO DUNDALK,Dundalk Shopping Centre,Dundalk,Co Louth,Tel: 042 93323353

TESCO Dundalk,Longwalk Shopping Centre,Co. Louth,Tel: 429327277

TESCO Dundrum Town Centre,Dundrum,Dublin 16,Tel: 01-2991030 – Filling station

TESCO EDENDERRY, clonmullen Industrial Estate, Offaly, Tel: 469732680 Filling station

TESCO ENNIS, Francis Street, Ennis, Clare Tel: 065-6829722

TESCO GALWAY,Galway Shopping Centre, Tel: 091 561261

TESCO KILLARNEY PARK, Deerpark Road, Killarney, Kerry, Tel: 646637993 Filling station

TESCO  KILLARNEY, New St, Killarney, Kerry, Tel: 064 6632866

TESCO  KILRUSH, Ennis Road, Kilrush, Clare, Tel: 065-9051438

TESCO  LETTERKENNY,Letterkenny Shopping Centre,Letterkenny,Donegal,Tel: 074 23814

TESCO Limerick A rthurs Quay,Limerick City,Tel: 061 411067

TESCO Limerick Roxboro Shopping Centre, Limerick, Tel: 061-416839

TESCO Limerick , Crescent Shopping Centre, Dooradoyle, Limerick, Tel: 061-229933

TESCO LISDUGGAN, Waterford Shopping Centre, Lisduggan, Waterford, Tel: 51372051

TESCO  LONGFORD, Rear Main Street, Longford, Tel: 043 33 47300

TESCO  LUCAN,Tesco Shopping Centre,Lucan,Co. Dublin,Tel: 16282304

TESCO  MAHON, Mahon Point Shopping Centre, Mahon, Tel: 021-497-2018

TESCO MALLOW, Park Road, Mallow, Cork, Tel: (022)22933

TESCO MAYNOOTH EXTRA,Carton Park,Maynooth,Kildare,Tel: (01) 6549700 Filling station

TESCO MIDLETON, Market Green Shopping Centre, Midleton, Cork, Tel: 0214636151

TESCO MITCHELSTOWN, Brigowan Road, Mitchelstown, Cork, Tel: 025 86015

TESCO  MONAGHAN,Dawson Street,Monaghan Town,Monaghan,Tel: 4771525

TESCO  MULLINGAR, Ashe Road, Mullingar, Westmeath, Tel: 044-9341022 Filling station

TESCO NAAS, Blessington Road, Naas, Kildare, Tel: 045-879633

TESCO  NAVAN,Navan Shopping Centre,Navan,Meath,Tel: 469022872

TESCO   NENAGH, Ormand Street,Nenagh Tel: 067 50602

TESCO  NEW ROSS, Bosheen Road, New Ross, Wexford, Tel: 051-440393 Filling station

TESCO NEWBRIDGE, Moorefield, Newbridge, Kildare, Tel: 045 432992

TESCO  NEWCASTLE WEST, Limerick Road, Newcastle west, Limerick, Tel: 069 66095

TESCO  PAUL ST CORK, Paul Street Shopping Centre, Cork City, Tel: 214270791

TESCO POLEBERRY, Bath Street, Poleberry, Waterford, Tel: 51878000

TESCO PORTLAOISE Laois Shopping Centre, Portlaoise, Laois, Tel: 1890928432

TESCO RATHFARNHAM,Rathfarnham Shopping Centre,Rathfarnham,Dublin 14,Tel: (01)4938527

TESCO ROSCOMMON, Market Yard,Roscommon Town, Tel: 906637474

TESCO ROSCREA, Roscrea, Tipperary, Tel: 0505 22777

TESCO  SLIGO, O’Connell Street, tel: 719162788

TESCO  THURLES, Liberty Square, Thurles, Tipperary, Tel: 50421855
TESCO TIPPERARY, Limerick Road, Tipperary Town, Tel: 6233753

TESCO TRALEE Manor West Retail Park, Tralee, Kerry,

TRALEE SQUARE, Abbeycourt, Tralee, Kerry, Tel: 667121110

TRAMORE, Summerhill, Tramore, Waterford, Tel: 51330558 Filling station

TULLAMORE EXTRA, Portarlington Road, Tullamore, Offaly, Tel: 1890928432 Filling station

TESCO TULLOW, Abbey St, Tullow, Carlow, Tel: 059 9151666

TESCO  WESTPORT, Westpoint Shopping Centre,Mayo, Tel: 098-501250

TESCO WILTON, Sarfield Road, Cork, Cork, Tel: 214386500

TESCO  YOUGHAL, Mill Road, Youghal, Cork, Tel: 024 20233

Trim and Tidy Towns In Ireland

Trim has been named Ireland’s cleanest town out of  53 towns and cities that entered a Litter League .

Swords came second with  Killarney in  third place, Cavan 4th and  Dun Laoghaire 5th

The rest of the Litter League results are listed below.

Paying Household Charge at Council Offices

According to the Household Charge website – people who don’t want to register or pay online should be able to get registration forms and make payments at their local County Council or City Council offices.

See more here about the new Household Charge which is payable by all home owners from Jan 2012.

We did a quick survey of most of the County Council and City Council websites on January 6th to see if they were providing any  information about the Household Charge.

We checked the council websites for  Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork,  Donegal, South County  Dublin, Dublin City , Fingal , County Galway, Galway City Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary,  Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow.
Some sites had no information about the Household Charge at all – Carlow , North Tipp, Offaly and Monaghan did not mention it -or if they did it was well hidden!

The majority of the Council websites had just a  link direct to the Household Charge website but no other info or mention of payment or forms being available.

Two  Councils  had a small bit of information about the charge and a link to the Householdcharge website . (Limerick County and Killarney).
Only three sites also had links to downloadable forms – Westmeath, Wicklow and Longford.

The only council that provided any useful information and confirmed that they were issuing forms and accepting payments was Fingal County Council.
Their website informs users that Household charge registration forms are available at all  Fingal County Council cash offices and reception desks in Swords & Blanchardstown, at all Fingal Libraries and at Citizens Information Centres. They also state that Registration forms can be returned  and payments can be made through Fingal County Council cash offices at Grove Rd, Blanchardstown or County Hall, Swords from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday. Completed forms will be forwarded by the Council to the Household Charge payment office. They even have  staff in a  Household Charge Team available on  01 890 6254

Well done Fingal County Council – !

Update Jan 9th - Dublin City Council now have information about accepting payments  – they state on their site that anyone who wants to pay Household Charge to Dublin City Council should go to :  Customer Services Centre ,Ground Floor Block 3 Civic Offices.

Cavan have added some information that Household Charge Payments will be accepted at the Rates office, Courthouse, Cavan.

Galway County Council now say that forms can be collected  from  Galway County Council, Aras an Chontae, Prospect Hill, Galway.  Payments of Household Charge can be made bBy calling to your Local Authority office (By credit card/laser/cheque/bankdraft / or Cash)

Wexford County Council have confirmed that cash will be accepted in any of the following Wexford Local Authority Offices and together with your completed registration form will be forwarded to the Central Processing Unit in Dublin.

- Wexford County Council, Carricklawn, Wexford.

- Wexford Borough Council, Spawell Road, Wexford.

- New Ross Town Council, The Tholsel, New Ross

- Enniscorthy Town Council, Market Square, Enniscorthy.

- Gorey District Office, Civic Square, Gorey.

Unfinished Ghost Estates and the Household Charge

We are still waiting for the list of unfinished estates that will be exempt from the 2012 Household Charge.
The total number of estates is expected to be less than 1300. The Irish Independent seems to think it will be less than 300 estates.

It is important to note – that even if your house is in one of the infamous Unfinished Estates – you still need to register for the Household Charge and then claim the exemption. If you don’t register you could be fined.

If you live in a dwelling that is not permanently attached to the ground – i.e a boat or a caravan – you do not need to register it for the household tax.

More details about Household Charge and Exemptions Here

Top Secondary Schools in Ireland 2011

The Sunday Times has compiled another chart of what they consider to be the best schools in Ireland – based on entry to third level courses.

Here are the top 20 schools in the survey (March 2011)

Gonzaga College, Ranelagh, Dublin 6

Glenstal Abbey School, Murroe, Co Limerick

The Teresian School, Donnybrook, Dublin 4

Colaiste Iosagain, Booterstown, Co Dublin

Laurel Hill Colaiste FCJ, Sth Circular Rd, Limerick

Colaiste Ide, Dingle, Co Kerry

Mount Anville School, Goatstown, Dublin 14

Loreto College, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2

Holy Child School, Killiney, Co Dublin

Colaiste Eoin, Booterstown, Co Dublin

Clongowes Wood College, Naas, Co Kildare

Alexandra College, Milltown, Dublin 6

Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Salthill, Galway

Presentation Brothers College, Mardyke, Cork

Scoil Mhuire, Sydney Place, Cork

Rathdown School, Glenageary, Co Dublin

Loreto High School, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14

Belvedere College, Great Denmark St, Dublin 1

St Andrew’s College, Blackrock, Co Dublin

Muckross Park College, Donnybrook, Dublin 4

Where are the Lowest House Prices in Ireland

A recent DAFT report  listed the average asking prices for houses  in the first 3 months of 2011.
The figures are given in the table below – for 4 Bedroomed Houses.
County Leitrim had the lowest average prices and Co.  Roscommon had the next lowest.

The average asking price of a 4 bedroomed house in  Leitrim was €179000. In County Roscommon it was €181000.

Take a look at some bargain properties here -
Detached 5 Bedroomed Bungalows under €200k

You couldn’t buy a site and build a 5 bedroomed house for that price!

As expected – the  most expensive  area was Dublin  – with South County Dublin prices just over three times higher than prices in Leitrim.
The highest prices outside Dublin were in Wicklow, Kildare and Cork.

Historic Walled Towns of Ireland

The history of Ireland can  be best seen  in its Walled Towns.
There are some of the  walled towns and villages throughout Ireland that are worth a visit.

Ardee, Athenry, Athlone, Bandon,  Cashel, Clonmel, Cork,
Drogheda, Dublin, Fethard, Galway, Kilkenny,
Limerick, New Ross,  Trim, Waterford, Wexford and Youghal.

The Viking raiders of the ninth century and the Anglo-Norman invaders of the twelfth built defensive strongholds that over the centuries came to enrich the fabric of Irish life.

These Irish Walled Towns are unique inheritances from times long past and should be treasured,

Top 15 Most Populated Towns in Ireland

The total population of Ireland at the 2006 census was 4.24 Million

Of those – 61% were living in towns or cities (2,574,313) and 39%  were living  in rural Ireland. (1,665,535)

Top 15  Population Figures of Irish Towns and Cities 2006 Census

1. Greater Dublin  1,045,769  24.7% of the population.

2. Cork City  190,384 (4.49%)

3. Limerick City 90,757 (2.14%)

4. Galway City 72,729 (1.72%)

5. Waterford City 49,213 (1.16%)

6. Drogheda 35,090 (0.83%)

7. Dundalk 35,085 (0.83%)

8. Swords 33,998 (0.8%)

9. Bray 31,901 (0.75%)

10. Navan 24,851 (0.59%)

11. Ennis 24,253 (0.57%)

12. Tralee 22,744 (0.54%)

13. Kilkenny 22,179 (0.52%)

14. Carlow 20,724 (0.49%)

15. Naas 20,044 ( 0.47%)

Visit of The Queen to Ireland – Places and Dates for

Queen Elizabeth II of England is making on official visit to Ireland in May 2011.
She is arriving on May 17th and will be in Ireland until May 20th.
Security is expected to be very high because of protests by Republican groups. Apparently two PSNI water cannons have been borrowed by the Gardaí  who are expecting demonstrations.

The Queen will be accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. The visit will start with a  welcome by President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin followed by a ceremony at the Garden of Remembrance ; a courtesy call on the Taoiseach at Government Buildings; and a State dinner in Dublin Castle, at which both the Queen and the President will deliver speeches.

A visit to the National Stud in Kildare is next on the Quees’s itinerary followed by a visit to g Gilltown Stud, which is located outside Kilcullenin Co Kildare. ( The stud is owned by the Aga Khan )

As part of the security arrangements, the National Stud and adjacent Japanese Gardens will be closed to the public from Tuesday to Thursday next week and will re-open on Friday

A trip to Cashel is next on the card for the Queeen – to see the landmark Rock Of Cashel. The attraction will be closed from 16th to 19th May for security reasons.

Cork City is the next destination on the Queen’s visit.

In Thurday 19th   Westlife and X-Factor contestant Mary Byrne and others  will be performing for Queen Elizabeth during an evening celebrating fashion, music and theatre in Dublin Convention Centre in the Docklands. 2,000 guests have been invited to the event and President Mary McAleese will also be in attendance.

Queen Elizabeth II is expected in Cork City on Friday 20^th with a planned visit to the English Market .
Th Queen will depart from Cork Airport on 20th May

Best Quality Broadband in Ireland

On the Speedtest.net website – they run thousands of speed tests for internet users all over the world. They store and analyze the data – so they can compare the results from different internet providers.

For Ireland – they have worked out the top 5 providers based on a Quality Ranking which they do by measuring packet loss on the connection.
The data was collected between Oct 2009 and April  2011 – and is updated all the time
Only ISPs with more than 100 tests were included in the results.

April 11th – Updated Quality Rankings

Vodafone came out with the best quality broadband  in Ireland -  with a rating of   86.85 .

Eircom came second  with a rating of 85.99

Three – who only do mobile broadband came in a respectable third with 81.65 . This is surprising for mobile internet – which many people seem to assume is unreliable.

Imagine came fourth with 80.63 and  UPC came a poor 5th with just 63.43 – way behind the rest.

The town or city with the best overall quality of internet connection was Dublin with a rating of 77.57 and Cork was 75.13. Only towns with at least 500 tests were included.