Cathedral View Apartments

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Mothers Day weekend pamper break

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Treat the mother in your life to a Mothers Day weekend pamper break

Mothers Day weekend pamper break

A pamper weekend is the most thoughtful gift to give the most special lady in your life for Mother’s weekend. Whisk the family away for a weekend break, enjoying the comfort of our self-catering apartments with ease of access to a beauty salon, award-winning restaurants and designer fashion.

Mother’s Day Pamper package in Longford

Chic Beauty Salon is only a minute walk away from the apartments, offering a haven of peace and tranquility. Their Spring specials are hard to pass up and would be a lovely way for mum to spend a few hours.

Try some of Longford’s award-winning restaurants

The award-winning Black Olive restaurant is also within walking distance, offering an extensive menu including a delicious Sunday lunch for Mother’s Day itself. Alternatively, only a five minute drive away you’ll find the hidden gem and highly commended, award-winning Viewpoint House with dishes to die for!

Enjoy a ladies shopping spree

Longford is a fabulous shopping destination, with a multitude of ladies boutiques to choose from. Away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, Longford has some select and unique stores which stock beautiful high end fashion. Áine’s boutique is on Main Street, stocking a wide range of designers like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Guess and more. Fabiani is an award-winning shoe store also on Main Street, with shoes to die for! Both stores have featured on Ireland AM and Xpose. And they’re just a few, there’s a number more on Ballymahon Street and on the Market Square. Oh, and for dad…Spirit Clothing and Matt Kelly menswear have all the latest in mens fashion!

Relax and unwind for Mother’s Day weekend

A peaceful weekend getaway for all the family is just what mum deserves. As Mother’s Day is on a Sunday, we’re also offering a “leave at your leisure” bonus, allowing you to enjoy Sunday lunch and maybe even a second helping of cake before heading off! Treat mum to something special!

Take part in Carnival at Longford St Patrick’s Day festival

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Join the carnival spirit in this year’s Longford St Patrick’s Day festival

Longford St Patrick's Day festival
Longford is the place to be this St Patrick’s Day as green is set to be replaced with all the colours imaginable for a Carnival party. Always a massive event in County Longford, this year’s St Patrick’s Day is to be no different. From community groups, local businesses and of course all the school children, everyone takes part in the festivities creating a wonderful atmosphere for all. Soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the long weekend in our 5* rated self-catering apartments.

While parades of course take place across the country, Longford offers something special in the centre of Ireland with direct connections to St Patrick! St Mel’s Cathedral stands proud in Longford town – our apartments offering a spectacular view – however the original St Mel’s Cathedral was built in nearby Ardagh village and founded by St Patrick. St Mel came to Ireland with St Patrick, he was ordained a Bishop in Ardagh and the church dedicated to him.

The Cathedral View Apartments are directly opposite St Mel’s Cathedral, the perfect location to celebrate the long weekend. Check in early Friday morning, or even Thursday evening, to make the most of the full St Patrick’s Day. Enjoy breakfast at your leisure with many cafes only a two minute walk from the apartments. Afterwards enjoy an early St Patrick’s Day pint in one of the many great bars in the town.

The parade is always great fun with loads of entertainment for all the family. Of course if you don’t fancy braving the crowds, our apartments are on the parade route so you can watch from the comfort of the window or take it in from the front footpath. Kicking off at 1pm, the town will be full of cheer and colour, plenty to enjoy before celebrating the rest of your day. If it’s a pint your after along the parade route, “Milo’s” on Dublin Street is a two minute walk from the apartments and close to the main street.

There are many restaurants along Ballymahon and Main Street to get a nice lunch, while Viewmount House is only a short drive on the outskirts of Longford town for a delicious dinner. To keep the kids entertained after the parade, “The Mall” is a 1.9km scenic walk along the Camlin River with a dunk pond, two playgrounds, a football pitch and a basketball court. There is also an indoor swimming pool with a kiddies pool. The Longford Bowling Alley and Cinema offer hours of entertainment if the weather drives you indoors.

To shake off the cobwebs Saturday morning, join “parkrun” in The Mall at 9:30am. It’s free to take part but you must register online first on parkrun.ie. It’s a family friendly 5km walk or run. Moments Cafe on Main Street is ideal for a post parkrun breakfast and will fill you nicely for the day.

There’s loads to do on a weekend in Longford! We are offering a “leave at your leisure” bonus on your check-out day so you can make the most of every day without worrying about checking out early. A colourful weekend awaits, book in today!

Don’t forget! No St Patrick’s Day in Longford is complete without a green milkshake from Luigi’s…ask any of the locals and they’ll tell you!

St Patrick's Day Longford

Tracing genealogy to County Longford

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Discover your family history by tracing genealogy to County Longford

Tracing genealogy to County Longford

Mel Gibson, Warwick Davis and Will Ferrell are just some Hollywood stars with roots in Longford. Lots of interesting people are from here so discover your past by tracing genealogy to County Longford.

Every year Longford receives massive visitor numbers from people researching their ancestory. With a colourful history of emigration from Longford during the famine times and up into the 1900’s, it’s no surprise that so many retrace their roots here. The Longford diaspora is far in reach, with popular names such as Farrell, Sheridan, Murphy, Rathigan, O’Neill and Kane.

There’s many online resources dedicated to helping people discover their family history. These online tools are useful for anyone learning how to explore their past, such as irishgenealogy.ie and the 1901 and 1911 census records are available online.

It’s important to gather as much information and once  researchers have pinpointed Longford as the county of their families origin, there’s some great resources locally to further narrow the search. The Longford Tourism office is a brilliant first point of contact as they can point you in the direction of the genealogy office and the library.

The Longford Library is a wealth of information with archives and genealogy information. The Longford Genealogical Centre holds specific information on church records and can be contacted at longroot@iol.ie while the Office of the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths is located in the Health Centre and can be contacted on 00353- (0)43-3332226.

Researching your family history is exciting and thankfully there’s loads of help out there to get you on your way. Make sure to book into our self-catering apartments facing the famous St Mel’s Cathedral (Mel Gibson’s namesake!!). We are a short walk to the tourism and genealogy offices and library. What’s more, if the search takes you out of County Longford, we’re only a two minute walk from the bus and rail station and centrally located to drive to most destinations in Ireland in two to three hours. Phone us +353 43 333 6450. Good luck with the search!

 

Enjoy a romantic Valentines weekend

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Make the most of a romantic Valentines weekend by availing of our special offer

romantic valentines weekend

As Valentines day falls on a Tuesday, why not make the most of a romantic Valentines weekend either the weekend before or after with our special offer at The Cathedral View Apartments. If you book three nights either February 10th – 13th or 17th – 20th, you will receive a bottle of Prosecco and locally handmade chocolates on arrival for only €200.

Enjoy a special weekend away from it all, among unspoiled secluded scenery, dining in award winning restaurants or just having some time out in the cinema or bowling alley.

Arrive for check-in and familiarise yourself with the locality. Sip on your Prosecco and try a few chocolates as you get ready for the night ahead.

Where to dine

The famous award-winning Viewmount House is just a short drive on the outskirts of Longford town, offering an elegant experience in a unique setting of a 17th century manor.  It’s the perfect place to unwind in serenity and enjoy excellent food by celebrity chef Gary O’Hanlon.

The Black Olive is an award winning restaurant on Ballymahon Street, Longford. Only a short walk from the apartments, it offers a convenient location and is surrounded by bars for afterwards. If you choose to for a pre-theater meal, there’s an excellent early bird menu up to 7pm. With a Certificate of Excellence on Trip Advisor, it’s certainly receiving winning reviews from everyone who dines there.

What’s on

Friday 10th of February – Longford Live and Local – Bands Night: check out some live music from three local bands: Brave Giant, Dissension Rising and Reprisal in The Backstage Theatre Longford. A rockers night! 8pm – €15 entry.

Thursday 16th – 18th of February – Same Old Moon: The local Backstage Theatre group present Same Old Moon written by Geraldine Aron- Same Old Moon is a very funny, charming yet honest look at Irish family life through the eyes of Brenda Barnes. We follow her life’s story as an aspiring writer from aged nine into her forties, from Dublin to Galway and then London. We see the eccentric ways of the characters who moulded her life’s story, her fiery Irish family, her put-opon and sometimes hot tempered mother, and her wilful, self-destructive and domineering father. 8pm – €15/€12

Activities

If you want to catch a film, Longford Cineplex offers the most recent releases from the world of cinema. The Longford Bowling alley is a fun place to spend an evening with pool and arcade games also available.

Longford is a serene urban retreat nestled in the Lakelands and Waterways of Ireland. There’s a number of locations for a stroll, with glorious lakes, rivers and canals providing the opportunity for romance.

Book Now

Make an urban getaway your ideal romantic break. Our apartments will serve as your home away from home. Book now and enjoy our special offer.

Christmas in County Longford

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How to spend your Christmas in County Longford

Christmas in County Longford
Christmas in County Longford is a special one. There’s loads to see and do, with events happening across the county to celebrate. From markets, to charity races, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Longford town turned on the Christmas lights on Black Friday, November 25th, kick starting a fantastic shopping season. Shop local and support local craftspeople this Saturday, December 10th, in Ardagh Heritage and Creativity Centre during “An Enchanted Woodland Christmas“. Visit Santa while getting creative with the arts and crafts and plenty of time to browse the gift shop for some handmade goods.

The festivities will continue in Granard this Sunday, December 11th, as the town will host a Christmas market to coincide with the switching on of the lights. Back to Ardagh Heritage Centre on December 16th for the “Christmas Around the World” feast; a very special dinner with a few treats thrown in hosted by Chef Martin from “Cook ‘n’ Dine“.

Something uniquely different then on December 18th, Longford’s very own “ice hockey” tournament. Longford Hawks are hosting a Christmas inline hockey tournament at their rink in Mastertech business park on the outskirts of Longford town.

If hunting is your sport, take off with Longford Harriers at 12 noon on St Stephen’s Day from Carrickboy. No animals are used, it is just the scent! For extra sport, join the Longford parkrun on Christmas Eve in “The Mall” park, Longford town followed by tea and coffee afterwards. This is a free event but you must register on parkrun.ie and don’t forget to bring your barcode.

There’s lots of opportunity to shake off the turkey (and an excuse to sneak a few extra mince pies) during three charity races over Christmas. The annual Goal Mile run takes place Christmas morning at 12 noon from Connolly Barracks, perfect way to make room for the feed ahead. This year is the 10th year of The Shane Brennan 5km in Newtownforbes, kick starting at 1pm with proceeds going to Longford Women’s Link. If that wasn’t enough for you, Ardagh Moydow Glen Community games set a real challenge on December 27th. The 10 mile run goes over “Ardagh Mountain”, and is well attended every year. There’s also a 5km fun run through the village.

No Christmas in County Longford would be complete without a visit to St Mel’s Cathedral which burned down on Christmas Day 2009, only to be rebuilt and now stand in all its glory. Of course, if you need somewhere to stay during your visit, our apartments are facing it! Enjoy the festive season.

A Weekend in Longford (Part Two)

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Things to do on a weekend in Longford

weekend in longford

In our second edition of “what to do in Longford for Black Friday weekend”, we give you a full itinerary of things to do in Longford. While you can enjoy a full day shopping and pampering on Friday, there’s many reasons to stay in Longford for the full weekend. Did we mention our special offer – if you book in to spend Black Friday weekend, November 25th, 26th and 27th in our apartments in Longford, receive a bottle of Prosecco, locally handmade chocolates, a €40 dining voucher and late checkout.

Spend your Friday enjoying all the great offers from businesses around Longford, from getting a full outfit in Áine’s, to a relaxing treatment in Chic and of course enjoying a special offer lunch in the Black Olive; no day could be more perfect. What’s more, you don’t even have to miss a day’s work as we are offering free use of our co-working space in The Business Clinic, adjoining the Cathedral View Apartments.

Make sure to be on the Market Square for 6:30pm for the main man Santa who will be there to meet all the girls and boys and take photos. There will be market stalls for shopping and the turning on of the lights will add to the atmosphere. Some of the local watering holes are also joining in the merriment, so you can enjoy the celebrations and you’re only a short stroll home to the cosy apartments.

Shake the cobwebs off in Saturday morning with a scenic walk through some of County Longford’s best kept secrets. Head out to the historic village of Ballinamuck, where an epic battle was fought in 1798, and take the 5km Edenmore Bog Walk trail for some real serenity.

Why not head over the beautiful village of Ardagh, also steeped in history with the original St Mel’s Cathedral; a village acclaimed for it’s Tidy Towns status. While you’re there, take the Glen Lake walk to Ardagh mountains across to Kenagh to the bog end up in Cashel St Kevin Island; also perfect for a long bike ride.

There’s further opportunity for exploration on a Sunday in Longford. Make the most of the late check out included in our offer, before driving to the village of Abbeyshrule. Another Tidy Towns winner, it’s located on the banks of the Royal Canal and has extensive history, home to  a Cistercian Abbey, founded from Mellifont in 1150 AD. It’s also the location of the only airfield in the Midlands, which provides opportunities for both pleasure flights and flying lessons as well as hosting the annual Air Show. For literature lovers, its most famous son is the poet and playwright Oliver Goldsmith who was born at Pallas, Abbeyshrule on November 10th 1728. While you’re there, enjoy a delicious Sunday lunch in the Rustic Inn before making your way home. 

This just touches on places to visit in Longford, in our next post, we’ll give even more options for any weekend in Longford. Follow The Cathedral View Apartments on Facebook for more!

Black Friday in Longford

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Enjoy your Black Friday in Longford with a weekend full of events

Black Friday in Longford

In 2015, Longford became the first town in Ireland to fully embrace Black Friday. Every store had its own special offer, as shoppers enjoyed some Christmas shopping bargains. This year will see it return, with even more fantastic opportunities to buy yourself or that special someone that perfect gift and enjoy a brilliant Black Friday in Longford.

To encourage people to visit and shop in Longford, The Cathedral View Apartments is doing an offer – if you book in to spend Black Friday weekend, November 25th, 26th and 27th in our apartments in Longford, receive a bottle of Prosecco, locally handmade chocolates, a €40 dining voucher and late checkout.

The weekend kicks off with the amazing sales all day Friday, with over 100 businesses in the town taking part. With jewellers to clothes retailers, beauty, cafes and restaurants and local filling stations all getting into the spirit of things, you can shop until you drop. To really brighten up the evening, the Longford Christmas lights will be switched on at 6:30pm, and Santa will visit the Market Square to heighten the celebrations.

If you arrive late to Longford, not to worry as all stores are open for late night shopping. This is also the opportune time to use your €40 dining voucher which you receive as part of your stay with us. If music is your thing, begin the weekend in the Backstage Theatre as they have an evening “Celebrating Christie Hennessy” starting at 8pm.

Saturday morning in Longford is a hive of activity at the Longford parkrun which happens in the local “Mall” park at 9:30am sharp. Every week, you can join a throng of enthusiastic walkers and runners of all abilities by getting in some exercise while enjoying the fabulous facility on offer. The parkrunners often join together afterwards in a local cafe for breakfast which is an ideal way to get to know some new people. Event coordinator Kevin Kane would be more than happy to give you more information on this. It’s a free run but you must register on parkrun.ie, don’t forget your barcode!

After a hearty breakfast, and if you still have energy in your legs, the sights around Longford are really worth exploring. The Royal Canal walkway and cycleway brings you all the way to Dublin! However, there’s no need to go that far. You can join the canal at any stage from Longford Town to Clondra; checking in at Killashee, Kenagh or Ballymahon to name a few. It offers 13km of breathtaking scenery, which is so serene whether you choose to walk or cycle.

Why not take a drive out to Ballymahon and explore the Royal Canal at Brannigan Harbour before visiting Newcastle Wood; the perfect time to see it before Center Parcs begin their development. You can hire bikes from “Nally’s” in Ballymahon and cycle the canal and the woods; the ideal way to sightsee in an unspoilt part of Ireland.

As you have the whole weekend, you can also drive out to North Longford to our other fabulous woods in Derrycassin, passing the stunning Lough Gowna en-route; perfect for walking, fishing and a picnic when the weather allows! Although in November you might opt for a nice flask of hot chocolate while enjoying the scenery.

In our next post, we’ll give even more options for your Black Friday weekend, and of course any weekend here in Longford. Follow The Cathedral View Apartments on Facebook for more!

Open Evening

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The Business Clinic hosted an open evening on Monday 2nd March 2015. From 6pm refreshments were served and we gave a tour of our meeting rooms and stylish executive apartments. At 7pm John Finn, managing director of Treasury Solutions Ltd. gave a keynote speech on financial modelling in support of Plan 2020.

Plan 2020 is a series of workshops spread throughout the year which will focus on developing company specific financial models, adding rigour to your scenario planning and decision making process.

The evening was kindly supported by Local Enterprise Office Longford, Longford Chamber, Longford Business Forum and The Longford Leader.

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About

Cathedral View Apartments are Failte Ireland approved self-catering apartments set in the elegant surroundings of Keon's Terrace, opposite St Mel's Cathedral. Our stylish apartments offer the higher level of comfort and flexibility. Each apartment has its own private entrance and is decorated in a warm contemporary style.

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