March 2007

           Everyone's Irish on the 17th of March...

           Whether it's the cobblestone streets of Belfast or the unspoiled expanses along the
           Mountains of Mourne, Northern Ireland has a beauty both unassuming and majestic. But
           there's nothing new about its charm - the country has long been the birthplace of artists
           and inventors past and present: Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, Van Morrison,
           Kenneth Branagh, to name just a few. The famous footballer George Best hailed from
           Belfast - and both President and Senator Clinton received honorary degrees from the
           University of Ulster.

           The vibrant culture of Northern Ireland shines this summer at the Smithsonian Folklife
           Festival in Washington, DC - but if you can't wait till then, read on to transport yourself
           to the land of a thousand greens.

           Happy St. Patrick's Day, and may the luck of the Irish be with you this month!

          

           --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It just got a little easier to swim across the pond. The UK            recently announced a reduction in visa costs for international            students - so why not consider a stint studying abroad?            From the lights and life of Belfast to the quiet delight of an            English cream tea, a UK student experience is a great            opportunity to learn and live and take it all in. Unsure about            student visa requirements? Let us help - our Entry Clearance            FAQs help make heads or tails of it all.

           --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Celebrate the            best of film and join the discourse at the Belfast Film            Festival, an annual showcase of the best of international            documentaries. Art junkies of all kinds will enjoy the Belfast            Festival at Queen's, a two-week long jubilee of everything            from theater and literature to comedy and jazz. Northern            Ireland's capital city hosts festivals galore - but if you want            to look beyond Belfast, get your fix of more UK festivals with            our feature of some that are a bit off the beaten track.

           --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There's nature aplenty in Northern Ireland - check out the            Giant's Causeway, a series of 40,000 interlocking basalt            columns leftover from a pre-historic volcanic eruption, or the            sparkling blue of Lough Neagh, the UK's largest freshwater            lake. At every turn there are glens and valleys and flora and            fauna that highlight Northern Ireland's rich geological history.            Not really a nature buff? No worries - the mythical stories            behind the science are equally fun to unearth.

           --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the summer of 2007, the Smithsonian Institution brings the            flavor of Northern Ireland to the United States at its annual            Folklife Festival. This Festival reaches beyond outdated            stereotypes and celebrates the creativity, diversity, and            learning that typify contemporary Northern Ireland.            Up to 160 locals will be taking part throughout the duration            of the Festival from 27 June - July 8 on the National Mall.            Mummers, drum makers, dance dress makers and historians            will be among those telling over one million Americans what            Northern Ireland is like and how they live their lives. Proud of            its past and increasingly confident of its future, Northern            Ireland has only recently begun to attract the international            attention it deserves.

           --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Belfast is a city that confounds expectations. Imposing            Victorian architecture, modern art on the waterfront, foot-            stomping music in packed-out pubs and the UK's second-            biggest arts festival. The city is compact and easy to get            around, with most points of interest within easy walking            distance of each other. Vibrant nightlife, - and a colourful new            wave of stylish bars and restaurants has emerged to            complement the splendid Victorian pubs that have been a            mainstay of the capital's social life for decades.