Marianella Centre for study and renewal

Practical information

We are happy to welcome you to the Pastoral Ministry Programme to be held in Marianella.

To make your stay as enjoyable as possible we have some recommendations and tips.

There are often other courses ending in the days before the Pastoral Ministry course begins so rooms are generally not available until one day before the course begins. Some may be travelling quite a distance and need to arrive a day or two in advance.

If you need to do this remember to let us know in advance. We will do our best, even if it means arranging local Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodation for you.

We expect everyone to participate fully in the programme. Sessions are from Monday morning to Friday lunch-time and there is generally a free afternoon each Wednesday. Week-ends are free to relax and unwind. The seventh week of the course is a mid-term break.

TRAVELLING TO MARIANELLA

The best and easiest way to get from Dublin airport to Marianella is by taxi. It costs approximately €40.

The cheaper way is by bus,-a bus from the airport to the centre of Dublin (€1.60), and then a bus from the centre of Dublin to Marianella, Rathgar (€1.30).

As you leave the airport, you will see the Dublin buses on your left-hand side.
Bus numbers 16A and 746 will take you through O'Connell Street (Dublin centre).
Numbers 41 and 41B will take you to Lower Abbey Street (terminus), off O'Connell Street.
Alternatively, you may take the blue AIRCOACH to O'Connell Street (€7) or the AIRLINK bus (€5).
Then take the Number 14 bus. The stop is directly opposite the General Post Office (GPO) on O'Connell Street. Ask the driver to drop you off at Marianella (or the Driving Test Centre) on Orwell Road, Rathgar. This bus is more convenient if you have a lot if luggage. However it is not too frequent.

Click here to see DUBLIN BUS Route 14 bus timetable

Walk down O'Connell Street, cross O'Connell Bridge and walk up Westmoreland Street to College Street (along the side of Trinity College), where you can pick up the Number 15 or 15A or 15B or 15C to Rathgar village. (€1.30) Then you walk down Orwell Road (c.360metres) to Marianella.
If you take the blue AIRCOACH from the airport, ask the driver to drop you off at either the Number 14 bus-stop in O'Connell Street or the Number 15 in College Street.

COURSE PAYMENT

The total cost of the course is EURO €4950 in Spring 2007).

This includes a booking deposit of €500. We prefer payment in the euro currency, but cheques or bank drafts from overseas must be made payable at an Irish bank.

You may bring payments with you or send it on in advance. We do not take credit cards.

You may also pay electronically using the following codes,

IBAN: IE 06 AIB K 93107135711902,

BIC code: AIB K IE 2D

****PLEASE NOTE****:The IBAN and BIC swift codes only apply to European banks

FOR ALL OTHERS use the "longhand" version of those codes...
Bank: AIB Ltd, 9 Terenure Road East, Dublin 6, Ireland.
A/C No. 35711902
A/C Name: Redemptorist Community Marianella
Sort Code: 93 10 71

It is also advisable to have medical insurance for the duration of your stay in Ireland.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

If you need a visa to enter Ireland, make sure that it is in order. And if you intend to leave Ireland during the mid-term break, make sure that you have a multiple-entry visa. Once in Ireland it is difficult and very time consuming to change your visa.

ELECTRICITY & ADAPTORS

Adaptors: In Ireland we use three-pin (flat) plugs, as in the illustration. If your plug is different you will need an adaptor-to adapt your plug to our three-pin (flat) plug.

Transformers: Our electrical power is 220 volts.If the electrical voltage in your country is different to this (e.g in the USA it is 110 volts), you will need a transformer to bring it into line with ours. Otherwise, if you plug into our higher voltage without a transformer you will destroy your equipment.

Watts: Also make sure your transformer is geared to the wattage in the equipment you are bringing with you. (Check the wattage on the equipment before you buy a transformer).It is infuriating if you buy a transformer at home and, when you come to Ireland, discover it is geared to hair-dryers or curling irons, but is inadequate for your laptop computer.

WEATHER & CLOTHING

Ireland's weather is changeable with rain throughout the year. Depending on when you attend the course will certainly affect the type of clothes you need to bring. If the course is in early spring (February-April), the weather can be quite cold, rainy and windy. You may need to bring warm clothes, rain coat, scarves, gloves along with an umbrella! Temperatures at this time of the year will be between 8 and 15 degrees Celsius.

If the course you attend is in Autumn/Fall and Winter, the weather will start fair but will become much colder and wetter towards the end of the year. September and October can be surprisingly fair months with pleasant sunshine, but of course rain is still common. You need to bring a selection of clothing that will keep you warm and dry. Temperatures in September can often be as high as 18-20 degrees Celsius but by December a figure closer to 8 degrees would be the average.

LAPTOP & INTERNET CONNECTIONS

Internet access is available all over the Marianella main building thanks to a BROADBAND wireless network. If your laptop has a built-in WI-FI set up you should be able to access the internet immediately. However if your laptop has no wireless set up, do not worry, as there are wireless adapters available and this will get you connected* (small monthly charge)

*PC/ Windows only at the moment.

Please Note: Apple Laptop owners will only be able to access the Internet via dial-up

For those of you without a laptop there is a communal PC available so that you can access emails and do some brief browsing.

ENTERTAINMENT

An evening at the theatre, film or restaurant in Dublin's city centre is only 20 minutes by bus.The river Dodder, minutes from Marianella, is a lovely walking route. There are also facilities for golf, swimming and tennis in the neighbourhood.