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
or
- 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.

The G.P.O. in O'Connell Street, Dublin City Centre
I hope this information is helpful to you. If I can be of any further assistance,
please do not hesitate to contact me. Looking forward to being with you.
Every blessing in the meantime.
Brendan
-
Brendan S.O'Rourke, C.Ss.R (Director)
-
George Wadding, C.Ss.R. (Assistant)
-
Anne Hughes (Secretary)
 
George Wadding (Assistant) and Anne Hughes (secretary)
14
BUS TIMETABLE 


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