Chinese Year of the Rat

I am, of course, talking about the Chinese New Year for 2020, which begins this coming Saturday, 25th January. If you are feeling a little uneasy about these rodents you can take comfort in that it is a Metal Rat! Having checked out my own Chinese horoscope there is some synergy in that I was born in the year of the ‘Metal Tiger’. If you are keen to learn more about this remarkable ancient culture I would recommend this website which contains a plethora of information about Chinese astrology.

Closer to home there are several options that might appeal to those who wish to acknowledge or celebrate this auspicious event. Dublin hosts a Chinese New Year festival and details are available on https://www.dublinchinesenewyear.com/. The festival looks like a very well planned event and attractive to wider audiences; people who enjoy colourful spectacles.

It was a little harder finding some unusual ties with the Chinese culture further afield in Ireland. However, I did come across a mention of Sneem, where believe it or not there is a panda sculpture donated by the Peoples Republic of China. The best place to stay if you are visiting Sneem is without doubt the beautiful Parknasilla Resort & Spa, where you can enjoy a myriad of activities on the extensive estate. They are also celebrating 125 years of Irish hospitality and have some very tempting offers on their website.

Happy New Year and remember that the Rat is the first sign in the Chinese Horoscope so an especially important year.