On our radar screens today:

1. Yesterday, Ryanair announced four new routes connecting Ireland and France. Connections between Dublin and Brest, Rodez, and Tours will kick off in April, and a seasonal Cork-Carcassonne link will fly from late May through early September.

2. Vardzia, Georgia is Gadling’s “Where on Earth?” spot.

3. Andy Martin blogs entertainingly on very English Bournemouth.

4. Over the last few months, Volareweb has added a bunch of destinations. Volareweb now flies to Helsinki, Lodz, and Rotterdam, among other destinations. We’d be more excited if Volareweb weren’t one of the least reliable low-cost carriers we’ve come across.

Photo by Magic ]=)

Every year the Salthill Air Show takes to the skies above the Salthill Promenade on Galway Bay. This year the show will commence at 3 p.m. on June 24, but spectators will want to get there much earlier to grab a great spot.

Though the actual line-up of aircraft can not be guaranteed, this year’s show is slated to host the US Air Force Thunderbirds Aerial Demonstration Team, the Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon and the Irish Air Corps Eurocopter EC 135P2 all performing flying displays, among a host of other showings.

Though the Salthill Air Show is free to all spectators, sponsorship and donations are always appreciated.

Photo by Reicheru

Forget the penny whistle and fiddle. Whenever we’re in Belfast, we like to swing by the Empire Music Hall for one of Rab McCullough’s blistering Thursday night blues sessions. And we’re not the only ones.

Though the Empire is a spacious venue, it’s typically packed soon after McCullough’s band takes the stage at 10:30 p.m. Nevertheless, there’s enough room for the shimmyin’ and shakin’ that’s known to break out as McCullough’s set reaches its culmination. And since there’s no cover charge, Cheapos can indulge at the bar should they require some liquid courage before hitting the dance floor.

The Empire Music Hall is at 42 Botanic Avenue, a few blocks north of Botanic Gardens Park. Arrive early if you prefer a table.

In a country where even the most loyal of consumers still grumble about the cost of living, Pigsback.com has become a lifeline for Irish shoppers just looking for a good deal.

This interactive website allows shoppers to browse an array of categories – everything from beauty products to movie tickets to gym memberships – and not only sign up for great deals but earn extra PiggyPoints as they go. Special cell phone alerts and newsletters also help keep members up to date on what’s hot around Ireland - and how to get it at a bargain price.

With free membership and entry into a host of competitions, joining Pigsback couldn’t be simpler or cheaper. And who doesn’t appreciate that?

House prices have shot up in Dublin in recent years, and real estate aftershocks can still be felt in the rental market. For students and young professionals, this altered housing context has engendered real financial stresses. Those in the know use Daft to ease the pain.

Daft, you say? Daft is Ireland’s biggest property site, with over 60,000 properties available for sale or to let at any given time. With categories including Lettings (rental), Short Term (rentals of just a few weeks or months), and Sharing (search for renters or owners who need roommates) the site is very helpful, to say the least. Visitors to Dublin might take an especially close look at the Short Term rental option.

Forums such as Moving to Ireland and Renting Questions also make it easy for those just arriving in Dublin to find their bearings, and email alerts allow prospective renters know the minute something suitable comes on the market for them.

So don’t be daft when it comes to finding a rental in Dublin—or rather, do.

Photo by _Daragh_

Irish lasses love to primp and pamper, even with the staggering cost of cosmetics in Ireland. Though an array of Irish women’s magazines provide good tips for living a champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget, there’s nonetheless been a huge gap in the market for timely updates on beauty bargains.

Enter Beaut.ie.

Irish girls in the know use Beaut.ie to source great cosmetics at bargain prices, even if doing so means ordering from American or British Web sites. Details of local emporiums and fantastic contests also regularly appear on this blog. No wonder it’s got a cult following, not to mention two Irish Blog Awards under its belt.

And if there’s something you’re wondering about that’s not on the blog, just contact the girls. They’re accessible and friendly.

Photo by EcoCabs

The next time you cross a street in Dublin, make sure to check both ways to avoid being flattened by the stampede of eco-friendly bicycle cabs zooming around the city.

EcoCabs has just launched a free downtown service that offers weary pedestrians the chance to catch a quick lift between 10am and 8pm. These emission-free vehicles are available for short city jaunts, and are fully covered in case of a surprise shower.

Though it may take a healthy sense of humor to get pedaled around in these loudly painted cabs, they are completely safe for two adult passengers and include space to hold packages. In fact, EcoCabs is the only passenger bikes fleet to be awarded the DEKRA certificate for safety.

It ain’t just Ryanair keeping fares low in and out of Ireland. AerLingus is pushing a bunch of cheap promotional fares right now out of Dublin and Cork. From Dublin: €9 fares (one-way, not including taxes, charges, and supplements) to and from Berlin, Bilbao, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, and Madrid; from Cork: €9 fares (also one-way and before taxes) to and from Madrid.

For €19, the route map broadens. From Dublin, there are one-way €19 fares to and from Amsterdam, Bordeaux, Geneva, Hamburg, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Munich, Paris, Santiago de Compostela, Toulouse, Venice, and Warsaw. From Cork, clever Cheapos can snap up one-way fares to and from Prague and Warsaw for €19 before charges.

These fares are available through midnight in Ireland on Thursday, March 29, and they’re good for travel from April 17 through May 31. We’d expect taxes and charges to come to around an additional €40 per round-trip, and—a further caution!—we were unable just now to find the lowest promotional fare on one less-trafficked route. Still, cheap’s cheap, and at the very least this fare sale shouldn’t be ignored.

Students in the know know that Students Cents makes sense.

If you are studying abroad or taking a summer semester in Ireland, you’ll save big bucks by registering at Student Cents and getting great deals on meals, drinks, accommodation, and even huge competition prizes. Or you can wander around your campus in the hopes that you’ll be handed something great, for free.

Don’t be put off by the Web site. Student Cents sends out a great newsletter with up to the minute deals and steals that you won’t want to miss. Besides, think of all the competition prizes Student Cents is buying up with the money saved on expensive Web design!

Photograph courtesy of David G Kelly

If a Dubliner tells you that he’s heading to “the bistro” for dinner, he’s not trying to be vague. He’s actually going to one of the most affordable and delicious fine dining establishments in the city.

The Bistro, located at 4/5 Castle Market in Dublin 2, is an intimate family run restaurant catering to locals and tourists alike. A bustling work crowd piles in for weekday lunches while beautiful people (and their children) hang out there for brunch on Sundays. In the evening, a varied crowd dines.

Unlike most Dublin dinners, an evening at The Bistro can be surprisingly affordable. Starters (appetizers) abound for under €10 and main courses can come in under €20, even less if you are lucky. A dinner for two (excluding drinks) for under €50 in a fine, friendly atmosphere? Unheard of in Dublin, unless it’s The Bistro.

Call for a reservation (though make sure to ask for a booking) so that you don’t miss out on a true Bistro table the next time you’re in Dublin.