Ireland: Emerald Isle Journey

After a brief orientation via a bus tour of Dublin with its statues and monuments, government buildings, McConnell St. shopping and, yes, the Guinness Brewery, Ireland : Emerald Isle Journey takes viewers on a circuitous train route via Kildare, Kilkenny, Waterford, Rosslare and Wicklow. Along the way, the program dispenses Irish history and culture, amidst views of glorious scenery, medieval ruins and the modern-day Craft Trail, disembarking enroute to sample wares such as Waterford crystal and visit the Kennedy ancestral cottage and JFK memorial arboretum. Returning to the starting point, armchair travelers savor the pleasures of Dublin by night on a "Literary Pub Crawl," thus concluding the visit to this southeast corner of Eire. Beautifully photographed and produced, this is a superficial but enjoyable introduction to the Emerald Isle, and is recommended, overall, for larger travel collections. Other titles in Time-Life Video's European Rail Journeys series include: Germany by Rail: The Rhine Express, Spain by Rail: The Andalusian Express, Italy by Rail: The Sicilian Connection and France by Rail: Riviera Bound. Aud: P. (J. Reed)