Planning Your Trip to Dublin - Dublin - page 15

Identity Card). For a look at the various travel benefits that come
with membership, go to www.isecard.com and www.isiccard.com.
The ISIC card is available for $22 from STA Travel ( & 800/
781-4040 in North America; www.sta.com), the biggest student
travel agency in the world. If you're no longer a student but are still
under 26, you can get a International Youth Travel Card (IYTC)
for the same price from the same people, which entitles you to some
discounts (but not on museum admissions). Travel CUTS ( & 800/
667-2887 or 416/614-2887; www.travelcuts.com) offers similar
services for both Canadians and U.S. residents.
In Ireland, STA Travel's affiliate is USIT, the Irish Student
Travel Service, 19 Aston Quay, Dublin 2 ( & 01/679-8833; www.
usitnow.ie). In the United States, USIT is at 891 Amsterdam Ave.,
New York, NY 10025 ( & 212/663-5435 ).
U.S. firms offering educational travel programs to Ireland include
Academic Travel Abroad ( & 800/556-7896 or 202/785-9000;
www.academic-travel.com), North American Institute for Study
Abroad ( & 570/275-5099 or 570/275-1644; www.naisa.com),
and Irish American Cultural Institute ( & 800/232-3746 or 973/
605-1991; www.irishaci.org).
FOR FAMILIES
So you're bringing the kids to Dublin. You'll all have a fantastic
time, especially if you realize that traveling with kids—like doing
anything with kids—requires a bit of extra planning. And the best
way to raise your kids' enthusiasm is to involve them in the deci-
sion-making process. So pore over brochures and maps together.
Perhaps each family member can choose one or two “must” desti-
nations or activities.
Use the time leading up to the trip to rent some movies set in Ire-
land—for younger kids and preteens, Into the West, Waking Ned
Devine, and The Secret of Roan Inish are delightful and packed with
picture-postcard views. Encourage your kids to read books set in
Ireland. Favorites include O'Sullivan Stew, by Hudson Talbott
(for 4-8-year-olds); and A Wizard Abroad, by Diane Duane (for
9-12-year-olds).
Also for over 9s: If your kids like Harry Potter, they'll likely love
the excellent, bestselling, chilling, thrilling Artemis Fowl books by
Irish author Eoin (pronounced Owen ) Colfer. The first book in the
series was shortlisted on the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year
several years ago and film rights have been sold.