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July / August 20123 IRELAND Castles, gardens & rugged coastline
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HOMETOURChelster Hall
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BUILDING AN EMPIREThe story of Throat Threads
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IRELANDCastles, gardens & rugged coastline
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I()(XIFOODWINE& DINE NOTESSodastream Source & Fungaea Shroon :
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FOODSummer Sippers
LOCAL FLAVOURRousseau House
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Castles, gardensand rugged coasthne
by Barbara Ramsay Orr
I have become a believer in the luck of the kish.
On a recent tour of the southwest of that gireen
island, I lost a 20 euro bill, and found it stuck
inside my touring map. A random choice of pubs
for lunch in Glengarriff resulted in the best sea-
food chowder I have ever enjoyed, and, against all
odds, I snapped a photo of an Irish castle that will
forever be my tangible memory of heland.
I had been trying to get a good photograph of historic Dromoland
Castle but every time I reached for my camera, the sun disappeared
and it would begin to rain. Not rain exactly, more like a light mist,
what the Irish call'soft'weather.
So I had little hope as I headed out in the fog to tour the grounds.
An hour later, returning to the castle via a curving path that wound
around the famous golf course on the properry I emerged from the
trees at the exact moment that the sky cleared and the sun lit up the
castle. The light lasted only long enough lor me to take a few pictures,
before the clouds descended again. I felt I had been in the right place
at the right moment - Irish luck. ,,
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Elur irr thc mist. Dromolancl Castle Hotel is dra-
mntic. This five star propcrt)'is a short 12-kilonre-
tres fiom Shannon Airport alrd thc perfect place tcr
Lrur,,'ir-icl alter a lorrg llight. Its also an icleal startiug
point for a clrii ing tour of the southu,est ol lreland.
Driving thc Irrsh roads is less inLimiclating tl-ran
it u:ccl to be uunl'roads have been rvidened, and
thele ale modcrn muLti-lane highu'a1's tl-rat can get
i'ou l'he re )'ou \\ant to go quicklv and easillr
But in ireland. getting thcrc is not tl-re point. ancl
the lrelanci )'ou \\'a11t to experience \\'ou't be loundrlong thc fi-coi'ays. \bu need to take the *,indingroacl: that lc.rd 1ou along the coastline. through the
mounttrins. ancl iuto the vrllages rrhere pubs lure
yru into stoppiirg {or rr pint or t\\'o alud lush gardens
r IRELANL)
seduce vou into long nalks.
On a drivr along tlte lrish coast from Shannor.r to
Cork Citr: I fbllori ecl the cl.riete l rorrds. With nini-mal planuing irncl soure hish luck. these roacls tookme to serisiclc to\\'lts that cach possessed a character
:rnd a storlKnightstorrn. on \alentia lslancl. partrvav along
the Ring of Kcrn: is a tidv litrle village that borders
the hirrbour.-lhis is a sumurer holidav place, uith\\'rlter sports. lishing ancl boating. It is best lilto\\rtas the placc rihere the Tlalsatlantic Cable nascornpletccl.
\ou crrn take thc fern' from Knightstou'n to the
Skellig tslands. riith Skellig Michael being particu-
larlv interesting. Rockv and forbidding. this.jaggedisland rias houre at olte time to a group of ascetic
monlis uho cravecl the rsolation and austeritv thatthe islancls pronrisecl. for their spiritual healtli. The
rcmains o[ iheir monasterl: trbandoned in the I2thccntuD. arc a compelling ar-rd sobering r.ision of tl"re
monastic lile that rvor-rld once herve been lived here.
but the climb up rockv steps can be challenging.arrd the trip out to the islauds can onll'be rnade
in good \\'eather. The island is a Unesco WorldHeritage site.
Alter an island adventure. The Moorir-rgs inPortmagee rs thc place to \\'alln up b1'the fire. Yor-r
can spe ncl the night in a rot'n.r.r u,ith a harbour vieu;
erloy great sea{bocl and r-na1'be spend a few hours
in the Bridge Bar listenirrg to tl-re locals r-nake rnusic
u'hile vou sa\'our a glass or tu'o ol Guinness. You
could even join in. if 1,ou kno* a sor-rg or can carD'
a tulte.
Waten'ille is a small to*n further along the
coast that boasts one o[ the best golf courses m tl-re
collntr)l Tiger \\bocls cornes here to golf and fish.
Silent film star Cl-rarlie Chaplin lived here for 1'ears,
Barack Obarna has i,isited and Ricl-rard Nixon hidorlt in Watcrville House after l-ris disgrace.
"So'entecr.r U.S. presidents har,e roots in lreland."
rrrr llish frirrrd \\ill rLll: rrrc.
I think a feu,Canadian Prime Ministers have had
lrish connections too.
Kenmare is a serene to\\,u coutprised of quiet
streets lined with colourlul shops and cottages.
There is a stone circle and a haunting [air1' tree,
under rvhich r-rnbaptised babies lvere traditionallvburied irr thc past. Visitors still leave little tokens
tied to the trees for luck, and to appease the fairies."Be careful to speak quietly r,vhen )'ou are near
the tree - the fairies don't like to be disturbed, and
thel' are rrotoriousll' dangerous when thel' aren't
happy,' Will wanls ute.
hr the centre ol torvn is tl-re Park Hotel Kenmare,
r,vhose grounds are a gardeners delight, with green
sloping lanns leading dou'n to the bay and paths
lined lvith rhododendron and azalea.
,43
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For an iniand diversion, head out from Kenrnare
through Molls Gap to Killarney National Park,
where you can boat along the lakes and hike
the McGillycuddys Reeks, or take a jaunting car
through the Gap ol Dunloe.
East along the coast from Kenmare is Baltirnore,
where the town's castle is worth a tour, to hear
the story of Barbary pirates who raided the village
in 1631. If you take the local ferw out to Sherkin
lsland, you can tour the ruins o[ a Franciscan abbey,
walk the island or visit one o[ the two pubs.
In Bantry Bay, in the sheltered harbour o[
Glengarriff, you'11 find Garinish lsland which ishome to a subtropical garden property The gardens
were designed by Harold Peto and are lushly beauti-
ful in every season. In springtime, the rhodos and
azaleas are in full bloom.
A few miles from the coast, in the country near
Skibbereen, is Liss Ard, another hotel gem with
farnous gardens. This estate, a rer-narkable mash-up
of classic country house design and contemporary
aesthetics, is known for its extensive gardens that
occupy 150 acres around the hotel. The centrepiece
of the gardens is Jarnes Turrells Sky Garden Crater, a
green experience that is both memorable and almost
surreal. I[ you descend the crater and lie on your
back on the stone plinth in the centre, your view o[
the sky and the grassy bowl of the crater's sides is
otherworldly, especially at dawn or dusk.
I stopped in Kinsale to visit the wine museum
in Desmond Castle and to sample the sealoocl zrncl
then headed for Shannagarry and Ballynaloe [1ouse.
This lovely propeily near the end o[ mi' ch.ive
is a quiet retreat, a country manor that feels like
home, or how home would feel i[ motntnv q'ere
Lady Ballynaloe. Each roorn in the hotel is clillercnt
and unpretentiously comfortable. I\n in the Flos'er
Room, with a view of the rvalled garden. Thc big
draw at Balll.maloe is the dining toottt, t-cttolvtrecl
for its cuisine and for its dedication to local proclucts
and producers. The hotel is run by Allen faurily Jr-rst
down the road is the Balll.maloe Cookery School,
run by more Allens, cookbook ar'rthor ancl chcl
Darina and her daughter Rachel. You cau mke cook-
ing classes, walk in the extensive grounds, cujov r>
West of the Crty lu y )011 . a3
I IRELAND
peaceful hikes to the coastal cliffs or plan a rnsit to
the Jameson Distillery for a whisky tasting.
For a change o[ pace, spend a day or two in Cork,
a bustling and prosperous city with is awell known
English Farmers Market. The Hayfield Manor Hotel
is a serene pocket of gardens and sophistication in
the middle of the city, situated next to the university
where guests are welcome to walk through the quad-
rangle and enjoy the campus. Blarney Castle and the
Titanic Museum are nearby.
If returning to Shannon, arrange to spend a mght
at Ballyfin, just a 90-minute drive lrom the airport.
This 600-acre estate hotel was named best new
resort o[ 2012 by the Robb Report. A ten-year reno-
vatlon has brought the venerable property lrom near
ruin to near perfection. lt is gorgeous, authentically
lumished wrth period antiques but possessing all the
modem luxuries.
High tea in the consenatory at Ballyfin, with
scones, creatn and jam, is a winsome way to
bid goodbye to lreland's green gardens and stately
castles.
And with a bit of Irish luck, you will corne
back again. !5
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RecycledFabulous
FEATURING: TOM BINNS I EDDIE BORGO I VITA FEDE I KOTUR I FORGET ME NOT
LUXURY. INSPIRED. LIVING.
335 LAKESHoRE ROAD EAST I SHoPBLACKCAVIAR.CoM I 9O5'a45 3350
Designer opporel,shoes & occessoriesot o froction of lhe
designer price!
Downtown Ookvis your Consignmen
Destinotion
a4 t wesr of the citv Julv 20'13
lfYouGoWhile you could depend on lrish luck to
help you find your way, the lrish Tourist
Board has excellent maps and driving routes,
complete with not-to-be-missed hlghlights,
dining suggestions and available
accommodation choices.
Visit ireland.com for more information.
dromoland.iemoorings.ie
parkkenmare.com
lissardestate.com
ballymaloe.com
hayfieldmanor.ie
ballyfin.com
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