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TRAVEL Magical and Mystical
Magical& Mystical
Ireland is well noted for its truly breathtaking natural landscape, and here are some of its most spectacular destinations
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words dolores o’donoghue
With the increasing popularity of staycations, many of us have come to realise that when in search of natural beauty, we need look no further than our own little country. Here are some of Ireland’s most spectacular and beautiful natural masterpieces that are well worth adding to the list when planning a day trip or a holiday at home.
Dark Hedges Ballymoney, Co. Antrim
This unique tunnel of ancient beech trees along the Bregagh Road, between Armoy and Stranocum in County Antrim, intertwine and entangle to create a spectacular blend of light and shadow.
The trees were planted by the Stuart family over 200 years ago along the entrance to their Georgian estate. The intention was to create a compelling landscape to impress visitors as they approached their home, Gracehill House, which was built by James Stuart in c.1775. A popular filming location, the Dark Hedges are particularly associated with the HBO epic series Game of Thrones.
Although they remain a magnificent sight, in recent years a number of the trees have been uprooted by storms with approximately 90 of the original 150 trees still surviving. Since 2017 the road has been closed to traffic, due to visitor numbers causing possible damage and degradation to the site.
Lough Tay
Ballinastoe, Co. Wicklow
Lough Tay (Loch Té) or The Guinness Lake is nestled in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, in one of the most picturesque parts of the country.
The lake lies between the mountains of Djouce and Luggala on the Guinness Estate, which was owned by arts patron Garech Browne, the greatgreat-great-grandson of Arthur Guinness, until his death in 2018. The dark peaty water of the lake combined with the bright white sand on the northern side (which was imported by the Guinness family) makes it look like a pint of Guinness!
Although Lough Tay itself is on private property, a stunning view can be had from the Military Road above, at the junction with the Wicklow Way.
Cathedral Rocks
Inis na Bró, Co. Kerry
Resembling the outline of a giant Gothic structure with jagged spires of sandstone, the towering Cathedral Rocks are located on the northeast point of Inis na Bró, meaning ‘island of the quern’. The island is one of six that make up the magnificent Blasket archipelago, located off the most westerly tip of the Dingle Peninsula. It lies southwest of the Great Blasket and north of Inishvickillane. Until quite recently, these dramatic arches were only known to fishermen and passing sailors, but now many of the Blasket Island boat tours take passengers up close to the spectacular rock formation.
Caves of Kesh Co. Sligo
The sixteen interconnecting limestone caves of Kesh are located on the side of Keshcorran Hill, near Keash Village in County Sligo, between Ballymote and Boyle. They can be reached by a 200m ascent up a steep grassy slope.
The visually striking caves are imbued with myth, legend and folklore. Cormac Mac Art, High King of Ireland, was reputedly stolen as an infant by a she-wolf and reared with her cubs in the caves. Diarmuid and Gráinne are said to have taken refuge here after their elopement, when being pursued by the furious, jilted Fionn MacCumhail. Another story tells how Fionn and his Fianna were captured and carried into the dark mysterious caves by three vicious hags.
Excavations have led to the recovery of animal bones and evidence of human habitation going as far back as the Neolithic Age.
robus val photo
The Lighthouse Steps
Arranmore Island, Co. Donegal
Arranmore or Árainn Mhór is a wild and rugged island 5km off the coast of Donegal. The Arranmore Lighthouse is located at Rinrawros Point at the northwest corner of the island. It has been in existence since 1859 having replaced the original lighthouse which was built in 1798 and de-commissioned in 1832.
These uniquely positioned 151 steps run down along the cliff from the lighthouse to a very sheltered little harbour on the shoreline. They were originally constructed to enable oil deliveries to the lighthouse. Today these steps are a major attraction for tourists visiting the island. An ideal place for a good workout but be cautioned, extreme care is advised while climbing these steps!
Dún Briste Downpatrick Head, Co. Mayo
This lone sea-stack sits close to the edge of the cliffs at Downpatrick Head, an outcrop a few miles north of the village of Ballycastle in County Mayo, that offers a unique view of the Atlantic ocean. The sea-stack Dún Briste, meaning ‘broken rock’, is a spectacular sight as it is made up of layers upon layers of multi-coloured rock strata.
Legend has it that when the pagan chieftain Crom Dubh refused to convert to Christianity, St. Patrick hit the ground with his crozier and the stack was separated from the mainland, leaving the chieftain stranded there. Local historians, however, believe that Dún Briste was separated from the mainland in 1393 as a result of high seas.
Visitors to Downpatrick Head can also view the ruins of a church, a holy well and a stone cross marking the site of an earlier church founded by St. Patrick.
This outcrop was also the location of Lookout Post 64 EIRE, one of a series of 83 Lookout Posts placed at strategic points along the Irish coastline by the Irish Defence Forces to establish a Coast Watching Service during World War II. The marking ‘64 EIRE’ is still visible, and was an indication to American aircraft having crossed the Atlantic Ocean that they had reached neutral Ireland.
Garinish Island
Glengarriff, West Cork
Also known as Ilnacullin, meaning ‘island of holly’, Garinish Island is blessed with a sheltered location and unique microclimate. The 37-acre island is filled with stunning ornamental plants and beautiful flowers from many parts of the world. These exotic species are mixed with native Irish plants and remarkable garden structures including a Grecian temple, clock tower, Martello tower and Italian casita.
The island is just 1.5km off the coast of Glengarriff in West Cork, a village that has been famous as a holiday destination since the 1700s. Among its notable visitors was Violet l’Estrange, who spent summers there with her cousins, Countess Markievicz and Eva Gore-Booth.
Violet fell in love with the island and persuaded her husband, John Annan Bryce, to buy it from the British War Office in 1910. Despite her husband being a British MP, Violet’s sympathies lay with the Irish and, in 1920, she was arrested in Holyhead after addressing a public meeting in Wales on the subject of ‘reprisals’. Her two daughters were leaders in the Women’s Coronation Procession of suffragettes through London before King George V’s coronation in 1911. The Bryces’ son, Roland, bequeathed the island to the Irish nation in 1953.
The short ferry trip to the island offers an opportunity to take in some of the most spectacular scenery in Ireland and also the chance to observe and photograph a large colony of seals in their natural habitat.
Eccles Hotel & Spa
An iconic destination once more
Glengarriff has been renowned for it’s mild and humid micro-climate for centuries. At the mouth of Bantry Bay and the base of the mountain, with shelter from prevailing winds, it’s a place that is picture perfect beautiful. It’s no wonder that Eccles Hotel & Spa was a destination health and wellness resort right through the Victorian era.
Visitors didn’t come here for faddish treatments, they knew better than that. They came for the sea air, the freshest seafood and locally grown produce, the warm West Cork welcome and Eccles classic style and eff ortless charm.
Today, General Manager David Manning and his team have brought the Eccles back to its glory days. Now a charming 4 star hotel and spa and acclaimed as one of ‘Ireland’s Fab 50 Places to Stay’ the Eccles has been sensitively restored and refurbished without losing the rich history and charm that makes this place so special.
“History and legend permeate every inch of this wonderful hotel. William Makepeace Th ackery, William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Maureen O’Hara were inspired, indulged and revitalised right here. You can imagine them holding court at the bar or relaxing on the veranda as the light danced on the islands that stretch across the bay.” With 3 luxurious treatment rooms, a deluxe double treatment suite overlooking Bantry Bay and the ultimate selection of VOYA organic Irish seaweed based therapies and experiences, you will be completely pampered in a world of your own at The Spa at Eccles Hotel. But that’s only part of this exciting story. In the kitchen, magic
happens!
Lucinda O’ Sullivan, Sunday Independent
Helmed by renowned Chef Eddie Attwell, the food celebrates the very best of what’s fresh, local and in season.
“Th ere’s a lot of history at Th e Eccles Hotel. In Victorian times it was a wellness spa with a seawater pool outside and glass houses covering the land at the back where they grew fruit and vegetables. I’m going back to that — like a rebirth of the hotel, back to where it started from. It’s nice to be able to tip the hat to what the hotel was 250 years before I ever got here. ”
With a great team, an amazing environment and the best produce in Ireland, Eddie has all the ingredients he needs to surprise and delight with every plate.
A destination wellness resort that drinks in the wild Atlantic sea air and eats all that is fresh and hyper local. A spa that fuses the restorative powers of the sea with holistic healing for body and soul. A location like no other with a view to die for. A sense of classic welcoming charm that wraps you in its warm embrace from the moment you arrive. All at the gateway to the beautiful Beara Peninsula, right on the water’s edge.
This is Eccles Hotel Glengarriff . This is… where better begins.
Lahinch: Reeling it in
The Mid-West of Ireland has become an increasingly popular film location, with County Clare recently attracting a number of projects. Producers are drawn to the county’s unique landscapes that offer a number of diverse locations at close distances. Experienced and highly skilled film crew are readily available in the region, thanks to training initiatives introduced to coincide with the opening of Troy Studios in Limerick. Other factors working in the area’s favour are proximity to Shannon Airport and co-operative and enthusiastic local authorities and businesses.
Lahinch and the surrounding area set a beautiful and dramatic backdrop for the new Irish noir thriller Smother. Filming also took place in Liscannor, Spanish Point,
LEFT: Rising star Hazel Doupe, who plays Ingrid in Smother on location in Lahinch. ABOVE: Hilary Rose as Alannah and Dervla Kirwan as Val in a scene from Smother shot at Lahinch Coast Hotel
Fanore, Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna.
Lahinch Coast Hotel was home to the cast and crew for the duration of the 12 week shoot. The local landscape plays a critical role in the drama and the hotel co-owners, John and Brid O’Meara, feel it will lead to positive promotion of the area. The hotel is a stone’s throw away from Lahinch’s famous Blue Flag beach and a short walk from the renowned championship links course Lahinch Golf Club, which hosted the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in 2019. The famous Cliffs of Moher, unique Burren landscape, Aran Islands, Aillwee Cave and Loop Head are among the gems along the County Clare Coastline. www.lahinchcoasthotel.ie
Glengarriff: An Inspiring Destination
A popular holiday location since the 1700s, the picturesque village of Glengarriff is renowned for its spectacular landscape, the friendliness of locals and a variety of attractions. Since 1745 there has been a hostelry and accommodation on the site of the current Eccles Hotel & Spa, which commands panoramic views of Bantry Bay on West Cork’s Wild Atlantic Way. The hotel is just a two-minute stroll from Glengarriff Harbour, where boats depart to Garnish Island, or the village centre with quaint craft shops, cafes and pubs.
This charming four-star hotel is in a world of its own in Glengarriff, where the Gulf Stream has created a micro-climate leading to an abundant and exotic environment, perfect for exploring in the summer sunshine. Guests can avail of a range of
The Eccles Hotel overlooking Bantry Bay
amenities in the scenic surrounds of West Cork and the stunning Beara Peninsula; sea-kayaking in Glengarriff Bay, a hike up to Mount Gabriel, scuba-diving, golf and lots of lovely scenic excursions. After a day of wild Atlantic air, a soak in the outdoor hot tubs overlooking the bay is a must.
The Eccles has long been a retreat of choice for writers and poets and its famous guests have included William Makepeace Thackeray and George Bernard Shaw. William Butler Yeats was a regular visitor and the Presidential Suite is named after him.
Chef Eddie Attwell’s reputation draws visitors from far and wide to sample his amazing food at The Eccles, much of it grown either in the hotel gardens, foraged or sourced locally. www.eccleshotel.com
