ESCAPES FOR TWO

 Unwind at the Europe Hotel and Resort

The luxurious 5-Star Europe Hotel and Resort, set on the Killarney lakes, is one of those hotels everyone should stay in at some point in their lives. And clearly, everyone wants to, because bookings are like gold dust! Treat your loved one to a stay at the Europe Hotel and Resort, along with an indulgent treatment in their ESPA spa. The hotel has a Private Spa Suite, offering a truly unique experience with spectacular views of Lough Lein and the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range. The Suite includes a double bath, steam shower, sauna, private changing room, relaxation and changing area, offering a shared escapism for two prior to treatments.

Visit theeurope.com grazing box or Afternoon Tea, as well as a bottle of non-alcoholic Prosecco. Champagne can be added at an additional cost. They also have a Bridal Shower Picnic option for €75pp (minimum party of four), for any upcoming brides who want to get away with friends!

Visit grapicnics.com

 Horse riding on the beach

Go for a horse-riding adventure along the beautiful Trawalua Strand in Co Sligo. Access to the beach is private, so this is your pass to a hidden gem! The one-hour beach ride is the most popular ride at Island View

Riding Stables, suitable for all levels of horse riders. You’ll enjoy unspoilt views of Donegal Bay and Classiebawn Castle in Mullaghmore on horseback. What a way to spend the day!

Price for adults is €35 each and beginners will be brought at a leisurely pace.

Visit islandviewridingstables.com/onehour-strand-ride

 Tea, please!

Relax and take in the lavish surroundings of the Estate at Kilronan Castle in Co Roscommon with an Afternoon Tea for you and your partner, friend, or mum or dad.

 Join a tour

Plan an unforgettable adventure with Wilderness Ireland, which specialises in a range of small-group and private adventure tours in places across Ireland, including along the Wild Atlantic Way. They have a team of knowledgeable and standout wilderness guides, who know Ireland inside and out and have years of guiding under their belt. There’s a variety of small-group trips to choose from, such as hiking the Dingle Way for seven days/six nights from €1,810 (including accommodation and meals), where you can meet like-minded people and explore the beauty the west has to offer.

Check out wildernessireland.com

 Learn a new skill

If travelling around the west solo, then why not take the time to develop a new skill? You could book surfing lessons in Rossnowlagh, Co Donegal (rossnowlaghsurfschool. com) or try a five-day sailing and windsurfing course at Oysterhaven Centre in Co Cork (oysterhaven.com).

On-shore, you could learn Sean-nós dancing and Irish step-dancing with a professional dancer Aneta in the thatched cottage at legendary fishing village The Claddagh in Galway (anetadortovadance. com).

Or, explore, discover and delight in the beautiful Irish landscape while enhancing your photographic skills with one of Ireland’s leading landscape photographers, Peter McCabe. While Peter is not offering group workshops until 2022, private one-to-one workshops will continue to be offered on a case-by-case basis. Visit photoimagery.net for details.

The Irish tongue

With Irish language courses having been cancelled this year due to Covid-19, why not immerse yourself into the language naturally? Less than 50km from Galway City, is Ceantar na nOileán, the Gaeltacht island region rich in Irish language and culture. With over 70pc of the residents here speaking Irish on a daily basis, it is the perfect area to dive into Gaeilge. The five largest islands of the region are Annaghvane, Garumna, Lettermullen, Lettermore and Furnish, which are connected to the mainland by a series of bridges and causeways that are over a century old. Visit the Lettermullen and Garumna Heritage Centre (cuigéal.ie), which exhibits the rich heritage of the local area. Play a round of golf in the heart of the Connemara Gaeltacht on an isolated island at the Connemara Isles Golf Links (facebook. com/ConnemaraIslesGolfClub). You could also cycle, walk or simply relax at one of the many clean, secluded beaches. All while immersed in the Irish language and beauty of the local area. Drive west from the village of Costelloe in Connemara to reach the destination.

Myths and legends

Explore the ancient tales of Ireland at Rathcroghan, the complex of archaeological sites near Tulsk in Co Roscommon. There are over 240 archaeological sites dating back to the Neolithic Period, around 6,000 years ago.

This was the location for the beginning and end of the famous Táin Bó Cuailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley) story. It was also said to be the home of Queen Medb, the

Morrígan, and is the origin for the festival of Samhain, later turned into what we now know as Halloween. Visit the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre, or a tour of the monuments in the area including the unusual Oweynagat Cave, thought to be the entrance to the Irish Otherworld. The Centre is open Monday to Saturday, with outdoor tours operating Monday to Friday at 12pm and 2pm.

Visit rathcroghan.ie

Painting a picture of Ireland

Enjoy both historic and contemporary visual art at the Crawford Art Gallery, just off St Patrick’s Street in Cork City. The collection comprises over 2,000 works, ranging from 18th century Irish and European paintings and sculptures, to contemporary video installations.

Formed in 1819, when a set of GraecoRoman and Neoclassical sculpture casts were presented to the Cork Society of Arts by the Vatican Museum in Rome, these sculpture casts are still one of the focal points of the museum. Irish art, from the 19th and early 20th century, is another of the Gallery’s main attractions along with visiting exhibitions, featuring the work of major and emerging artists. Some current exhibitions include Georgian Ireland, and one of Ireland’s best-loved artists, Harry Clarke’s exhibition of his earliest stainedglass panels.

Admission to the Gallery and to the exhibitions is free. Visit crawfordartgallery.ie

Natural history

Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, the largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Ireland, lies just southwest of Sligo town. With more than 30 stone tombs, including passage tombs, boulder circles, forts and standing stones in the area, the most ancient of these stones date back to 6,000 years ago.

Highlights include Queen Maeve’s Cairn, and the Carrowmore Listoghil Chamber. Carrowmore is open daily for a walk around the monuments, but the Visitor Centre is currently closed to the public. Come prepared for a hike across the rugged terrain.

Admission is free. Email carrowmoretomb@ opw.ie or call (071) 916 1534

 Picnic with a view

Date day is sorted with a luxury Grá Picnic.

Based on the west coast of Ireland in Co Clare, Grá Picnics arranges a beautiful picnic along the Wild Atlantic Way, such as the Cliffs of Moher, so you can dine while taking in breathtaking views. Their lavish picnic is €55pp for two hours (minimum party of two), which includes the option of a

The menu is seasonal, using local Irish produce, and just some of the tasty savoury treats include Smoked Salmon Rosette with Fennel Cream Cheese, Traditional Brown Soda and Trout Caviar, and Pulled Irish Ham Hock with Wild Garlic Mushrooms, Pickled Red Onion and Brioche. On the sweet tier, there’s traditional scones, Lemon Pie Eclairs and more.

Visit kilronancastle.ie/afternoon-tea to book

 Escape to an island

If you’re truly looking to get away from it all and have some time for yourself, then take a ferry from Roonagh Pier, about half an hour from Westport, to one of Mayo’s pristine islands while you’re out west. Relax with a book on the desolate Tranaun Beach on Inishturk Island, stroll around the rugged island landscape, or enjoy a swim off the coast.

Or, travel from Clew Bay to Clare Island, with dramatic cliffs, rich and varied flora and fauna, and the gorgeous Clare Island Blue Flag beach. If you want to get your creative juices flowing and feel inspired, then there’s no better place than Inishturk Island or Clare Island. Visit inishturkisland.com and clareisland.ie

 Self-indulge!

No better solo trip than a visit to a spa. Pamper yourself at the Spa at Ashford Castle in Cong, Co Mayo, which was awarded ‘Ireland’s Best Hotel Spa’ in 2020 for the fifth year in a row by the World Spa Awards. Their state-of-the-art facilities include five exceptional treatment rooms, an invigorating Hammam (an ancient Turkish traditional method of bathing) room, relaxing steam room and a terrace area, with serene views over the tranquil waters of one of Ireland’s largest lakes. Self-care at its best, book one of their massages, such as the one-hour ELEMIS Life Elixirs Mindful Massage (€125) or a facial, such as the ELEMIS Super Food Pro-Radiance facial (€125 for one hour). Visit ashfordcastle.com