Cara Dec18/Jan19

December 2018/January 2019

COMPLIMENTARY COPY

HOZIER BARING THE RHYMES

DUBLIN • WASHINGTON DC • PHILADELPHIA • MORZINE • MONTRÉAL

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CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

CHECK IN

4 WELCOME Aer Lingus news and exciting announcements 8 ARRIVALS Meets and greets at Dublin’s T2 – were you there?

11 CHECK IN Out with the old and in with the new best events and trends 30 SHELF LIFE Bridget Hourican’s literary must-reads and must-listens 32 MY TRAVEL NOTEBOOK The faves of rugby player Robbie Henshaw

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34 5 GOOD REASONS Eoin Higgins raises a stein to Salzburg

FEATURES

Majestic Morzine

38 FEELING THE BYRNE Singer/songwriter Hozier reflects on his stratospheric success with Tony Clayton-Lea 44 SWELL SEASON To coincide with Ireland’s surf season, Lauren Heskin meets the new wave riders 52 THIS OLD TOWN Eoin Higgins extols the virtues of Dublin, from interactive tours and exhibits to cosy pubs 64 DOUBLE TAKE Two cities, one train – Amanda Kavanagh explores Philadelphia and Washington DC

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82 WHITE MAGIC Unfit fortysomething Lucy White tries skiing for the first time and lives to tell the tale

The New Wave

92 STORIES OF THE STREET Lensman Conor Horgan pulls focus on the Canadian cosmopolis Montréal

REGULARS

92 Montréal Magic

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10 BEST EXPERIENTIAL BREAKS Hannah Hillyer’s upskilling holidays

101

5 SUBTERRANEAN CITIES Terena Bell heads underground in the USA

106 48 HOURS IN EDINBURGH Lucy White finds much to love in the Athens of the North 123 AER LINGUS INFLIGHT On-board info, entertainment and retail 152 TRIP OF A LIFETIME Recordbreaking cyclist Dermot Higgins

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Bitesize USA

BUSINESS

110 BUSINESS & LIFE Susan Corrigan is our expert guide to Minneapolis 116 A DAY IN THE LIFE What’s brewing with Hope Beer’s Jeanne Mahony 118 CALL OF THE WILDER A swish new townhouse hotel in Dublin, plus delectable digs in LA, Miami and Vienna

120 SIX THINGS I’VE LEARNT How TanOrganic’s Noelle O’Connor struck gold with bronzer

Alaïa Alexander McQueen Aveda Balenciaga bareMinerals Bobbi Brown Bottega Veneta Burberry Canada Goose Céline Chanel Charlotte Tilbury Chloé Christian Louboutin Claudie Pierlot Cloon Keen Dior Dolce & Gabbana Erdem Fendi Ferguson Irish Linen Foxford Woolen Mills Frédéric Malle Ganni Giorgio Armani Beauty Givenchy Gucci Hermès Huda Beauty Lainey Keogh Jimmy Choo Jo Malone London JW Anderson KDK Kilian La Mer La Prairie Laura Mercier Loewe Louis Vuitton Louise Kennedy Lucy Nagle lululemon M.A.C Maje Manolo Blahnik Max Benjamin Max Mara Memo Paris Miu Miu Moncler Mulberry Nars Paul Smith Prada Rathbornes Rixo Saint Laurent Paris Sandro Sisley Stella McCartney The Kooples Tiffany & Co Tom Ford Valentino Versace Victoria Beckham Waterford Crystal Yves Saint Laurent Zadig & Voltaire Zegna

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CARA Magazine December 2018/January 2019

WELCOME ABOARD We wish you seasonal best wishes from all of us at Aer Lingus – and look forward to sharing exciting news in 2019. elcome aboard and thank you for choosing to fly with Aer Lingus today. Twenty-eighteen was an exciting year for us. We celebrated our diamond (60-year) anniversary for flying across the Atlantic; launched two new transatlantic routes to Philadelphia and Seattle – and announced Minneapolis-St Paul and Montréal, which will commence in the summer. New recruits joined our Aer Lingus Future Pilots Programme as well as our Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Apprentice Scheme; while an extensive cabin crew recruitment drive continues apace, as we grow and expand.

We were also delighted to be recognised by leading industry assessors, SkyTrax and APEX, as well as by TripAdvisor, for our guest experience and business cabin offerings respectively.

The year ahead promises to be even more exciting as we plan for revolutionary changes at the airline. A refreshed brand identity, new uniforms by award-winning Irish designer Louise Kennedy, a free social media Wi-Fi package and complimentary alcohol for all guests travelling across the

W

North Atlantic, combined with improved mobile web, AerClub and self-serve options that will prove to be transformative. We recently announced plans to invest in more long-haul aircraft, allowing us to unlock the potential in our established markets and also open up new destinations and access to and from Ireland.

Currently we have a transatlantic seat capacity of 2.8 million per annum. An increase in aircraft will see this grow to 4.7 million per annum, while the potential benefit to the Irish economy with the development of the hub infrastructure at Dublin Airport is estimated at €18.5bn over the next 15 years, as quantified by a recent EY-DKM economic report.

Our summer 2019 schedule is shaping up to be our biggest yet and we plan to have some great offers on European and transatlantic routes over the month of January on aerlingus.com – the best offers are there for the early birds!

Thank you for choosing to fly with us and we look forward to welcoming you on board again in the year ahead.

Follow us on Twitter @AerLingus and @CARAMagazine.

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK Keep your eyes to the skies for Aer Lingus’ exciting new brand refresh. All will be revealed in January ...

JANUARY SALE There is no better way to start a new year than booking a spring/summer getaway. Enjoy great January offers at aerlingus.com.

THE MILLION CLUB We recently celebrated our 1 Millionth Member joining our AerClub Loyalty Programme. Earn Avios points on everyday purchases to spend on reward flights, great travel, car hire and hotel and leisure experiences. Join today at aerlingus.com/aerclub.

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EDITORIAL Editor Lucy White Deputy Editor Eoin Higgins Acting Assistant Editor Hannah Hillyer Sub-editor Sheila Wayman Contributors Aoife Carrigy, Tony Clayton-Lea, Graham Corcoran, Lauren Heskin, Dermot Higgins, Conor Horgan, Bridget Hourican, Amanda Kavanagh, Melanie Mullan, Tara O’Brien, Vivien Pomeroy, Matthew Thompson, Niamh Tighe, Kyle Tunney, George Voronov

CONTRIBUTORS An editor, writer and occasional curator, SUSAN CORRIGAN is an American based in London, writing about modern attitudes, celebrity, culture and style for a wide range of titles including The Guardian, i-D, The Observer, Refinery 29, The Times, Harper’s Bazaar and British Vogue.

In the business section of this issue of Cara, she highlights the virtues of Minneapolis – her birth city and Aer Lingus’ newest route in 2019 – talking to its local entrepreneurs and hospitality heroes. Get the skinny from page 110.

ART Art Director Niamh Richardson Creative Director Bill O’Sullivan ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Corinné Vaughan, +353 (0)1 271 9622; corinne.vaughan@image.ie Advertising Copy Contact Derek Skehan +353 (0)1 855 3855; dereks@typeform.ie ADMINISTRATION Financial Controller Brett Walker Accounts Manager Lisa Dickenson Credit Controller Angela Bennett Chief Executive Officer Clodagh Edwards Group Editor-in-Chief Lizzie Gore-Grimes Group Contributing Editor Melanie Morris Group Editor at Large Laura George Editorial Consultant Ann Reihill BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman Gina Traynor Directors Patrick Dillon Malone, Melanie Morris, Laura George, Robert Power

PRINTING PCP, England ORIGINATION Typeform Cara magazine is published on behalf of Aer Lingus by Cedar Communications Limited and Image Publications.

SAM INGLES is an outdoor and lifestyle photographer living in the French Alps.

After first picking up a camera at the age of 12, he quickly fell in love with the medium: by 16, he was assisting and by 18, working professionally. Over the past seven years, Sam’s work has taken him to nearly every corner of the globe, allowing him to shoot an extensive scope of work including action and sport, lifestyle, landscapes, products and everything in between. For his Cara debut, he shot the winter wonderland of Morzine – be amazed from page 82.

CEDAR COMMUNICATIONS LTD CEO Clare Broadbent MD Christina da Silva Commercial Director Justine Daly Creative Director Stuart Purcell Editorial Director Maureen Rice Finance Director Jane Moffett Strategy & Business Director Ann Hartland

A Kentucky native, TERENA BELL is a New York-based fiction writer and journalist. In addition to writing for Cara, she covers tech, translation, Attention Deficit, and sex for The Atlantic, Washington Post, Playboy, and others. Her features have won awards from American journalism associations ASJA and ASBPE, and in a prior life she founded two startups and served on President Obama’s White House Business Roundtable. Her mother gave her the idea for this month’s article on subterranean cities ... yes, she snuck into City Hall Station and shows you how to do the same on page 101.

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PUBLISHING COMPANY OF THE YEAR 2013 AND 2014 DIGITAL PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2016 Image Publications, Unit 3, Block 3, Harbour Square, Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, Ireland, +353 (0)1 280 8415; image.ie Company registration number 56663 © Image Publications Ltd and Cedar Communications Ltd. All rights reserved. Editorial material and opinions expressed in Cara magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of Aer Lingus, Cedar Communications or Image Publications Ltd. Aer Lingus, Cedar Communications or Image Publications Ltd do not accept responsibility for the advertising content. Please note that unsolicited manuscripts or submissions will not be returned.

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December 2018/January 2019

COMPLIMENTARY COPY

HOZIER BARING THE RHYMES

DUBLIN • WASHINGTON DC • PHILADELPHIA • MORZINE • MONTRÉAL

ON THE COVER

Hozier photographed by Matthew Thompson at 14 Henrietta Street, Dublin, assisted by George Voronov. Makeup and hair by Vivien Pomeroy.

Welcome to our new issue! We are to all yours. Feel free e away take this magazin rney. for your onward jou ur yo e lov o als uld We wo l feedback and trave photos via Twitter . @CARAMagazine

WHO? David Adrien FLYING IN FROM ... Paris DAVID SAYS ... “I’m here for a solo road trip around Ireland and looking forward to visiting the West.”

WHO? Elma Steinebach and Nick O’Mahony FLYING IN FROM ... Paris and Düsseldorf ELMA SAYS ... “We’re heading to Mayo for our annual meetup with the rest of our ex-Aer Lingus colleagues.”

ARRIVALS

Were you spotted by Cara at Dublin’s T2 recently? We were there to meet and greet Aer Lingus guests.

WHO? Lily and Nita Wright FLYING IN FROM ... New York LILY SAYS ... “It’s our second trip to Dublin and we can’t wait to have a mother and daughter shopping trip.”

WHO? Michael Blaha FLYING IN FROM ...

Amsterdam MICHAEL SAYS ...

“Only here for 24 hours, trying to see Dublin in a day.”

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WHO? Gill Senior and Aine Walsh FLYING IN FROM ... London GILL SAYS ... “We’re back in Dublin after a quick work trip in London.”

WORDS BY NIAMH TIGHE / PHOTOGRAPHS BY HANNAH HILLYER

WHO? Ava and Karl Tuohy FLYING IN FROM ...

London AVA SAYS ...

“Our parents took us to see Smashing Pumpkins in London – dad came with us and mam relaxed in the hotel.”

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2018

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GÉRALDINE ARESTEANU

EAT · READ · GO

SCALING THE HEIGHTS

La Scala Paris is an extraordinary building that has lived many extraordinary lives: 1870s Belle Epoque concert hall, 1930s Art Deco cinema, 1970s pornographic multiplex. After a failed attempt by a Brazil-based Baptist Church to transform it into a temple of worship, La Scala recently re-opened as a private art theatre. Running at Lyon’s Théâtre des Célestins this December 4-8, Scala is a love letter to the historic building from high-flying acrobat-dancer, actor and celebrated director, Yoann Bourgeois. Prepare to swoon. theatredescelestins.com AERLINGUS.COM |

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STAY

Ballinsheen House, Co Clare After blowing away the cobwebs along the Cliffs of Moher, settle in front of the open fire of this charming, yet modern B&B in Co Clare, which also enjoys spectacular natural views. It’d be rude not to enjoy one of the many trad music pub nights in nearby Lisdoonvarna or Doolin also.

Rooms from €45. ballinsheen.com

The Morgan, Dublin This Temple Bar hotel has had a €15 million revamp – and it shows.

Not only has the entire property been redesigned, it also has a brand new fifth floor, adding 39 new rooms to its portfolio.

Expect Art Deco-inspired interiors – plush blue, gold accents, lots of mirrors – and a dressed-to-impress clientele to match.

Rooms from €169. themorgan.com

MARKET

© M DI GIOVANCARLO, COURTESY OF SALON K PRIVÉ

4 IRISH BOLTHOLES FOR ALL SEASONS

Castledale, Co Sligo If self-catering luxury is what’s needed, a stay in Castledale is a must, a contemporary mansion set in the midst of Sligo’s wild landscape. Sink into an extra-large bed – or the spa bath – after hiking on one of the many trails nearby, or after a day’s surfing. Great for groups with stylishly high standards. Apartment prices on request. castledalesligo.com

ESCAPE WITHIN

Pembroke Kilkenny Right in the heart of Medieval Kilkenny, Pembroke’s bright and cheery interiors are a tonic during the grey tones of winter. Become immersed in the city’s rich history with a visit to Kilkenny Castle, just a stone’s throw away, or stay indoors and ogle the Statham-Ford Special race-car on display, built atop the former garage. Rooms from €85. pembrokekilkenny.com

What does love mean to you? If you want to secure an elusive invite to Berlin’s Salon K Privé, this is the class of question that your application form will answer. The brainchild of choreographer Patrick King (alumni of Studio 54, Fame, Cirque du Soleil and the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet), Salon K Privé fuses today’s fascination for all things pop-up with the countercultural spirit of West Berlin’s 1930s salons for some champagnesoaked escapism into a world of art and beauty. From December 7. salonkprive.com

ENTERTAINMENT

The Little Flea That Could

For a decade the Dublin Flea Market has been a magnet for design-savvy, craftloving, vintage-wearing shoppers. With the monthly Dublin 8 market in limbo as it seeks a new home, the annual Dublin Christmas Flea in The Point Square, Dublin 1 is twice as unmissable, now extending over two long weekends – December 6-9 and 13-16 – and boasting more than 140 stalls each weekend, with everything from retro furniture and upcycled homeware or vintage threads, and jewellery to hand-crafted foods and skincare. dublinchristmasflea.ie

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With more than two billion active gamers in the world, videogames have taken quite a journey from their arcade-machine origins to mainstream ubiquity. Running in London’s V&A until February 24, Design/Play/ Disrupt reveals the design process behind several groundbreaking contemporary videogames, showcasing concept art and prototypes alongside large-scale immersive installations and interactives. vam.ac.uk

OUTDOORS

WINDY WONDERLAND

DESIGN

CRAFT CUTS

Showcase Ireland is back at Dublin’s RDS this January 20-23 and the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland has curated a Design Ireland area full of clever little things you hadn’t realised were missing from your life – wooden pizza cutting bars by The Bearded Man in Navan, perhaps, or machine-washable place mats from Irish Linen House; Baressential soaps crafted from organic cold-pressed plant oils or beeswax candles hand-dipped at Brookfield Farm – all designed and delivered in true Irish style. showcaseireland.com

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Set against a backdrop of Chicago’s glittering skyline, with wellplaced pit-stops for hot chocolate treats, the Skating Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park is no ordinary cityskating experience. The route snakes around the park’s extensive Climbing Wall at twice the length of a typical skating rink lap and is open daily – and nightly – through to March 2019, weather permitting.

PHOTOGRAPHY

METRO BEATS

Nothing amplifies the pulse of a city like the arteries of its transit system.

Spanning three decades of work from Brooklyn-born street photographer Jamel Shabazz, City Metro at Cologne’s Galerie Bene Taschen, from December 8 until February 2, captures the heartbeat of New York’s subway trains and stations from the early 1980s. Shabazz saw his photography as “an opportunity to ... use my voice in a way that can inspire love and unity”. His transformative images offer dignity, hope and respect to his subjects. benetaschen.com

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DIASPORA

POETRY for the

PEOPLE Teacher turned poet and novelist, Sarah Crossan is Ireland’s fifth Laureate na nÓg, a role that champions literature for children – and the first laureate to live outside Ireland. She lived in Dublin until she was six years old, when her family emigrated to the UK, and has been a full-time writer since 2012. As Laureate, Crossan has a particular interest in working with marginalised communities.

How would you describe your role as Laureate na nÓg and your theme #WeAreThePoets?

As a child, especially when I was a teenager, I had this view that poetry belonged to teachers or those who owned fancy scarves … As Laureate na nÓg I want to serve young people all around the country by inviting them to read and write poetry with joy. I’m hoping the adults will come along for the ride.

Strongest memory of meeting President Michael D Higgins, when you were awarded the honour in May 2018? Both President Higgins and his wife Sabina were so smart, warm and unassuming. My whole family met the president, including

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my parents, brothers and my six-year-old daughter – an experience we will never forget.

Your work involves working with marginalised communities. What have been the biggest trials and triumphs so far? A huge challenge is accessing marginalised communities, by virtue of the fact that they are often on the outside of mainstream opportunity. We are working with several agencies to ensure we do all we can to find children most in need.

When did you realise that you could make a career as a fulltime writer? I still wonder how I am making a career this way.

Being a writer is so fraught with self-doubt I never take the job

for granted. Every day I thank the universe for my good fortune.

How do you know when you’re approaching a “short stories period”, a “poetry period” or a “fiction period” – do you consciously decide or do unsolicited ideas come to you almost unannounced? I tend to work on whatever project my heart is drawn to, which can mean a book takes a few months or a few years depending on what other ideas elbow their way into my life. I am always drawn to writing stories in verse, although I tend to steer towards prose when the story requires a broader canvas. I’ve only ever written short stories on commission but it’s something I’d like to do more – perhaps as part of a collection.

What do you remember most about leaving Ireland?

I remember my mum’s sadness most of all, her tears in Dún Laoghaire when we said goodbye to her family. This continued until we arrived in England and for many years afterwards. Leaving Ireland was not an adventure for my parents but a necessity, as it has been for so many families at that time. I’m so proud of what they managed to achieve despite very difficult circumstances.

How often do you visit Ireland?

I’m in Ireland every month either for work or for pleasure. I tend to be in Dublin for work, which is where I grew up, but my dad lives in Derry now so I spend a lot of time there and with his family in Donegal. I’d love to buy a house in Malin with a view of the sea. When the time is right, that’s what I’ll do.

What’s the most Irish thing about you? I love a Kimberley biscuit with a cup of tea.

Which Irish writers are you loving right now? I’m reading The Dog Who Lost His Bark with my daughter, it’s a beautiful new book, written and illustrated by former Laureates Eoin Colfer and PJ Lynch. To be honest, there’s so much great writing coming out of Ireland, I’ve read little else besides lately. Sally Rooney’s novels Conversations with Friends and Normal People blew me away.

I also really enjoyed the Laureate for Irish Fiction Sebastian Barry’s most recent novel, Days Without End – magnificent. Ireland really punches above its weight in writing and I feel very privileged to be part of that tradition.

Any favourite Londonneighbourhood haunts that help “dislodge” writer’s block? I do a lot of writing and researching at the British Library. If you haven’t been for a visit, do go. The building is beautiful plus it has great exhibitions. The restaurants aren’t bad either. Oh, and there are lots of books.

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DANCE

A Fiery Beauty

Matthew Bourne’s all-maleswans interpretation of Swan Lake re-channels the audacity of Tchaikovsky’s convention-shattering original and frames it within a 21stcentury setting, conjured by lighting designer Paule Constable and costume and set designer Lez Brotherston.

Since blindsiding audiences at its Sadler’s Wells world premiere in 1995, Bourne’s powerhouse production picked up an Olivier and three Tony Awards, and even a nod in the Billy Elliot film. From now until May, it spreads it wings in venues across the UK – migrating to Ireland for a week-long run at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre from February 26 until March 2. bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

JOHAN PERSSON

FESTIVAL

NEW WORLD ORDER

PHOTOGRAPHY A fresh perspective can offer up the world anew. Aerial photographer Dennis Horgan has been re-framing the familiar ever since he left an auctioneer career to indulge his love of aviation and photography. Flying in helicopters and light aircraft, he has captured aerial views of iconic landscapes and sites throughout Ireland and beyond – many of them available to buy online as prints or in books such as his latest, Dublin from the Air. dublinfromtheair.com

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Beyond Blackstar

Dublin rocks in fan-club style with the Dublin Bowie Festival’s world-class mash-up of homegrown heroes and international talent (January 7–13). From The London Boys’ pitch-perfect 1960s whimsies and Miriam Aïda’s Bossa Nova reinterpretations, to the Irish premiere of A Bowie Celebration, featuring loyal Bowie sidekicks, pianist Mike Garson and guitarist Gerry Leonard, there is something here for every Bowie lover. They’ve even called in astronauts to honour 50 years of Space Oddity. A festival as original as the artist it remembers. dublinbowiefestival.ie

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BREAKFAST

BORGO SANTO PIETRO FLORENCE

The Meo Modo Restaurant is part of the uber sumptuous Borgo Santo Pietro. The pictures barely do it justice and while you usually come here in the evening to dine, Michelin style, breakfast is served to guests on the terrace overlooking the beautiful gardens. While I can’t say that they have come up with something unique in a culinary sense – breakfast is, after all, breakfast – it’s the combination of shimmering fountains and endless rolling Tuscan hills that make that freshly squeezed orange juice, warm croissants and softly poached eggs, from their own farm of course, seem like a plate from heaven. borgosantopietro.com

FOOD FLIGHT

Domini Kemp is an awardwinning chef, food writer and entrepreneur. She is a cofounder of ITSA, Hatch & Sons, Alchemy Juice Co and Joe’s, as well as Feast Catering & Events. She is a Euro-toques chef, finalist of E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year and is currently studying for an MA in gastronomy and food studies. Her fifth cookbook, The Ketogenic Kitchen, has been a recent best-seller in Ireland, the US and will be released in Germany in 2019.

BARRY McCALL

DE KAS AMSTERDAM

LUNCH I’d been crushing on this place for years. A nursery converted into a self-sufficient garden and restaurant that has a Michelin star? A 20-minute taxi ride outside Amsterdam? Yes please. The owner – Gert Jan Hageman – looks like The Marlboro Man’s healthier, more handsome younger brother. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a tour of the hydroponics and greenhouses. My daughter, Maeve, ate her first oyster there. It is such a lovely place I was tempted to hand in my CV for a twoweek stage. A gloriously green spot – best for lunch when you can see it in all its verdant glory. restaurantdekas.nl

DRINKS

BARRAFINA LONDON

TOMY & CO PARIS

DINNER I had heard a few rumblings about this place ... it didn’t have a website and I was too nervous to make a reservation in Frenglish. I found an email address that I didn’t think would work: “Table for one please.”

I ordered two starters, two mains (but only one dessert) and had to explain that I hadn’t been stood up, but how can anyone choose between all those delicious dishes? Gnocchi with spinach, truffle and beef jus was ridiculously good as was the spring salad. tomygousset.com

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A friend insisted we go to his favourite restaurant for lunch, which meant hopping on a plane to London. Never one to turn down a chance to dine somewhere delicious, I acquiesced.

Barrafina is one of the best Spanish experiences you’ll find outside Spain.

The Josper grill tenderly scorches sweetbreads and pintxo moruno, while excellent staff keep you topped up with stuffed courgette flowers, croquetas and chipirones. Wines – and sherries – by the glass were delicious and endless.

We spent the afternoon happily grazing, chatting and reminiscing. barrafina.co.uk

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WHAT’S UP DOCKS? Galway’s docklands recently acquired a bright and briny new seafood contender in the shape of The Dockside Deli, established by West Coast fish stalwarts Galway Bay Seafoods. Comprising readyto-eat and ready-to-cook take-home fare, alongside a menu of imaginative daily specials, its location on Galway’s docks makes for an utterly authentic, fresh, super-local seafood experience in the heart of Galway City. Go for the line-caught salt and chilli squid with smoked garlic mayo; stay for the hot-smoked Kelly oysters with Mungo Murphy’s sea lettuce. galwaybayseafoods.com

PROPER JOB

GRUB’S UP Eoin Higgins celebrates the season’s tastiest treats.

STUN BUNS

Michelin award-winning London gastropub The Marksman has extended its offering with the opening of Bunshop at Market Halls, Victoria. There, their cult-followed savoury buns are selling like, er, hot cakes from a brand new stall.

Fillings include Welsh rarebit and mushroom, and a drop-dead gorgeous beef, barley and horseradish cream number. Enjoy with a side of devilled fried potatoes, seasoned with seaweed instead of salt, giving them an extra umami hit. Meanwhile, “proper builders’ tea” and seasonal sodas slake thirsts efficiently. bunshop.co.uk

Sourcing, hand-sorting, roasting, cracking, winnowing, refining, conching, ageing, tempering, moulding and packaging … Consistently producing top quality bean-tobar chocolate in micro batches is not a challenge for the faint hearted, yet the consistently top-notch output from Patrick and Kelli Marjolet’s The Proper Chocolate Company makes it all seem so easy. The full-of-beans pair produce chocolate bars in Dublin that brim with sometimes subtle, sometimes spikily intense flavours. Try the laudably just two-ingredient 75 per cent cocoa Tanzania Kokoa Kamili (2016 harvest) for instance, and you’ll experience one of the loftiest expressions of artisanal chocolate production in the land. properchocolatecompany.com

5 IRISH CHEESES TO FEAST UPON

Kylemore Farmhouse Cheese Made from the milk of a pedigree Holstein Friesian herd, this cheese has come into its wondrously nutty prime. Available from mccambridges.com and nationwide.

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Young Buck The Stilton-style, Northern Irish, cow’s milk blue cheese has a loyal following, and with good reason.

Pick some up at Loose Canon, Dublin 2, and at all good cheese shops. mfcheese.com

Cavanbert Cheese megastar Silke Cropp’s take on Camembert, “Cavanbert” (it’s made in Cavan), is a robust, creamy beauty.

From select retailers nationwide. corleggycheeses.ie

St Tola Ash Log From the happy goats at St Tola comes an elegant, smooth-textured and full-flavoured log. Available from Sheridans and many other reputable cheesemongers. st-tola.ie

Cáis na Tíre A unique sheep’s milk cheese from Co Tipperary, delivering a slight earthiness combined with a rich and sweet toasty finish. Multi award-winning.

Find out where you can get yours at caisnatire.ie.

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M E N S W E A R

‘Tis the season to be jolly and Sheila Wayman is brimming with ideas of where to celebrate Christmas in Ireland as well as overseas hotspots for singing Auld Lang Syne. Sláinte!

ILLUSTRATIONS TARA O’BRIEN

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6 I R I S H FAM I LY C H R I STM A S EVE NTS WINTERVAL WATERFORD

With more than 60 events, including light shows, live music, craft fairs, ice-skating, markets and a new Santa experience, Waterford claims to host the country’s biggest Christmas festival. The city’s award-winning street theatre company Spraoi transforms Wyse Park into a Winter Wonderland each weekend. Take an overview from atop the horse-drawn sleigh or the Big Wheel on Merchants Quay. Until December 23. winterval.ie

PANTOMIME DUBLIN

For lots of Dubliners it isn’t Christmas without a visit to the Gaiety’s “panto”. The Dame has been strutting her stuff here every

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winter since 1873. “Oh yes she has …” and The Snow Queen will have them shouting in the aisles this year. This is the longest running, but pantomimes pop up in other Irish theatres too. Until January 6. gaietytheatre.ie

GREEN SANTA MULLINGAR

“Father Christmas” of yore wore green, until he received a makeover from a certain American soft drinks company in the 1930s. At Belvedere House outside Mullingar, Co Westmeath, they stick with Victorian tradition and here Santa’s gifts to children include a holly tree, wildflower seed shaker and candy cane.

Each weekend from December 8 until December 23, booking essential. belvedere-house.ie

ELF TOWN GALWAY

Elves take children on an interactive adventure over four storeys at Galway Racecourse in Ballybrit. Disco dancing, storytelling and a spin on the carousel is some of the entertainment on the way to see Santa in his grotto. Mrs Claus is in the kitchen (where else?) to help kids decorate festive cookies. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with full week up to December 23. elftowngalway.com

GLOW CORK

Corkonians go with the Glow, a celebration that features a magically lit Bishop Lucey Park, transformed into a Christmas wonderland based on the theme of the “Night Before Christmas in Old Cork”. There’s live

entertainment at the Christmas Food Market on the Grand Parade, where you can rise above it all on a 30-metre Ferris wheel.

Weekends until December 22. glowcork.ie

MUSICAL THEATRE DUBLIN

Theatre Lovett, one of the most imaginative producers of all-age stage-craft, conjures up festive spirits at the National Concert Hall with the help of the resident Christmas Orchestra, conducted by Fergus Shiel. Parading Nutcrackers give it a whirl in This Way to Christmas, a song and dance spectacle, laced with laughs and classic tunes for all the family. December 21-23, various times. nch.ie

6 WO R LD - C L A S S N EW YE AR ’ S EVE EVE NTS LONDON

The UK’s biggest annual fireworks display erupts over the Thames at midnight. You have to have a ticket (£10 from london.gov.uk) to get into one of the six viewing areas, alternatively, take a river cruise, or live the high life and party at The Shard (£225 a head).

Or – save yourself for the capital’s colourful New Year’s Day street parade, with more than 10,000 performers, starting at noon in the West End.

NEW YORK

Times Square is an iconic spot on New Year’s Eve. Pack in with the masses for free or buy a very expensive dinner with a view. The midnight dropping of the ball – consisting of 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles lit by

32,256 Philips LEDs – may only take 60 seconds but the memory of being there will last a lifetime. timessquareball.net

INNSBRUCK

Stunning pyrotechnics in the Austrian mountainscape light up the skies above Innsbruck to ring in the new year. Stay at street level and join the waltz when Strauss’ The Blue Danube strikes up at midnight. Or head for stupendous views from the Nordkette, 1,900 metres up, and party in an igloo club – Cloud 9.

Children can enjoy the “Eve of the Eve Party” in the old town on December 30. innsbruck.info

EDINBURGH

Families can celebrate Hogmanay together at an all-age show

culminating in a fireworks finale from Edinburgh Castle and West Princes Street Gardens at 6pm. They will be out of the city centre before the street party crowds descend for a carnival of circus acts and performers.

Franz Ferdinand headlines the Concert in the Gardens; or you can whirl or jig, fling or be flung, at the Ceilidh under the Castle. edinburghfestivalcity.com

BERLIN

One of Europe’s biggest street parties kicks off on the twokilometre stretch between Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column. Gates open at 2pm for a free festival of live music performances, light and laser shows, and DJ sets, with spectacular fireworks at midnight

of course. Stalls serving cuisine from all four corners of the globe line the route to help fuel the partying hordes into the early hours. berlin.de

DUBLIN

The city’s Custom House, beside the River Liffey, is the gracious Georgian backdrop for the 3Countdown Concert (€29.90; over 18s) – headline act Gavin James – before “Liffey Lights Midnight Moment” starts at 11.30pm to usher out 2018 and see in 2019. Live DJs and percussionists perform on the water in perfect harmony with hundreds of lasers and aqua beams. Families can catch a free but ticketed matinee performance of this hour-long spectacle at 6pm. nyfdublin.com

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HOMEMADE

STAR PRESENTS, STOCKING FILLERS AND SELF-GIFTS – CARA HAS IT COVERED WITH THESE IRISH-BORN TREATS.

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1. ON FLEEK FLECK

Donegal Yarns and Scottish lambswool make beautifully cosy bedfellows in the capable hands of Dublin designer Liadain Aiken. So many jazzy colour combos to choose from, too. Jumper €250, hat €55. liadainaiken.com.

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2. GRAY MATTER

Inspired by Irish Modernist Eileen Gray – specifically her Transat chair, designed for her French villa – Cloon Keen’s newest candle hums with wood and leather notes. €40 at Brown Thomas and cloonkeen.com.

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3. SOCK PUPPETS

Fisherman’s socks are given a new lease of life at Red Rufus, whose range of woolly “pets” – not just for Christmas – will have every family member going “aaw!”

There are dogs aplenty but other cuties too. From €35 at redrufus.ie.

4. ME AUL’ CHINA

Is this Ireland’s prettiest bottle?

Chinnery Gin gets its name from the 19th century artist George Chinnery and his travels in China. Ten botanicals include oolong tea and osthmanthus flower. €49.95 at selected off licences.

5. POUR RELATIONS

Tea and coffee making gets a whole lot more enjoyable when employing Dunbeacon Pottery.

Each mug is hewn by Helen Ennis in her West Cork studio and showroom.

From €14.50 at dunbeaconpottery. com.

6. DEEPLY DAPPER

Tom Baker’s Doctor Who is a longdistant memory beside these dapper menswear scarves

by Weaver & Wilde.

Softest Merino lambswool, expertly woven in northwest Donegal. From €50 at weaverandwilde. com.

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SHELF LIFE

Bridget Hourican is transported to a stunning tidal island, and previews new reads, audiobooks and a comic convention.

OMEY BY JAMES MORRISSEY (Crannóg Books) Omey is a tidal island on Ireland’s Connemara coast, nine kilometres northwest of Clifden. Sandflats 300 metres wide separate it from the mainland, with access at low tide from Claddaghduff village. It is, as James Morrissey writes, “one of the most scenic locations in Ireland”, with a rich archaeological history going back to the Bronze Age and sandy grasslands, known as machair, that “form one of the rarest habitats in Europe”. Author, former journalist, public relations adviser and frequent visitor to Omey, Morrissey has edited this “eclectic rather than comprehensive” book of beautiful photos, paintings, historic documents and recollections of those who used to live on the now uninhabited island: the last permanent resident, stuntman Paschal Whelan, died in 2017.

ANTHOLOGY WINTER PAPERS 4 edited by Kevin Barry and Olivia Smith (Curlew Editions) The fourth annual issue of Winter Papers starts with a roar – Elske Rahill’s visceral account of giving birth – and moves through stories, essays, poems, photos, sketches and interviews by and with the new generation of Irish writers and artists including Selina Guinness, Mark O’Connell, Wendy Erskine and Danny Denton.

A brilliant collection.

BIOGRAPHY MICHAEL COLLINS: THE MAN AND THE REVOLUTION by Anne Dolan and William Murphy (Collins Press) In time for the centenary of the War of Independence and the Civil War comes the latest biography of the Big Fella. Lavishly illustrated with photos, letters, documents, posters, maps and drawings, this captures the era visually and the text by two leading younger historians is sharp, witty and probing, dissecting the myth as well as the life.

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AUDIOBOOKS

JIM LEE © DC COMICS

TRAVEL WILD WOMEN AND THEIR AMAZING ADVENTURES OVER LAND, SEA & AIR edited by Mariella Frostrup (Head of Zeus, January 10) Journalist and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup edits this collection of women’s travel writing from the 1700s to the present. It includes Robyn Davidson, who crossed the Australian outback alone (and without Google maps), Junko Tabei, the first woman to climb Everest, Nellie Bly who went around the world in eight days less than Phileas Fogg, and Dervla Murphy, who pedalled from Waterford to Delhi.

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COMIC FANS

Established in 1974, the 46th Angoulême International Comic Festival in France is the third largest comic festival in the world. France takes the so-called “ninth art” very seriously – star guests this year include American horror fantasy actor Richard Corben, Japanese Manga auteur Taiyō Matsumoto and Bernadette Desprès, creator of TomTom and Nana. On January 24-27. bdangouleme.com

LISTENING BETWEEN THE LINES Apparently audiobooks – with double digit annual growth – are publishing’s fastest growing sector.

Check out the latest Booker winner, Milkman by Anna Burns, brilliantly read by actress Brid Brennan. And if you don’t have access to the HBO series, compensate by getting Caroline Lee reading Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies. For dream celebrity pairings try Claire Danes reading Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Jake Gyllenhaal reading The Great Gatsby, Meryl Streep reading Colm Tóibín’s The Testament of Mary and, for the season that’s in it, Neil Gaiman reading Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. But we’re still waiting for the ultimate fantasy pairing dreamt up

by New York magazine: The Good Place’s Kristen Bell, reading Bob Woodward’s Fear: Trump in the White House. If only!

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What stadium do you enjoy playing in most?

It has to be the Aviva Stadium, the atmosphere from our home supporters is unbelievable. But one of my favourite memories was being part of Ireland’s World Cup win against France in 2015. We played in the closed roof Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium – 80,000 capacity. We honestly couldn’t hear ourselves during the warm-up. That was the best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced.

Your favourite tour and why? Australia, we played three tests there in June 2018. We spent a week training and adjusting to the new time zone on the Gold Coast.

That was the best week of the tour as the weather was great and most time outside of training was spent on the beach and drinking coffee. We then played our games in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, so we got to see three pretty diverse cities and experience great food and coffee. We won the test series too.

MY TRAVEL NOTEBOOK

Robbie Henshaw (25) has made 36 Ireland appearances and plays internationally for Ireland.

Originally from Athlone, he played for Connacht before moving to Leinster in 2016. And as well as hailing from a sporting family, he also has musical chops, playing the accordion, fiddle, guitar and piano. The all-new Ireland Home and Alternate Test jerseys, left, are on sale now from canterbury.com and sports retailers nationwide.

Funniest holiday memory? In LA a few years ago, myself and a friend decided to hire a Mustang for a trip to San Diego. We didn’t get too far though, driving out of the rental shop we took a wrong turn and ended up driving down the wrong side of the road ... luckily there wasn’t an accident and we managed to do a quick U-turn. Scary stuff at the time but funny afterwards. The trip to San Diego was one of my favourite holidays, the drive on the Pacific Coast Highway was a great experience.

Country you would most like to visit?

Definitely Brazil.

I recently did a college study on the favelas in Rio de Janeiro, so I’d like to see it first-hand.

Tell us about a special childhood holiday memory?

My family and I spent Christmas in the Canaries about nine years ago, ten days in Gran Canaria. It was great, we explored the island. I was doing my Leaving Cert so I had to try and fit in some time for study. Looking back, I’d prefer to spend Christmas at home, but it was nice to experience something different.

Your number one spot for a trad session? When I lived in Galway there were always great trad sessions. But if I were to pick one it would have to be Matt Molloy’s in Westport, Co Mayo. The sessions start early and finish late, every musician is welcome; it’s a lovely environment. I would plan to get there at least once every summer to visit friends, and also trying to squeeze in a surf trip to Achill.

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Top three places for a bite to eat in Dublin? Rustic Stone is a great steak restaurant, the steak comes on a hot stone and you’re able to cook it to your fancy.

That’s Amore in Monkstown is a beautiful, authentic Italian restaurant with friendly staff. Michie Sushi in Ranelagh is a tiny, casual sushi restaurant. I’d usually go once a week, on our day off. It’s a nice treat.

The best thing about coming home? Seeing your family and just switching off, getting away from rugby. Being back to sleeping in your own bed is a great feeling.

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5 GOOD REASONS ...

… to sally through Salzburg. Eoin Higgins is alive with the sound of music.

MARKET GARDEN Those who visit Salzburg in December are treated to a sparklingly festive array of some of the finest – and most established – Christmas markets on the continent.

Dating as far back as the 15th century, the markets are located at the foot of the Hohensalzburg Fortress and dotted around the grand Salzburg Cathedral. For that full on “Christmas feeling”, check out one of the hauntingly beautiful choral recitals at the Cathedral. christkindlmarkt.co.at

SMART FLIERS AER LINGUS flies from Dublin to SALZBURG every Saturday during ski season.

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FINE STEIN With plenty of regional meat and cheese stalls, Augustiner Bräustübl is as much a place to chow down as

it is to down steins – but it’s the beer (drawn from wooden casks and served in stone steins) for which it is most famous. In operation since 1621, the uniquely huge beer hall, brewery and gardens are located in the equally interesting, bijou and antiquated Mülln neighbourhood. augustinerbier.at PRIME CLIMB Salzburg’s nearest mountains are the frosty-peaked and jagged-ridged Untersberg and Gaisberg. A bus from the city will take high-altitude lovers to the summit of Gaisberg, where a spectacular, panoramic view over the Alps and its hinterland is the reward.

The Untersberg – the mountain Captain von Trapp and Maria climbed in The Sound of Music – is accessible via cable car from St Leonhard, about 15km south of the city.

Daily, guided hikes are also on offer.

TOP SHOP A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Salzburg’s Old Town is a true shopper’s delight, encompassing the district’s richly preserved and singular mercantile heritage, while incorporating, in a sensitively curated way, more contemporary retailers and commercial concerns. Revel in the old school, wrought-iron signage on Getreidegasse, a quaintly meandering street with covetable objects of interest at every turn.

ILLUSTRATION BY GRAHAM CORCORAN

WALL HEART One of Europe’s largest Medieval castles, the majestic Hohensalzburg Fortress, sits atop Festungsberg hill, proudly overlooking the city. A municipal talisman of historic proportions, since its inception in the 11th century, the highwalled edifice has served as a prison, a palace and as a massive extra in The Sound of Music, which was filmed in and around the city. Hop aboard the fun funicular at Festungsgasse to take in Hohensalzburg’s 360-degree views, Prince’s Chambers, Magic Theatre and museums.

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Boasting values that don’t just stop at the exit, Arboretum proudly supports local sporting and educational initiatives and makes every effort to ensure that the business is in harmony with the local environment. Constant investment in innovation that extends from infrastructure to marketing means that Arboretum continues to grow and move with customer’s expectations and international standards.

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INTERVIEW

FEELING the BYRNE In 2014, singer/songwriter Hozier had his first cover shoot for Cara. Four years on and he’s an international top-selling artist, as renowned for his social conscience as for his bluesy sound. We catch up with him to reflect on his startling rise to global fame.

WORDS TONY CLAYTON-LEA PHOTOGRAPHS MATTHEW THOMPSON

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utside the office windows, Dublin hums along. Strains of a busker singing his heart out filter into the room; the stops and starts of citycentre traffic underscore the calm conversation with one of Ireland’s most recent creative success stories. You know the face, you know the name, you know the frame, but there was a time not too long ago when no one except friends and family knew anything about Andrew Hozier-Byrne (now known as Hozier to all and sundry).

That changed forever in 2014, when one of his songs, Take Me to Church, shot holes through shutters that usually prevent musicians from seeing light and breathing air. The resultant self-titled debut album, meanwhile, took Hozier off the same Dublin streets our busker friend is claiming and catapulted him to international acclaim. Less than five years ago, the man could walk down those streets and no one would blink an eye. Now? Well, Hozier is so well known these days that it’s probably why we’re talking indoors, away from too many sharp head turns, handshakes and selfies. His

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life has really changed since the last time Cara caught up with him, hasn’t it?

“Yeah, it has. I can’t actually relate to memories longer than four years ago. I can remember, of course, but back then I could scarcely afford a train ticket to visit my girlfriend. It was tough, but there was such a quick sea change. I was very fortunate with the success but it took me a long time to get to grips with, and accept it.”

Being a musician who had grafted for some years, however, Hozier held onto the nettle with two ungloved hands, smacking like a pinball from one major festival to another, from one prime-time US television show to another – all to the accompaniment of blaring “ker-ching” record sales and somewhat quieter online streams. Towards the end of 2016, though, weary from touring schedules and promotional duties, Hozier wound down operations and retreated to his beloved Co Wicklow home.

There is something uplifting about speaking with Hozier – he talks sensibly, without hyperbole, grounded, as modest a famous person as you could possibly hope for. It is clear that having time to

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gather his thoughts has served him well. With his signature long hair hidden underneath a large beanie hat, and his unfeasibly long legs stretched out in front of him, he reflects on life before fame, and how home and family kick-started his love of blues music.

“When I was a kid,” he recalls, “I felt that nothing would really scratch the itch for me after hearing blues music for the first time. I was listening to music that is, essentially,

for adults, music that has a grownup sense of lust and longing, desire, expectation and the violation of that expectation. Even though I was so young I didn’t really understand it, the music was very visceral and real to me.”

Hozier learned something else from listening to blues music from such a young age. “You can hear in a voice when there is grief or jubilation, and in a primal way you can latch on to that,” he remarks.

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While rationally noting that a “privileged white middle-class kid” might not be the required demographic for such earthy music, he nonetheless became enraptured with a form that is unique in what it can articulate – emotionally, politically – about the human spirit.

Such sensibilities have segued into Hozier’s own music to the point where they have often been viewed as kindred spirits.

“Blues is the music of a disenfranchised people, music that comes out of one of the worst atrocities in the history of the Western world: human trafficking of such enormity, when – based on the colour of their skin – people were robbed of identity, history, religion, humanity, and then placed in another part of the planet in order to be a slave. Everything that has sprung from that is unique.”

He is aware that with the evolution of his political sensibilities he might be pigeonholed as a readymade spokesperson who will speak on or perform at the drop of a hat for every conceivable cause.

“I have a lot of resistance with people regarding my music as – quote, unquote – political music, or that there is a political message to it. First of all, I know you can be pinned down for it but that isn’t the intention of the music. Instead, the objective is to create something that is an honest reflection of the times we live in. A lot of music made today is incredibly popular but I don’t think it’s an honest reflection of what our shared human experience really is. The aim is not for my music to carry some sort of political message but to credit elements of our common experiences.”

Common and shared experiences notwithstanding, Hozier is back on the treadmill.

With a much-praised “taster” EP (Nina Cried Power) released a few months ago, and with a second album waiting to pounce in early 2019, he will soon be enveloped in an intensive touring bubble. He knows what to expect this time, of course, yet suggests a new form of anxiety will arrive.

The Collection

By Amy Huberman

www. n ew b r i d g e s i l ve r wa re.co m

“It’s the personal pressure of knowing that you made somewhat of a mark the first time. To stay in that game is so much harder now; there’s a sense you have to justify that what happened the first time around wasn’t just luck.”

Hozier admits that “anyone can get lucky”, but he is adamant not to view a successful song or album as anything close to a career. Mindful that “there’s a bit of a game you have to play, showing up on red carpets wearing X, Y and Z, looking good, and so on – which, let it be said, can be fun”, he measures success in a particular way. He laughs before he reveals what that is.

“I don’t want to be morbid about it, but if people are listening to my music decades after I die then that’s success. A lot of my influences – given to me by people who are no longer around – have shaped the way I feel and think about things.

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elements of the human experience that remain absolutely valid.”

In life as in art, certain things are universal. Words and phrases created by William Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens (to name but three) live on. This is what art should do, Hozier asserts.

He stretches those long legs and unwinds his lanky frame, while outside, after almost an hour, that same busker is still singing. Dublin still throbs and Andrew HozierByrne remains the genuine article.

“Success?” This isn’t a question, more a considered response. “Not to be too grand about it but I would rather just leave behind a good body of work. If we’re going to add to the canon of popular music, we should at least make it count.”

Hozier tours UK and Ireland throughout December and internationally from January. His new album will be released in spring 2019. Visit hozier.com for more.

THE LIKES OF HOZIER MOVIES “I saw Three Billboards Outside

Ebbing, Missouri, and I thought it was brilliant – in particular the ending, which was very brave. The dialogue is fantastic – Martin McDonagh is a terrific writer. The next one on my list is Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, which I hear is really good.”

MUSIC “My head has been buried in

rehearsals, to be honest, but I still listen to a lot of soul music. I was listening recently to Aretha Franklin, who, obviously, was amazing. And there’s an Armenian/American singer, Azniv Korkejian, who goes by the name of Bedouine. I get the same feeling from her music that I get from the work of Conor O’Brien/Villagers: songcraft and songwriting in the classic tradition. I’m a bit of a traditionalist in that respect, as I think there’s genuine skill in conveying intimate and personal human experiences.”

PHOTOGRAPHED BY MATTHEW THOMPSON, ASSISTED BY GEORGE VORONOV. STYLED BY KITTY MCLAUGHLIN DUNNING, GROOMING BY VIVIEN POMEROY. SHOT ON LOCATION AT 14 HENRIETTA STREET, DUBLIN 1; 14HENRIETTASTREET.IE.

INTERVIEW

A Tribute to Hubert de Givenchy

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SW E L L

S E AS O N

Ireland’s surfing community encompasses not just those who ride the waves. Photographers, creatives, scientists and farmers, among others, are also drawn together by the thunderous power of the Atlantic Ocean.

WORDS LAUREN HESKIN PHOTOGRAPHS KYLE TUNNEY

F

rom the shore, surfing in Ireland can seem like a solitary experience. Lost in a steel grey seascape of mercurial breakers, usually in the worst of the weather that brings the Atlantic Ocean crashing into the west coast of Ireland. But in truth, it’s a reverential, communal experience shared by those who are enamoured by the magic of these dark and thunderous waves.

The surfing community in Ireland is made up of a broad collective of people, not just the flocks of yellow and blue surf school “foamies” one sees bobbing in the white water, or the international troupe of professional surfers who fly in to surf big waves such as Mullaghmore, Aileens and Rileys during winter swell season.

From photographers and creatives, social

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scientists to farmers, there are those who have quietly and often unconsciously dedicated their lives to be near these waters.

By its very nature it’s also a community with strong links to the natural world, resulting in a broad church of devotees that has formed strong ties to environmental issues and social initiatives along the way. As former pro surfer Easkey Britton puts it, “in surfing there is a sense of being part of something that is greater than yourself, an uncontrollable element that moulds surfers towards one another and links surfing with a social, environmental consciousness that is perhaps missing in other sports”. Ireland’s Atlantic coast appears to have enchanted these multi-disciplinary surfers too, whose strongest ties are now to the sea.

THE YOUNG GUN

GEAROID McDAID PRO SURFER

Not satisfied with watching the world surfing elite tackle the waves on their own doorstep, there’s a new crop of Irish surfers making a name for themselves on the international stage. Gearoid McDaid is one such. Reared on the beaches of Sligo’s Strandhill by his father and under the surfing influence of local brothers Andrew and Stephen Kilfeather, Gearoid became the youngest-ever Irish Men’s Surf Champion, taking the crown at age 16.

It was only an inkling of what was to come and the now 20-year-old is part of the high-level globetrotting surf community, surfing competitively all over the world.

“Yeah, I’ve been on the move constantly the last few months – Martinique, Barbados, Chile, Indonesia, and all around Europe,” he tells me on one of his rare days at home in Strandhill. Despite the buzz of tackling new waves, conditions and countries every week, nothing compares to surfing at home for Gearoid. “Any day we score epic waves at home is a big highlight for me,” he says. The west coast is also where he has seen some of his hairiest moments too, including his first tow in to the monster Mullaghmore wave that didn’t quite go to plan. “I fell and it seemed to all go in slow motion. I felt like I was falling forever, that was definitely the scariest moment of my life.” @gearoidmcdaid

PEOPLE | IRISH SURFERS

THE ENTREPRENEURS

EOIN McNALLY & IAN WALTON FOUNDERS OF OTHERS

“We always had the name Others,” explains Ian Walton – they had it even before he and Eoin McNally decided to set up their surf enterprise. Studying product design at NCAD, they found a shared passion in surfing and began making boards a few evenings a week. “We called them Others nights,” says Ian, “Because we were on the east coast doing our own thing, driving the road to Sligo every other weekend, we were always ‘the others’.” Eoin describes the business as a “passion project”, unconstrained by client or market expectations. Experimenting on everything from surfboards to hand-foiled fins, their most popular project so far has been their #woodstowaves organic surf wax. Sparked by some late-night Googling, they decided to make their own wax using all-natural ingredients, including pine resin sourced on hikes around the country – including by their friends and followers. “It was something we never really thought would take off,” Ian says of the collectors’ initiative, “but it’s become its own community project.” The pair are secretive about what’s next – “maybe it’s an excuse to be able to fail but it’s meant to be experimental,” says Eoin – but undoubtedly they’ll continue playing with ideas, both in the water and out. weareothers.com

THE PURIST

FERGAL SMITH FARMER

Fergal Smith knows exactly where he was the moment he decided to give up the professional surfing circuit and return home to set up an organic farm. “I was in Tahiti when that Japanese nuclear plant exploded in 2011 and I started asking myself the big questions of what I could do to help.” Conscious of his environmental footprint as a global wave chaser, he came home to Clare and set up Moy Hill Community Farm. Of course, it would have made more sense for him to take over his family’s organic farm just outside Westport, Co Mayo ... “Usually people would choose a farm location because the land is good but I chose Clare purely on its closeness to good waves.” Fergal wanted the farm to be a community space, enlisting the help of fellow surfers Matt Smith and Mitch Corbett to convert an exposed patch of land into a working farm where locals and travelling surfers come to work the land, buy vegetables and socialise. Now, they’ve just bought another 24 hectares where they’re planning to plant 60,000 native trees in 2019 to shelter the new farmland. Fergal sees a strong connection between his love of surfing and growing. “It’s about thinking global and acting local. We see the farm as a way to bring people together, eating better food, caring for the environment.” It also helps that organic farming fits neatly around swell season. “During the summer the waves aren’t great and the farm is really busy, but in the winter, the garden slows down again and we go surfing.

It’s nature,” he says simply. “Nature tells you when to weed things, when to water, and when to surf, so we work around it.” moyhillfarm.com

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FACTORY TOUR

See for yourself our expert craftsmen channel their knowledge and experience into unique jewellery and cutlery collections which embody heritage and skill. Skills which remain virtually unchanged since we began in 1934.

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PEOPLE | IRISH SURFERS

THE SHAPER

TOM DOIDGE HARRISON BOARD BUILDER “I remember the first day I arrived in Ireland, I just dumped my bags in Thurles, where I had a job, and kept driving to Lahinch,” recalls Tom Doidge Harrison, who grew up in the south-west of England. One of the first surfers to ride the mythical Aileens wave at the foot of the Cliffs of Moher, Tom’s shaping career began out of practicality. “If you don’t know how to fix your board then you have to pay someone else to, and that naturally led me to making my own.” Tom works as an engineer part-time but otherwise, when he’s not out surfing, he’s shaping boards in his Clare workshop for surfers of all levels, from

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beginners to the country’s best. He explains that there’s no one science to shaping, it’s as much about feel and instinct as about numbers and angles. “It’s both really basic and really complicated. Lots of parts on a surfboard serve different purposes at different stages of the wave so it’s about figuring out what does what, testing them and working a theory out.” For Tom, it’s this learning experience that brings him back to the water again and again. It’s addictive. “There are days I go surfing and I’m still surprised that there aren’t more people out there, I wonder what they do with their spare time – it’s just that good.”

THE VANGUARD

EASKEY BRITTON MARINE SOCIAL SCIENTIST “I’ve always been connected with the sea, I don’t remember not being in it,” says former pro surfer Easkey Britton. “I first stood up on a surfboard when I was about four years old.” Named after the surf spot on Sligo’s north coast, there was an air of inevitably over the Donegal native’s surf career and she has gone on to become one of Ireland’s best-known surfers, a five-time Irish National Champion and a British Pro Tour Champion as well as a big wave surfer. She is now fusing her ocean experience with her academic life via a PhD in environment and society, and is studying how we can better reconnect with the incredible, tumultuous resource on our doorstep. “Surfers have a natural curiosity because we’re immersed in an environment that constantly changes so you’re always observing and noticing patterns and interconnectivity,” she says. “Plus, you never get out of the water feeling worse than when you got in.” Easkey’s work, both in academia and in her surf therapy and sea-swimming programmes, encourages people to discover the holistic experience of the sea, one that she has felt ebbing and flowing her entire life. “Every time I get into the sea, it reveals something new to me, it’s immersive in so many ways, physically but also mentally, emotionally.” easkeybritton.com

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PEOPLE | IRISH SURFERS

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

IAN MITCHINSON SURF SNAPPER “With water photography, you get to be an athlete, an artist and a technician,” explains Ian Mitchinson of his decision to move his young family from South Africa to Bundoran, Co Donegal, and try his hand at surf photography. With only a few years surfing experience, it was a series of surfing films of by Sligobased Mickey Smith that convinced Ian to up sticks from Cape Town. “Even though I was still a very average surfer, I just knew I wanted to live near the Irish waves,” he says. Gradually moving from the shoreline into the barrelling waves themselves with just his camera and fins, Ian has shot some of the world’s best surfers in the biggest surf the Atlantic can summon, including the infamous Mullaghmore wave. The Sligo wave has become a proving ground for international pro surfers as it sweeps up and crashes down onto a slab of hard rock – an experience with which Ian is well acquainted. Last year, while shooting in heavy swell, he got trapped under the wave, losing his camera and bursting an eardrum before blacking out. “Luckily I was picked up by the Irish Tow Rescue Club and the camera, which filmed the whole thing, was found by a yacht.” He admits that the experience shook him but it’s this passion for exploration and pushing physical and mental limits that brings him back to these chilly waters. “I wouldn’t trade it for a thing but it’s not for the light-hearted – it’s something deep, dark and beautiful that pushes anyone to be out there in the first place.

Saying that, I’m not planning to make the same mistake a second time,” he laughs. ianmitchinson.com

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THIS OLD TOWN

The capital’s past, present and future can be imbibed not only in cosy pubs and boho cafés but also through thought-provoking exhibits and discerning music venues.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS EOIN HIGGINS

DESTINATION | DUBLIN

“G

ood puzzle would be cross Dublin without passing a pub”, muses Leopold Bloom in James Joyce’s (for many, unpickupable, never mind unputdownable) Modernist masterpiece, Ulysses. A better puzzle would be: why cross Dublin without passing a pub? With its Georgian bars, Victorian gin palaces, snazzy cocktail dens and cosy, dark woodpanelled halls of libations – spaces where the world’s wittiest conversation might be had with someone you’ve just met and wellpulled pints sipped in comfortable nooks or at granite bars are the order of the day – it would be bemusing to not at least drop into a few as you cross town. Sure a few jars never hurt anyone, wha’?

These days, Dublin is not just pubs and barstool philosophers however, or Joycean pondering for that matter. Postcrash/pre-Brexit Dublin is a place that still bristles with the creative energy that followed the financial crash of 2008. An entrepreneurial DIY ethos permeates its streets and while we’re not back to 54 |

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pre-crash levels of spending (thankfully), it’s hard not to acknowledge some of the green shoots of growth here and there.

The largest collection of actual green shoots are found within the walls of the city’s criminally under-championed green heart. Spanning a step-eating 700 hectares, the Phoenix Park (phoenixpark.ie) is one of Europe’s largest publicly accessible green spaces. Home to the city zoo, a herd of free-roaming fallow deer, Farmleigh (an Edwardian mansion with public gardens; farmleigh.ie), a derelict fort, a prehistoric burial chamber, ponds, wooded areas, picnic spots and the residence of Ireland’s recently landslide re-elected president Michael D Higgins, it is one of Dublin’s most fecund urban treasures. Touring it on a bike is a good way to experience as much as possible.

Bikes can be hired from €5 per hour from Phoenix Park Bikes (phoenixparkbikes.com) located at the park’s Parkgate Street entrance, and will allow you to zip around for a morning or afternoon discovering its charms.

Previous pages, left, Gareth Downey from Dublin Whiskey Experience at Neary’s Bar & Lounge, right, Dublin’s omnipresent Poolbeg Stacks. Top, wide angles at Grand Canal Dock, and above, a tempting tumbler at The Sitting Room, Camden Street.

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Clockwise from far left, Muireann O’Sullivan, operations manager at The Little Museum of Dublin; Sandymount Strand as viewed from the walkable Great South Wall; the ubiquitous avocado accompanied by delicous house-pickles at the rustic Fumbally Café, childish things maturely recollected at 14 Henrietta Street.

Across town, in a handsomely preserved Georgian townhouse and facing another of Dublin’s sylvan spaces, St Stephen’s Green, The Little Museum of Dublin (01 661 1000; littlemuseum.ie) is as eccentric as it is fascinating, and typically buzzing with activity. Pick at the social fabric of the city via kooky pop-cultural artefacts, high-minded rotating exhibits, engrossing evening talks and sometimes moving installations. The daily guided tours are often delivered with wit and panache and always informative.

Back on the northside of the city, Dublin 1 to be exact, on a street that is often referred to as hosting Dublin’s finest examples of Georgian architecture, the recently opened 14 Henrietta Street (01 524 0383; 14henriettastreet.ie) is another multi-layered museum experience that “interprets and preserves Dublin tenement history”. Dating

from the early 18th century, Henrietta was originally a street occupied by the grandest of the city’s bourgeoisie. In the late 19th century, however, when the north side of the city had fallen out of fashion, its magnificent houses were converted to tenements. Here some of the city’s poorest families lived out their days in often squalid and cramped conditions. The guided tour allows visitors to experience both ends of number 14’s shifting fortunes “through people and memory” – atmospheric and memorable, it is a worthy expedition.

Feeling peckish and bohemian? Then get thee to the sometimes lovingly lampooned for its hippie/boho clientele, but mostly loved and lauded for its feel-good, all-natural vibe, The Fumbally Café (01 529 8732; thefumbally.ie) whose community-driven founders have brought life, love and tasty vittles to a previously neglected piece of real estate just off Clanbrassil Street. The Fumbally crew don’t just provide great food and excellent coffee however, next door at Fumbally Stables (thefumballystables.ie) they also offer a cool networking hub for creative noodlers and doers, hosting talks, events and offering classes in yoga, fermenting, natural therapies and other groovilicious pursuits.

On the other end of the eating spectrum, The Greenhouse (01 676 7015; thegreenhouserestaurant.ie) on Dawson Street has been noted as having “the best lunch in Dublin” by the Irish Times and is a holder of a well-earned Michelin star. In a city that’s more often scolded for the cost of eating out, The Greenhouse is ranked at 34 in the list of 50 best-value Michelin star meals in the world. Heading up the talented brigade, chef Mickael Viljanen finesses the best of Irish ingredients into strictly seasonal showstoppers with aplomb. For anyone looking to experience the finest from the Irish larder, this is one of the city’s top spots.

There are, of course, far more amazing food experiences and top-nosh eateries to discover but too many to cover here fairly, ergo to get a far more comprehensive handle

Above, pitch-perfect pints and pleasing plucking at The Cobblestone on Smithfield Square; below left, exquisite confections at the Michelin award-winning The Greenhouse; below right, deer, oh deer ... at the Phoenix Park.

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on why the international press is increasingly talking about the Dublin food scene, I recommend taking a ravenous urban ramble with Fab Food Trails (fabfoodtrails. ie). Guided tours of some of the city’s best grub spots, with a generous helping of historical fact too, make this a highly nutritious endeavour. Meanwhile, if liquid lunches are more your thing, Gareth Downey’s Dublin Whiskey Experience (dublinwhiskeyexperience. ie) should see you on the right road.

Choose a Historical Whiskey Tour, Hidden Dublin Whiskey Tour or Top Shelf Whiskey Tour and discover – with your well-seasoned guide – the drams, bottles, bars and distilleries worth discovering in a city in the midst of a bona fide whiskey renaissance.

If music is, er, music to your ears, then Dublin makes good provision in this respect too. For traditional tunes, The Cobblestone (01 872 1799; cobblestonepub.ie) on Smithfield Square is a self-described “drinking pub with a music problem”.

Traditional sessions break out seven days a week and this unassuming pub is a perfectly laidback location in which to further acquaint oneself with the jigs, reels and ballads of Dublin bar culture.

Contemporary live music fans should find something on at any of the many world-class music venues peppered around a city that appears to receive way more international musical attention than its size might justify – Dublin crowds are renowned though for proffering a warm, engaging welcome to visiting troubadours and troupes. The live shows curated at Liffey Street Lower’s The Grand Social (01 874 0076; thegrandsocial.ie) beside the city’s elegant Ha’penny Bridge are often intimate, mesmerising affairs, showcasing lesser-known/ burgeoning talent from around the world. This December, for instance, sees Tess Parks, Pokey LaFarge and a clutch of other under-the-radar musical confections take to its bijou stage. Check them out, bring a friend and discover for yourself the warm, welcoming heart of this old town.

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Our approach combines the best of the Irish and German education. Knowledge of German is not a requirement to enrol at St. Kilian’s.

Contact us to arrange a visit.

St. Kilian’s Deutsche Schule Dublin/Eurocampus Roebuck Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin D14 P7F2 T +353 (0)1 288 3323 E admissions@kilians.com www.kilians.com

DESTINATION | DUBLIN

DU B LI N ES SENTIAL S DRINK PLUSH A “cocktail bar with a mid-century feel”, The Sitting Room comes from good hospitality stock, being a sister to the acclaimed Delahunt restaurant above which it’s perched. The focal point is a striking bay window overlooking Camden Street, accompanied by high ceilings, vintage furniture and an original fireplace. The ultimate space for those looking for an out-of-the-ordinary tipple in relaxed, cosy surroundings. All access is through the door to the right of the restaurant labelled “The Sitting Room”, just ring the doorbell and they’ll buzz you in.

Wednesday-Saturday, 5pm-late. (39 Camden Street Lower, 01 598 4880; delahunt.ie) STRAIGHT UP A lesser-known haunt – and that’s just how its discerning regulars like it – on historic Fleet Street, Bowes is a fine example of an understated Dublin pub that amounts to more than the sum of its parts. A stellar spot to just sit at the bar and chat, either amongst your own company or to the often highly knowledgeable bar staff keeping punters in their chosen tipples.

A particularly fulsome whiskey selection is complemented by a thoughtfully curated craft beer roster. (31 Fleet Street, 01 671 4038; bowespub.com) HIGH CLASS The city’s most elite barflies swarm down to Nine Below, a chic spot in the former basement of St Stephen’s Green’s highfalutin’ Hibernian Club. Expect expertly made drinks and lofty high jinks at this swish, subterranean bolthole. Small details – hand-embossed ice cubes, stellar service, lush lighting and touches of Art Deco in the decor – conspire to make this a great escape from the hubbub of other bars in this area. Expensive but worth it. (9 St Stephen’s Green, 01 905 9990; 9below.ie)

STAY BUDGET Dublin 7, on the north side of the River Liffey, has really come on as a destination bearing a distinct “Creative Dublin” stamp in recent years. Among its specialty coffee shops and quirky retail outlets, contemporary cafés and bars, a lynchpin has been the Generator Hostel.

Open-plan social spaces, a cool café and bar – all decked out in reclaimed wood, exposed brickwork and original stonework – give this accommodation more than a whiff of hip urban renewal. Twin rooms

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from €80. (Smithfield Square, 01 901 0222; generatorhostels.com) COMFORT Great location and value for money, the Trinity City Hotel is a smart four-star within skipping distance of many of the city’s major attractions. Rooms are wellproportioned, comfortable and comprise all the mod-cons one would expect. The property itself is decorated in an unusual, possibly-neoBaroque style that only serves to add interest to this novel choice. Rooms are from €150, but do make sure to inquire about their brilliant Fab Food Trail package. (Pearse Street, 01 648 1000; trinitycityhotel.com) GRAND An architectural triumph, inside and out, and located in the equally architecturally compelling Grand Canal Dock area of the city, The Marker Hotel is the epitome of a contemporary, stylish Dublin five-star. Chef Gareth Mullins satisfies culinary cravings by coaxing prime Irish ingredients in the hotel’s Brasserie restaurant, while the award-winning spa and wellness centre ease any corporeal qualms assuredly. Rooms are luxurious and

slumberous. Rooms from €209. (Grand Canal Square, Docklands, 01 687 5100; themarkerhoteldublin.com)

SMART TIPS TRANSPORT Neither Uber nor Lyft operate fully in Dublin city. Download MyTaxi to access taxi services via app; alternatively, stick your arm out and flag one down. Available taxis have their roof light illuminated. Tip five to ten per cent of the fare if the driver has been particularly helpful and/or courteous. A Leap Visitor Card can be used for unlimited travel on Airlink (buses to and from the airport), Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead Ireland (public buses), Luas (tram service), DART (light rail) and Commuter Rail. An unlimited seven-day card costs €40.

TIPPING In Dublin, tipping while sitting at/ ordering from a bar is at a tipper’s discretion; while a tip is not expected it can be a nice way of showing appreciation for particularly good service. Table service staff will expect a tip of at least 12.5 per cent.

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DOUBLE TAKE

With a two-hour train journey between them, Philadelphia and Washington DC – two of North America’s most interesting food scenes – are easily visited on a single trip.

WORDS AMANDA KAVANAGH PHOTOGRAPHS AL HIGGINS

DESTINATION | PHILADELPHIA & WASHINGTON DC

F

or American history buffs, the draw of Philadelphia is very much evident in the long queues that start from early morning at the Liberty Bell and also at Independence Hall, birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. For the rest of us, Philadelphia is a relaxed city that’s ready just to be enjoyed, without a need for frantic sightseeing or box ticking.

After taking a 25-minute SEPTA train from the airport to the city centre, we dump our bags and head to Middle Child (middlechildphilly. com), an 18-seat sandwich shop that’s not far from City Hall, inspired by the delis and diners of old-school Philly. We order a corned short rib of beef with scrambled eggs and cheese on rye and the simple rocket, scrambled eggs and aged Cooper Sharp cheese. The nine-day aged corn rib is what our photographer calls “one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had”, while the Breakfast Sandwich is perfectly salted, with fluffy, buttery eggs between thick slices of potato 66 |

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pullman. Simple food, done very well; clearly these guys know their stuff, so we quiz Uni, Keith and Spencer on their favourite places in the city and leave with a list of speakeasies, pizza parlours and dive bars.

As the midday sun hits and we’re in need of cooling down, we pass the Liberty Bell and read up a little at the President’s House, before arriving at The Franklin Fountain (franklinfountain.com), an ice cream shop that opened in 1911, which is all beautiful old wood panels and original tile mosaics. We opt for scoops of PA maple syrup and walnut ice cream in homemade waffle cones and they exceed all expectations.

Next, we hop on the MFL train to Girard and set about exploring Fishtown, a neighbourhood of independent restaurants, galleries, music venues and studios. We mosey into the Philadelphia Record Exchange (philarecx.com) and Jinxed (jinxedphiladelphia. com), a steel-window-fronted vintage homewares store full of well-priced treasures, before heading to Suraya (surayaphilly.com), an all-day market

Previous spread, left, the zippy Amtrak train that links Philly and DC, and right, stately columns at the Jefferson Memorial. From top, visitors mill around Independence Hall, elegant eats at Suraya, and fruity flavours at The Franklin Fountain.

It’s not just a new house.

It’s home for Christmas.

You can now book viewings, make offers and view other offers online, anytime you like. Start your search now at mySherryFitz.ie

It’s not just about property. It’s about people.

PSRA No. 002183

DESTINATION | PHILADELPHIA & WASHINGTON DC

This page, from above, a mural opposite Edgar Allan Poe’s redbrick Spring Gardens home; creative Fishtown; Lily from Pizza Gut. Opposite page, clockwise from top left, Amtrak action; afternoon perks at La Columbe; homely plates at DC’s brilliant Bechert’s Saloon; one of the capital’s early risers, and Dan Landau-Smith of The Partisan.

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and café with evening dinner service.

Chef and owner Nick Kennedy is at the helm for the Middle Eastern-influenced fare and we try pomegranate-topped baba ganoush, charred sumac halibut and raw yellowfin tuna with chive and jalapeño oil.

We’re not a bit surprised that not long after, Suraya is named as one of America’s 50 best new restaurants by Bon Appetit magazine.

Also making that particular list is Hearthside (hearthsidebyob.com) across the river, which is technically New Jersey (although the ten-minute Patco train runs out to Collingwood every 12 minutes).

Inside, it’s rustic, with criss-crossed ceiling joints and an open kitchen where a line of chefs work in unison. As the menu changes every week, it’s difficult to pinpoint what you can expect here, bar seasonal and fresh flavours, but on the day we visit, the star dishes are raw fish hamachi crudo in rhubarb consommé and charred broccoli salad with nectarines and walnuts.

Our last food stop is a pop-up near Edgar Allan Poe’s house called Pizza Gutt (@pizza_gutt), found in Win Win Coffee Bar. Forget everything you thought you loved about pizza. Abandon your allegiance to thin crust. This is deep dish, square, spongey on the inside, swirled with oil on the underside with pulpy tomato sauce on top, crispy edges and a very thin layer of cheese.

It’s getting late, so we head back to central for a nightcap in Bob & Barbara’s Lounge (bobandbarbaras.com), a dive bar with the world’s largest Pabst Blue Ribbon memorabilia collection. Bob Dix, historian and manager, is behind the bar and admits, “I sell nostalgia more than I sell alcohol”.

It’s home to the “city wide” or the “special” as it’s called here, which is a can of PBR and a shot of Jim Beam, and the vibe is comfortingly familiar. Bob sums it up, “Outside the area is changing, but inside here, change is a lot slower”.

Somewhat fuzzy headed the next morning, we board the Amtrak train to DC from 30th Street Station, an ornate Art Deco building with a cavernous passenger concourse, and settle in for two hours in wide leather seats with air-con and Wi-Fi ($50).

Once we arrive in DC, we head straight to half-restaurant, half-butcher shop The Partisan (thepartisandc.com), for an afternoon snack and a tipple. As we study the menus, a customer unprompted declares: “The food here is the bomb.

I was one of their first customers when they opened – the pastrami alone is worth the trip.” High praise.

Although they started as a charcuterie stand at a food market, The Partisan now has 25 house cured meats and 15 types of hotdog sausage at any one time. We get a mixed charcuterie plate that includes smoked ham, Greek fennel-lemon salami and a shredded bourbon fig rillette, which comes with spicy mustard and Italian flatbread. Since they specialise in sour beer, with 15 on tap, it’d be rude not to sample a sip. We try a dark oak-leaved brew, a white IPA and a cherry blonde ale, while

Above, sightseers take in the monuments. Below left, tucking in under ambient festoon lighting at Rose’s Luxury. Below right, the octopus hotdog at Brothers and Sisters.

the general manager, Dan Landau-Smith, recommends a Lambrusco wine. “It has a rep as a 7-Eleven wine, but it’s nuanced and sharp, making it ideal for charcuterie.”

Later, we head to a recommendation from a pal based in DC, which ends up being the trip’s true culinary highlight.

Beuchert’s Saloon (beuchertssaloon.com) is a homely and warm restaurant near Eastern Market Station, where old family photos from chef/owner Andrew Markert dot the wall, alongside his grandmother’s mandolin, while on tables are mismatched plates sourced by Andrew’s mother, a self-confessed antiques hunter. In the kitchen, Andrew works up sharing plates, including a crayfish ravioli with Thai chillies and fresh peas in an amatriciana sauce, plus roasted sweet corn with popped sorghum that gives a popcorn texture, combined with pasta furls. To finish we have chocolate-covered buttercreams: “Mom’s recipe for the holidays. We call them ‘happy endings’ to get a chuckle out of customers,” laughs Andrew.

The next day after monument and museum visiting, we head to Brothers and Sisters (thelinehotel.com), the lobby restaurant of the chic The Line hotel, from the same folks as The Ace and The Ned. Formerly a church, when we arrive it’s flooded with amber afternoon light, which falls on curved midnight blue sofas, parquet flooring and light grey panelling. While bar snacks such as chicharrones and light bites are available, it has gained a reputation for its cakes, thanks to pastry chef Pichet Ong. Order his towering London Layer Cake, made with buckwheat pancakes, earl grey mousse and earl grey jelly, with a chai tea crumble on top, and see why.

We leave DC the next morning with tastes of sour beer, cured salami and salted cocktails still on our tongues, and head home, direct to Dublin, chuffed with our ingenious trip extension.

Fly return to PHILADELPHIA or WASHINGTON DULLES for 40,000 Avios points. Remember, if you don’t have enough points to fly to where you want to go, you can use those that you have and pay the rest in cash.*

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*BASED ON RTN FLIGHTS IN PEAK PERIOD, EXCL. TAXES AND CHARGES

DESTINATION | PHILADELPHIA & WASHINGTON DC

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DESTINATION | PHILADELPHIA & WASHINGTON DC

PHILADELPHIA & WASHINGTON DC ESSENTIALS STAY

BUSINESS A busy hotel that’s ideally located just west of City Hall, Sonesta also has downtime covered well. An atmospheric art bar with striking red decor and a rooftop pool to boot are ideal for decompressing after a long day of meetings. In the rooms, there’s no shortage of power outlets for charging phones and laptops and, despite its central location on bustling Market Street, it’s surprisingly quiet. Doubles from $150. (1800 Market Street, Philadelphia, +1 844 208 6418; sonesta.com) GLAMOUR From street level, climb the gold-painted, spiral steel staircase to arrive at the glitzy lobby of the Cambria Hotel.

While enjoying a cool breeze at the rooftop bar has its charms, what impressed us most was the thoughtfulness that has gone into the bedrooms. Practical design details are

everywhere: from the mini shelf by the fulllength mirror for your hairbrush (presumably), to the Bluetooth speaker in the bathroom.

It’s the little things. Doubles from $295.

(219 S Broad Street, Philadelphia, +1 215 732 5500; cambriaphiladelphia.com) BUZZY Formerly the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society building, Loews Philadelphia Hotel now occupies what is often dubbed the United States’ first modern skyscraper. Its large windows frame city views for overnight guests and convention attendees. Head to floor 33 for the best lookout, and make it your mission to grab a breakfast to go from the POD Market counter in the impressive lobby, which serves locally roasted La Colombe coffee and Gruyére-stuffed croissants. Doubles from $339. (1200 Market Street, Philadelphia, +1 855 909 9566; loewshotels.com)

SPACIOUS Near Dupont Circle, the Kimpton Hotel Palomar is an urban hideaway close to all the hustle and bustle. With bikes for hire at reception, you’re never far from a number of great restaurants and bars but, if you don’t feel like heading out, the in-house Italian restaurant, Urbana, is worth a gander too.

Chef Ethan McKee uses the hotel’s rooftop to grow salads and herbs – sous chef Fredy Garciaguirre pictured – and there’s even some beehives producing honey there too. Doubles from $315. (2121 P Street NW, Washington DC, +1 202 448 1800; hotelpalomar-dc.com)

EAT

ETHIOPIAN Near Logan’s Point, head to Lalibela for lunch and order a combination special for two ($28) with a sweet honey wine.

It all arrives on a pancaked platter for sharing, with sides of personal pancakes too, so tear off pieces to pick up tender mounds of yellow split peas, collard greens, key wot beef and alicha wot. Afterwards, with fingertips stained yellow, cross the road to Dolcezza for creamy lemon ricotta cardamom ice cream. (1415 14th Street NW, Washington DC, +1 202 265 5700)

DON’T MISS

Starting a trip to DC with a visit the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture may put you in a sombre mood, but it is unmissable. Inside the striking steel and glass Modernist structure, visitors face up to an uncomfortable history that begins with the African slave trade and weaves through the decades since. While there’s a peppering of uplifting displays among its five floors of history, culture and community, it’s mostly heavy going. At the end of the more than one kilometre walk around, you’ll find a reflection room but you’re still likely to blink out into the daylight, discombobulated and out of sorts. nmaahc.si.edu

SMART TIP

Indego bike stations are dotted around the streets of Philadelphia, which is a reasonably flat and ergo, cyclable city. Nab a $10 day pass for an unlimited number of 30-minute rides. rideindego.com

SMART FLIERS AER LINGUS flies from Dublin to PHILADELPHIA & WASHINGTON DULLES up to seven times per week.

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EXPERIENTIAL BREAKS

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY RUTH RIBEAUCOURT

Looking for a new skill in 2019? Hannah Hillyer uncovers activity holidays guaranteed to send you home inspired.

FRANCE BROCANTE, PHOTOGRAPHY AND CUISINE

Book an all-inclusive, week-long retreat with The French Muse – run by Irish woman Ruth Ribeaucourt – and come home inspired. The theme for its January break is “Forage Feast Photography”, with a more arts, antiques and crafts-oriented getaway scheduled for April, in which the group will visit artisan studios and flea markets in some of the region’s prettiest towns and hamlets. Prices from €3,000. (Chemin la Font, Lacoste, +33 658 349 318; thefrenchmuse.com)

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Marseille up to four times per week from April 2019 until September, and to Nice daily from March 2019; Cork to Nice from May 2019.

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PRAGUE LITERARY

Fiction, non-fiction and scriptwriting workshops are available to help budding writers complete projects or develop ideas. Dinners and walking tours are combined with discussions and writing workshops led by the experts, releasing any stubborn writer’s block and imbuing new ideas. And with a beautiful castle so close to your hotel, what more inspiration could you need? Prices from €1,800. (+30 698 862 3914; writeawayeurope.com)

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Prague up to eight times per week.

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SPAIN YOGA Start the new year with peace, tranquility and a little navel-gazing at this yoga retreat in Barcelona. Despite its name, Yoga with Antonio offers a wide range of experiences, including beach-side practice with added snorkelling. Also on offer is “The Mountain Experience”, which involves riverside yoga after a hike, or even “The French Experience” that includes crossing the Pyrenees and swims in local, hot springs.

Whichever one you choose, you’re sure to come back relaxed and refreshed. Prices from €999. (+34 684 231763; yogawithantonio.com)

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Barcelona up to twice daily, and from Cork four times per week from March 2019.

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USA CHEESE MAKING A somewhat niche retreat, the best bit about three days of cheese making is getting to scoff it all afterwards. Over the course of a stay, you’ll learn how to make feta, ricotta and mozzarella. Stay in Mercerburg Inn, a turn-of-the-century mansion about an hour-and-a-half north of Washington DC, and learn how to pair your freshly made fromage with the right wine, as well as enjoy a four-course meal using a selection of your freshly made cheeses. Prices from $395 for a two-night stay.

(405 S Main Street, Mercersburg, +1 717 328 5231; mercersburginn.com)

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Washington Dulles up to seven times per week.

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SMART EDIT | EXPERIENTIAL BREAKS

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UK SINGING If the likes of X Factor or Gareth Malone’s choirs have you singing in the shower, consider Wild Voice Adventures – it doesn’t matter if you’re good, bad, or not-quite-sure, this singing retreat welcomes any level. Trained choir singers, as well as mindfulness experts, lead the way to help give you confidence in your vocal abilities – even if you’ll only ever sing for yourself. UK-wide venues. Prices from £399. (+44 1604 549 201; wildvoiceadventures.com)

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Belfast to multiple locations across the UK.

6 IRELAND HORSE RIDING Ireland has a rich equestrian history and, whether you’re an experienced rider or an absolute beginner, the team at Crossogue House in Co Tipperary will have you hot to trot in no time. Run by the Molloy family, the estate and stables invite guests for gentle hacks around the countryside or, for more skilled riders, there are jumps to ace. After an afternoon in the saddle, expect to come back to a spread of fresh, home-cooked produce. Prices from €495. (Lisnasella, Thurles, Co Tipperary, 0504 54 123; crossogue-equestrian.ie)

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PORTUGAL SURFING Noah Surf House says to “leave the noise behind” and the only sound you’ll hear is the waves crashing against Santa Cruz beach on Portugal’s Silver Coast. All packages include surfing but you can add yoga, tai chi, stand up paddle and skateboarding to your itinerary at this hip hideaway that’s superb for families who have young kids with energy to burn. Stay for a weekend or a week but make sure to check out Noah’s restaurant, which celebrates fresh, local food. Prices from €50 (bunk bed rooms). (Avenida do Atlântico, A dos Cunhados Torres Vedras, +351 261 932 355; noahsurfhouseportugal.com)

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Lisbon up to ten times per week, and from Cork twice per week.

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SMART EDIT | EXPERIENTIAL BREAKS

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IRELAND FOOD AND PHOTOGRAPHY

If food, photography and writing are what get your creative juices flowing, Lens & Larder is the ultimate break. Cook and author Imen McDonnell and chef and writer Cliodhna Prendergast are the dream team behind these interesting workshops, attracting the cream of food photographers, stylists and wordsmiths to share the tricks of their trade at some of Ireland’s most beautiful guesthouses, farmsteads, boutique hotels and castle estates. Prices from €2,499. lensandlarder.com

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ITALY POTTERY Get crafty in Tuscany at the pottery workshop I Romiti, where the only downer will be trying to exorcise Unchained Melody from your brain whilst at the wheel. Suitable for beginners or intermediates, here you’ll learn how to make cups, bowls, pouring pots and jars, and master your throwing technique.

Idyllic surroundings, too, including an infinity pool – and not a ghost in sight. Prices from €955. (I Romiti del Torrente; +39 0583 1801 859; iromiti.com)

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Pisa three times per week from May 2019 until September.

IRELAND PAINTING Brave the outdoors with painting by the sea in Co Waterford. With two- to five-day workshops at Artform you will be led by artists each with different areas of expertise: oils, pastels, sculpture and watercolours. Whichever your medium, you can render the wild seas of Ireland’s Ancient East – or let your imagination run wild in one of their indoor studios. Glamping and hotel accommodation available.

Prices from €450. (Dunmore East Road, Ballygunnertemple, 087 721 3146; artform.ie)

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WHITE

magic Can an unfit fortysomething make her skiing debut without a mishap? The pretty, laid-back – and affordable – French resort of Morzine is just the ticket for the apprehensive first-timer.

WORDS LUCY WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS SAM INGLES

DESTINATION | MORZINE

“A

Previous spread, powder power. Peaky blinder – majestic mountains both shock and awe the first-timer, top. Above, Billy Clark of BillSki has the patience of a saint.

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re they skis ...?” My ignorance is not bliss as I size up the length of suspiciously long luggage at Geneva airport. My boyfriend, Liam – also a winter sports virgin – is none the wiser either. I’ve pointedly spent my adult life avoiding snowy peaks and as I look around at the seasoned skiers and snowboarders, I’m not sure what terrifies me more: breaking a limb, misadventure by ski lift, avalanches, funky fondue or wearing sportswear. I clutch the family photo in my pocket: it’s 1980, we are in the French Alps, and my dad is gamely trying to “there-there” my perceived peril after coming off a tiny cable car in the Chamonix valley, Mont Blanc looming somewhere in the background.

Forty years later, this snapshot will be my talisman in the Portes du Soleil, on the French/Swiss border.

Fortunately we’re in safe hands with More Mountain (moremountain. com), an independent chalet company in Morzine founded in 2006 by snowboarding Brits Sam Thomas and Jon Dredge. Their portfolio now extends to 31 luxury catered chalets and self-catering apartments around

the French town and whose selfproclaimed “post-dude” retreats attract holidaymakers more interested in piste artistry than piss-artistry.

More Mountain guests are collected from Geneva airport by Skiidy Gonzales (skiidygonzales.com) and deposited in Morzine approximately 90 minutes later, weaving through increasingly chocolate-box scenery in which snow-dusted trees soon become pelted white. Morzine is one of 13 resorts in the Portes du Soleil, which has 286 ski slopes and 196 ski lifts. And while it may not be as flashy as its neighbour Avoriaz, it’s a credible winter sports destination.

There’s a nip in the air as we reach the town’s 1,000-kilometre-high altitude but warm welcomes await at “The Crow’s Nest” chalet, where our convivial young hosts Rob and Heather appear with prosecco and hand-baked canapés. The Nest sleeps ten guests and we’re sharing with three British couples, all of whom are repeat guests. That’s a lot of strangers under one roof but the chalet is expansive and as well designed for privacy as it is for mingling. All double bedrooms are en suite, and a hot-tub room and Apple TV cinema room are icing on the Yule log. Furnishings are contemporary and

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DESTINATION | MORZINE

high spec, while lavish, cooked breakfasts and three-course dinners are prepared by Rob and Heather and served communally in the open-plan kitchen/lounge. There’s also an honesty bar for premium brands but, frankly, the unlimited house wine and beer is so free flowing that you couldn’t possibly want for more.

Everyone in our chalet offers us encouragement for our skiing tuition the next day, but first things first: kit.

Through More Mountain, we hired the whole shebang from Crevasse Clothing (crevasseclothing.com) and Doorstep Skis (doorstepskis.com), who bring their paraphernalia to the comfort of your own digs; just give them your measurements in advance and they’ll deliver the goods.

Genius, although, little did I know that snow boots would be so unfeasibly heavy and cumbersome. This vulnerable sense of immobility, exacerbated by my shameful lack of fitness, reaches its zenith the next morning at our private ski lesson with the eminently patient Billy Clark of BillSki (billski.co.uk). Seriously, this guy deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for containing my frustration over the next two sessions.

I’m sweating profusely when we meet on the green, aka nursery slope, Rob dropping us off at the nearby Pléney télécabine (cable car). It’s a combination of terror and being barely able to trudge one boot in front of the other while carrying surprisingly heavy skis.

Our two-hour intro involves, firstly, trying to get from A to B without wiping out. My upper body strength is so lame that even on the slightest incline on slippery, compacted 86 |

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snow, Bill has to jostle me into position.

Furthermore, the domed travelator or “Magic Carpet” is a rigmarole in itself, the fear of razing an entire class of French enfants as real as the increasing shin fatigue.

But what goes up must come down and we put our schooling to the test.

I spend most of my descent in a stubbornly slow snow plough, which I repeat again and again, unwilling to gain speed and therefore risk falling. In contrast, Liam has no fear and gamely hurtles down the slope, at one point windmilling his arms before crashing into the snow-padded side of the Magic Carpet. He barely flinches when he mows down a snowboarder ...

On day two we learn how to do turns and, just as I’m gaining confidence, a great fog descends on the slope partway down. Within seconds Billy has completely disappeared and the Magic Carpet, which defines our route, loses visibility. God knows where Liam is. “Billy, slow down ...” I call out, before he reappears, a balm to my rising angst. Liam is already at the bottom of the slope, full of vim and vigour – mais oui!

Despite my protestations after foggate, we do one final run before ski school terminates. I can’t say I’m disappointed ... but I’m certainly relieved and, after four combined hours of tuition, I’ve had only four tumbles. Needless to say, while Liam stays on the slopes on his own, I lollop in the hot tub back at the Crow’s Nest. I also have an excellent in-room thermo-therapy (hot stone) massage administered by the marvellously mellow Mancunian Carrie Greer, who runs The Little Mountain Spa

Clockwise from top left, piste artists; wholesome bites at Satellite Café; More Mountain’s owners Sam, Jon and their son Ted. Opposite page, a magical mist descends on the quaint Morzine.

SMART FLIERS AER LINGUS flies from Dublin to GENEVA up to ten times per week.

DESTINATION | MORZINE

Cold mountain, above – ski season on the Portes du Soleil runs from December until April. Right, warm and welcoming interiors at The Crow’s Nest.

Fly return to Geneva from Dublin and Shannon this summer for 15,000 Avios points. Remember, if you don’t have enough points to fly to where you want to go, you can use those that you have and pay the rest in cash*.

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*BASED ON RTN FLIGHTS IN PEAK PERIOD, EXCL. TAXES AND CHARGES

(thelittlemountainspa.com).

The most unadulterated joy I have on the slopes, though, is on our last day when himself and I go evening sledging with Indiana’Ventures (indianaventures.com). Congregating at the Pléney cable car, we’re each given a plastic sledge with two handles – steer left, steer right; pull slowly together to stop. Simple. Our large group has the slopes to itself, the retreating sun casting an ethereal glow on the awesome scenery. And then we’re off, shooting down different sections of piste, including woodland. At high speed, control is futile so we all end up thrown off our sledges several times. I am hooting with laughter; an unfettered primal scream.

At the end of our trip I remove the family photo from my ski jacket. Little Miss White may not have conquered Mont Blanc – but Morzine somehow, stealthily, against all odds, thawed my heart. I loved its independent spirit and lack of pretension – its absence of multinational hotels, franchise coffee shops, fast food chains, Michelin stars and designer boutiques. Devoid of hooray-henrys, monograms, fine furs and Cristal halitosis, Morzine is a breath of fresh, glacial air. I also loved breaking bread (and drinking toffee vodka ...) with our housemates.

Will I ever ski again? Never. But the Portes du Soleil hasn’t seen the last of me: one day, at the height of summer, I’ll frolic through the edelweiss in bare feet, those evil snow boots a long, distant memory.

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M O R ZI N E ES SENTIAL S EAT FESTIVE If most buildings in Morzine resemble Santa’s grotto – or a sauna – then Restaurant La Grange could be his pantry. Pinetastic and cosy, with equally warm service, it serves traditional Alpine and French cuisine, such as the iconic fondue. It’d be rude not to try the raclette, though, which is cooked brézière-style at your table. (60 Chemin de la Coutettaz, +33 450 759 640; lagrangemorzine.com) HEARTY Replenish those calories burned on the piste with a big, fat gourmet burger – or a sizeable falafel wrap – at the winningly casual Ô Chalet. They also do sweet and savoury crepes, kebabs and desserts. (77 Route de la Combe à Zore, +33 450 791 718) WHOLESOME If unctuous fromage and pommes frites start to get a bit much, hot-foot it to Satellite Coffee, an easygoing daytime café that, as well as providing caffeine kicks and smoothies, has excellent vegetarian and vegan options. (142 Rue du Bourg)

APRÈS COCKLE-WARMING After a long morning on the slopes, cosy up with a hot port or mulled wine at the Chalet du Nabor, at the top of the Pléney lifts. Also serves food. (Le Pleney, +33 450 790 203) CHEERY You can ski right into the Hotel Le Tremplin’s heated outdoor bar at the foot of the Pléney. Open daily 4pm until 8pm, with late-night live music and DJs throughout the season. (166 Taille de Mas du Pleney, +33 450 791 231; hoteltremplin.com/en)

CAVERNOUS The Dixie Bar is a Tardis-like bar-cum-lair, whose humble pub segues into a warren of different nooks and crannies. Good beer selection and on some nights, live music and comedy acts. (38 Rue du Bourg, +33 450 792 783; thedixiebar.com) FRISKY No-frills Bar Robinson is a perennially popular spot, not least for its potent Mützig beer (seven per cent) that’s brewed in the Alsace region of north-east France. Approach with caution, folks, if you’ve an early start … (62 Rue du Bourg, +33 986 418 856; bar-robinson.com)

SMART TIPS NICE PACKAGE During the winter season, More Mountain’s catered chalets cost from €749pp for a week’s half-board, including airport and cable car transfers (summer rates from €399).

Self-catering apartments cost from €1,200 per week all year round. moremountain.com UPWARDLY MOBILE Our three-day Pléney cable car and ski lift ticket for the Morzine-Les Gets resorts cost €114pp; other tariffs include day tickets and full season billet.

DARK ARTS Feeling brave? Every Thursday, the lower half of the Pléney is open for night skiing from 8pm to 10pm and accessed by La Clusaz chairlift.

MEGA MIX For a break from skis and boards, get aerial eyefuls while paragliding or command your own husky-dog sled. morznet.com BASS JUMP March is a good month for young music fans – in Morzine is Rock the Pistes (rockthepistes.com) and in Avioraz is Snowboxx (snowboxx.com).

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Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark

S TO R I E S OF THE

STREET A Francophone masterpiece, Montréal is the very best melting pot of arts and culture, cuisine and je ne sais quoi.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS CONOR HORGAN

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Holidays with Aer Lingus Visit our one-stop shop for all your package holiday needs via aerlingus.com. Find the perfect family holiday to the sun, romantic city break, unforgettable cruises and more.

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2 3

3 Opening pages, Montréal-born singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen watches over Downtown.

1 It’s always bagel o’clock at Mile End’s St-Viateur, which is open 24 hours daily.

2 Bookseller Laura Broadbent, also in Mile End. 3 A petit latte in Café Italie, a Montréal institution.

4 Late-night queues at Schwartz’s, a renowned deli.

5 The sweeping curves of Olympic Stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district.

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6 Lord of the rings – bagel-making at the

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flagship Boulangerie St-Viateur.

7 Red alert for Sarah Martins, waiting for her bus in Little Italy.

8 Habitat 67, originally built as a pavilion for the 1967 World Fair and now one of Canada’s most desirable addresses.

Opposite, ornamental bird cages mark the spot of Dragon Flowers on Rue Bernard; page 98, the Lachine Canal bike path takes in epic skyline views.

DESTINATION | MONTRÉAL

MONTRÉAL ESSENTIALS SLEEP

EAT

LITTLE In the heart of Montréal’s old town, 12 a few streets from the waterfront and within easy reach of Downtown, Le Petit Hotel is friendly and cosy. Rooms feature wood floors, original stonewall and grand, oversized windows. A great, comfortable base for exploring the city. Rooms from CAD $162.

(168 Rue St-Paul Ouest, +1 514 940 0360; petithotelmontreal.com)

LE LOCAL While dépanneur is the Québécois word for a neighbourhood convenience store, Dépanneur Le Pick Up is probably the only one to have been featured in Vogue. Amongst the shelves of groceries and dry goods, it serves its own twist on classic diner fare along with award-winning sandwiches. More unusual offerings include a faux pulled pork sandwich made from marinated tofu skin, and a dandelion and burdock soda. (7032 Waverly, +1 514 271 8011; depanneurlepickup.com)

TECH Newly built in the heart of Downtown, Hotel Monville is a stylish and sleek 269-room hotel with several high-tech touches, including a room-service delivery robot – tipping optional. Rooms from CAD $109. (1041 Rue de Bleury, +1 514 379 2000; hotelmonville.com) LUXE Loews Hôtel Vogue is a classy, glamorous joint, completely renovated in 2014 to give a modern take on classic Art Deco style. You might even catch a glimpse of George Clooney or Julia Roberts making a return visit. Bathrooms are huge, with whirlpool baths, bedrooms chic. Rooms from CAD $169. (1425 Rue de la Montagne, +1 514 285 5555; loewshotels.com)

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LE WEEKEND With a huge skylight making it feel like an indoor terrace, Perles & Paddock, a recent addition to the up-andcoming Griffintown area, is a bright and tasteful conversion of a former garage. The food is inventive modern French and just as beautifully presented as the surroundings.

A great place for brunch and cocktails.

(403 Rue des Seigneurs, +1 514 931 0004; perlesetpaddock.com) LE WEEKEND Montréal has a longstanding tradition of welcoming immigrants from all over the world, and one of the jewels of such

a richly multicultural city is Damas, a softly lit, lushly furnished Syrian restaurant that has some of the best ethnic food in town. Go for the standout 12-course tasting menu of aromatic mezzes, finely spiced specialties and delicate desserts, all of which go together to make an unforgettable food experience.

(1201 Ave Van Horne, +1 514 439 5435; restaurant-damas.com)

SMART TIPS “HI BONJOUR!” This is how you’ll be greeted everywhere and if you don’t feel like practising your French, almost everyone you meet will happily slip into faultless English.

TIPPING It’s customary in Montréal, and adding the TPS and TVQ taxes at the end of a bar/ restaurant bill is a good way of calculating a tip.

SMART FLIERS AER LINGUS flies from Dublin to MONTRÉAL from August 5, 2019.

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FIVE

SUBTERRANEAN CITIES

Hunker down this winter, finding shelter in some of America’s quirkiest underground attractions, says Terena Bell.

NEW YORK

Instead of going up in a skyscraper, try going down – straight downtown to City Hall Station.

But you won’t find it on subway maps, the stop hasn’t been used since 1945. It’s gorgeous.

City Hall was originally designed to show how beautiful public transit could be, so the station is filled with Guastavino tiles and chandeliers. Tours are remarkably difficult to get into, with New York Transit Museum requiring visitors to become members and then compete in three annual ticket rounds. So, forget that and take the “6 line” downtown. When the conductor yells last stop, don’t get off. The train will pass through City Hall before heading back uptown.

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to New York JFK twice daily, and from Shannon up to seven times per week.

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SMART EDIT | SUB CITIES

SEATTLE

As a nation, the US isn’t really old enough to have true ruins – cities under cities like in Athens or Rome. Except Seattle. Underneath present-day Pioneer Square, you’ll find abandoned streets and office buildings – even a beauty parlour. They’re remnants of the first Seattle, built in 1851 then destroyed by the 1889 Great Seattle Fire. Afterwards, mud covered the town, so locals built two-anda-half-metre-high retaining walls and paved over the destruction, raising street-level by nearly seven metres. Today, Underground Seattle lies beneath. To see it, buy a ticket and join Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour (undergroundtour.com).

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Seattle

three times per week.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHOOSE CHICAGO

CHICAGO

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Pedways don’t often make must-see attraction lists for good reason: they’re boring. But not Chicago’s.

For starters, it’s under – and not above – ground.

The buildings on top control what the pedway looks like below, so every few metres it completely changes. Of course, there are shops – 22 Victorian stained-glass windows lie underneath Macy’s, some designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Meanwhile, the Windy City actually hosts one of the country’s largest collections of Tiffany glass with a 38 foot, Favrile dome inside the store.

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Chicago up to

twice daily.

WASHINGTON DC

San Francisco may be a city of bars but the nation’s capital is one of museums.

Below Dupont Circle in tunnels originally constructed for Washington DC’s 1940s streetcar system is an art gallery: Dupont Underground (dupontunderground.org).

In the 1960s, the space briefly served as a fallout shelter, but today it houses rotating exhibitions. Unlike most DC-area attractions, entry is not free but the space hosts a wide variety of events – from concerts to yoga – so admission varies. Non-event viewing is available Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons, and works by generative video artist Brandon Morse runs until January 27.

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Washington Dulles up to seven times per week.

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SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco’s downtown hosts a number of historic, basement speakeasies, particularly near Jackson Square and along Columbus Avenue.

For example, Bourbon & Branch (bourbonandbranch.com) operated as JJ Russell’s Cigar Shop during Prohibition. It did not sell tobacco. If you insist on drinking above ground, Wilson and Wilson (thewilsonbar.com) is directly upstairs. Don’t be alarmed when you visit the website to make reservations: yes, it says “Wilson and Wilson Private Detective Agency”. In keeping with the Prohibition theme, the bar is named after a real-life patron – and missing person – Lorraine Adeline Wilson, whose handbag was found stashed between the walls in 1932.

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to San Francisco daily.

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DESTINATION | EDINBURGH

48 HOURS IN

EDINBURGH

Where better to sightsee and sing Auld Lang Syne than in the one-time home of Robbie Burns, says Lucy White.

DONʼT MISS …

COMPREHENSIVE Go the full tourist on a hop on/hop off bus, chiefly with Edinburgh Bus Tours, whose local guides brim with knowledge and mirth.

Tours cover a lot of ground and are a great way of navigating the city and sussing where you want to return to.

Key landmarks along the route include the Scottish National Gallery, Scottish Parliament, the Royal Botanic Garden and – of course – Edinburgh Castle. edinburghtour.com

Top, handsome Auld Reekie.

Right,the National Museum’s Fashion Gallery.

Below, The Georgian House in all its splendour.

CURIOSITIES This writer made a beeline for the National Museum’s Fashion Gallery, which has a permanent display of vintage clothing, shoes and haute couture, and a fun interactive exhibit in which you can digitally “design” your own ensemble from history. It’s just the tip of the iceberg of a fantastic, experiential collection that also includes science and aviation artefacts, natural history – and Dolly the Sheep (remember her?). Fun for all ages. (Chambers Street, +44 300 123 6789; nms.ac.uk)

SMART FLIERS AER LINGUS flies from Dublin to EDINBURGH up to five times daily, and from Cork up to ten times weekly.

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SHOP AT ...

DESIGN Small but beautifully stocked, The Red Door Gallery promotes some of the coolest Scottish (and British) illustrators and artisans, purveying digital, screen and giclee prints, jewellery, accessories and quirky homewares. (42 Victoria Street, +44 131 477 3255; edinburghart.com) PRE-LOVED The Tardis-like W Armstrong & Son is a vintage haven, a rabbit warren of supremely curated fashions and accessories through the ages. From 1920s frocks to 1970s denim and more, social history has never looked this good or more covetable. (83 Grassmarket, +44 131 220 5557; armstrongsvintage.co.uk)

UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS Often restored historic homes are more museum set pieces than former lodgings. Not so at The Georgian House, which is devoid of forbidding velvet ropes and has the air of its original owners, the Lamont family, having just nipped out for a walk. Not all the townhouse’s rooms are on view, but those that are have been faithfully recreated with period antiques from the time when Charlotte Square was one of the city’s most fashionable addresses. (7 Charlotte Square, +44 131 225 2160; nts.org.uk)

ADORNMENT Hannah Zakari may sound like a person but it’s the name of Rachael Griffiths’ independent boutique, whose goodly goods are, in part, inspired by Japanese pop culture. Bright enamel, acrylic and plywood jewellery by the likes of Wolf & Moon and Rosa Pietsch are represented here, as are gorgeous stationery and affordable prints.

(43 Candlemaker Row, +44 131 226 5433; hannahzakari.co.uk)

SLEEP AT ...

HERITAGE Marble columns, stained-glass windows … they don’t make newspaper publishers like they used to. The Scotsman was once manufactured in this unfeasibly glamorous property that’s now an eponymous four-star hotel. As topsyturvy as it is grand – the lobby is on the fourth floor – the hotel has almost completed a full makeover, including sleek, contemporary, high-tech rooms.

Excellent breakfasts and a fantastic location on the cusp of Old Town.

Rooms from £125. (20 North Bridge, +44 131 556 5565; scotsmanhotel.co.uk)

MARITIME Queen Elizabeth II’s former Royal Yacht Britannia is one of Edinburgh’s most popular visitor attractions and, while the nearby MV Fingal never belonged to a monarch (it was once a maintenance vessel to help service lighthouses), it will be a luxury “boatel” and restaurant from January 7, 2019.

Rejuvenated with Art Deco inspired interiors, it’s set to be a floating pleasure palace. B&B from £300.

(1 Alexandra Dock, +44 131 357 5000; fingal.co.uk)

GEORGIAN New Town’s Charlotte Square boasts Bute House, the official residences of the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon. It’s also home to the beautiful five-star hotel, The Principal Charlotte Square, whose central conservatory – created

by Irish designer Sara Cosgrove – is where superb breakfasts and lunches are served, and local creatives brainstorm. Splash out on an 80-minute Oskia massage at the recently launched spa, whose 12-metre pool, steam and sauna are guaranteed cockle-warmers. Rooms from £105.

(38 Charlotte Square, +44 131 240 5500; phcompany.com)

Clockwise from top right, have your expectations surpassed at the Levantine hotspot BABA; The Scotsman’s Grand Café restaurant was once the newspaper’s former lobby; rooms at the Principal Charlotte Square hotel are super comfy and super cool.

EAT AT ...

TRYSTY Fans of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and/or Wolf Hall will love The Witchery by the Castle’s Secret Garden, a baronial paradise, illuminated almost exclusively by candlelight and expert staff. No matter that it’s difficult to see the menus, you’re unlikely to have a dud dish here: the lobster thermidor – sourced from Belhaven, Dunbar – is super-succulent and the ballotine of free-range organic chicken is buttersoft. (352 Castlehill, +44 131 225 5613; thewitchery.com) HIP So hot right now, the Levantineinfluenced BABA is a triumph of style and substance. It does a roaring trade in casual yet high-quality dining, with mezze and charcoal-grilled plates served against a shabby chic backdrop inspired by North Africa and the Middle East. Cocktails are also wonderfully inventive, such as the sesame vodka martini (Sesamartini) and Bloody Mariam (Bloody Mary with a twist: harissa, ras-el-hanout, sumac, za’atar).

(130 George Street, +44 131 527 4999; baba.restaurant) ELEGANT Are we in a Parisian salon or the Grand Café? The Scotsman newspaper’s former lobby is now a fancy restaurant and bar, as if it were always thus. Original marble walls and pillars, plush teal banquettes, conspiratorial booths – and bulbous G&Ts – are stuff of first-dates and classy girls’ nights.

French-inspired cuisine, bien sûr, such as moules et frites but also local fare, like braised ox cheek and bone marrow cottage pie. (20 North Bridge, +44 131 622 2999; grandcafeedinburgh.co.uk)

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ADVERTORIAL

BE THE ULTIMATE SWIM, CYCLE AND RUNNING MACHINE New fitness regimes can be daunting but with forward planning and positivity, everything is possible.

Whether it’s the 1st January or the beginning of any month, planning a timeline is the key to success.

Telling yourself that you want to get fit is a good start but it’s unlikely to happen unless you set yourself an identifiable goal. So, if getting fit and trying something new is your aim, why not consider a triathlon next summer and plan it now?

Since triathlon emerged in the 1970s it has developed into an exciting sport with various distances for all ages and abilities.

Completing one is actually a lot easier than you’d think and comes with a certain sense of achievement mastering three sports in one competition. Plus the friendships and lifestyle changes you’ll make along the way can have a lasting effect on your wellbeing. Here are some tips to help get you started.

Pick a triathlon event. There’s nothing like a diary date to get you motivated. You can find a list of the best races on Triathlon Ireland’s website. Of course there is the standard distance race; 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run, but even if the thought of completing those distances drives you to cardiac arrest, fear not.

You can Try-a-Tri 250-metre swim, 6km cycle, 3km run or get some friends to try a relay competition, whereby the team divides up the swimming, cycling and running between its members.

Gather your team. You don’t have to do this alone. Round up some colleagues or friends and get them to enter with you – straight away you’ll have a group to train with and to share your race day experience.

Make a weekend of it. Triathlons are staged in some of Ireland’s best getaway destinations and very often there’s a great night out to be had after the race. Some of the best races are located along the Wild Atlantic Way in some of the most scenic spots of Ireland.

Don’t worry about the equipment. You don’t need the latest carbon fibre bike or GPS sports watch to complete a triathlon. Plenty of people cycle commuter bikes in races and if you don’t want to make the investment, you can rent a wetsuit for the day.

You are never alone. Triathlons can be daunting for the absolute beginner but there are more than 90 clubs all across Ireland, almost all of which run ‘New to Tri’ courses each spring.

When you’ve completed a triathlon, one of the first things you’ll want to know is when you can do it all again! Enter more than one triathlon and 2019 will be a summer to remember. The BMW Triathlon National Series is Ireland’s biggest race series and includes 18 triathlons at the best locations around the island of Ireland. More information on triathlon and the BMW Triathlon National Series can be found at www.bmw.ie/triathlon.

ON BUSINESS

Making travel work for you

MINNEAPOLIS

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PRINCELY ASSETS Susan Corrigan appraises “Minnesota Nice” in its thriving capital Minneapolis, one of Aer Lingus’ newest routes for 2019.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE We raise a glass to Hope Beer co-founder Jeanne Mahony, whose brewing business also includes brewery tours.

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THE WILDER, ETC Dublin’s hotel scene is now booming – we check into a new townhouse and check out pads in LA, Miami and Vienna.

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SIX THINGS I’VE LEARNT How TanOrganic’s Noelle O’Connor struck gold with her eco-certified bronzers, the first on the Irish market.

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C

old hands, warm heart: the half-million people who call Minneapolis home know they’re on to a winner and it’s getting harder to keep this special place a secret. Native son Prince was fond of saying that the harsh winters kept the worst of the world at bay, making his hometown a very attractive place for getting important work done. A port city thanks to the Mississippi river, it’s the headquarters for global giants General Mills, Cargill, United Health, Target Corp and many other Fortune 500 companies, fostering a dynamic and growing economy while other American cities of a similar size have battled the depths of the Great Recession.

It’s a metropolis for sports lovers, with football’s Vikings and baseball’s Twins dazzling crowds in state-of-the-art new stadia, while shopping has a broad appeal of designer boutiques and vintage treasure troves (and no sales tax on clothes). It also ranks amongst America’s most literate cities and the arts scene is flourishing: the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Guthrie Theater and Walker Art Center attract millions of visitors each year, and the thriving music scene continues to evolve, whether it’s hip-hop, guitar rock, or EDM – all genres converge at First Avenue, the nightclub made famous

by Purple Rain.

Moreover, nature lovers are never far from parks and recreation, with cyclists especially well served by a network of dedicated pathways. A chain of lakes – Cedar, Isles, Bde Maka Ska (the former Lake Calhoun), Harriet and Nokomis – slices a green belt through the southern half of the city, offering boaters and swimmers a variety of summer pleasures that turn to a wonderland of ice-fishing, skating and crosscountry skiing when the temperature drops. And thanks to waves of immigrants, from old-school Swedes and Poles, post-war Vietnamese to Generation-Z Latinx and Somalis, you can eat your way around the world without leaving town, partaking in what one restaurant writer called “the Silicon Valley of food”.

Diverse Minneapolis was also recently named by Forbes magazine as America’s healthiest city; it is also wealthy and wise. Every neighbourhood – from the hipster art-party vibe of northeast to the foodie, lakeside culture Linden Hills in the southwest – has the capacity to charm, delight and incubate The Next Big Thing.

EAT

CLASSIC With an Art Deco storefront, unpretentious, crisp-uniformed staff and a soda-fountain menu virtually unchanged since 1934, Convention Grill in posh Edina serves classic diner burgers, bushel-sized orders of skin-on fries, perfect malts and sundaes drenched in own-recipe hot fudge. A perfect destination for team lunches, with a stylish extra helping of lively all-American nostalgia.

(3912 Sunnyside Road +1 952 920 6881; conventiongrillmn.com)

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RETRO The former home of an Al Capone “front” business – and why drinks are listed on the menu as “furniture” – Al’s Place is a jazz speakeasy and supper club of elaborate cocktails and punchy Italian food, left, accessed through a secret door in the photo booth at the back of a sports bar. Spats optional. (2500 University Avenue NE +1 612 788 2529; alsplacempls.com)

TRENDING No visit to Minneapolis is complete without sampling Vietnamese cuisine but Christina Nguyen’s Hai Hai is a cut above even the most delicious of the mom-and-pop cafés scattered across the city, marrying the latest in street food trends with tropical craft cocktails. Stave off midwinter chills during their legendary happy hours, or luxuriate in summer heat on the spacious patio. (2121 University Avenue NE, +612 223 8640; haihaimpls.com)

GET SMART

PRINCELY

ASSETS

Minneapolis is enjoying a purple patch, says Susan Corrigan, thanks to its thriving economy and proud multiculturalism.

ARRIVALS The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul have raised the area’s public transport game over the last decade, with an expanding light-rail system due to serve all parts of the metropolitan area by 2023. Travellers touching down at Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport can take a Blue Line light-rail train direct to Nicollet Mall – the heart of Downtown Minneapolis – in 20-25 minutes. Buy single tickets from station kiosks; fares are $2 off-peak, $2.50 peak. metrotransit.org NAVIGATION An eminently walkable city, Minneapolis takes urban footfall to another level – literally. Joining up 80 city blocks via 16 kilometres of pathways and bridges, the Skyway is the world’s largest enclosed secondlevel system. Connecting offices, hotels, restaurants, shops, government buildings and a plethora of coffee carts and street food vendors, it’s possible to conduct the day’s business without venturing outdoors. Its centrepiece, the Crystal Court at the IDS Building on Nicollet Mall, is a great meeting point with excellent people-watching opportunities. skywaymyway.com

SMART FLIERS AER LINGUS flies from Dublin to MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL daily from July, 2019.

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SLEEP

ICON A thrilling Art Deco landmark that’s been a lynchpin of Minneapolis’ skyline since 1929, W Minneapolis – The Foshay offers dizzying views of the city from its observation deck and Prohibition bar, along with the clean lines and comfort of rooms in the heart of Downtown. It has a touch of Gotham City that contrasts beautifully with its steely neighbours, sending a Bat Signal to trend-conscious millennials and traditionalists alike. Rooms from $167. (821 South Marquette Avenue, +1 612 215 3700; marriott.com)

HISTORIC Views of the mighty Mississippi and untamed parkland reward guests of the 19th-century Nicollet Island Inn, a converted miller’s warehouse nestled in the St Anthony Falls conservation district. Its nearest neighbours are some of Minneapolis’ oldest homes and restaurants, and its charming rooms are a short hop from Downtown meetings or the vibey bars and Instagrammable dining destinations of arty, friendly northeast Minneapolis.

Rooms from $219. (95 Merriam Street +1 612 331 1800; nicolletislandinn.com)

DESIGN The industrial chic of the North Loop neighbourhood – a stone’s throw from both Downtown and the Warehouse District light rail stop – attracts urban pioneers from all over the world. Get your hygge on at Hewing Hotel, where Nordic touches abound in its spacious rooms, fika-friendly Social Club and Tullibee restaurant.

Undoubtedly one of the finest places in the city to get in touch with Minnesota’s Scandinavian heritage, in sustainably edgy fashion. Rooms from $179.

(300 North Washington Avenue, +1 651 468 0400; hewinghotel.com)

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ADVERTORIAL

CLAIRE FITZPATRICK STRATEGIC OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, CONSENSYS

WHO ARE CONSENSYS? ConsenSys is a global technology company. Enabled by the Ethereum blockchain, we focus on building new products and services, by partnering with corporates and governments around the world. The ConsenSys Dublin studio is Ireland’s largest blockchain company and also one of Ireland’s fastest growing companies.

CLAIRE FITZPATRICK Claire Fitzpatrick joined ConsenSys in 2018 with over 20 years of experience working for large multinationals (telecommunications, FMCG), two Big 4 consultancy firms, and as the founder of a successful startup acquired by a Big 4 firm. Claire now leads the scaling of ConsenSys Ireland.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE CONSENSYS SOLUTIONS? ConsenSys Solutions brings blockchain to business. We help enterprises, governments, nonprofits, and startups across the globe build, test, and deploy public and private blockchain solutions. We offer education, advisory, and development service as well as opportunities for joint ventures and co-creation.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE COMPANY? Two words: People and Scaling. A big attraction was getting to work with people across the globe from such an array of backgrounds both professionally and personally. The conversations are exciting, focusing on exploring real use cases to deliver value in tandem with the creation of new business models and cross-industry alliances to decentralise and disrupt. I am able to utilise my broad experience as a founder, corporate venture investor, and chartered accountant to contribute to

@CONSENSYS

outcomes. I compare ConsenSys’ exponential scaling to my early days in mobile telco where we were rolling out our network infrastructure, educating our customers on the value of mobile and then scaling at a pace to keep up once the adoption of the technology reached the tipping point. At ConsenSys, I am convinced that I get to be a part of a similar journey for a second time.

WHAT IS EXCITING TO YOU ABOUT BLOCKCHAIN? At this stage, it’s the sheer size of the opportunity the technology presents. It can bring about a new level of transparency through the simplification of processes both from the enterprise and consumer viewpoints. In a world where trust is becoming more and more important, blockchain can help provide that trust.

That it may unlock access to scarce resources for people in a world where it is most needed.

@CONSENSYSSYSTEMS

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CEO INSIDER…

Originally from Bruges in Belgium, Barbara De Laere moved to Minneapolis in 2016. She is the global general manager/SVP for Aveda, the Minnesota-based beauty brand. With a vision to grow Aveda into a beauty destination for the conscious consumer looking for high-performance, naturally derived beauty, Barbara leads the brand with an instinctive passion for both beauty and sustainability.

Where do you entertain clients? At Aveda we always put sustainability first, so naturally I’m drawn to restaurants with a similar mission, whether that’s through sourcing local, organic ingredients or having a straw-free policy. I’m also vegan but have found it easy to find plant-based food on nearly every menu. My favourite place to take out-of-town guests for a quintessentially Minnesotan dining experience is The Bachelor Farmer (50 North 2nd Avenue, +1 612 206 3920; thebachelorfarmer.com) in Minneapolis’ North Loop. The menu is fresh with organic and locally sourced ingredients – many grown on their own rooftop farm – and draws inspiration from Minnesota’s Nordic heritage. The place is so inviting and feels both woodsy and urban-chic at the same time. The Lynhall (2640 Lyndale Ave South, +1 612 870 2640; thelynhall.com) is a femaleowned, stylish eatery with a real sense of community: be sure to order the roasted mushroom toastie and a cup of chai. More than a restaurant though, it features an all-day café, a lively cocktail bar and a cosy fireplace. There’s also an incubator kitchen in the back, where local entrepreneurs can kick-start their business. Gorkha Palace (23 4th St NE, +1 612 886 3451; gorkhapalace. com) is a gem in Northeast Minneapolis, serving up flavourful Nepali, Indian and Tibetan cuisine, all made with ingredients

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sourced from local farms. Their momos [dumplings] are a must-try. Young Joni (165 13th Ave NE, +1 612 345 5719; youngjoni.com) is my go-to when I need to impress. The ambience is warm and energetic, and it’s always buzzing with locals and visitors who have read about their wood-fired pizzas and Korean-inspired fare.

Any artistic favourites? The Walker Art Center (725 Vineland Pl, +1 612 375 7600; walkerart.org) is the perfect destination if you’re looking for more than just a meal. It’s a world-leading contemporary art gallery that also features a great restaurant, Esker Grove (+1 612 375 7542; eskergrove.com), which serves a seasonal menu in a room overlooking the museum’s sculpture garden.

A stroll through the sculpture garden after lunch is a must; it features more than 40 pieces by world-renowned artists.

How do you get around the city? Our headquarters is just outside Minneapolis, so I drive quite a bit now. After living in Paris, Shanghai and New York, it was an adjustment to get used to driving as my main form of transit but I was really impressed with how easy – and quick – it is to get around. In the warmer months, Minneapolis is also a great biking city, with miles of cycling trails and multiple bikeshare programmes making for an accessible and fun way to get around.

Minnesota winters: love or loathe?

I’ve fallen in love with the cold winters – I learned quickly that it’s important to just get outside and embrace it. I stay active by going up north, discovering new places to hike or snowshoe.

What do you do for downtime? I’m rejuvenated by the natural world. Taking a walk along the Mississippi and watching the water gently flow along grounds me.

Top, Aveda’s Barbara De Laere, who swapped her native Brussels for Minneapolis.

Left, Nordic flair at The Bachelor Farmer; and below, the eminently Instagrammable Walker Art Center.

Fly return to Minneapolis-St Paul from Dublin for 40,000 Avios points. Remember, if you don’t have enough Avios points to fly to where you want to go, you can use the Avios points you have and pay the rest in cash.

*BASED ON RTN FLIGHTS IN PEAK PERIOD, EXCL. TAXES AND CHARGES

How does the city inspire innovation?

Minneapolis is nicknamed The Bold North, not just because of the infamous winter weather but also because of its people.

I find myself surrounded by inspirational innovators, creators and entrepreneurs everywhere I go, making it easy to network and make strategic connections. Nestled alongside the Mississippi River, Minneapolis is reminiscent of many thriving European cities: it’s a bustling centre of business that also contains a breadth of natural beauty.

WINTHROP, DELIVERING TURNKEY DATA CENTRES, FASTER, LEANER & SMARTER. YOUR EXPERIENCED PARTNER FOR DATA CENTRE’S IN EUROPE.

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Delivered 57 MW over 18 months

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Business

I LOVE VISITING …

Jeanne Mahony is a co-founder of Hope Beer, an award-winning microbrewery based on Dublin’s northside. Hope Beer produces a range of craft beers available in many Irish pubs and shops and also in France, Italy and Russia.

7am Years of getting kids up for school means I am awake every morning at around 7am.

I still have a child in the school system, sitting her final exams this year, so I help her get organised and out the door on time.

8.15am I am lucky to live in a place of exceptional natural beauty: the Hill of Howth, the Cliff Walk and Burrow Beach are all in my backyard so, if I have no early morning appointments, my day starts with a walk with my two Golden Labradors, Buster and Bailey.

9.30am My role in the company is extremely diverse – retail and pub sales, digital marketing, exports, event management, online merchandise sales and Brewery Tour bookings – but I usually spend mornings with customers.

We have built some fantastic relationships with local retailers, restaurants and pubs, many of whom are new to the concept of craft beer but even the most traditional pubs are seeing the benefits of having a locally brewed beer on the menu. As a craft brewer, we compete with some of the biggest brands in the world for space on tap banks and menus, using as our main sales tools a smile and a handshake, exceptional service and, of course, great beer. I spend a lot of time calling on customers, chatting about how the product is selling, gaining market intelligence and simply showing appreciation for their business.

2.30pm Much of my afternoon is taken up preparing and carrying out tours and tastings.

Visitor groups include customers (eg bar staff), tourists, brewing clubs, educational

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MAURA HICKEY

A DAY IN THE LIFE

AMSTERDAM Despite living in the Netherlands for eight years in the 1990s, I still find something new every time I visit and Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities. I recently took a taxi (you can also take a ferry/bike) to Amsterdam Noord on the other side of Central Station, specifically Hotel Het Goudfazant for great food in the coolest, retro setting.

groups and interested locals. We are ideally located for tours as the brewery is right beside Howth Junction train station and many of our visitors jump back on the train and head to Howth to finish up in one, or a few, of the great restaurants and bars dotted around the village.

6pm We often have evening promotional activities such as festivals, corporate events, or in-store tastings. If not, I try to be home to cook dinner for my family, although I’ve got very good at batch cooking on a Sunday for the week.

7pm I’m still very involved in Malahide Basketball Club, unfortunately not as a player anymore but as a coach to the under-18 girls’ team that competes in the Dublin league. So two to three times a week we are training or have a match. Sport is my passion, so I spend most of my spare time watching or playing golf, rugby and basketball.

9pm Owning your own business means you never fully switch off and as my husband is one of the other co-founders, we talk about beer 24/7. But I love the life – there is something new every day – and the thrill of seeing the business grow from what was a mere nugget of an idea three years ago to a fully-fledged, thriving enterprise today.

Hope Beer is one of four winners of the Aer Lingus Start-Up Awards, which celebrates small up-and-coming businesses at Aer Lingus’ home base of Fingal.

NEW YORK You just can’t beat it – my last visit was August 2018. Kinky Boots on Broadway was fantastic and the Metropolitan Museum is not to be missed.

The building itself is worth the entry price alone. I also love Balthazar for great food and cocktails or if you want to mingle with real New Yorkers, head to Cipriani’s just off the lobby of the Sherry Netherland hotel.

SWITZERLAND I lived near Bern in Switzerland for four years and got to experience the magnificent scenery through all four seasons. Take a railway tour around the Bernese Oberland, arriving in Lauterbrunnen where the train to one of the highest altitude train stations in Europe.

Jungfraujoch, or “The Top of Europe”, is nearly 3,500 metres above sea level and the view will simply take your breath away.

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Business Hotel

CALL OF THE

WILDER Dublin’s hotel scene is booming – and one converted Victorian townhouse is a welcome addition.

T

wenty-eighteen saw a record number of construction cranes surging out of Dublin City, but there have been many restorations of historic buildings too. One such renovation is southside’s The Wilder Townhouse, tucked discreetly on Adelaide Road, whose beautiful, redbrick bones date back to 1839.

Victorian-listed and three-storeyed, this all-new hotel transformed by architect Grainne Weber is an antidote to the often sterile, homogenous offerings aimed at the business traveller. Punning prints and inspo quotes combine with smoked parquet flooring, marble mosaic bathrooms, glossy walnut panelling, jewel colours and strokeable velvet. It works like a charm.

So-called Shoebox rooms are ideal for short-term travellers looking to rest their

weary heads after back-to-back meetings and mingling, while Small, Popular and Accessible options offer more breathing space. Suites are, naturally, larger still and thus a shoo-in for longer-stay guests yearning for the more ample comforts, and amenities, of home.

Swish-toiletry fans will love the in-room Replica by Maison Margiela Paris treats, while the Art Deco inspired Gin and Tea Rooms bar combines two of the world’s most zeitgeist of bedfellows. The strictly residents-only Garden Room, which serves breakfast, is a

satisfying prospect that thwarts the likelihood of business meetings interfering with the very important, singular business of feasting like a king. Those early morning executive brainstorms can wait, frankly, when there are oozy poached eggs and a cold buffet on offer.

The townhouse’s location in Dublin 2 – less than ten minutes’ walk from St Stephen’s Green and close to Ballsbridge – is an equally attractive reason to consider going wild in this upmarket enclave of the city. Rooms from €155. thewilder.ie

VIENNA “Authentic” remains the buzzword for modern-day travellers and Grätzlhotel has it in spades, offering street-level suites in four buzzy neighbourhoods: Neubau, Karmelitermarkt, Meidlinger Markt and Belvedere. Each self-catering pad has a self-check-in system (access code for keys) and an Urbanauts Hospitality concierge for the inside scoop during your stay. Suites from €120. graetzlhotel.com

WEST HOLLYWOOD Sunset Tower hotelier Jeff Klein has added another string to his bow – 850, a 23-room boutique hotel. Klein’s company has redeveloped the San Vicente Inn – a clothing-optional, men-only motel – into an upscale, residential-style property. A communal lounge invites schmoozing, the pantry invites guest chefs, and the rooftop terrace encourages serious downtime.

Rooms from $395. number850.com

3 NEW CRIBS ON THE BLOCK

MIAMI Need somewhere to stay for December’s Art Basel or January’s Art Deco Weekend? Look no further than The Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, which opened in 1940 and was recently resuscitated with a multi-million-dollar refurbishment by the Autograph Collection. Dapper, light and airy rooms are punctuated by a frieze of turquoise – the Atlantic Ocean beyond. Rooms from $169. cadillachotelmiamibeach.com 118 |

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Business

6 THINGS I’VE LEARNT

4

Trust your gut That pit in your stomach each time you meet a potential business partner.

The frisson of excitement that accompanies sudden insight into a problem. These gut reactions can convey valuable information about potential choices – in a fraction of the time it takes to consciously analyse your options. A polite “no thank you” is your way of making yourself available for the right opportunities that are just around the corner. I’ve been grateful for the times that I’ve turned down opportunities based on my gut instinct.

Trusting your gut is the best business tool you’ve got – if you can listen.

SMART CITY

5 NOELLE O’CONNOR is the founder and managing director of TanOrganic, the world’s first and only eco-certified organic tan and skincare line. A qualified beauty therapist and lecturer, she has been in the beauty industry for over two decades. Launched in 2010, TanOrganic still holds the title for Ireland’s most successful Dragons’ Den business, achieving €1m in sales in its first three months of trading.

1

Accept your weaknesses No one is perfect and everyone, no matter how successful, has faults. I don’t waste time trying to cover up my faults. Instead, I accept them, face reality and do my best to work on them. There is no greater sign of confidence than self-acceptance.

2

Learn from the past Your past does actually reflect your future. This is something to remember both in your personal and business life. I always try to keep things

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in perspective and have treated each mistake as a learning experience. This has made me grow into a better, more rounded individual. I have made so many mistakes I’ve lost count. I like to refer to them as learning curves.

3

Don’t be afraid to start small So many people are afraid to get started because they think they need a lot to go somewhere in this world. Don’t be afraid to start small. Everyone has to start somewhere and you don’t need a lot to do it.

Surround yourself with positive people You need to keep your energy positive and upbeat, and one way you do that is by spending time with the right people – whether it’s friends, colleagues or prospects. Hanging out with haters and doubters is “the fastest way down”. I have definitely invested less time in friendships in which there’s a lot of drama or negativity or judgement. All of that drains me and I’m on a mission to create big, big things. Let’s all lift one another up.

6

Noell e’s

Never make a decision based solely on financial gain Making money is a huge motivator in all of our lives but I have learned first-hand that you should never travel down a road just because there is promise of financial gain. You need to have a real passion for what you are doing and the decisions you are making for them to be worth it.

DESTINATION Time after time I find myself drawn back to the sparkling lights of Los Angeles. A place with endless possibilities and opportunity, LA is bursting with vibrant excitement.

STAY Shutters on the Beach is a gateway to a time-gone-by of old-school charm and romance. One can simply get lost in the beauty of the rustic vintage balconies overlooking the rolling Santa Monica waves. shuttersonthebeach.com

EAT A feast for the senses, n/naka in Palms, LA, offers a Japanese gastro experience like no other. With a menu that changes with the seasons, the food is presented like works of art and mesmerises your taste buds. n-naka.com

Aer Lingus flies from Dublin to Los Angeles up to six times per week.

Committed to building for a better future

JJ Rhatigan & Company is a leading main contractor at the forefront of the construction industry for over 65 years, combining speed and quality across a diverse range of capabilities.

We pride ourselves in the well-deserved reputation for delivering complex, large-scale projects and have worked in collaboration with multinationals on developments including manufacturing facilities, cleanrooms, laboratories and office buildings.

With extensive Design and Build experience and our track record of working with leading companies in the Biopharma, Medtech and Technology sectors, we deliver projects on time, on budget and to the highest international standards, which is what matters to our Clients.

Teleflex Medical, Global Operations & International Headquarters

Medtronic Customer Innovation Centre

PPD, Laboratory & Biopharmaceutical Facility

Commercial / Office / Data Centres / Industrial / Residential / Pharmaceutical / Medtech / Hotel GALWAY / DUBLIN / CORK / SLIGO / LONDON

www.jjrhatigan.com

Building the present, creating the future Delivering construction solutions, within budget and on time, for: · FDI Hi-Tech Facilities · Data Centres · Healthcare Facilities

Wishin g yo u a ver y Happy

Ch

ris tma and a s Prospe ro us New

· Commercial Offices · Biopharma · Pharmaceutical · Civic Buildings · Educational · Fit-out · Infrastructure · PPP Investment And FM Services

www.bamireland.ie

Building in Ireland for 60 years; it’s in our DNA

Year!

OURLM FI O T PO CE H CPAGEI131

Inflight Sit back, relax and let Aer Lingus look after your inflight comfort and entertainment. Enjoy delicious food, the latest box office movie releases, a wide range of shopping and news from Aer Lingus.

Flying with Aer Lingus 124 Welcome On Board 126 Your Comfort and Safety 140 Flight Connections 142 Our Route Networks 146 Connecting to Wi-Fi Inflight Entertainment 130 Box Office Movies 132 Movie Classics 134 TV Shows 136 Binge Watching 138 Music & Radio

AERLINGUS.COM |

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Welcome On Board Flying with Aer Lingus means you will experience excellent customer service, comfort and, of course, safety. There’s plenty for you to enjoy on board and, on the following pages, you will discover how we’ll be taking care of you. If you have any special requests, be sure to let us know.

After all, we’re here to help you make the most of your flight.

In touch with Aer Lingus If you are availing of Wi-Fi on your flight today, why not let us know what you’re up to on board and where you are going.

Take a photo and post it to our Facebook page. Let us know how you’re enjoying your flight on Snapchat or Instagram. Chat to us on Twitter where you’ll also find the latest flight information. View our videos of milestone events, festivals, sponsorships and campaigns on YouTube.

Aer Lingus is proud to be recognised as Ireland‘s only 4-star airline, awarded by Skytrax, the world‘s leading airline and airport review specialists.

Why not try spea king a few words of the native language while you are visiting Irelan d!

Fáilte Welcome Dia dhuit Hello Slán go fóill Good bye ...is ainm dom My name is.. .

Conas atá tú? Ho w are you?

Tá mé go maith I’m good Sláinte! Cheers Go raibh maith agat Thank you Gabh mo leithsc éal Excuse me Cara Friend

Guests with wheelchair requirements If you require a wheelchair to help you reach or depart from the plane, then we’re here to help you. Your comfort and safety are our priority, so please let us know at least 48 hours in advance and we will look after you.

When contacting us you will need your booking reference number.

Assistance Contact Details specialassistance@aerlingus.com Ireland (0818) 365 011 09:00–17:00 Mon–Fri 10:00–16:00 Sat & Sun 10:00–16:00 Bank Holidays UK (0871) 718 20 21 Europe +353 1 886 8333 USA (516) 622 4222

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Portable Electronic Devices You can use portable electronic equipment on flights but some devices can interfere with aircraft equipment, creating potential safety risks. Knowing how to set up your device for flight use and when to switch it on and off are therefore very important. Please note that certain devices may not be used.

Your Comfort and Safety When you fly with us, you want to know that we’re looking after your comfort and safety at all times.

We are. It is our number one priority and our crew are trained to ensure you reach your destination as relaxed as you need to be.

In return, we ask for your attention when it comes to safety announcements and knowing when, and how, to turn on your mobile, smartphone or portable device.

To avail of our Wi-Fi and Mobile Network on our A330 aircraft, you must switch off flight mode on your device – once our crew advise it is safe to do so. Follow the simple steps on page 146.

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Are you ready for take-off and landing?

• Is your mobile phone and/ or other portable electronic device in flight mode?

• Is your seatback fully upright?

• Is your armrest down?

• Is your tabletop stowed?

• Have you stored your bags in the overhead locker or under the seat in front of you?

To use your mobile phone and all other portable electronic devices during taxi, take-off or landing, they must be switched to flight mode or the flight safe setting.

If you wish to use your phone during your flight, please make sure you select flight safe mode before your phone is powered off. Please note, if your device does not have a flight safe mode it may not be used on your flight.

After landing and only when crew have advised that it is safe to do so, you are permitted to use your mobile phone, provided it is within easy reach. You must remain seated with your seatbelt fastened and follow the instructions of the cabin crew.

Devices permitted at any time Devices powered by micro battery cells and/or by solar cells; hearing aids (including digital devices); pagers (receivers only); heart pacemakers.

Devices permitted inflight only* Laptops, portable CD-players, mini-disk players, GPS handheld receivers, electric shavers and electronic toys. For the comfort of other guests, audio devices should be used with a headset. If using laptops inflight please select flight safe mode before takeoff. *Not permitted during taxi/take-off/ initial climb/approach/landing.

Devices prohibited at all times Devices transmitting radio frequency intentionally such as walkie-talkies, remote controlled toys; wireless computer equipment (eg mouse, keyboard); PC printers, DVD/CD writers and mini-disk recorders in the recording mode; digital camcorders when using CD write facility; portable stereo sets; pocket radios (AM/ FM); TV receivers; telemetric equipment; peripheral devices for handheld computer games (eg supplementary power packs connected by cable); wireless LAN (WLAN).** **Laptops with built-in WLAN (eg Centrino) may be used during flight, provided the WLAN option is turned off and subject to the restrictions associated with the use of laptops detailed above.

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Your Comfort and Safety

Please pay attention to the cabin crew while they demonstrate the use of safety equipment before take-off, and we strongly recommend that you read the safety instruction card in the seat pocket in front of you.

Airbus 33

0-200

For your Safety

Here are a few tips to make your journey more comfortable:

A safe flight for everyone It is worth repeating that your safety – and that of everyone on board – is our number one priority therefore we ask that you:

Keep moving: On longer flights particularly, try to change your sitting position regularly and avoid crossing your legs. Take a walk in the cabin once the seat belt sign is off as this will get your circulation going and refresh your legs.

• Please pay attention to instructions given to you by the cabin crew.

Ear care: Cabin pressure changes can be painful, particularly if you have a cold, sinusitis or existing ear problems. If you experience these problems during the flight, have a chat to our cabin crew.

Drink up: Keep yourself hydrated throughout the flight by drinking plenty of water.

Eye care: If you are a regular contact lens wearer, it is a good idea to bring your glasses with you in case your eyes feel dryer than usual.

Time zones: Help beat jet lag by setting your watch to your destination’s time when you arrive on board. This will help you adjust to the new time zone faster.

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• Do not consume any alcohol brought onto the aircraft by you or another guest (including Duty Free alcohol purchased from Boutique). It is illegal to do so.

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ON Airplane Mode

• Do not interrupt cabin crew while they carry out their duties and do not interfere with aircraft equipment.

• We also want to make it clear that Aer Lingus may refuse to allow a guest on board if it is thought that too much alcohol has been consumed.

• Similarly, behaviour or language towards other guests or crew members that is deemed to be threatening or abusive will not be tolerated.

• Taking photographs or video of airline personnel, equipment or procedures is strictly prohibited on board.

• Taking photographs or video of other guests on board without their express consent is prohibited.

• You may take photos or video of guests travelling in your party for your own personal use.

In line with Irish Government regulations, Aer Lingus has a no smoking and no electronic cigarettes policy on board.

These are not permitted in any part of the cabin.

ove from

Airc raft

D UNNE & C RESCENZI

Italian restaurant & wine bar Importers of fine Italian wines

www.dunneandcrescenzi.com ‘Dunne & Crescenzi changed the way the Irish eat’ - Tom Doorley

Box Office Movies Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Aer Lingus presents a variety of recently released movies for your enjoyment on board your flight.

Welcome to the international multiplex cinema in the sky.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

PG13

118 mins | Action Ant-Man and the Wasp team up to uncover past secrets.

Stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas IT

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

Ocean‘s 8

PG13

110 mins | Crime An all-female crew attempt an impossible heist at the Met Gala. Stars Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

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Christopher Robin

Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission goes horribly wrong for them.

PG

Crazy Rich Asians

PG13

Deadpool 2

R

104 mins | Animation A new Disney tale with an old friend Winnie the Pooh.

Stars Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Bronte Carmichael

120 mins | Comedy A native New Yorker travels to Asia to meet her boyfriend‘s family.

Stars Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh

119 mins | Comedy Deadpool brings together a team of fellow mutant rogues. Stars Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

Sicario: Day of the Soldado

R

Solo: A Star Wars Story

PG13

Tag

120 mins | Drama Matt Graver re-teams with Alejandro to overcome the drug war. Stars Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin

135 mins | Adventure Join Star Wars’ iconic scoundrel in an all-new adventure. Stars Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke

100 mins | Comedy How far some guys will go to be the last man standing.

Stars Jeremy Renner, Isla Fisher, Ed Helms, Jake Johnson

EN FR DE

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

Don‘t Worry, He R Won‘t Get Far on Foot 114 mins | Biography An accident unearths a new lease of life for John Callahan.

Stars Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara EN FR DE

R

The Darkest Minds

PG13

103 mins | Sci-Fi A group of teens reclaim control of their future. Stars Bradley Whitford, Mandy Moore, Amandla Stenberg EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

OUR ILM TOP F ICE CHO

Crazy Rich Asians This contemporary romantic comedy, based on a global bestseller, follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend‘s family.

I Feel Pretty

PG13

109 mins | Comedy An insecure woman wakes from a fall gaining new confidence. Stars Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Emily Ratajkowski EN

The Meg

PG13

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

PG13

Life of the Party

PG13

Mamma Mia! HereWe Go Again

PG13

Mission: PG13 Impossible – Fallout

128 mins | Adventure A couple rescue the dinosaurs from a volcano eruption. Stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard

105 mins | Comedy A divorced mother returns to college to complete her degree. Stars Melissa McCarthy, Matt Walsh, Molly Gordon

114 mins | Musical Sophie learns about her mother‘s past while pregnant herself. Stars Amanda Seyfried, Lily James, Meryl Streep

147 mins | Action The IMF team race against time after a mission goes wrong. Stars Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE ES CCEN

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

The Predator

R

113 mins | Horror A man must save those trapped in a sunken submersible. Stars Ruby Rose, Jason Statham, Rainn Wilson

101 mins | Horror A crew of ex-soldiers and a teacher aim to save the human race. Stars Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

The Spy Who Dumped Me

R

Incredibles 2

PG

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

PG

110 mins | Adventure Two friends become entangled in a conspiracy.

Stars Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, Justin Theroux

118 mins | KidZone Helen battles a new villain while Bob takes on life at home. Voiced by Craig T Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L Jackson

88 mins | Animation A villain aims to sabotage five teen superheroes‘ dreams.

Voiced by Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Greg Cipes

EN FR DE IT

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

G General PG Parental Guidance PG13 Parental Guidance. Not suitable for children under 13. R Restricted. Not suitable for children under 18.

Available in EN English FR Français DE Deutsch IT Italiano ES Español CCEN Closed Caption English ADEN Audio Descriptive English ENS English Subtitles AERLINGUS.COM |

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Movie Classics 12 Angry Men PG13 92 mins | Stars Henry Fonda, Lee J Cobb, Martin Balsam

A Time to Kill 149 mins | Stars Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey

EN FR

A selection of classic movies is available on board today along with some mind-bending, dreamthemed movies such as Inception, Field of Dreams and The Wizard of Oz. Plus don‘t forget to check out some of our new and award-winning Irish shorts and features too!

Alice In PG Wonderland 109 mins | Stars Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp

Field of Dreams PG 106 mins | Stars Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta

Good Will R Hunting 127 mins | Stars Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck

EN

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

EN FR

EN FR DE

PG13 Hereafter 126 mins | Stars Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard

Hidden Figures PG 127 mins | Stars Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe

Hot Fuzz 121 mins | Stars Simon Pegg, Nick Frost

EN FR DE IT

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE IT ES

Independence PG13 Day: Resurgence 116 mins | Stars Liam Hemsworth

Invictus PG13 129 mins | Stars Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon

Lethal R Weapon 3 117 mins | Stars Mel Gibson, Danny Glover

Lethal R Weapon 4 117 mins | Stars Mel Gibson, Danny Glover

Runaway Jury PG13 127 mins | Stars John Cusack, Rachel Weisz

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE ES

EN FR DE IT ES

Tango & Cash R 104 mins | Stars Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell, Teri Hatcher

The Judge R 138 mins | Stars Robert Downey Jr, Robert Duvall

The Lord of PG13 the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lucky One PG13 98 mins | Stars Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling

The Martian PG13 141 mins | Stars Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig

EN

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE IT ES CCEN

The Matrix R 130 mins | Stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss

The Nice Guys R 114 mins | Stars Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice

The Wizard PG of Oz 102 mins | Stars Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger

To Kill a PG13 Mockingbird 129 mins | Stars Gregory Peck, John Megna

We‘re the Millers 110 mins | Stars Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston

EN FR DE IT ES

EN FR DE IT

EN FR DE IT

EN

EN FR DE IT ES

Green Zone 115 mins | Stars Matt Damon, Jason Isaacs, Greg Kinnear

R

EN FR DE IT ES

R

179 mins | Stars Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett

R

PG13 Inception 144 mins | Stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page

R

I R I S H S H O R T & F E AT U R E S

Acorn PG13 11 mins | Stars Aideen Wylde, Aidan O‘Hare, Luke Kerins

B-Day PG13 6 mins | Stars Kevin Kiely Jnr, Richie Ryan, Christina McMahon

Colour of PG13 Forgiveness 10 mins | Stars Christina McMahon , Tom Neville

Dublin PG13 Oldschool 95 mins | Stars Emmet Kirwan, Ian Lloyd Anderson, Seána Kerslake

Ghostgaff PG13 6 mins | Stars Martha Breen, Barry Kinsella, Zara Devlin

I Am Your PG13 Rock 2 mins | Voiced

by Michael McLaughlin

Reach PG13 5 mins | Stars Sarah Flood, Ronan P Byrne

The Silver PG13 Branch 75 mins | Stars Patrick McCormack

EN

EN

EN

EN

EN

EN

EN

EN

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REAL LIFE

TV Shows Aer Lingus is home to some of the most anticipated new shows on TV including comedy, drama, documentary, lifestyle, business, sports and kids programmes.

Modern Family Season 8 of the hit US comedy sees the three families deal with a series of incidents including the return of ex partners, pushy parents and awkward high school social situations in their usual comedic way.

The episodes onboard feature guest appearances from Kelsey Grammar and Elizabeth Banks. On board is Series 8, Episodes 9–12.

BUSINESS

L AU G H O U T L O U D

2 Broke Girls Two waitresses at a diner hope to launch their business Baskets A man pursues his dream to become a professional clown Detectorists Two metal detectorists plod along ploughed tracks Family Guy A family are thrown from one crazy scenario to another Fleabag A young woman is trying to cope with life in London Friends The lives of six friends in NY Hang Ups A man reinvents his therapy practise It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Five friends run an Irish bar Peep Show Two housemates strive to cope with day-to-day life The Big Bang Theory The gang tackle marriage and parenthood The Last Man On Earth Lives of survivors after a deadly virus The Middle The daily mishaps of a semi-dysfunctional family 134 |

SPORT

L E A R N & D I S C OV E R

Alibaba: The Global Distruptor E-commerce company Alibaba Bloomberg Businessweek Debrief Dwyane Wade speaks to Joel Weber Brilliant Ideas Richard Mosse on issues of conflict and perception Hello World A tech-travel show Leaders with Lacqua Chairman and CEO of illycaffè The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations UAE businessman Khaldoon Al Mubarak

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1916: The Irish Rebellion The Easter Rising and Irish Independence Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown The nuances of Berlin Cake Boss Buddy designs a flamenco cake for a dance school Daniel & Majella‘s B&B Roadtrip Daniel and Majella venture to Cork Don‘t Tell the Bride (Ireland) A bride hands control of her wedding over to the groom Healthy Appetite Ireland‘s top chefs create healthy dishes Nigella: At My Table How cooking can make us feel better Room to Improve Dermot Bannon meets Enda and his project That Hack Show Tips to help you save time and money Travel Man Richard takes comedian Joe Lycett on a tour of Amsterdam

Building Ireland Ireland’s building and engineering achievements Car SOS 5 Fuzz and Tim aim to transform a 1962 Jaguar Mark 2 Dogs: The Untold Story How dogs have evolved from predators to pets Dressed Up For Winter 2018 All the greats in fashion collide How To Build...Everything How to build objects, such as a drone It‘s a Park‘s Life Two rangers take us on their patrol of Phoenix Park Jesus: Countdown to Calvary Hugh Bonneville explores the death of Jesus No Words Needed: Croke Park 2007 One of Irish sports most memorable events Origins: The Journey of Humankind A story of how fire transformed our biology The Secret World of Trees A closer look at the different trees in Ireland

Chronicles of a Champion Golfer Analysing the traits required to become a Champion Golfer Dream Teams Examining some of Liverpool and Italy’s best teams Epic Trails Eric Hanson explores some of the world’s top trails The Burning Issue Discussing some of basketball‘s hottest topics The Kayak Fishing Show A journey into sport fishing Up Close With Messi discusses motivations and challenges NEWS & EVENTS

In addition to our extensive selection of TV shows, Aer Lingus brings you exclusive weekly news updates, as well as updates from the world of sport.

VIR AL

AreYaHavingThat LeatherJacketGuy drinks reviewing channel Cian Twomey Hilarious compilation of sketches by Irish internet star Clisare Videos from one of Ireland‘s most popular Vloggers, Clisare Drawn & Recorded Lesser known music stories Foil, Arms & Hog Compilation from the hilarious Irish comedy group Melanie Murphy One of Ireland‘s most popular Vloggers WELLBEING

101 Exercises to Try Before You Die Discover 101 exercises In My Mind Breaking down the stigma around mental health Taking Back the Years Exploring approaches to fighting aging What‘s Really in Our Food? The real science behind the food we eat You Can Do Better Matthew Latkiewicz and Abbi Crutchfield tackle major topics My Perfect Family Heart-warming stories about caring for your family K I DZ O N E

Giving Tales Classic fairy tales

by Hans Christian Anderson Mr Men and Little Miss Roy Hargeaves‘ classic stories Star Wars Rebels Rebels battle to free Sabine‘s father The Lion Guard Bunga has an unorthodox babysitting style Tom & Jerry A compilation of the classic cat and mouse cartoon Ultimate Spider-Man Spider-Man battles evil with a new team Wabbit The hilarious, heroic and mischievous Bugs Bunny is back

MUSIC & ARTS

Kila Pota Óir Documentary about one of Ireland‘s cult bands Making It Talented people compete in this crafting series QI A comedy panel game with Sandi Toksvig and four comedians Smart Secrets of Great Paintings Examining the The Wedding at Cana (1563) by Paul Veronese Stars of the Silver Screen Great actors of the 20th century The Biggest Weekend 2018 The best music festival in the world!

The Good Place Eleanor (Kirsten Bell) and her three friends confront Michael (Ted Danson) now that they know the truth about the ‘Good Place‘. However, many reboots later, it becomes clear that his experiment is a failure. Soon it becomes a battle between humans and demons with Michael caught in the middle.

On board is Series 2, Episodes 3 & 4.

DISCOVER THE INTRIGUING TALE OF IRISH WHISKEY

Whiskey tasting Guided tours Venue hire Off Iicence & Bar

For over 175 years everyone has enjoyed a warm Irish Welcome in The Temple Bar. Lovers of whiskey have enjoyed Irelands largest whiskey collection, complimented with live Irish music sessions daily at the friendliest spot in Dublin.

@irishwhiskeymuseum BOOK NOW! +353 (0) 1 525 0970 WWW.IRISHWHISKEYMUSEUM.IE 119 GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN 2 (OPPOSITE MAIN ENTRANCE OF TRINITY COLLEGE)

2w0in1ne7r

Binge Watching Choose from a broad selection of boxsets to watch on board from the dark and moody drama Sharp Objects to the apocalyptic drama The 100.

Delve into the hugely popular House and Peaky Blinders or the mystery drama Blindspot. Also on board are Gotham, Vikings, The Walking Dead and Westworld.

Blindspot Season 3

House Season 8 PG13 Final season of a smash hit medical series. Played by Golden Globe-winner Hugh Laurie, our protagonist is an antisocial maverick doctor who does whatever it takes to solve puzzling cases using his crack team of doctors and his wits.

PG13

Gotham Season 4

The Walking Dead Season 8 R

PG13

Peaky Blinders Season 3 & 4 R The third season starts with the long-anticipated wedding of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy).

But he is caught in a dangerous web of international intrigue as he battles with forces that threaten to split his family apart.

Sharp Objects Season 1 R Based on the 2006 debut novel

by Gillian Flynn, this mini-series tells the story of a self-loathing, alcoholic journalist’s quest to investigate a murder in her hometown.Starring five-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams. | AERLINGUS.COM

PG13

In the apocalyptic drama, The 100, Clarke (Eliza Taylor) and her friends must risk everything to fight one last battle for survival, only to glimpse an even darker threat to the last living valley on earth.

Gotham recommences with Jim Gordan and Harvey Bullock at the forefront of the fight against the unhinged villains, until a certain Bruce Wayne steps into the fold as potential protector and champion of the city.

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The 100 Season 5

An unidentified woman with amnesia is found covered with tattoos, and the FBI soon realise that each one is a crime to solve, creating a map that leads to the truth about her identity and mysteries yet to be revealed.

In this season, after deciding basic survival is not enough, Nick initiates ‘All Out War‘ against Negen and his forces, in an attempt to take back their freedom.

Vikings Season 5

R

With Ivar the Boneless asserting his leadership over the Great Heathen Army, season five develops into an engrossing tale of startling alliances and unbelieavble betrayal as the struggle for power continues.

Westworld Season 1

R

Westworld is an exclusive futuristic theme park which allows those who can afford a ticket an opportunity to live out their fantasies through artificial intelligence, an overindulgence which results in chaos for all involved.

GOLD

STAR AWARD

The full range is available from stockists including

Arnotts, Blarney Woollen Mills, Brown Thomas, House of Fraser, House of Ireland & The Kilkenny Shop

waterfordvisitorcentre.com waterford.eu

H.E.R.

Music & Radio

Contemporary R&B artist H.E.R. surfaced in 2016 with her debut eponymous EP. Since then, she – real name Gabriella Wilson – has emerged from the shadows of her anonymous alter-ego to reveal brutally honest snapshots of young black womanhood in the 21st century. I Used to Know Her: The Prelude continues the unveiling, a six-track record intended to whet fans‘ appetite before her debut album dropped in November 2018.

Browse through our selection of music and create your own playlist from a collection of over 1,000 albums.

On Demand Radio allows you to select and view your favourite radio shows.

CL ASSIC AL

Vespertine Ellen Cranitch, RTÉ lyric fm The Full Score with Liz Nolan RTÉ lyric fm EASY LISTENING

An hour long compilation of easy listening songs from Fitzpatrick Hotels INDIE

Lost in Music Louise Duffy, Today FM IRISH

Ceol na nGael Seán Ó hÉanaigh, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Irish Pulse Compilation of Irish artists POP

Pop Charts Compilation of favourite pop songs RTÉ Gold Digital Radio Micky Mac‘s Dance Show, RTÉ Gold The Eoghan McDermott Show, RTÉ 2FM The Fix in the Mix with Brian Maher 98FM Ronan Collins RTÉ Radio 1 K I DZ O N E

The Cosy Corner on RTÉ Junior RTÉ Junior, Sophie creates a calm space for kids 138 |

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ROCK

Marty Miller Radio Nova TA L K

Best of Moncrieff Seán Moncrieff, Newstalk RTÉ Radio 1 Documentary on One Two documentaries are on offer from RTÉ Radio 1‘s multi award winning Documentary On One. The first is on the choices three generations of women in an Irish family have made, and the second on Joyce, a women who by her own admission is only living a ‘half life‘.

PODCAST

Podcast: Erin‘s Isle Ken and Carmel Galway Cathedral and Michael Vignoles Dangan Butter and King John Music at the Gate Blarney Stellar Storytelling Life‘s a Beach!

Ageless Arts Drogheda‘s Celebration of Culture

RTÉ Lyric fm – The Full Score with Liz Nolan Liz Nolan presents a showcase of unabridged musical masterworks, featuring live recordings of Irish and international performers, plus selections from the latest CD releases.

Podcast: Erin‘s Isle Featuring a series of podcasts about Ireland. From the raw beaches of the east coast that border the Irish Sea to the Wild Atlantic Way and Galway bay, find out why Ireland is a beach-lover’s wonderland.

Learn about the art of storytelling in Ireland and meet its lovely people.

We appreciate your feedback on our inflight content. Tell us what you think, send us a tweet!

Paul Simon In the Blue Light is Paul Simon’s 14th solo album and an exercise in reinvention. Simon worked with his long-time producer Roy Halee and a host of guest musicians to produce new recordings of ten old songs. Don’t expect to hear any of his big hits here – instead Simon selected lesser-known work, breathing new life into overlooked songs such as Darling Lorraine to dazzling effect.

ALL TIME FAVOURITES

Boney M Nightflight to Venus Carole King Her Greatest Hits (Songs From Long Ago) Céline Dion All the Way...

A Decade of Song John Denver The Essential John Denver Mariah Carey Music Box Michael Bolton Michael Bolton –The Very Best A LT E R N AT I V E

Amy Shark Love Monster MGMT Little Dark Age The Lone Bellow Walk Into a Storm The Neighbourhood The Neighbourhood The VoidzVirtue TOMI What Kind of Love CL ASSIC AL

2CELLOS Let There Be Cello Adam Laloum Brahms: Piano Concertos Christian-Pierre La Marca, Lise de la Salle Paris-Moscou Howard Arman Rossini: Sabat Mater Olga Peretyatko The Secret Fauré: Orchestral Songs & Suites Various Artists James Horner – The Classics

COUNTRY

Johnny Cash Hit Collection – Edition Mitchell Tenpenny Mitchell Tenpenny Old Crow Medicine Show Volunteer Scotty McCreery Seasons Change Tenille Townes Living Room Worktapes Willie Nelson My Way

JA Z Z

Camille Bertault Pas de géant Herbie Hancock The Best of Herbie Hancock: The Hits!

Markus Stockhausen Eternal Voyage (Live) Regina Carter Ella: Accentuate the Positive Thomas Quasthoff Nice ‘N‘ Easy Till Brönner & Dieter Ilg duo Nightfall

ELEC TRO

Ayokay In the Shape of a Dream Groove Armada Groove Armada Greatest Hits Kygo Kids In Love Lost Frequencies Less Is More Saint Etienne Smash The System Singles 1990–99 The Chainsmokers Sick Boy IR ISH

Celtic Thunder Inspirational Celtic Woman Homecoming: Live from Dublin The Script The Script The Willis Clan Speak My Mind Van Morrison You‘re Driving Me Crazy We Banjo 3 Haven

M E TA L

Arch Enemy Will to Power At The Gates To Drink from the Night Itself Judas Priest Firepower Krisiun Scourge of the Enthroned Ozzy Osbourne No More Tears (Bonus Track Version) Papa Roach Crooked Teeth OPER A

Anita Rachvelishvili Anita Christian Gerhaher Romantische Arien Jonas Kaufmann L‘Opéra Nuria Rial, Maurice Steger Baroque Twitter Pretty Yende Dreams Regula Mühlemann Cleopatra – Baroque Arias

We Banjo 3 The Celtgrass quartet that hail from the west coast of Ireland explode onto the scene again with their fifth studio album, the first recorded in America.

A soaring triumph, it mixes instrumental with vocal tracks that showcases their incredible musical skills and delivers a beautiful message of tolerance.

P OP

AJ Mitchell Hopeful Christina Aguilera Liberation Delta Goodrem I Honestly Love You Elley Duhé Dragon Mentaility Magic! Expectations Tove Styrke Swayy RNB

Earth, Wind & Fire September H.E.R. H.E.R. H.E.R. I Used To Know Her: The Prelude Ro James Smoke The Carters Everything is Love The Internet Hive Mind

ROCK

Dreamcar Dreamcar Jimi Hendrix Both Sides of the Sky Lovelytheband Finding it Hard to Smile Paul Simon In the Blue Light The Vaccines Combat Sports Three Days Grace Outsider K I DZ O N E

Archie Campbell Kids, I Love ‘Em! Burl Ives Burl Ives Sings Little White Duck and Other Children's Favorites Kenny Loggins More Songs From Pooh Corner Nicolette Larson Sleep, Baby Sleep The Backyardigans The Backyardigans Various Artists The Wacky World of Mother Goose AERLINGUS.COM |

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Flight Connections at Dublin Airport

Dublin Airport provides FREE Wi-Fi throughout the Terminal

Welcome to Dublin Airport Are your bags checked through to your final destination?

YES Follow signs for Flight Connections

Naisc Eitilte Flight Connections

NO Follow the signs for ‘Baggage Reclaim’. After clearing passport control, your baggage belt will be displayed on the screens.

Collect your bags, exit through Customs and proceed to Aer Lingus Check-in Terminal 2.

Aer Lingus Flight Connections Desk

Our staff are on hand for any queries you might have. Here, you can collect your onwards boarding pass and check your next boarding gate and flight status

Where are you flying to?

USA USA

GATES 401–426 15 minutes walk to gate GATES 101–335 20 minutes walk to gate

Have all your required forms filled out.

Passport Control and Security Screening

ALL OTHER DESTINATIONS

GATES 401– 426 15 minutes walk to gate

Follow signs for US Preclearance

Geataí Gates

101-335

401-426

Geataí Gates Réamh-Imréitach SAM U.S. Preclearance

Duty free purchases containing liquids over 100ml must be in a sealed and tamper-proof bag with the receipt inside.

Gate Information Screens

Hand Baggage search Follow signs for Flight Connections

Departure Gate

AerClub Concierge, Platinum and Silver members are welcome to visit the Aer Lingus Lounge. You can work, eat, drink or even grab a shower between flights.

| AERLINGUS.COM

If you have any queries about your connecting flight at any of our North American destinations please ask us. We will do everything we can to get you to where you need to be.

Flight Connections T2 London Heathrow

Enjoy refreshments in one of the restaurants or cafés.

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Flight Connections for North American destinations

On arrival at Terminal 2, Heathrow, please follow the purple signs for Flight Connections.

Which terminal are you flying from?

For Terminals 3, 4 and 5, a dedicated bus will transfer you. Buses are free and depart every six to ten minutes. If you are flying from Terminal 2, proceed to security screening and enter the departures lounge.

Security screening You will pass through security screening at this point. Your hand baggage will be checked to ensure it conforms to UK and EU regulations. Liquids in containers over 100ml are not allowed through security.

Departure lounge Check the screens in the departure lounge for when your gate opens and when your flight is ready for boarding.

Historic O’Neill’s

See Exquisite Pieces of Crystal manufactured before your eyes

D

ublin is well known for being one of the best places to spend Christmas and the New Year. It comes alive with festive spirit, smiling faces, spectacular street lights, carol singing, pantomimes, Santa’s Grottos and maybe even a bit of snow.

This New Year’s Eve celebrations promise to be bigger and better than ever, and we’re right in the middle of everything.

What better way to enjoy this festive fun than a visit O’Neill’s, one of Dublin’s most famous and historic pubs. Whether you’re a visitor, native Dubliner or coming home for Christmas, when you visit O’Neill’s you’ll receive a warm and friendly welcome.

Drop in for a mince pie and mulled wine or a delicious traditional Roast Turkey and Baked Ham dinner with all the trimmings. We have some real crackers on the menu this year, In fact, Lonely Planet rate us as one of the Top five Places to find ‘Real Irish food in Dublin’. Food is available throughout the day, starting at 8.00am with our ‘Really Good’ Irish Breakfast Menu, until late every evening.

We also have Traditional Irish Music and Dancing 7 nights-a-week, a fully heated Roof-Top Beer Garden and Smoking Area, the largest selection of local Irish Craft Beers on tap in Ireland and a connoisseur Whiskey Bar. On top of that we offer free Wi-Fi to all our customers just to help you keep in touch!

Sure where else wouldyou want to go?

Open daily Traditional Irish Music and Dancing 7 nights-a-week.

Book a day trip from Dublin with Railtours Ireland a selection of freshly roasted meats at the Carvery.

“It’s crystal clear”

A factory tour where you can almost rub shoulders with the artisans as they produce beautiful objects

OUR WORLD FAMOUS CARVERY

“Great Tour of Waterford Crystal”

Great history, very close to the process and really beautiful items

M.J. O’Neill, Suffolk Street, Dublin 2. Tel. 01 679 3656. www.oneillspubdublin.com Mon-Thurs: 8.00am-11.30pm / Fri: 8.00am-12.30am / Sat: 8.00am-12.30am / Sun: 8.00am-11.00pm

On social media:

www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com Email: houseofwaterfordcrystal@fiskars.com Phone: +353 (0) 51 317000

Top 5 places to find Real Irish Food in Dublin

Our European and North American Route Network

Anchorage Juneau

Ketchikan

Edmonton

Vancouver

Bellingham

Victoria

Seattle Portland

Saskatoon

Eugene

Calgary

Regina Winnipeg

Vancouver Bellingham

Victoria

Wenatchee

Seattle

Spokane Pullman

Pasco Yakima

Thunder Bay

Kalispell Great Falls

Walla Walla

Portland Redmond Eugene

Missoula

Belgrade

San Jose

Traverse

Boise

Milwaukee Madison

Sioux Falls

Denver

Reno

Kansas City

Oakland

Fort Wayne Chicago

Springfield Las Vegas

Monterey San Luis Obispo Los Angeles Santa Barbara Burbank Ontario Long Beach Palm Springs Santa Ana San Diego

Oklahoma City

Tucson

Providence

Boston Hyannis Nantucket Martha’s Vineyard

New York (JFK) Philadelphia

Greensboro

Charlotte

Greenville Atlanta

Richmond Norfolk Raleigh–Durham

Columbia Charleston

El Paso Houston

Halifax

Portland ME

Washington (National)

Knoxville

Dallas (Fort Worth)

Austin

Newark

Columbus Harrisburg Baltimore

Lexington

Memphis

Albany

Hartford

Washington (Dulles)

Little Rock Phoenix

Rochester

Pittsburgh

Moncton Fredericton

Burlington Syracuse

Cincinnati

Nashville

Tulsa

Akron Canton

Dayton

Indianapolis Louisville

Wichita

Buffalo

Detroit Cleveland

St Louis

San Francisco Fresno

Des Moines

Toronto

Grand Rapids

Cedar Rapids Omaha

Montreal

Ottawa

Minneapolis–St Paul

Salt Lake City

Santa Rosa

Duluth

Billings

Medford

Sacramento

St. John’s

Quebec Fargo

New Orleans

Tallahassee Pensacola

San Antonio

Savannah

Jacksonville Gainesville

Orlando Tampa Fort Myers

West Palm Beach Fort Lauderdale

Miami Key West

Honolulu Honolulu Kahului Kahului

San Juan Aguadilla Ponce

We are the best choice for connecting Europe to North America. You can travel from Dublin direct to thirteen US destinations, or two destinations in Canada, and benefit from up to 100 onward connections with our partner airlines. You can also fly from Shannon direct to Boston and New York JFK. With US Customs and Border Protection Preclearance at Dublin and Shannon airports, you will save time and avoid queues in the US. Arrive in the US before you depart Ireland.

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Aer Lingus European and North American Network Aer Lingus Regional routes (Operated by Stobart Air) Aer Lingus Regional and mainline routes Aer Lingus partner destinations (Operated by Flybe, for routes via Dublin to North America) Aer Lingus partner destinations (American Airlines, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Jetblue, United Airlines and WestJet)

Route map correct at time of print.

Aer Lingus fly direct to and from over 100 destinations across Ireland, the UK, Continental Europe, Canada and the US. Our vast network and partners will also connect you to dozens of other cities in North America. Visit aerlingus.com for more information.

Aberdeen Glasgow

Donegal

Newcastle

Belfast

Leeds Bradford Doncaster Manchester

Isle of Man

Knock

Dublin

Shannon Kerry

Edinburgh

Birmingham

Cork

Cardiff Newquay

Bristol Exeter

Hamburg

Amsterdam London London City London Southend Heathrow

Southampton

Berlin

DĂźsseldorf

London Gatwick

Brussels Prague

Frankfurt

Jersey

Paris

Stuttgart Vienna

Munich

Rennes

Budapest

Zurich

Nantes Geneva Lyon Bordeaux

Toulouse

Santiago de Compostela

Bilbao

Montpellier Perpignan

Venice Milan Verona (Malpensa) Milan (Linate) Bologna Pula Nice Pisa

Split

Marseille

Bourgas

Dubrovnik Rome

Barcelona

Naples

Madrid

Alicante Murcia Malaga Faro

Tenerife

Corfu

Palma

Lisbon

Lanzarote Fuerteventura

Lanzarote TenerifeGran Canaria

Try our online route map You can view our destinations and book your flight directly from our route map. Perfect for viewing from your tablet, it is built using Google maps so no need to install any software, just browse and book!

Athens Catania

Izmir

Our Middle East and Australasia Route Network You can book flights from Dublin to destinations in the Middle East and Australia via London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi. Visit aerlingus.com for more information.

Dublin

London Heathrow

Bahrain

Dubai

Abu Dhabi

Muscat

Kuala Lumpur Singapore

Aer Lingus routes via Abu Dhabi (Operated by our codeshare partner Etihad Airways) Aer Lingus routes via London Heathrow (Operated by our codeshare partner British Airways)

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Perth Sydney

Melbourne

Staying connected on board*

Choose how you access the internet on board. We have three options for you to select.

THE SMARICTE CHO

Aer Social

Aer Max

€6.95

€13.95

€29.95

UP TO 50MB

UP TO 120MB

UP TO 250MB

$7.95

Mobile Network on board

With our onboard mobile network, AeroMobile, you can use your phone for text, email and internet browsing, just like you would on the ground**.

Stay connected even as you cross the Atlantic.

1 Switch on

$15.95

$32.95

Wi-Fi on board in six steps

On our A330 aircraft you can stay in touch with everything that matters, even when you’re in the air. Here’s how to connect your Wi-Fi enabled devices.

1 Switch on

Switch on your mobile when it is safe to do so, keeping it on silent or vibrate mode.

Ensure you switch off flight safe mode.

Once the safety belt sign has been switched off, turn on your device and connect to the Telekom HotSpot Network. SSID: Aer_Lingus_WiFi

2 Aeromobile

2 Connect

Wait for the AeroMobile network signal to appear. If your device does not connect automatically, manually select the AeroMobile network through network settings.

Launch or refresh the browser to connect to the Aer Lingus portal. You can browse aerlingus.com for free along with some of our partners’ sites.

3 Welcome SMS

Click the ‘Buy Internet Access’ button and choose a plan.

Once connected you will receive a welcome SMS from AeroMobile. You may also receive a pricing message from your mobile operator.

International roaming rates apply.

4 Connected

You can now use your phone for SMS, MMS, email and browsing the internet. ** Voice calls are disabled and are not permitted during flight. Remember to manage your settings to avoid automatic data download and roaming charges.

International roaming rates apply from your mobile phone operator 146 |

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3 Purchase Internet Access

4 Payment

Select your payment method which is processed via a secure connection. Credit card, roaming, iPass, PayPal or Deutsche Telekom accounts are accepted.

5 Username and Password

Enter a username and password. You need to remember these if you wish to change device.

6 Connected

You can now browse, email and surf the internet… enjoy! *A330 aircraft only.

ROCKBORO PRIMARY & PRE-SCHOOL BR CELE

ATING 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION 1969-2019

• Independent co educational primary school • Multi denominational • Small class size -maximum 20 pupils per class • Broad enhanced curriculum • Academic excellence and holistic education

• Diverse extra curricular activities • Sparks after school programme and homework club • Science and computer lab • Ecce pre-school scheme • Outdoor playing fields and early years garden

HILLSBORO, BOREENMANNA RD, BALLINTEMPLE, CORK

t: 021 4314324 • e: rockboro@eircom.net • www.rockboroschool.ie

WELCOME TO YOUR WORLD-CLASS 4-STAR AIRLINE. In recognition of our consistent quality and excellent guest experience, Skytrax World Airline Awards has rated Aer Lingus 4-stars, making us the first and only Irish airline to receive such a prestigious rating.

Smart flies 4-star. Smart flies Aer Lingus.

Aerlingus.com

U.S. IMMIGRATION LAWYERS SINCE 1997

Excellent track record representing: • • • • •

Professionals Executives Investors Intra-company transferees Multi-national managers

• • • •

Family-based petitions Interns and trainees Artists Outstanding individuals in athletics, business, entertainment and science

For client testimonials visit: www.obrienandassociates.com @usvisaexpert

New York Office: T: 212-965-1148

Deirdre O’Brien, Esq.

Kilkenny Office: T: 056-7767994

MEMBER OF AMERICAN IMMIGRATION LAWYERS ASSOCIATION

Vi c to r i a n H e r i ta g e P u b Whether you are travelling long haul or short haul a visit to The Long Hall is a must while in Ireland.

Established in 1766 and celebrating 250 years in business this shrine to antiquity is one of Dublin’s oldest, most beautiful and best loved pubs, abundant in traditional charm and exuding genuine Victorian originality. Attentive Bartenders, a warm welcome and a friendly atmosphere await you. Renowned amongst locals for great Guinness.

Try our Limited Edition Powers “The Long Hall” Single Cask Release.

Cask No.11791 was bottled especially for us to mark our 250th Anniversary.

OPEN DAILY AT 12 NOON 51 South Great Georges Street, Dublin 2 | Tel: +353 1 475 1590

Cocktails from ¤7.95

DUBLIN EXCLUSIVE GLENDALOUGH POITÍN € 6.95 Poitín is Ireland's historic predecessor to whiskey.

It can be traced as far back as 584AD in the monastic settlements of Glendalough.

Fleet Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 HARDROCK.COM

B R E BEFOR WS GOOD T

HIN

: THREES IN E M GS CO

!

R E E B

WINGS

&

RS , BU RGE

E I DO’S !

START YOU R STAG N G I HT RIGH T!

2

COUR

MENSUE

+B

19 €

EER

.95

*T&C’s apply

STEPHEN’S GREEN • TEMPLE BAR • DUNDRUM BLANCHARDSTOWN • SWORDS • LIFFEY VALLEY

BOUTIQUE | SHOPPING

TOP PICKS Our selection of gadgets, accessories and scents from this season’s Boutique magazine.

ALLROUNDO ALL-IN-ONE CHARGING CABLE Never get stuck without a charger when you're on the hoof – this compact cable has six different ways to connect your devices.

MORGAN & OATES CASHMERE SCARF Stay cosy with this reversible scarf made using 100 per cent, finest cashmere.

PACO RABANNE 1 MILLION LUCKY Smell like a million euros with Paco Rabanne's iconic scent.

SONIC CHIC DELUXE TRAVEL TOOTHBRUSH For the gadget-loving globetrotter, this travel-friendly toothbrush is a boon for pearly whites.

TIME BERLIN VIDEO & CAMERA WATCH How very James Bond ... This stainless steel timepiece is equipped with a camera and a 4GB internal memory.

AERLINGUS.COM |

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TRIP OF A LIFETIME | DERMOT HIGGINS

NO LIMITS In 2018, Dermot Higgins broke a world record as the oldest person to cycle around the world, aged 56. Here he recounts his incredible feat.

got a terrible fright when I happened to see my reflection in the full-length mirror of the Backpacker Hostel in Washington DC, only two weeks away from the end of my “Trip of a Lifetime”. The person staring back at me bore very little resemblance to the one who started out on the GoGoDermo Around the World Cycle almost nine months earlier. He was a lot thinner, more tanned and a good deal hairier, but it was the look in his eyes that shocked me most: that strange, distant yet knowing look, which only occurs after a lifechanging experience.

I

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Project GoGoDermo has certainly been life enhancing.

In the many struggles, challenges and exhilarating moments that I experienced on my 30,000-kilometre odyssey around the world on two wheels, I rediscovered my spirituality, became a social and political activist and made many thousands of new friends.

This adventure took me from Madrid in Spain, where I started on June 30, 2017 through France and Italy, into the Balkans and Eastern Europe and from there into Kazakhstan, a country which took me six weeks to cross and almost all of it into a headwind.

From there, it was onwards into

Boy racer – Dermot, a youthful 56, is nonetheless the ‘oldest’ person to have cycled the globe.

India and South East Asia. I spent December and January in Australia and New Zealand, crossed the Pacific to Los Angeles and spent a further six weeks cycling across the southern states of the USA and then northwards to a chilly Washington DC in time for St Patrick’s Day. It was a great joy to be able to join friends as we became the “Twelve Apostles” on the last leg from Lisbon to the finishing line in Madrid, which we reached, on schedule, on Easter Sunday – April 1, 2018.

The physical challenge of cycling solo, covering an average of 145 kilometres, six days a week for nine months, in all sorts of weather and road conditions, was indeed daunting. But that was nothing compared to the mental challenge.

Loneliness, fear and self-doubt sometimes made me think that I’d never complete the journey. But the kindness of strangers, the joy of cycling in beautiful, far-flung places and my appetite for adventure kept me motivated to finish, becoming at 56 years old, the oldest person ever to have circumnavigated the world by bicycle.

Traversing India from east to west was both the highlight and the worst part of the trip. The culture shock I experienced, with so many bright colours, cacophony of sounds, incredible religious devotion, the mingling of rich and putrid smells, strange delectable food, the heaving mass of humanity ... All excited and terrified me in equal measure.

I’m often asked why I took on this challenge. The full answer is too long and complex so I usually simply say, “because I wanted to see if the world really is round”. And what have I discovered? Well, it is round, it’s really big, it’s beautiful and it’s populated by the most wonderful people.

Only a few weeks after finishing GoGoDermo, I was already planning the next big adventure. In 2020, I hope to become the first human being to circumnavigate the world on a bicycle via the Poles, one of the very few “firsts” left in the world of exploration and adventure.

If it’s physically possible, I’ll give it my best shot.

Enjoy THE TEMPLE BAR IRISH WHISKEY Sensibly