Cara February/March 2014

CARA Magazine February/March 2014

February/March 2014

Chef Clodagh McKenna Rugby player Johnny Sexton

Club class

Craft breweries

Writer Jonathan Dee plays golf in Kerry

To infinity and beyond

Golf in Kerry

Visit Florida’s Space Coast

The Croatian Riviera Explore the best of Istria

Istria

A fine romance

Paris

Paris à deux

Orlando Hanover Lyon

PLUS

MEET THE IRISH CRAFT BREWERS

Racing post JOHNNY SEXTON GOES GALLIC

COMPLIMENTARY COPY

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Contents FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

58 Kerry gold

94

We ♥ Paris

42 What’s brewing?

Check in

Features

04 ARRIVALS Recognise anyone? We welcome globetrotters at Dublin Aiport’s T2

36 RACING CERTAINTY David Robbins tackles rugby player and emigré Johnny Sexton

07 CHECK IN Our edit of cool people, places and pursuits this season 20 ON MY TRAVELS Singer/songwriter James Vincent McMorrow’s greatest holiday hits 22 SMART TRAVELLER Designer Carolyn Donnelly on doing business in Milan 24 MY TRAVEL NOTEBOOK Postcards from stylist Darren Kennedy 26 SHELF LIFE Bridget Hourican leafs through the latest reads, and chats to author Niamh Boyce 29 THE HIGH FLIER Lucy White talks to Clodagh McKenna about the new Aer Lingus inflight menu 32 MERCY FLIGHT David Adams’ Philippines aid drop with GOAL 34 ON THE RUN The best fitness breaks by Fran “Health Kick” Power

42 SMALL BEER Ben Webb gets a taste of Ireland’s craft beer scene 58 MAN V NATURE Jonathan Dee’s whistle-stop tour of three top Kerry golf courses 72 THE FINAL FRONTIER David Robbins boldly goes to Florida’s Space Coast 84 THE BEST OF ISTRIA Croatia’s Pula ticks all the boxes, discovers Jane Foster 94 ALL YOU NEED IS ... PARIS? Lucy White feels the love

Regulars

72 On top of the world

104 48 HOURS IN HANOVER Knut Diers’ best bits 107 AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO LYON Simon Barry leads the way 111 AER LINGUS INFLIGHT The latest news and onboard entertainment 136 TRIP OF A LIFETIME Hurling and nuptials combine for Damien Moroney

Contributors EDITORIAL Editor Frances Power Deputy Editor Lucy White Assistant Editor Niamh Wade Contributors Sive O’Brien, Amanda Cochrane, Liz Dwyer Group Editorial Director Laura George ART Art Director Clare Meredith Creative Director Bill O’Sullivan ADVERTISING Commercial Director Clodagh Edwards +353 (0)1 271 9634, clodagh.edwards@image.ie Advertising Manager Noëlle O’Reilly +353 (0)1 271 9621, noelle.oreilly@image.ie Advertising Copy Contact Derek Skehan +353 (0)1 855 3855, dereks@typeform.ie

Peter Dybowski and David Sciora met in Ireland a couple of years ago and started collaborating as travel photographers under the name Big Smoke Studio. Shooting some of the best golf courses in the world for Cara, see “Man v Nature” on page 58, was quite an experience. “We loved the idea of capturing two mates playing golf and jumped at the opportunity to travel to Kerry. Seeing them braced against the wind and rain and enjoying the occasional beam of sunlight gave us a new admiration for golf,” says Peter, “It also changed my mind about the sport – it can actually tax you mentally as well as physically!”

Jo Jonathan Dee is the author of six novels, in including A Thousand Pardons, Palladio, and Th Privileges, which was a finalist for the The 20 2010 Pulitzer Prize and winner of the 2011 Pr Prix Fitzgerald and the St Francis College Lit Literary Prize. He is a contributing writer for Th The New York Times Magazine, and a former se senior editor of The Paris Review. For Cara, he ca came to Ireland last June to play three Kerry go golf courses, see page 58. “After the hard wo work of golfing was done, I made it to Dublin just in time for Bloomsday,” he said. “Pubs ove overflowing with James Joyce impersonators.

A dream pilgrimage for any novelist.”

Publisher Richard Power ADMINISTRATION Events & Communications Manager Maeve Barry, +353 (0)1 271 9643, maeve.barry@image.ie Acting Financial Controller Barbara O’Reilly Credit Controller Lisa Dickenson BOARD OF DIRECTORS Managing Director Richard Power, richard.power@image.ie Chairman Ann Reihill Directors Robert Power, Gina Traynor, Patrick Dillon-Malone, Laura George PRINTING Boylan Print Group ORIGINATION Typeform Cara magazine is published on behalf of Aer Lingus by Image Publications, Unit 3, Block 3 Harbour Square, Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, Ireland, +353 (0)1 280 8415; advertising sales, +353 (0)1 271 9625; fax +353 (0)1 280 8309; image.ie, email info@image.ie. Company registration number 56663 © Image Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. Editorial material and opinions expressed in Cara magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of Aer Lingus or IMAGE Publications Ltd. Aer Lingus and IMAGE Publications Ltd do not accept responsibility for the advertising content.

Please note that unsolicited manuscripts or submissions will not be returned. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Production in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission from IMAGE Publications Ltd.

Unlike many, Australian photographer

Carina Okula wasn’t thrilled about the

prospect of moving to France. At the time, a resident of the Canary Islands, she was loathe to bid farewell to sunny skies and lunar landscapes, thus arriving to Paris dragging her sandy heels ... heavily. Thirteen years on, she’s more than seduced by the Gallic capital, happily calling it home. “Shooting the story for Cara [see page 94] was a delight! Capturing Paris will never tire for me. Being able to walk the streets I love so that others might experience the beauty of the city turns a good day into a fabulous one.”

Cara magazine is a member of Magazines Ireland.

IMAGE Publications Ltd is a member of the Press Council of Ireland and supports the Office of the Press Ombudsman. To contact the Press Ombudsman, visit pressombudsman.ie or presscouncil.ie

February/March 2014

Club class

Writer Jonathan Dee plays golf in Kerry

To infinity and beyond

Visit Florida’s Space Coast

The Croatian Riviera Explore the best of Istria

A fine romance

IMAGE Publications Ltd –

PUBLISHING COMPANY OF THE YEAR 2010 TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL NOËLLE O’REILLY ON +353 (0)1 271 9621 OR EMAIL NOELLE.OREILLY@IMAGE.IE

Paris à deux

PLUS

MEET THE IRISH CRAFT BREWERS

Racing post JOHNNY SEXTON GOES GALLIC

COMPLIMENTARY COPY

ON THE COVER

Rugby player Johnny Sexton photographed in Dublin by Richard Gilligan, assisted by Andrew Nuding

who? Adela Gallego with sons, from left, Jacob and Angel Flying in From ...

Madrid hErE For ... Working mum, Adela, brought the boys back to Spain for Christmas. Now it’s home to Dalkey.

who? Sean Moffitt Flying in From ...

Glasgow hErE For ... Sean holidayed with his folks in Scotland after a semester in Trinity College Dublin. This climber returns to Seattle after a tour of Europe.

who? From left left, Helen, Joseph and Elizabeth Dunphy Flying in From ...

London Heathrow hErE For ... Joseph is home after six months working on a dairy farm in New Zealand. His mum Helen plans to fatten him back up.

Arrivals

On a blustery January day, Cara Magazine Maga was at Dublin’s T2 to meet me globetrotters returning for work, school and study after a New Year break abroad. who? Loui Louise and d Martin Swe Sweeney Flying in From ... Geneva hErE For ... It’s school time again for these siblings who have just spent a week on the slopes.

WorDS By NIAMH WADE / PHoToGrAPHS By ANTHoNy WooDS

who? From left, Britta, Livia, Lillian and Lucas McDonagh Flying in From ... Geneva hErE For ... This skiing family have returned to unpack the cases and pack the school bags.

who? Paulius Salna Flying in From ...

Amsterdam hErE For ...

This Lithuanian first-time flyer is in Dublin on business.

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February/March 2014

who? Saskia Waechter, a German now living in Dublin, and Pauric Dooley Flying in From ... Geneva hErE For ... It’s back home to work for this snowboarding pair.

who? From left, Carmen Huth and Sarah Denizli Flying in From ... Dusseldorf hErE For ... En route to Doolin, Co Clare, to work as au pairs. These German friends plan to brave the Cliffs of Moher and test a typical Irish pub in their free time.

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Blarney Castle & Gardens Renowned for bestowing the gift of eloquence

See and feel Irelands heritage, built nearly six hundred years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftains.

Spend the day exploring the extensive grounds and gardens.

Open all year round 5 miles from Cork Open Monday- Sunday 9-6 www.blarneycastle.ie info@blarneycastle.ie n

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Find out what’s on, where and when in February and March

Bailey’s Stardust at London’s National Portrait Gallery is studded with portraits of more than 250 heavenly creatures. Many are famous, some are anonymous, but each image has been handpicked by its master creator, David Bailey. From actors to street vendors, models to musicians (like the young Mick Jagger, pictured), his eclectic subjects were shot over a career spanning more than half a century – on show for the first time is Bailey’s new portrait of Kate Moss, and an unseen series shot in India’s Naga Hills in 2012. Until June 1. npg.org.uk

MICK JAGGER BY DAVID BAILEY, 1964 © DAVID BAILEY

Hot stuff

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CINEMA

Film festival fever As the film awards season climaxes with the Academy Awards on March 2, film festivals are gathering pace. In Ireland, the eleven-day Jameson Dublin International Film Festival (jdiff.com) kicks off on February 13 with a gala screening of Calvary, a comic thriller reuniting director/ writer John Michael McDonagh with actor Brendan Gleeson.

Some 130 films provide “a snapshot of contemporary world cinema, alongside fantastic Irish films and an opportunity to see and hear some of the most exciting talents working in film today,” says JDIFF’s director Grainne Humphreys, who adds: “2014 is going to be a vintage year for Irish cinema.”

Indeed – Irish screen talent will be transatlantically lauded at the Chicago Irish Film Festival, February 28 to March 8 (chicagoirishfilmfestival.com), Boston Irish Film Festival, March 20-23 (irishfilmfestival.com) and Irish Film Festa in Rome, March 27-30 (irishfilmfesta.org). Closer to home is the Dingle International Film Festival, Co Kerry, March 14-17 (dinglefilmfestival.com), while aspiring young filmmakers will love the New York Children’s Film Festival, March 7-30 (gkids.com), with 100 screenings, workshops and Q&As. The mammoth Glasgow Film Festival, February 2 to March 2 (glasgowfilm.org), also includes a busy youth programme.

STAY

4 blockbuster hotels

Put on the glitz with a stay at a star-spangled spot.

Astoria7

San Sebastian, Spain “Which star will stay with you tonight?” teases the sign above the reception of this former cinema. Each of its 102 rooms is dedicated to film greats, from Bette Davis to Robert De Niro.

La Concha Beach is a 15-minute stroll away and Bilbao airport within 100 kilometres. Rooms from €94. +34 943 445 000; astoria7hotel.com

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Tribeca Grand Hotel

New York, US This sleek pile in downtown Manhattan hosts the annual Tribeca Film Festival, and for good reason – it has a plush, 100-capacity Grand Screen auditorium. Guests can rest their heads where once an A-lister slumbered in one of its 201 guest rooms and suites.

Rooms from $349. +1 212 519 6600; tribecagrand.com

UR Palacio Avenida

Palma, Mallorca This smart four-star boutique hotel dates back to 1942, when it first opened as the Cinema Avenida. Now, out are auditoria and in are 68 guest rooms designed by one of Philippe Starck’s team. Location is superb, a tapas’ throw away from a bus stop and Metro and railway stations. Rooms from €79. +34 971 908 108; urhotels.com

The Soho Hotel

London, UK The oh-so-glamorous Soho hosts a film club every Sunday in its purpose-built screening room – its Film Club package costs £35 for lunch, dinner or afternoon tea and, of course, the movie. On February 14 and 15, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet is on-screen. Rooms from £295. +44 20 7559 3000; firmdalehotels.com

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VALENTINE’S

BEAUTY

Love is in the air ...

It’s a love-in

Be it low key, wacky or sappy, woo with confidence over Valentine’s weekend.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF IRELAND

Shrine of St Valentine

Meeting on the Turret Stairs

Elbows at the ready – the National Gallery of Ireland has scheduled viewings of Ireland’s favourite painting, Frederic William Burton’s “Helleil and Hildebrand, Meeting on the Turret Stairs” on February 15, 3pm-4pm. nationalgallery.ie

Moonlit Sea Kayaking

When bubbly and chocolates simply don’t yield enough of an adrenaline rush, Atlantic Sea Kayaking offers moonlit kayaking tours in West Cork for couples.

Choose between the open seas, or cruising beneath the city’s bridges. atlanticseakayaking.com

On February 14, a blessing of the rings ceremony is performed at Whitefriar Street Church, where reside the relics of the patron saint of lovers.

“Every St Valentine’s Day, the reliquary is removed from the shrine and placed before the high altar,” explains Pól Ó’Conghaile in Secret Dublin: An Unusual Guide (JonGlez, €17.90).

“Afterwards, you can buy a souvenir.” carmelites.ie/ stvalentine

Film Fatale

Celebrating its third birthday, Film Fatale returns to The Sugar Club on February 15 with a fancy dress screening of the Oscar-winning homage to silent movies, The Artist.

Afterwards, expect retro grooves – and don’t forget to immortalise yourselves in the photo booth. filmfataleevents.com

Horse-drawn carriage

How about the Cliff Townhouse’s suggestion of dinner followed by a horsedrawn carriage ride across Dublin? A glass of prosecco and a seafood and dessert platter await before the equine jaunt. €49 per couple, from February 11-17. theclifftownhouse.com

loved one with PAY IT FORWARD Treat your The Stunning, tickets to see Tommy Tiernan, ing Mundy and Paddy Casey perform rity cha n’s a fundraiser gig for childre bster Hall, Barretstown on February 22, We New York. $36; barretstown.org 10 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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1 The sister to the best-selling Happy, CLINIQUE HAPPY HEART is a full-bodied 1 mandarin, cucumber and sandalwood cocktail that will sit well with modern romantics. €50 2 YSL LA LAQUE COUTURE No 48, in Rose Scabiosa, is the sweetest pink 2 without looking too saccharine. €24 3 Treat your loved one to a box of beauty treats with the GLOSSYBOX SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE, where a pretty package containing five, seasonally appropriate products is delivered monthly. From £30, for a three-month subscription.

4 LANCÔME GLOSS IN LOVE VOLUMISER actively plumps lips

4

thanks to a hot-cold contrast effect created with menthol.

This sugared almond shade is perfect for stolen kisses. €24 5 Make-up lovers never have enough totes to carry their stash, and we heart this limited love edition VICTORIA’S SECRET VALENTINE’S DAY MAKE-UP BAG. €18

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THEATRE

Star-crossed lovers

“Thus with a kiss I die”…. But what if Romeo and Juliet had lived? A Tender Thing, starring Olwen Fouéré and Owen Roe, left, tells such a tale. This Irish premiere, adapted by Ben Power and directed by Selina Cartmell, runs until February 15 in the Projects Arts Centre, Dublin (projectartscentre.ie). Another upcoming theatrical debut is Shakespeare in Love (shakespeareinlove.com). This adaptation of the Oscar winning film kicks off at London’s Noël Coward Theatre in July, tickets on sale now. But if a seedy 1930s Berlin nightclub is more likely to arouse your Valentine’s interest, the Tony award-winning musical Cabaret previews at New York’s legendary Studio 54 from March 21, and runs until August 31 (cabaretmusical.com). Sam “Revolutionary Road” Mendes directs Alan Cumming as Emcee and Michelle Williams as Sally Bowles.

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FAMILY

Mid-term treats Oda O’Carroll of jumpzter.com, a travel review site for children, has a few welcome distractions for the kiddies ...

BELFAST Castle Espie Keep little minds and bodies busy on an actionpacked nature weekend at Castle Espie’s fantastic Wetland Centre on Strangford Lough, Co Down. Help the guides build bird nesting boxes for spring, learn all about endangered species through fun games, trails and stories, and meet the quackers – Ireland’s largest collection of rare and exotic geese, ducks and swans, right. wwt.org.uk WESTPORT Great Western Greenway Spring is a great time to hire bikes (with trailers for small legs). Cycle this acclaimed off-road trail in Co Mayo, stopping off at historic Rockfleet Castle or Mulranny’s Blue Flag beach. And the best

bit? Unwind with a spa treatment at super-familyfriendly Westport Woods Hotel while little ones enjoy the excellent Go Kids! club. greenway.ie OLDCASTLE Loughcrew Gardens & Adventure Centre Irish saint Oliver Plunkett’s childhood home and grounds in Co Meath is now an impressive adventure centre. Spin down a zipline, try the forest Crystal Maze or take the watery Crannóg Challenge. Expect to get wet and muddy! loughcrew.com DUBLIN MakeShop Keep city-based kids busy with mind-bending workshops that really bring science to life. Part of the brilliant Science Gallery, the MakeShop team show you how to build robots,

FM radios, solar torches and xylophones. And you get to keep what you build. makeshop.ie PARIS Winter Circus Take the kids to Paris to catch the spectacular Cirque d’Hiver in a historic building opened by Napoleon in the city’s Marais district.

Running since 1852, it’s one of the city’s oldest circuses and features exotic animals, acrobats and jugglers.

Until March 2. cirquedhiver.com

KINGS OF THE CASTLE Killarn ey’s Ross Castle swings open its doors for the new season, from mid March until late October. Its fou ndations date back to the 15th century, but interiors are refurnished à la the 16th and 17th centuries. Guide d tours only. +353 64 663 5851 FESTIVAL

The craic squad

Dance the jigs, dress in green and drink the drinks – it’s St Patrick’s Day. Dublin’s St Patrick’s Festival runs from March 14-17 (stpatricksfestival.ie), with a treasure hunt, five-kilometre race, craft beer village, funfair, street performances and the much-loved parade, left. For a tipple-free shindig, check out Sober St Patrick’s Day in New York on March 17 (soberstpatricksday. org), where only the rhythmic music may cause sore heads … If you’re “going green” in Amsterdam, check out Splendor, a Dutch-Irish musical celebration on March 16, starring The Gloaming’s fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (splendoramsterdam.com). Or, join the Carlingford Leprechaun Hunt on March 30 (thelastleprechaunsofireland.com). Buy a hunting licence for €5 (proceeds go to charity), and follow the marching band to the base of the Slieve Foy mountains ...

WHAT A CARRY ON Avoid plastic bag levies with an easy-foldable, superlight and super-cute Loqi Reusable Bag For Life – choose between Paris, London, New York, Italy and San Francisco designs from their City series. Water and fade resistant. £6.96, happybags.co.uk SPORT

Fetlocks flowing Pounding hooves, hearts and heels will consume the Cotswolds in the UK this March 11-14, for the Cheltenham Festival. The event will award £3.5 million across 28 races during Champion Day, the Gold Cup, St Patrick’s Derby and more, so dig out those fine threads for potential big wins and fun. cheltenham.co.uk

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WINE BARS

Grape escapes

VERONA Antica Bottega del Vino This was recommended to us by our tour operator and, boy, were we delighted.

There, seated among the huge array of bottles, which make up one of the most extensive wine lists in Italy, in a bar dating back to 1890, we enjoyed beef cheek in an amarone sauce. Ask for An amarone – nine pages of their wine menu are dedicated to this regional, Valpolicella wine. bottegavini.it

MADRID En Copa de Balon The Spanish capital has a rich wine culture, and one of my favourite places for a drink there is En Copa de Balon on Avenida de Valdemarin. It’s a bright and airy spot with more than 500 wines. Ask for While I’m always tempted by some of the Ribera del Duero reds, I usually go for their recommended wine and some salmon tartar or sushi, especially at lunchtime. encopadebalon.com

LONDON Terroirs Wine Bar We love prime organic produce, and it’s this shared ethos that brought me to Terroirs in the West End. They source great wines, with an emphasis on the organic, and like to seek out unusual styles.

The downstairs bar is particularly relaxing, the food fantastic. Ask for A glass (or bottle) from the “Orange” section of their wine list – grape skin adds more flavour. terroirswinebar.com

CORK The Black Pig Winebar ely graduates Gavin and Siobhan, above, run this place in Kinsale. The wine list is carefully chosen, and the charcuterie Irish with a little Spanish thrown in.

The menu is dictated by the seasons, and I’m not sure you can find fresher oysters. Ask for Their opening hours – phone ahead as they may have taken the day off to go surfing! facebook.com/ theblackpigwinebar

DUBLIN ely Now, I can’t talk about wine bars and not mention ely wine bar, ely bar & brasserie and ely gastro bar ... The one on Ely Place is the most intimate. It has 100 wines by the glass, knowledgeable staff – and the organic pork croquette gribiche or the calamari and squid ink aioli are best sellers.

Ask for A full-bodied yet soft Cote du Rhone called Les Deux Cols. elywinebar.ie

TREND

I should cocoa

Chocoholics have never had it so good. From the Co Clare-made Wilde’s Irish Organic Fairtrade bars (wildeirishchocolates.com), to France’s Pierre Hermé’s limited edition Fleur d’Oranger and Rose and Gingembre macarons for purchase only between January 27 and February 16 (assorted €11; pierreherme.com), there’s a world of choice with which to spoil your loved one this Valentine’s Day. Cocoa-loving shoeaholics will love Skelligs’ personalised Chocolate Shoes (from €17.50; skelligschocolate.com) but for a more hands-on approach, a Chocolate Making Workshop Golden Ticket at the Chocolate Garden of Ireland in Co Carlow (from €120; chocolategarden.ie) or a Chocolate Cookery Class at Butler’s in Dublin (€40; butlerschocolates.com) should satisfy even the sweetest tooth.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

CUPS OVERFLOWETH Ireland is the world’s biggest consumer of tea per capita, which makes Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin’s new Tea’s Company package ingenious. B&B costs €215pp, and includes a city centre Tea Trail and tasting with expert Richard McDermott of Oolong Flower Power emporium, afternoon tea and cha-infused cocktails at the bar. fitzwilliamhoteldublin.com

COMPILED BY LUCY WHITE, NIAMH WADE AND ROISIN AGNEW

Erik Robson, the founder and director of ely wines, on his favourite wine bars ...

Millennium Stadium Saturday, 24th May K.O. 17:00

Tickets on Sale NOW For more ticket information visit

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SPOTLIGHT Boston city

PHOTOGRAPH BY KRISTIN TEIG

3 hot hotels ...

TOP TABLE Sunday Brunch is big news in Boston. Our top picks: Champagne brunch on the rooftop terrace of the Taj Hotel, overlooking the Public Garden, right ($75; tajhotels.com); 52 floors above Back Bay, Top of the Hub for panoramic views of the city – and great cocktails ($40; topofthehub.net); buzzy The North Street Grille in North End (à la carte every Sat-Sun; northstreetgrille.com).

Page compiled by Lucy White.

SWANKY Ritz-Carlton Boston Common

Posh needn’t mean intimidating. Here, staff are convivial, the atmosphere inclusive.

Guest rooms are classically luxe, while the Club Level suites overlooking Boston Common are second to none. Visit the ohso-fashionable Avery Bar, before heading around the corner to the Boston Opera House for the latest ballet. Rooms from $425; ritzcarlton.com

JOSH SHINNER/RCA RECORDS

3 seasonal highlights ...

WIGGLE TO …

Kodaline The last year was kind to this Dublin-based quintet. No sooner had they released their debut album, In a Perfect World, in Ireland – a collection of multi-harmony, chestthumping anthems – than they were compared to Coldplay and Snow Patrol; a double-edged sword, if ever there was one. Find out if they live up to the hype at Paradise Rock Club on February 14. $26.50; crossroadspresents.com

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GUSSY UP AT …

Bella Santé Day Spa Indigenous to New England, Bella Santé is a well-known day spa brand – making it an ideal antidote for tired travellers. The Boston branch is its flagship oasis on bustling Newbury Street, the treatment menu including massage, facials, waxing, self-tan, exfoliation, mani and pedis.

There’s also a steam room, while discounts are offered to first-time customers. bellasante.com

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

QUIRKY Liberty Hotel Serving time has never felt so good. The former Charles Street Jail is a 300-room luxury hotel, its previously cramped cells and austere tiers transformed into spacious and chic accommodation. Who wouldn’t want to be an inmate in a hotel whose cocktail bar is called Alibi and restaurant called Clink?

Rooms from $349; libertyhotel.com

GEN UP AT …

Winedays Follow a winningly exhausting afternoon pounding the galleries of the Museum of Fine Arts, with a guided wine tasting in its Bravo restaurant and bar. Held on the last Wednesday of every month, the two-hour guided soirées start at 5.30pm, no reservations necessary. $25 per person, including featured wines and a selection of hors d’oeuvres. 001 615 369 3474; mfa.org

HOMELY Aisling B&B This red brick Victorian townhouse in buzzy South End is run by an Irish couple, Dympna and James, who emigrated from Co Meath and Co Cavan respectively to Boston in the 1980s. Expect a quintessentially warm Irish welcome, the pick of three spacious and spotless en suite rooms, and hearty breakfasts. Rooms from $150; aisling-bostonbb.com

Sterling silver charms from €19

CELEBRATE A MOTHER’S LOVE Discover the new Mother’s Day Collection with sterling silver charms from €19.

Design the perfect gift from the PANDORA Gift Finder at pandora.net

PANDORA STORES Dublin Grafton St.

Dublin Arnotts

Dundrum Town Centre

Tallaght The Square

Blanchardstown Shopping Centre

Terminal 1 & 2 Dublin Airport

Liffey Valley Shopping Centre

Cork Winthrop St

Limerick Crescent SC

Kilkenny 72 High St

Galway Williamsgate St

Waterford 18 John Robert Square

L’ Derry Foyleside SC

Belfast Victoria Square

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Wish you were here Dubliner Karl Jordan, left, Du works wo in IT but has been taking ta photos since he was te or so. His dad was a ten ke photographer too keen and taught him how to pr process and print in their rted garage-cum-darkroom. converted He says: “Visiting the spectacular Villa et Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild on Cap Ferrat, near Nice on the French Rivera, I found myself in the large Garden à la française. Just then, the air was filled with beautiful classical music and the many fountains around the garden sprang into life. The photograph captures the beauty of the classical house and gardens, but can’t communicate the wonderful atmosphere generated by the combination of classical music synchronised with the sight and sound of multiple fountains arcing high into the air.” karljordanphotography.com

Have you a stunning photograph of your trip to an Aer Lingus destination to share? Send it to us at cara.wishyouwerehere@image.ie and we’ll publish our favourite shot in the April/May issue.

The technicals Photographs must be a 300-dpi high resolution file and accompanied by a portrait of yourself and 100 words about the story behind the shot.

The editor’s decision is final.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

February/March 2014

| 19

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On my travels

Irish singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow chats to Sive O’Brien about life on- and off-stage.

EMMA J DOYLE

Growing up in Malahide, north of Dublin city, James Vincent McMorrow could never have dreamed his debut album, 2010’s Early in the Morning, would reach number one, go platinum and be nominated for the prestigious Choice Music Prize. His ghostly vocals and distinctive guitar style are making waves at home and abroad. His new album, Post Tropical, is supported by a mostly sold-out worldwide tour until the end of February. jamesvmcmorrow.com y childhood holiday memories are ... mainly of Disneyworld. I know people can be cynical about it but I remember being in love with every second of an all-consuming experience; it blew my young mind.

I grew up watching ... my favourite acts play at the Olympia in Dublin, and my bestever gig was there in 2012. My dream venue.

If I could go anywhere, tomorrow ... it would be Japan.

I’m fortunate my job takes me many places but Japan is one that has eluded me, so far. Everyone comes back saying they’ve been to the most incredible place on the planet. I think I’d like to experience that.

Barcelona and New York ... are the places I visit most. They

M

are very different cities, both equally compelling. Barcelona is more relaxed and culturally just overflowing; plus, I’m a big fan of Gaudí and Miró. New York is totally different, bustling and can be so intense; I walk everywhere, normally with my head craned upwards, the sheer scale and promise of the city is unlike anywhere else I’ve been.

One of the most incredible places I’ve ever been is ...

Texas. I made a record there in 2013 and it was never a place I’d ever thought about before, but culturally it’s just its own thing, with a Mexican culture that’s so prevalent, vivid and beautiful.

The people we met there had a profound effect on all of us, with stories of growing up in dangerous places, like Juárez, which opened our eyes to a new way of life.

The best gig I ever saw was ... during the 2011 snow storms in Ireland, when the whole country practically shut down. We trudged through the snow to see The National at the Olympia. The band arrived late and hit the stage without a sound check – they totally nailed it. Easily one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen.

My most memorable gig abroad ... was at El Mocambo in Toronto in 2012; it was so packed we had to open the windows at the back of the venue so people could go out on to the street. The PA kept stopping but it was just one of those magical shows where you and the crowd are totally in the same headspace.

I’m a demon for ... shuffle on my iPod when I’m travelling. On my first big American tour I listened to the band War on Drugs a lot;

3 music holidays ...

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If your children are particularly musical, enrol them on a five-day Studio Sessions programme at The Rhythm Studio, West London, left. Wannabe composers, turntablists, singers and musicians get a crash course in rehearsing, recording and more. From £175; ages 12+. therhythmstudio.co.uk

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February/March 2014

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Busting to join in a trad session? Now's your chance. Gain fingerpicking confidence on a Dadgad Guitar Holiday in Kenmare, Co Kerry, where musician Chris Liddle teaches bijou classes every Monday to Friday, 10am until noon. €300, excluding accommodation. dadgadguitarforbeginners.com

they make beautiful, widescreen, American driving music and it fit the scenery perfectly.

I lived in ... London for a year before I made my first album; it had a huge impact on me. I love that city but it can eat you alive if you let it; it’s so vast and everyone is going somewhere.

I’ve always been fascinated with ... those tropical “wish you were here” postcards (if you’ve seen the cover of my new album you’d probably already have guessed that). I’d love at some point to go and actually see one of those places in the flesh, like Mauritius or Polynesia.

I’d definitely return to …

Toronto. I don’t get there often but, when I do, I love it. Culturally, it’s unreal; visually it feels like a smaller New York and it has hands down the best food I've ever eaten.

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Singing Holidays' next Vienna Singing Break runs from April 30 to May 5, at which budding vocalists will take part in workshops and perform with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. The city-centre accommodation is boutique and luxe. £1,790, excluding flights. singingholidays.com

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Smart Traveller|

Lisa Hughes finds out why Milan is so inspirational, and the best business hotels in New York.

LITTLE BLACK BOOK MILAN

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BEST BUSINESS STAYS IN NEW YORK

Carolyn Donnelly, creative director of Dunnes Stores and designer of its Eclectic homewares and The Edit fashion label, is a frequent flier. Her favourite city is super stylish Milan.

BARRY McCALL

1 "I love Milan because …

I'm an Italian wannabe! I've been going there for various fairs and to see suppliers for about twelve years. The fairs are mostly for wonderful Italian fabric but, more recently in my new role at Dunnes Stores, I travel to footwear and accessory fairs as well. Milan has inimitable Italian style and the best street style in the world.

Best business lunch … One of my favourite restaurants is Da Ilia (1 Via Lecco, +39 02 2952 1895; ristorante-ilia.it).

On arrival, you’re presented with freshly-made potato crisps with your aperitif. My favourite things on the menu are crostini, the risotto alla IIia which is made with a rich meaty sauce and the sea bass baked in salt and served with spinach. Best

of all, the dessert trolley is laden with seasonal fruit and heavenly cakes.

Best business hotel … I usually stay at The Cavour Hotel (21 Via Fatebenefratelli, +39 02 620 001; hotelcavour.it).

It is so convenient to Via Della Spiga, among the best shopping streets in Milan.

On your downtime … My favourite shopping areas are Corso Como in the Brera/Isola area, and in particular 10 Corso Como (10corsocomo.com). It's a concept store with an art gallery, bookstore and fashion forward designs from around the world. This location also has lots of great homeware stores, such as Cargo (Via Meucci 39, +39 02 272 2131; cargomilano. it) and High-Tech (Piazza

KEEP YOUR VALUABLES IN CHECK WITH THE PHILIPS INRANGE SMART LEASH, WHICH USES BLUETOOTH TECHNOLOGY TO ALERT YOU IF YOU LEAVE ANYTHING BEHIND. OF HANDY WALLET SIZE, THE MULTI-DEVICE GADGET CAN BE EASILY ATTACHED TO LUGGAGE AND KEYS. €49.95, STORE.APPLE.COM/IE 22 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

XXV Aprile, +39 02 624 1101; cargomilano.it).

Technology … I've been travelling for business for years now but improvements in technology have changed everything.

I take thousands of photographs on my phone – it might be the collar on somebody's sweater at the airport, or the velvet covering on a vintage chair in a hotel – and now I can forward that photo to a factory in India to explain exactly what I want in a design. Technology offers endless possibilities to a designer like me.

Gadget … My can't-leavehome-without gizmo is definitely my battery back-up power pack for my phone.

This is always in my bag, charged and ready to go."

WESTIN NEW YORK GRAND CENTRAL The latest addition to Manhattan’s four-star hotel offerings, this Starwood property is in the heart of bustling midtown. Unwind in one of 774 ultra-modern guest rooms or suites, kitted out with Starbucks coffee machines and plush ten-layer bedding.

The laidback LCL: Bar & Kitchen is just the spot to meet clients. (212 East 42nd Street, +1 212 490 8900; westinnewyorkgrandcentral.com) HOTEL METRO NEW YORK This cosy Midtown hotel is ideal for regular visitors thanks to its location just blocks from Grand Central, Penn Station and Times Square. Guests enjoy complimentary breakfast, as well as access to the business centre, free Wi-Fi and a laptop-sized in-room safe. Best of all, the rooftop terrace is in the shadow of the Empire State Building. (45 W 35th St, +1 212 947 2500; hotelmetronyc.com) FITZPATRICK MANHATTAN This stalwart of the New York hotel scene is a firm favourite with business travellers, celebrities and even the Taoiseach.

Located on Lexington Avenue, Fitzpatrick’s rooms and suites come equipped with coffee makers, stylish marble baths and iPod docking stations.

For a relaxed meeting space, try the popular Fitz bar and restaurant or the newly renovated Vico Boardroom, which caters for up to 14 people.

(687 Lexington Avenue, +1 212 355 0100; fitzpatrickhotels.com/manhattan)

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John O’Connor Partner

Head of Technology and Commercial Contracts

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My travel notebook

packing “My capsule le separates . versati essentials .. create several y. that I can from are ke ts tfi u o t n re ear diffe ays like to w For TV, I alw a formal edge, with jeans something nd a pair of a r e z la b a so is a must.”

Burberry Prorsum white slim fit shirt, €375, Harvey Nichols, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16

Etro Jersey Blazer, €925, mrporter.com

BEST RESTAURANT IN THE WORLd? “A traditional Parisian bistro, Chez Paul, below, near the Bastille (chezpaul.com).

It’s incredible, everything from the décor to the menu, even to the proprietor – all classic! I’d highly recommend the steak au poivre and gratin dauphinois, delicious.”

Nudie jeans, €100, BT2, Grafton Street, Dublin 2

MOST SURREAL TRAVEL EXPERIENCE? “Diving with green turtles at an eco reserve off the coast of Tenerife, left. It was quite dreamlike; they seemed to appear from nowhere, gliding past like underwater spaceships.”

BEST PLACE FOR WORK? “Copenhagen.

Everything is just so easy; it’s a nice size city and everything runs smoothly.”

Darren’s carry-on essentials ...

1 Kiehl’s Facial Fuel “Heavy Lifting”, €42 2 Malin + Goetz Hair Pomade, €20, Brown Thomas 3 Paul Smith Bow Tie, €95 4 Samsung S4, €419 5 Yves Saint Laurent’s L’Homme Parfum Intense, €81 6 Tommy Hilfiger Ridley 24 Hour Duffle, €149.90

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february/march 2014

FAVOURITE CITY BREAK? “Paris. Apart from being a complete Francophile, I worked and lived there for a year and love returning to my favourite haunts. I also love to get away to Biarritz for some surfing when I get a chance.”

BEST HOTEL IN THE WORLd? “The Banyan Tree in Macau, Hong Kong – it’s like something from another world.

I stayed there while filming and I had a personal swimming pool in my ‘room’, right. I kid not!”

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PHoToGRAPH oF PARIS BY CARINA oKuLA

TV presenter, stylist and writer dARREN KENNEdY has just added fashion designer to his ever-expanding CV, thanks to a collaboration with famous Dublin tailor Louis Copeland. Work splits Darren between Dublin and London – he’s a fashion presenter on ITV’s This Morning – while pleasure takes him anywhere the sun shines and the surf’s up. He talks to Liz dwyer.

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Shelf Life|

Bridget Hourican traverses a fast-disappearing Ireland in Turtle Bunbury’s new book, and quizzes author Niamh Boyce.

Who’s reading what?

Kildare novelist Niamh Boyce Boyce.

E WHERE INSPIRED THE SMALL TOWN IN THE HERBALIST? It’s based on Athy, Co Kildare, where I grew up. It’s a midlands market town and the place where the real herbalist arrived back in the 1930s to sell his wares.

WHERE DO YOU USUALLY WRITE? I write in my bedroom, on a 1997 computer with no internet connection so that I’m not tempted to log on and “research”, ie, check emails and Facebook. I also write in my car (when parked) or out walking if something strikes me. I carry a pocket notebook everywhere; the most unusual place may have been in the catacombs in Paris, surrounded by skulls and thigh bones.

MOST INSPIRING PLACE TO VISIT? The woods in Stradbally, Co Laois, near where VANISHING IRELAND: FRIENDSHIP AND COMMUNITY I live. They have a very ancient feeling – I’ve

by James Fennell and Turtle Bunbury MUNSTER written a lot there. I walk there as much as For the past twelve years, writer and historian Turtle NOIR I can.

Bunbury and photographer James Fennell have travelled American crime writer BEST BOOK TO TAKE ON A around Ireland recording disappearing ways and Raymond T Chandler is JOURNEY? A notebook – to write it all traditions. In this volume, Vanishing Ireland: Friendship celebrated at the Waterford down. I don’t travel much, so I tend to try and Community (Hachette Ireland, £27.99) – the Writers’ Weekend this March 20-23 to take it all in when I do. fourth, and last, in the Vanishing series – they meet – which is less incongruous than it AND THE WORST? Something farmers, turf cutters, fishermen, horse and cattle sounds, his mum having been born really good, like Donna Tartt, Atwood, breeders, housewives, Cistercian monks, a boxer, a there. In addition are workshops, Winterson or any of John Connolly’s – melodeon player, a midwife, a hurley-maker ... most are readings and debates. you’ll be so hooked on the world of the rural, all are elderly. They face Fennell’s camera and tell waterfordcity.ie book you won’t recall a thing!

Bunbury their life stories. The authors have achieved here

a perfect symbiosis between text and images – both similarly affectionate, respectful, humorous, slightly melancholic, but never sentimental or nostalgic. This is invaluable social history – the documentation of rural ways of life which, as Bunbury writes in his introduction, remained unchanged for hundreds of years but which are now finally vanishing.

The Herbalist (Penguin, €9.99) won Newcomer of the Year at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards 2013.

Three action-packed debuts ...

David Graham, Incitement (Andromeda Publishing, Pu €8.99).

International In thriller starting st with a massacre at a heroin refinery on the th Mexican border and pitting a co coolly enigmatic, drug enforcement agent against a hired mercenary. A smart and well-paced debut.

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February/March 2014

Sumia Sukkar, The Boy from Aleppo who Painted the War (E (Eyewear Publishing, £1 £12.99 hb). Adam, 14, has As Asperger’s, and when civil wa war breaks out in Syria, his close-knit, mi middle-class family is torn apart. Melodramatic but vibrant, this novel by a 21-year-old Syrian woman was snapped up by new publisher Eyewear.

Audrey Magee, The Undertaking (Atlantic Bo Books, £12.99). Arresting ta tale by the Wicklow-based jo journalist. German soldier Pe Peter Faber marries a st stranger, simply to secure honeymoon leav leave. She’s more than he hoped for – soon he’s back on the Eastern Front and she’s cosying up to the Nazi regime in Berlin.

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The high flier

he first time I got on the flight, I literally ordered five things.

I was so excited.

There were two people sitting beside me and we all had a picnic, taking photos of each other ...”

Clodagh McKenna is recalling her delight at launching her own inflight menu, in collaboration with Aer Lingus, last autumn.

Entitled Bia, it’s the culmination of six intense months meeting Irish suppliers, sourcing Irish ingredients and, “on one day, taste testing about 25 muffins!”

It was all for the greater good of course, as was sussing out what travellers really want. “There are so many reasons why you should have good food on board,” she says. “One is that you’re going somewhere for a holiday and you want to sit back, relax and have a little indulgence straight away – it could be a lovely cheeseboard with a glass of red wine.

The other thing is you could be under pressure – you’re travelling for work so it’s important to have something healthy, like the fruit salad, which comes with a mojito shake (a zesty

T

ANTHONY WOODS

Restaurateur, chef and food writer Clodagh McKenna has her fingers in many pies, but creating an inflight menu for Aer Lingus was a fresh challenge.

She tells Lucy White about the process and the importance of Irish produce, and shares her travel hotspots.

lime and fresh mint dressing).”

Vivacious, smart and chic in a LBD when we meet in her Blackrock restaurant, Clodagh’s Kitchen, in Co Dublin – “I’m only dressed like this because I’m in meetings all day ... normally you’ll see me in jeans and chef’s whites!” she laughs selfdeprecatingly – she admits that the vast scale of devising inflight catering was a challenge. “In my restaurant we’re doing an average of 400 daily covers vers but we’re talking 3,500 scones a day for Aer Lingus.” Maintaining consistency is also vital: “In the food industry you’re only as good as your last dish. For producers

I heart NY

“ABC Kitchen (35 East 18th Street, +1 212 475 5829; abchome.com) is one of the hottest places in the farm-to-table movement. I find farm it so inspiring, and they do the most incredible cocktails, such mo as wild nettle mojitos. I also love the th midtown Gramercy Tavern (42 East 20th Street, +1 212 477 0777; gramercytavern.com) for 07 Sunday brunch, which has a jazz band. And for breakfast, North African/Moroccan Afri Café Gitane (242 Mott Street, +1 212 334 9552; cafegitanenyc.com). It’s the chicest, cafe most beautiful little laidback café that’s full of artists. The last time I went Kate Moss was in there so everyone was in a bit of a fluster.”

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

| 29

and restaurateurs, every day it’s like starting your company over again because if somebody comes into the restaurant and gets a bad meal they might not come back, even though they’ve had fantastic food all the way down.” It was imperative, too, that she select Irish producers and suppliers, from Ballymaloe Relish to Broderick’s carrot muffins.

McKenna is a self-confessed food nerd and spends her downtime reading cookery books (she’s just finished Nicholas Lander’s The Art of the Restaurateur) and cooking at home – attend one of her dinner parties and chances are she is peeling spuds and zesting lemons to “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner (“I love chilling out to 1970s and 1980s music”). She is also “a woman’s woman”, citing California-based chef and food writer Alice Waters, British chef Angela Hartnett, Nigella Lawson, Gubbeen cheesemaker Giana Ferguson and Darina Allen, under whom she studied at Ballymaloe Cookery School, as major influences on her career.

This is a career that gained momentum after producing her own pâté for farmers’ markets around Ireland and joining the Slow Food movement. She lived in Turin, Italy, for four years, returning to Ireland in 2010 with a flurry of activity: a range of cookery books, TV series, three eateries in Arnotts department store, Dublin, and Clodagh’s Kitchen in Blackrock. The Bia menu is the latest string to her bow and one that she was hell-bent on getting.

“From the minute I got the phone

call, I was determined I was going to get it,” she grins. “I knew they were talking to other people but I didn’t believe anyone would love Aer Lingus as much as I did. I had so many fond memories of Aer Lingus, it played such a big role in my life – I went to university in New York and I’d take that flight alone from Shannon airport. I remember the first time getting on the plane on my own, at the age of 18, and being heartbroken at leaving home, and Aer Lingus was like another mother!”

While she is now used to seeing her own face on board Aer Lingus planes, she has yet to come to terms with “Clodagh McKenna: The Brand”.

“I didn’t set out to start a brand, a brand came upon me,” she says. “And I hate being called a celebrity chef ...

I feel like it takes away from the work I do – I’m a restaurateur, that’s my job, I haven’t made a television

Clodagh’s travel essentials …

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Dr. Dre Beats Headphones “They’re fantastic, you can’t hear anything. I get into a panic when I don’t have them with me when I’m travelling because every sound is taken out.” €199, harveynorman.ie Evian Facial Spray “My skin tends to get really dry when I’m travelling so I always take this on long haul trips.” €8.65, debenhams.ie Smythson’s Notebook “I’m a major note taker, and these feel so lovely. And you can just refill them so they last forever.” From €60, smythson.com

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Basking in the glory – Clodagh enjoying the first flush of spring.

series in five years. There are celebrity chefs that just do television and that’s wonderful for them, but I would never feel challenged by just doing that.

“I get so many emails every week from kids asking for advice because they want to be a celebrity chef. I tell them ‘if you want to get into TV, be a TV presenter. If you want to learn about food, go learn about food first – fall in love with food before you fall in love with TV. Television is wonderful and fun – but that’s it, fun. I find this challenging and I love that.”

I heart London

“Everyone should treat themselves at the new Bentley’s – Richard Corrigan’s seafood grill bar in Harrod’s (87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, +44 20 7730 1234; harrods.com). The Tramshed (32 Rivington Street, +44 20 7749 0478; chickenandsteak.co.uk) is incredible – they only serve chicken and beef, the former skewered on to what looks a bit like a tagine, so all the gravy juices drip into the bowl. Also an experience is The Clove Club (Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, +44 20 7729 6496; thecloveclub.com) – both chefs used to work at Noma.

The last time I was there I had a pine-cone-encrusted cheese bowl.

Really, really experimental.”

A watercolour painting by Róisín O’ Shea © 2012

J

ohnnie Fox’s Pub situated in the heart of the Dublin Mountains has it all, a living museum of Irish History andTradition where unique pieces from old farm implements to Historical antiquities adorn every wall, nook & cranny. Serving an award winning a la carte menu from 12.30 until late, with live musicians playing traditional Irish music 7 nights a week, our special kind of Irish welcome is not to be missed.

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Hooley Nights For a real treat one should experience the world famous show known as the Johnnie Fox’s HOOLEY night which includes the esteemed Johnnie Fox’s troop of Irish dancers, live traditional Irish music, a full 4 course evening meal and plenty of great craic….. at only €49.95 per person.

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Mercy flight

After Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines last November, the Dublin-based aid agency GOAL teamed up with Aer Lingus to move tonnes of aid to survivors. David Adams, a GOAL media manager, recalls the aid drop.

t was November 24, 2013, and I was gazing up at an Aer Lingus A330 aircraft, as she waited to transport 40 tonnes of aid from Dublin to Dubai.

From there, this precious cargo of water, food, medical supplies, water-purifying tablets and shelter materials would be taken to the Philippines, to be distributed by GOAL staff amongst survivors of Typhoon Haiyan.

One of the most powerful storms ever to make landfall, Typhoon Haiyan had struck the eastern coastal provinces of the Philippine islands of Leyte and Samar on November 8. It then headed west, sweeping through six central Philippine islands.

The disaster affected at least 14 million people, with an early death toll of more than 5,000 and 1,761 people missing. Four million people displaced from their homes were desperate for food, clean water and shelter. The Dublin-based aid agency, GOAL, immediately sent an emergency response team to the Philippines.

Aer Lingus offered an aircraft free-of-charge to GOAL for the movement of aid. Similarly, the company’s operations, cargo,

I

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

planning, and flight and cabin crews all gave freely of their services for the flight.

Standing in the shadow of this great aircraft, it struck me that here was a perfect example of that much-heralded Irish generosity:: where various sections of Irish society, the national airline and a Dublin-based aid organisation had come together to help the victims of a catastrophe in a far-off land.

On the runway at Dubai airport, I glanced up again at the great metallic bird that had delivered us, her company colours on proud display. Aer Lingus had done its part, now it was up to GOAL. Within days of the aid leaving Dublin, it was being distributed to hundreds of families in the Philippines. To people like Lori-Jane, 18, and her two sisters – Jessica, 16, and Amber, 9 – and their father, who live in a village on the island of Leyte. By Philippine standards, theirs was once a very good house: made from concrete and with multiple rooms. When GOAL visited, it had been reduced to rubble – except for a concrete wall, behind which the family had sheltered from the storm. The girls had been celebrating their father’s birthday when the typhoon struck. “When the winds and rain came,” said LoriJane, “me and my sisters had just started singing happy birthday to my father. Within minutes, the walls and roof began to fall down around us. We just huddled up against a wall and prayed that we’d be safe.”

The tears began to flow as she pointed to what remained of their once lovely home and the precious items that were destroyed. Clothes

Top, children were among the worst affected by the typhoon.

Above, from left to right, Jessica, Amber, Lori-Jane and their father whose house was reduced to rubble in the disaster.

Below, The GOAL team get ready to board the Aer Lingus flight.

and other personal items we were scattered ev everywhere.

Beside the Be wall wa that gave protection pr was a table holding a few pots and pans, pa and a family photograph album – the photos rain-soaked and bleeding into one another.

Standing at the table was a solitary plastic chair. The family was sleeping under a few blankets, spread over two wooden pallets. Their only shelter from the elements was from a “roof” consisting of a few sheets of corrugated tin attached to two bamboo poles. As Amber examined the emergency rations that GOAL had delivered, Jessica said: “Please tell the people of Ireland ‘Thank you’. They have helped save us.”

Her words were echoed by others.

There are many thousands of Filipino families who were victims of Typhoon Haiyan. Most of them suffered much worse than Lori-Jane’s family. They need our help.

By the end of December 2013, GOAL had supplied emergency aid to more than 63,000 people in the Philippines. If you would like to donate to GOAL’s Typhoon Haiyan Appeal, please visit the GOAL website at goal.ie, or telephone GOAL at 01 280 9779.

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On the run

A fitness holiday needn’t be a lung-bursting marathon (though you can book that too). From yoga to barefoot running, Frances Power finds there are plenty of options. f your fitness resolutions tend to melt away as quickly as snow in summer, then a healthy holiday might just be the ticket. Take Alison Liddy, who is just back from a week with Fitscape (fitscape.co.uk) in a restored monastery in Andalucia.

“We had a daily schedule of about six hours of exercise, including running, mountain hiking and circuit training. I tried boxing for the first time and loved it, and I’ll keep going to classes now I’m home.”

She’s not the only one. “The demand for a break that focuses on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing is definitely growing ... more and more people are choosing to take time out to recharge, rebalance and reconnect,” according to Judie Hinkson, of ITC Health and Wellbeing, a UK company specialising in healthy breaks.

“I think that they can provide a great kickstart to getting fit and healthy, helping you to put your life on hold and break those habits that caused you to gain weight in the first place,” agrees Karl Henry, one of the country’s leading personal trainers and the man responsible for putting participants on RTÉ’s Operation Transformation through

I

their paces. He has seen demand for bootcamps rise dramatically and now offers his own tailor-made, week-long breaks in Ireland and abroad (karl@karlhenry.ie).

Also on home turf, NI Bootcamp (nibootcamp.co.uk), in the Mourne mountains, offers weeklong courses starting at 7am each day, with bouldering, abseiling, beach Olympics and more. For sun seekers, Club La Santa (clublasanta.com) in Lanzarote has a packed schedule of cycling, running, open swimming, even ballroom dancing camps, many led by professional athletes. You needn’t be an Olympian to join Swim Trek (swimtrek.com), though founder Simon Murie does have a channel crossing under his Speedos.

Swimmers take to the water around the islands of Croatia, the Cyclades or the chillier waters of the Scilly Isles, and the itinerary mixes swimming with island hopping and the occasional hike.

Others aim to rewire behaviours.

Wild Fitness (wildfitness.com) runs courses in some of the world’s most beautiful locations – including Kenya and Andalucia where, amid more than 500 hectares, they harvest their own honey, olive oil and herbs, and re-introduce their

New perspectives – Wild Fitness combines elemental techniques with exotic and highend locations.

clients to the wild. “We transform people’s lives,” says Sara Kessel of Wild Fitness. “We get a zoo human, take them back to the wild and rewild them.” Their trainers evaluate gait and alignment to teach guests to run barefoot, move more freely and bring an element of play back into their routines. “It’s a lot of fun, there’s a lot of laughing,” says Sara.

In fact, the trickiest thing is choosing which break to go for.

“Ideally,” says Karl, “choose one that addresses whatever issues you have.

If nutrition is the problem then you need one with a big emphasis on food as well as exercise. Or if you hate exercise, try one for beginners.”

And you might come home with more than just improved muscle tone. “People tend to travel on their own,” says Alison of her break, “so it’s a great way to grow friends.”

3 body (and mind) boosting breaks ...

1

Yoga – IBIZASANA Yoga Retreat Not a whiff of patchouli at this Irish-run yoga retreat, left, in the hills of the Spanish island Ibiza. Expect a stunning, modernist venue with pool; superb meals from organic pioneer Marc Michel and firstclass yoga classes of all types, to suit beginners to more advanced; ibizasanayogaretreat.com

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

2

Coasteering – Delphi Mountain Resort, Connemara Set against the Twelve Bens in Co Galway, with great surf spots a short drive away, Delphi is an eco-resort specialising in activity breaks. Check out the adrenaline-inducing, heartpumping coasteering combo of adventure swimming and cliff climbing; delphimountainresort.com

3

The 360 – Canyon Ranch, New England The grandma of health resorts does it all – its Jumpstart to a Healthier Life five-day programme offers an integrated approach that is tailored to your needs, from a team that includes an exercise physiologist, nutritionist, doctor, behavioural therapist and acupuncturist; canyonranch.com

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

RACING CERTAINTY

When Ireland and Leinster star Johnny Sexton signed for French club Racing Metro 92, it sent shockwaves through Irish rugby. As the Six Nations kicks off, Sexton has settled well in Paris. He just needs to work on his French, he tells David Robbins. Photographs by Richard Gilligan.

I

t is one of Johnny Sexton’s first games for his new club, Racing Metro 92. He is being closely watched, not least by the club’s owner, Jacky Lorenzetti, who put together a deal reportedly worth €750,000 to sign Sexton a few months previously. The Irish media are also watching.

They want to see how things pan out for the most high-profile Irish player to sign for a French club.

Other people have their eyes on him. The opposition No 7 is watching him because he wants to hit him hard. Sexton is the Ireland and Lions out-half. He’s also the highest-paid rugby player in Europe. He’s a marked man. The Racing coaches, Laurent Travers and Laurent Labit, are watching. And the club’s new skills coach – a certain Ronan O’Gara – is watching too.

Racing get a penalty and Sexton kicks to touch.

With his right hand shielding his mouth from the opposition, he calls the next move. “Paris,” he says, pronouncing it the French way, “Paree”. It’s the codename for a complicated attacking move involving decoy runners and other deceptions.

Except his teammates think he said “pareil”, meaning “same again”, a repeat of the previous move. Sexton gets the ball and starts to run the “Paris” move. Outside him, the centres, wingers and full back are running a different move. It’s chaos, and the opposition No 7 gets his chance.

Welcome to ex-pat rugby in France, where you have to deal with a different culture, a different lifestyle, a different way of playing the game. Oh yeah, and a different language too.

It’s a story Sexton tells against himself. He can laugh at it now but, at the time, it wasn’t funny.

He was trying to settle in at Racing, the team weren’t gelling well and they were languishing in eighth place in the Top 14 League.

Now, several months and a few victories later, he is more philosophical. It is Christmas Eve. Sexton has been released by Racing to train with the Ireland team and has been relieved of Christmas shopping by wife Laura to spend some time with Cara.

“I am definitely at home in France lifestylewise,” he says. “But rugby-wise, no. I’m a million miles away from being settled there. We’re struggling a bit, to be honest.” Racing is an oldstyle club that has been rejuvenated with new money. Property tycoon Lorenzetti has spent millions assembling some of the top rugby players in the world. But great individuals don’t always make a great team. “In terms of the quality of our performances, we’re nowhere near where we should be for the standard of players that we have,” Sexton admits.

Away from the pitch, however, Mr and Mrs Sexton are adapting well to life in Paris. “I’m living FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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in Châtenay-Malabry. It’s a very nice area, very suburban. We’re maybe 10 kilometres from Versailles and about 15 kilometres from the 16th arrondissement, which is a very nice area of Paris. We’re in a house that has been divided into apartments.

We love it there,” says Johnny.

They haven’t had to deal with the French authorities – “the club takes care of pretty much everything” – and the only contact they’ve had with local tradesmen is when Sexton wanted to get a satellite dish fitted so he could watch his old club Leinster play. You get a sense that leaving Leinster was quite a wrench and that part of him is still there. “It was very strange watching the boys run out in the Aviva [for their Heineken Cup match against Northampton in December] and you’ve nothing to do with it. You’re not even injured watching it. It’s just very strange. You don’t know the game plan, you don’t know how they’ve prepared, you don’t know what the talk’s been like during the week,” he says. “I watch all their games on Sky. I don’t have RTÉ or TG4, but I might pop over to the O’Garas to watch a couple of games.

They’ve brought their Irish [satellite] box with them.”

The entente cordiale between Sexton and O’Gara will surprise some rugby people. The pair were rivals for the out-half jersey on the Irish team for years and played opposite each other in many a bitter Leinster-Munster derby game.

Initially, there was no love lost between them. In his new book, Becoming a Lion (Penguin Ireland), Sexton gives an honest account of their relationship, recalling that O’Gara called him a “nobody” in their early encounters. There is a famous photo of Sexton leaning over O’Gara and screaming something at him during Leinster’s semi-final win over Munster in the 2009 Heineken Cup semi-final. And in the recent TV documentary about O’Gara, entitled ROG and broadcast in January, O’Gara tells his side of the story. “There’s a bit of me in him and him in me,” O’Gara says, before admitting that Sexton’s friendship 38 |

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INPHO/DAN SHERIDAN

INTERVIEW

means a lot to him now that they’re New beginnings – Johnny Sexton both involved at Racing Metro 92. lines out in the For Sexton too, the relationshiop famous blue and has mellowed into friendship. Their white of Racing wives are friends as well, and there’s Metro. an easy back-and-forth between the two households. There is still, however, one area in which O’Gara holds the upper hand: his French is better.

“My French is coming along.

I think I’m trying to be too good at times. I’m trying to structure BONNE my sentences really JOURNÉE well. I think ROG Sexton keeps traditional has got the knack.

French hours at Racing, He can just speak. with a three-hour break He doesn’t really at lunchtime. “It’s a much use tenses at all but longer day than they understand with Leinster or him. He comes across Ireland.” quite well, whereas I’m going back to my Leaving Cert and trying to put everything in the perfect place,” he laughs.

For now, Sexton has to put his life in Paris and Racing’s Top 14 campaign to one side. It’s Six Nations time; Ireland time; Joe Schmidt time. As part of his contract, he is released to play for Ireland during February and March to take part in rugby’s oldest competition. He’s a big fan of Schmidt, his old Leinster coach, and they both share an almost obsessive concern for detailed preparation.

“I’ve haven’t been as excited

about a Six Nations as I am about this one coming up,” says Sexton.

“The Six Nations is still a massive tournament. I’d say, if we’re being honest, for a couple of years, maybe it wasn’t. Maybe that was what the problem was. You know the Heineken Cup is such a big thing for the provinces. For me, I’m not going to be in the Heinken Cup this year, so my focus will be very much on the Six Nations.

“Our preparation will be very much game by game,” he continues.

“We start with Scotland and I don’t think we’ll look very much further than that. It will be game-by-game focus and then, hopefully, the results will look after themselves.

With Joe anyway, we tend not to set goals. We just train day to day and try to have our values and words that we try to live by. And if we do that to the best of our ability, then we have a chance.”

Ireland’s preparation for the Six Nations in the series of matches in November was something of a mixed bag: a win over Samoa, a tame loss to Australia and then that heart-stopping, last-minute loss to New Zealand. The match against New Zealand was a classic and, with the match all but over, Ireland led by 22 points to 17. Then, with the last play of the game, New Zealand scored and the dream of Ireland’s first victory over them in 108 years died a brave death.

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DUBLIN

|

LONDON

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CHICAGO

INTERVIEW

“I’d say it was the worst I’ve felt after a match ever,” says Sexton now, the memory still raw. “Just the way it all happened; the way we lost in the last second of injury time. To come so close and then to get it taken away at the end was devastating. It was tough to take.” In the course of the game, Sexton hit the post with a conversion and missed a penalty late in the second half that might have put Ireland out of sight.

“It was one of those ones. I hit it [the penalty] and I thought it was good. I looked up and I thought it was going through and at the last minute it just faded off. It was a good strike. I don’t know if there was a little bit of a breeze, or I just didn’t get all of it. You can look at the video a million times ... I have massive regrets over it, obviously.

There was part of me that kind of wishes I’d come off earlier, because I was struggling a bit with injuries that I had going into the game, but there’s part of me that was proud that I stayed on and kept going until I got taken off.”

SEXTON’S LIKE LIST Holiday destination – Portugal; city – Dublin; place to stay – The BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, Co Wicklow; beach – Ballybunion, Co Kerry; restaurant – The Butcher Grill, Ranelagh in Dublin; pub – John B Keane’s in Listowel, Co Kerry or Ardhu Bar in Limerick.

Sexton is 28, just at his peak as a player. He learned his rugby at St Mary’s College in Rathmines, Dublin, and famously kicked a last-gasp drop goal to win them the Leinster Schools Senior Cup in 2002. However, he wasn’t picked up by the Leinster Rugby Academy and might easily have drifted out of the game. Mark McDermott, coach of the Ireland under-21s team, happened to spot him playing for St Mary’s club. He scored two tries and kicked most of his goals that day and an academy contract soon followed.

As a youngster, Sexton took parttime jobs in nearly every shop or business near his home in Rathgar.

His mother runs a hairdressing

salon in the area and his dad, Jerry, is a stalwart of Bective Rugby Club in Dublin’s Donnybrook. His parents split up when he was 15 and he threw himself into sport – any sport. It was around this time that his friendship with Laura (they met in Rathgar Tennis Club as 13-yearolds) deepened. They got married last July.

For a while, it looked like their future was assured, mapped out before them. Laura was a teacher at Loreto on the Green; Sexton was the Leinster and Ireland outhalf. Then, when his contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union was up for renewal, Racing made an offer that was difficult to refuse.

People who know Sexton well – such as his godfather, Billy Keane, from Listowel, Co Kerry – remark on a certain grounded, down-toearth quality he has. Now, at the start of a new Six Nations campaign and of a new life in France, it’s a quality he will need to draw on more than ever.

INPHO/BILLY STICKLAND

Come on, Ireland!

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The Six Nations Championship is the oldest rugby competition in the world. It was first contested (as the Home International Championship) in 1883, with England taking that inaugural title. Ireland won their first championship in 1894.

To non-rugby fans, the competition – and the other cups and trophies it encompasses – can seem confusing. The teams play each other once, with home advantage alternating from year to year. There are two points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss.

Bonus points – for scoring tries or losing by a certain margin – are not used. Winning every match in the championship is called a Grand Slam, while the Triple Crown is won by one of the Home Countries (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) beating the other three.

The Calcutta Cup (awarded to the winners of the England-Scotland game), the Millennium Trophy (for Ireland v England), the Centenary Quaich (Ireland v Scotland) and the Garibaldi Trophy (France v Italy) are

all contested within the Six Nations.

Ireland have won just two Grand Slams (1948 and 2009) and ten Triple Crowns.

England have twelve Slams and 23 Triple Crowns, more than any other country.

Irish players also hold two Six Nations records: most appearances (Ronan O’Gara: 63) and most tries (Brian O’Driscoll: 26).

Ireland’s chances are enhanced every alternate year, when they face the two strongest teams, England and France, at home. This year, however, they play both away (February 22 and March 15 respectively), and take on Scotland (February 2), Wales (February 8) and Italy (March 8) in Dublin. (Fixtures at rbs6nations.com).

This season, Ireland play under the direction of a new coach, Joe Schmidt, who was appointed after a successful stint with Leinster Rugby. However, they will be minus Seán O’Brien, one of their most influential players, who will miss the tournament through injury.

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PEOPLE

The sheer variety of tastes produced by Ireland’s new wave of craft beer makers is bringing a muchneeded fizz back to the market. Ben Webb gets a taste of it. Photographs by Steve Ryan.

BEER

SMALL

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aking on the mighty all blacks – Guinness, Murphy’s and Beamish – and a powerful multinational brigade of massproduced, mass-marketed lagers is not for the faint-hearted. But Ireland’s craft beer makers are a passionate lot and they are confident that success will be down to one thing ... good taste. And it’s not just good taste. It’s a remarkable variety of good tastes.

“There are so many different flavours for people to experiment with in the world of craft beer,” declares Gráinne Walsh, who founded the Metalman Brewing Company in Waterford after giving up a career in IT. “It offers a much more interesting and rewarding experience than resorting to the same big brewery beer.”

Craft beer once had an image problem – it was the tipple of choice for bearded geography teachers with Jesus sandals –

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but now it’s cool. The figures speak for themselves. At the Irish Craft Beer and Cider Festival 2013 in Dublin’s RDS, 25 artisan breweries from all corners of Ireland arrived to wow thousands of beer pilgrims – up from just 13 a year earlier.

Craft ale sales rose 42.5 per cent in 2012, according to Bord Bia, and 35 per cent last year.

It’s a good news story all round.

Encouraged by tax breaks that favour those producing less than 20,000 hectolitres per annum, all sorts are taking the plunge and starting breweries. It’s a business model that makes sense. And drinkers are delighted to support them.

Jerry O’Sullivan, founder of the Dingle Brewing Company, which makes Tom Crean’s Premium Irish Lager, says the recession may have helped sales.

“Drinkers have less money and have started to ask questions about what they are

buying,” he says. “Many of them want to buy a quality Irish product rather than a mass-produced one. It’s very exciting.”

Publicans are joining in the fun and on the lookout for new and exciting flavours, but the market has a long way to grow. Craft beer only accounts for about 0.6 per cent of the beer market.

Scott Baigent, a Kiwi who founded Eight Degrees brewery in Co Cork with fellow Antipodean Cameron Wallace, says the fight is on to satisfy orders. He and the team are installing between two and four taps into pubs every week.

“We’ve got a long way to go though,” he says. “We are well short of the legendary five per cent share in the US. But we are quietly confident that we will collectively get there.”.

The beer lover

Shane Long Franciscan Well

His dad said he was “mad”. Undeterred, Shane Long founded the Franciscan Well Brewery in 1998 on the site of an old monastery in Cork city. Legend has it that people came from miles around to drink water from the well because it had miraculous powers. Today, they arrive to enjoy the beer.

“Franciscan Well was born out of my passion for beer,” Shane says.

“I wanted it to be profitable, of course, but my primary motivation was to make a career from doing something I love.” He found a business partner who invested using a Business Expansion Scheme. He started making beer, testing on people and gradually honed his products. The results – both in terms of flavour and the awards – speak for themselves. The limited edition brew Jameson Stout had a “roaring” reception and won a Gold Medal in the International Beer Challenge 2013. Rebel Red, their most popular product, was recently acclaimed Best Amber beer in Europe at the World Beer Awards. “At the risk of blowing our own trumpet, we’ve won more awards in 2013 than in any other year!” he says.

His recipe for success is beguilingly simple: “Get the look and feel of your packaging right and you’re halfway there. Get the beer right and you’ve got a chance of making money.” He is very excited by the future. “One day it would be fantastic to sit in a pub in Chicago with my dad,” he says with a smile, “and have a pint of Shandon Stout.” franciscanwellbrewery.com

people

The IT crowd

Gráinne Walsh

Metalman Brewing Company

The average IT consultant doesn’t have a career wobble, give it all up and decide to start a brewery. But that’s exactly what Gráinne Walsh and her partner, Tim Barbar, did in Waterford.

“Tim and I have always been very interested in beer,” Gráinne adds.

“We’ve planned our travels around beer, brewed it at home and, of course, have been known to drink it. When I started to change career I thought about what my passions were … and beer was an obvious choice.”

They researched the financial side of the business and were confident they could make a success of it.

Gráinne left her job in 2011 but Tim stayed at the “day job to pay the bills” until he “jumped ship”. They wrote several business plans, invested their own money, came up with the name, started work on branding, and that gave the project a real “purpose”. They worked for a week in a UK brewery, which helped to “dispel any glamour”, and gave them an understanding of the rudiments of brewing, from the day-to-day tasks as well as the strategic growth of a brewery. They travelled from New Zealand to the US in search of flavours and started with a pale ale “bursting with citrus flavours”, Metalman Pale Ale, which is still their most popular product. Today they supply 60 pubs with draft beer but are determined to expand in 2014.

“It’s definitely work,” Gráinne says, “but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun! The hours are long and the less said about the money the better, but if you love beer then the perks are wonderful! The craft brewing industry is full of interesting, fun people who are supportive and helpful, and happily they make some great beer.” metalmanbrewing.com

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February/March 2014

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people

The publican and sculpTor

Adrienne Heslin

West Kerry Brewery

Adrienne was running a pub called Tigh Bhric in the West Kerry Gaeltacht, and had spent years trying to muster up trade by offering “many things”, including food and music, when she had her eureka moment.

“It dawned on me we didn’t have to sell big brands with our licence to sell beer,” she says. “Why not make our own?”

In theory it seemed a good idea.

Her partner, Paul, loved beer and had a “wide knowledge of the subject”; she had her own well, which meant she could control the profile of the beers; and Donal, a friend and fellow publican who ran the Tigh Uí Chathain B&B, loved the idea so much he wanted to join forces. There was one drawback.

“I am a sculptor by vocation and am drawn to creativity in everything I do,” Adrienne says. “I am far from being a natural business person.”

Undeterred, all three did a brewing course in England. With savings, loans and some grant aid they went to work and, in 2008, they produced their first beer, Cúl Dorcha, a dark ale. In 2012 they had a “devastating” setback. They lost the majority of their brews and depleted their cash reserves when their cooling system broke down in the summer heat.

But now they are fighting back, with both locals and tourists enjoying their traditional beers – including Carraig Dubh, a porter, and Béal Bán, a golden ale – that are named after local beaches and places. Adrienne’s ambitions are simple. “Mmm ...” she ponders. “To earn a living would be great!” westkerrybrewery.ie

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0818 44 44 44

people

The Banker

Brian Fagan

Five Lamps Brewery

When Ireland’s craft beer renaissance began, Brian Fagan was working as a drinks analyst at an investment bank covering the likes of Diageo, Heineken and Carlsberg. He had a real “passion” for Irish drinks and saw a gap in the market – to handcraft an Irish lager using natural ingredients. All he needed was … a brewer. Step forward William Harvey, a veteran of 26 years at Guinness. “William is the brains of the operation,” Brian says. “Meeting him was one of the biggest breaks I got. We talk about style, flavour, alcohol content and he comes up with a recipe that is pretty close to what we wanted.”

But Brian knew it was a risk. He had also started a whiskey business – “I have an entrepreneurial streak,” he says – and had spent a “pretty scary time” living on savings while supporting a wife, two young kids and a “Celtic Tiger mortgage”. He knew he needed backing and, after a career in finance, put together a “robust business plan” to raise the money.

“My friends said what I was doing was pretty cool and fair play for taking a chance,” Brian says with a smile. “But in reality they thought I was nuts!”

The Five Lamps Dublin Lager, a pilsner-style beer, was launched in September 2012 and last year they opened their brewery in the Liberties, where they produce Liberties Dublin Ale, Honor Bright Red Ale and Blackpitts Porter.

“Dublin had a rich tradition of drink production that has declined over the past 150 years,” Brian says. “It would be great if we could recapture even a small part of that lost heritage.” the5lampsbrewery.com

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The Team

Kay O’Hara

Carlow Brewing Company (O’Hara’s Brewery) “The brewery stems entirely from the aspirations of Seamus, my husband,” says Kay O’Hara, “but we work very much as a team and are proud to have been at the forefront of Irish craft brewing for almost 17 years.” A growing list of new brands has created a wave of craft brewing, but the O’Hara’s name is already well established among Ireland’s beer lovers. This year the brewery will sell more than 2.5 million pints through pubs, restaurants and off-licences around Ireland and in 20 export markets.

It all started back in 1996, in Ireland’s malt-growing “Barrow Valley” region. “With a passion for craft beers and a budget just big enough to scope out our initial brewing plant (and with assistance from our local Enterprise Board) we set out to change the brewing landscape in Ireland, to go back to a time when flavoursome beers were the standard beverage in every town,” Kay says.

They were clearly doing something very right. In 2000, O’Hara’s Irish Stout – their flagship beer – won the overall championship trophy at the prestigious Millennium International Brewing Industry Awards held in the grandeur of London’s Guildhall. In 2001 they decided to expand the business and Kay joined full time to streamline the administration and sales side. Today, she enjoys building the O’Hara’s brand. “The brand and packaging is very important to us,” Kay says. “It’s a key focus of mine.

Our trademark represents the Celtic warrior’s sword and shield, a symbol of endurance and distinctiveness, reflecting the characteristics of our beers and their origin.” carlowbrewing.com

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people

The businessman

Jerry O’Sullivan

Dingle Brewing Company When Jerry O’Sullivan bought an old Kerry Group creamery in 2005 he didn’t have brewing on his mind at all. He saw it as a “quirky” building with lots of potential, but he has a keen eye for an opportunity. When he heard there was an old well on the site with fantastic water, he had an idea: why not make beer and whiskey? He tested the water: “it was excellent”. And on July 20, 2011 – the birthday of Tom Crean, a local man who became a hero of Antarctic exploration – the first pints of Tom Crean’s Premium Irish Lager were produced. It’s the sort of authentic back story that sells.

“We want to focus on one product and building brand awareness,” explains Jerry, who has worked in business since he was in his 20s. The lager has also been intentionally postioned as Irish because the recession has encouraged people to think more locally. “People want an alternative to all those mass-produced lagers and many of them want an an Irish lager that is fresh,” Jerry says.

“And publicans are supporting us because they want to offer customers more choice.” Not just publicans, as Tom Crean’s lager is now available onboard Aer Lingus flights.

Jerry is already looking to expand production from his 2,000 litre-a-day facility and wants to supply more pubs in Kilkenny, Dublin and Cork. “The honeymoon period is over,” he explains. “For the first 18 months people give a new beer a try, but sales are up and now we are looking at the Chinese and American markets. We’re ambitious and I’m very optimistic.” dinglebrewingcompany.com

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February/March 2014

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WALES

GOING COASTAL There are 870 glorious miles of coastline in Wales, and now there’s a stunning path that takes you from one end to the other.

So lace up those boots and enjoy the sights along the way.

I

n Wales, nobody lives more than an hour from the coast. We love our coastline, every bit of it, especially now that it’s all been joined up into one stunning Wales Coast Path, the whole 870 miles of it.

Existing long-distance paths, such as the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path, Ceredigion Coast Path, Offa’s Dyke Path and Pembrokeshire Coast Path, have been connected to form a continuous circuit enabling people to walk around the whole coastline of Wales. The path runs from Queensferry in North Wales to Chepstow in the far southeast. This is the longest continuous coastal path around any country in the world,

and we make no apologies for being ridiculously proud of it. In fact Lonely Planet Guide voted The Wales Coast Path the number one place on earth to visit in 2012.

We’ve all got our favourite bits. Feel like scrambling along wave-washed rocks? We invented coasteering and the Welsh coast is still the best place to do it, along with other adrenaline sports like kite-surfing and scuba-diving. And if that doesn’t appeal we can heartily recommend bodyboarding, which is stupendous fun for anyone who can negotiate a wetsuit (while holding a towel, naturally).

The wildlife is rich and diverse.

Exploration of the coastline along the path reveals bays, headlands, towering cliffs and inlets, all providing stunning views of nesting seabirds, guillemots, razorbills, puffins and shearwaters.

Out to sea off the Ceredigion coast in Cardigan Bay, bottlenose dolphins and porpoises can be seen playing in the surf and its sheltered inlets and coves harbour Atlantic Grey Seals.

Or check out the chalkboard in the local pub, where today’s catch includes freshly landed lobster, crab and seabass. Or there’s the pick-yourown pleasure of gathering mussels and samphire, or taking a mackerel boat from the harbour to catch your own

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Opposite page, Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire.

This page, clockwise from above left, book lovers’ day out at the Hay Festival; pretty New Quay; commanding views at Conwy Castle; and the stronghold of Llansteffan Castle.

supper – and eating it barbecued on the beach, ideally.

Horse riding on the beach? Fastboating around the Bristol Channel?

Meandering around a marina? A round of golf where the water hazard is Cardigan Bay? The swim of a lifetime in a deserted cove? Or sometimes, the best thing to do is absolutely nothing. Just sit on a rock as the tide comes in, watching it slowly devour the shore as the sun sinks below the horizon. Amazing.

The Wales Coast Path is split into eight sections, and during its course it takes in a Geopark, a Marine Nature Reserve, two National Parks, three Areas of Outstanding National Beauty,

a lap of Anglesey, then around the Llŷn 11 National Nature Reserves, 14 Peninsula and down past Snowdonia. marinas, 14 stretches of Heritage Coast, Next, it sweeps down Cardigan 23 Historic Landscape sites, and 43 Blue Bay and around the rugged cliffs of Flag beaches.

Pembrokeshire, before leaping across If you walked the continuous stretch Carmarthenshire’s endless sands and of the coast path from end to end it great three-pronged estuary to would take about 70 days. But the stunning beaches of don’t panic! You can cherryGower. Swansea Bay leads pick which section of the SUPER on to the layer-cake path you want to walk, STAYS cliffs of the Glamorgan and many sections The Welsh coastline is Heritage Coast, past are easy to tackle as brimming with fabulous places Barry and Cardiff Bay, day walks, often with to stay, from boutique hotels and races through the good public transport to romantic converted Gwent Levels to the connections. Sections lighthouses. Plan your perfect finish line at Chepstow. of the path are also holiday in Wales at It’s not the end of the open to cyclists and www.visitwales.com. story, though: over time, horse riders, and there is the Wales Coast Path will also disabled access along lead to the creation of circular its length. coastal routes to link the inland towns It all begins – or ends – on the Dee and villages. Watch this space at Estuary, strides along through the www.walescoastpath.gov.uk … resorts of the North Wales coast, does

10 WELSH WONDERS

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EXPERIENCE THE WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAY Trains start the spectacular 25-mile scenic journey from below the castle walls at Caernarfon.

Hauled by the world’s most powerful narrow gauge steam locomotives, the trains climb from sea level to over 650 feet to the foothills of Snowdon, before zig-zagging dramatically down to reach Beddgelert, in the heart of the National Park, then through the magnificent Aberglaslyn Pass and on to Porthmadog. www.festrail.co.uk

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TASTE WHISKY AT PENDERYN DISTILLERY Penderyn Distillery is the only distillery in Wales and one of the smallest in the world. It takes its name from the old Welsh village in which it is located and nestles in the foothills of the ancient Brecon Beacons mountain range. Take a tour of the visitor centre and distillery and sample the Penderyn Single Malt Whisky and range of other spirits and liqueurs. www.welsh-whisky.co.uk

GO BACK IN TIME Wales has an ancient landscape and a Celtic heritage that dates back over 2,500 years. So it’s not surprising it has around 641 castles – the highest concentration in Europe. Some highlights include Caerphilly Castle, one of the largest medieval fortresses in Britain, the mighty UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech, above, or Beaumaris, and Carreg Cennen Castle, one of the most dramatically sited castles in Wales. For more, go to www.cadw.wales.gov.uk

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BOOK IN TO HAY-ON-WYE Hay-on-Wye is famous for one thing – books, with almost 40 bookshops. And they are everywhere.

GO DOLPHIN SPOTTING The castle’s a book shop, the cinema’s Bottlenose dolphins can a book shop, the fire station’s a be seen from the book shop even the alleyways FOR shoreline along the whole are book shops. Visit in MORE! bay from Cardigan to the May and you’ll catch Wales View 2014 Dyfi Estuary. One of the the annual Hay Festival magazine features many most popular viewpoints of Literature, which more reasons to visit Wales. is the harbour wall in former US president Bill Request your brochure at New Quay. Or go on a Clinton once called ‘the www.visitwales.com and ‘Dolphin Survey Boat Trip’ Woodstock of the mind’. sign up to receive our and spot them playing in www.midwalesmyway. newsletters.

Cardigan Bay. com / www.hayfestival.com www.discoverceredigion.co.uk

3

ADVERTORIAL

6

PLAY GOLF In July 2014, Royal Porthcawl, left, plays host to the Senior Open Championship, the first Major Championship to take place in Wales.

This is undoubtedly the biggest competition the course has hosted and it doesn’t end here – the Senior Open will return twice more to Welsh shores between 2014 and 2024. For golfers, if you’re looking for the true links experience, Royal Porthcawl is a mustplay. Highlights include one of the finest second holes in golf, where reaching the green requires nerve and accuracy, and the 10th with its spectacular sea views. www.golfasitshouldbe.com / www.royalporthcawl.com

8

VISIT A GARDEN Aberglasney Gardens, below, is a jewel in the British gardens’ crown.

It has earned a reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting garden restoration projects. The 10 acres include three walled gardens, woodland areas and water features. At its heart is an Elizabethan and Jacobean cloister garden and parapet walk, unique in Britain – visit in spring when many of its rare flowers are in bloom. The on-site café is run by one of Wales’ most prominent food critics, Simon Wright, using fresh local ingredients picked from Aberglasney where possible. www.aberglasney.org

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CELEBRATE POETRY Dylan Thomas is one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, and the most famous literary figure to come from Wales.

In 2014, Wales celebrates the centenary of Dylan’s birth with a wide, year-long programme of events – large and small, international and local – which means that wherever you travel, you’re bound to rub up against some of that Dylan magic. Explore some of the places that inspired his work. Including the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea, The Boathouse in Laugharne, the fishing village of New Quay where he once lived, No.5 Cwmdonkin Drive where Dylan was born, and Browns Hotel where he spent many afternoons writing, reading and bantering with his drinking companions. www.dylanthomas100.org

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SEE THE SIGHTS There are seven national museums and galleries in Wales, all of which are free to visit. Don a miner’s hat and go 300 feet underground with a real miner at Big Pit National Coal Museum. Experience life as a Roman soldier at the National Roman Legion Museum at Caerleon. View the largest collections of French Impressionist art outside of Paris at The National Museum and Gallery of Wales, left, or learn about our maritime and industrial history at Swansea’s National Waterfront Museum. www.museumwales.ac.uk

10

BE A CULTURE VULTURE The Wales Millennium Centre, above, has been recognised as one of the world’s most iconic arts and cultural venues, showcasing everything from concerts to ballet to West End musicals. It is also home to seven of Wales’ major cultural institutions, including the Welsh National Opera and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The summer 2014 programme features some of our best-loved West End musicals including War Horse, Cats and West Side Story. www.wmc.org.uk

GETTING THERE

Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Aer Arann, operates direct flights to Wales, between Dublin and Cardiff. Wales is less than three hours from London, two hours from Birmingham, and one hour from Manchester. Rail and bus connections across Britain also provide easy access, or you can rent a car and travel at your leisure.

GOLF | KERRY

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

MAN V NATURE

Three Kerry golf courses, ninety holes, five days and some Irish weather. American writer Jonathan Dee pits himself against the elements and is rewarded with a glimpse of golf heaven.

Photographs by Piotr Dybowski and David Sciora.

Take a walk on the wild side – Ballybunion Golf Club, on the path from the 16th to the 17th tee.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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GOLF | KERRY

t’s hard to find a truly satisfied golfer. Even after a good round, we tend to walk off the course thinking about the bad bounce or the threeputt or the chunked approach that came between our actual score and the score we would have had if everything had just gone perfectly, which of course it never does.

So my attention was piqued when, the night before my firstever round of golf in Ireland, I fell into conversation with a holidaying American family – a father, a mother, and their son, who looked to be just a year or two out of college – in the dining room of the tiny Teach de Broc hotel in the west coast town of Ballybunion.

The young man, his father proudly let slip, worked for a well-known investment bank, and had a handicap of three. They asked if I’d yet played Ballybunion’s worldrenowned Old Course (visible through the dining room windows behind them); I told them I had a

I

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tee time the next morning. g.

“You’ll have a blast,” the son beamed. “We played it today. Fantastic. What an experience.”

He was so happy, so triumphant-looking, that I thought I would indulge him by asking what score he’d shot, figuring it had to be good. “Eighty-eight,” he smiled. “It was the most fun I’ve ever had.”

Wait a minute. Type A guys like him – low-handicappers who work in high finance – should be breaking clubs over their knees after shooting an 88 anywhere, much less on one of the top-ranked courses in the world. But this hotshot was glowing. “It’s just so challenging,” he said. “I can’t describe it. I can’t wait to play it again.”

That was as good an introduction as any to the ethos of golf on the gorgeous, stark, meteorologically fickle southern coast of Ireland.

You may be proud of your perfectly

At the mercy of the weather on the 9th and 10th greens at Ballybunion, above and below. Left, our man Jonathan Dee limbering up for another shot.

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consistent swing, honed by endless repetition in perfect conditions. But this is not the driving range, sonny boy – this is man versus nature. In weather that seems to change every hour, on some of the toughest, most precise and naturally unspoiled layouts anywhere in the world, you have to get creative just to figure out how to get your ball into the hole 18 times; and succeeding produces a kind of bliss that has nothing to do with your score.

By the time I and my old friend and playing partner Steve reached the first tee on the Old Course the next morning, the wind was howling, and a light rain was blowing sideways. It was, I am now ashamed to admit, a morning on which we would have cancelled our 62 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

tee time back in the US without bounced out onto the fairway, a sight debate. The genial starter had me both auspicious and spooky. pretty well sized up by the look The rest of the front nine went of unease on my wind-chapped reasonably well. Then we came to face. “Now,” he said, pointing the back, most of which runs ON THE down the fairway, “the thing directly alongside the ocean, COURSES ... to remember here is that a cauldron of whitecaps For details of courses and the graveyard is out of that day. I hit several tee to book, contact Ballybunion bounds.” Graveyard? Yes, shots that would have Golf Club, 064 27146; an ancient graveyard juts had me high-fiving my ballybuniongolfclub.ie; Killarney almost into the fairway playing partners back Golf & Fishing Club, 064 66 31034; on the Old Course’s first in temperate New York; killarney-golf.com; Waterville hole. “If your ball goes in here, I helplessly watched Links, 066 947 4102; there,” he continued, kindly them climb the wind and watervillegolflinks.ie. but sternly, “just leave it and then blow into the Atlantic. take a drop. Do not go into the Or, sometimes, into the rough, graveyard to pick it up.” if “rough” is even the word to It’s hard to say which was more describe the dense ocean grasses remarkable – that my opening tee covering the dunes just off the shot split the fairway, or that Steve’s fairways. On one par four, Steve, drifted into the graveyard but maybe three yards off the fairway,

Stay at …

A golf-pilgrim’s dream, Waterville House is a converted manor on the edge of the sea. This luxurious little inn has its own driving range and a short-game practice facility. Each of its twelve rooms is named after a legendary golf-course architect.

B&B from €178. (066 947 4102; watervillehouse.com) A four-star gem, Teach de Broc in Ballybunion doesn’t look all that fancy from the outside, but the rooms, the service and the food are all first-rate. And they are devoted to golfers. Open your window for views of the Old Course and sounds of the ocean just beyond. B&B from €140.

(068 27 581; ballybuniongolf.com) Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa is a spanking new luxury hotel in the hills above Killarney. The spa and pools are not to be believed.

Gorgeous rooms with gorgeous views, many of which offer a kind of classic Irish tableau: in the background, the lakes and stark mountains of Killarney National Park; in the foreground, a tiny, ancient cemetery. B&B from €170.

(064 663 1766; aghadoeheights.com)

The Europe Hotel & Resort is a great home-base for exploring Killarney and the smaller towns to the west – although the Europe is so vast and all-inclusive that you might have just as good a time if you never left its picturesque grounds.

It’s a two-minute drive from the three courses at the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club. B&B from €220. (064 667 1300; theeurope.com) Golf widows – or widowers – will love The Brehon hotel, Killarney, which boasts Europe’s luxurious flagship Angsana Spa, of Banyan Tree fame. Moreover, residents can enjoy the great outdoors without ever stepping foot on one of the many nearby fairways as ty the property overlooks us the gorgeous Killarney rk.

National Park.

B&B from 64 €66.50. (064 663 0700; thebrehon. com)

Fifty shades of green at Ballybunion – clockwise from left, unlucky for some on the 13th hole; fair play on the 18th green; a very welcome seat back at the clubhouse; exposed to the elements on the 17th green.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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GOLF | KERRY

Eat at …

The Fisherman’s Bar is an unpretentious restaurant in Waterville’s Butler Arms Hotel beloved by Charlie Chaplin. This little pub served the best meal we had anywhere in Ireland. Magnificent seafood, which makes sense – the sea is only about 50 metres away.

(066 947 4144; butlerarms.com) So small you might not even realise at first it’s a restaurant, the lobby-level bistro in Teach de Broc Hotel, Ballybunion, offers a splendid dinner, with expert service.

Our waiter ended the evening by steering us toward a limitededition Irish whiskey that we are still reminiscing about. (068 27 581; ballybuniongolf.com) Gaby’s seafood restaurant, tucked at the end of Killarney’s High Street, has a beautiful dining room and garden. Justly famous for its Lobster Gaby (simmered in a cream-and-cognac sauce and served back in its shell): Pricey,

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but memorable. (064 663 2519) The Smoke House is Hipster Central in Killarney. Casual bistro

fare and a casual, youthful vibe.

Tattoos abound. (064 662 0801; thesmokehouse.ie) The Brasserie, at The Europe Hotel & Resort, outside Killarney, has a gorgeous terrace with dramatic views of Lough Leane. Great steaks and seafood, and way more relaxing than searching for a parking space on the High Street in town. (064 667 1300; theeurope.com)

Top, the sun shines on Killarney Golf & Fishing Club's 8th tee on Killeen, and, above, a view of Lough Leane and MacGillycuddy Reeks mountain range from Killeen's 10th hole.

Left, hip hangout The Smoke House.

swung so mightily that two tw balls popped out of the th hole – one his, and one on that had probably rolled ro in there and disappeared di back in the days da when balls were made ma of gutta-percha.

Shaken but exhilarated, ex from Ballybunion Ba we drove about an hour inland to the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, whose two courses wind alongside the vast Lough Leane. The weather, while it can be plenty dramatic (we got caught in one ten-minute squall that made us drop our clubs and run for cover), lacks the epic nature of those links courses by the sea; but with the lake always nearby, and with water hazards on 14 holes, it is a stern test.

Yet the atmosphere there was so genial and relaxed. That was true everywhere we played. It’s not just that the courses aren’t overcrowded or policed by snappish rangers. It’s that they feel like a part of the old towns they’re in, as opposed to the

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GOLF | KERRY

Don't miss ...

1

THE RING OF KERRY There are shorter ways to get from Killarney to the west coast and back again, but the time saved isn’t worth it: the 179-kilometre Ring of Kerry, above, much of it on narrow roads carved into cliffs running down to the sea, is one of the most scenic drives anywhere in the world.

FLYING BOATS AND THE HOME OF IRISH

2

COFFEE Eighty years ago, in a little coastal town called Foynes, a chef named Joe Sheridan came up with the idea of livening up coffee with a little sugar, cream and Irish whiskey, to warm up all the damp, chilled American passengers disembarking from sea planes, back in the days before commercial jets could cross the Atlantic in one go.

BILL CLINTON STATUE, BALLYBUNION The former Dufferin-Chief proclaimed the Old Course his favourite in all the world after playing there in 1998 during

3

a break from the Northern Ireland peace talks. The town returned the favour by erecting a bronze statue of the 42nd US president outside the town’s police station – not giving a speech or signing a treaty, but lining up a tee shot.

TORC WATERFALL, KILLARNEY NATIONAL PARK Tucked away on the last southern leg of the Ring of Kerry before reaching Killarney proper is a modest little rest area; walk five minutes into the woods and you’ll be treated to the sight of a roaring waterfall. Bring a camera.

4

Top, the 16th hole at Waterville Golf Links is a sight to behold. Left, the 8th fairway and, far right, in the rough on Killeen's 7th hole, both Killarney Golf & Fishing Club.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

best American courses, most of which are gated like white-collar prisons. On the Killeen course at Killarney – a course that two years ago hosted the Irish Open – hikers kept emerging from the woods on paths we hadn’t even noticed were there. A cross-country team on a training run passed (quietly) behind us on the third tee; and toward the end of the round we noticed an elderly gent with a white beard, plus-fours and a walking stick, peering like Darwin into various bogs just beyond the out-of-bounds stakes. Imagine that amateur naturalist exploring the grounds at Augusta or Merion. The cops would

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF WATERVILLE GOLF LINKS

be on him like he was Al Capone.

Killarney itself is a pretty swinging town, at least by local standards. There are pubs and restaurants galore, and plenty of shopping, and even a class of young bohemians that made me feel like I was back in hipster Brooklyn.

Steve and I whiled away two very sociable nights on High Street, before packing up the clubs again and heading back to the coast.

My ancestors on my father’s side are Irish and, while they may not be from the town of Waterville, from the moment we set foot there I had a feeling of homecoming.

Sleepy, eccentric and so picturesque

it leaves newcomers gasping, it’s a town in which two things of import have happened: one was the residence there of Charlie Chaplin, who made the Butler Arms Hotel his holiday home for over a decade, and the other was the transatlantic cable, which came ashore in 1884.

The transatlantic cable was the highest of high-tech in its day and required a small army of technicians and soldiers to keep it running.

There wasn’t a whole lot to do in Waterville in those days (75 years too early even to stroll downtown and try to catch a glimpse of Charlie Chaplin), and since bored soldiers have been known to turn into a FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

| 67

ILLUSTRATION BY FUCHSIA MacAREE

GOLF | KERRY

social problem, a solution was hit upon: build them a golf course.

That golf course – only nine holes at the time – has since been expanded into one of the top-ranked layouts anywhere in the world, and is the best course I have ever played.

It is brutally long (7,355 yards from the tips), and, like Ballybunion, a good deal hillier than you might expect a classic seaside course to be.

The weather turned so frequently during our round that Steve and I were changing clothes like vaudeville artists. By the time we staggered up the 18th – our 90th hole in five days – our handicaps were distant memories.

Yet, I hit some good shots that week that I will remember for the rest of my life, far longer than I’ll remember even my best rounds on the tame muni courses at home. In a sideways gale I hit a little punch seven-iron to three feet on the 13th at Ballybunion. At Killarney I figured out how to hit that low “stinger” off the tee that Tiger Woods made famous, so that your ball rolls almost as far as it travels 68 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

in the air – an absolute must when you’re playing into the wind.

I learned more about how to control my ball flight in those five days than I had in the previous 15 years – because, on American courses, you so rarely have to. And that, as the Irish would be the first to cheerfully admonish, is what the sport of golf

Top right, Michael Cotter from Mr McGuire's Olde Sweet Shop in Killarney. Below, Guinness' call to arms. Bottom, the picturesque 4th hole at Waterville Golf Links.

is supposed to be all about: not aspiring to repeat the same swing every time like a robot, not selecting clubs simply according to yardage, but thinking, adapting, meeting the day's challenges. I’m sold. Like that young financier in Ballybunion, I can’t wait to get back out there and take another beating.

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• Help us identify an expanding company.

• We’ll explain to them the advantages of locating in Ireland.

• You’ll earn a €10,000 government reward if they create Irish jobs. * Subject to T&C’s. Please visit our website at www.connectireland.com

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Here’s how it works

Now is your chance to do something important for Ireland. Simply by sharing this story with your friends, you’ll be playing your part.

Hugh Morris, left, is more than an auctioneer from Co. Meath, he’s a local hero.

Forbes Magazine has just ranked Ireland as the best country in the whole world for business! No wonder leading global companies like Google, Apple, Intel, Pfizer, IBM, Boston Scientific, & Medtronic employ thousands of people across Ireland.

However there are so many companies expanding in Europe who don’t know the advantages of locating in Ireland. If they did know the advantages, they too might open a base here, creating much needed jobs. Now, ConnectIreland, a program backed by the Irish Government, through the Department of Jobs and the IDA, and launched by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, is seeking your help to find more companies (& jobs) for Ireland.

Hugh heard about ConnectIreland from a friend last year. Impressed with the simplicity of the idea, Hugh registered on ConnectIreland.com to stay in touch.

The program is very easy. Simply join up & share the message, asking your friends do they know of a company that’s expanding into or around Europe.

The ConnectIreland team will contact that company, and explain the reasons why they should locate in Ireland. If they create Irish jobs, you will have done something amazing for Ireland. In appreciation, you will receive a €10,000 government reward for you or your preferred charity.

Several months later, Hugh was showing properties to a potential buyer looking for a holiday home in the Boyne Valley area. As they travelled from property to property, they got talking, and Hugh heard about a smart Canadian firm named Mafic SA, which was expanding to Europe.

At that moment, Hugh remembered the ConnectIreland program and sent them an email to introduce Mafic SA as a potential new company for Ireland.

ConnectIreland did the rest, explaining the incentives, hosting introductions, and making the case for Ireland as the perfect location for Mafic SA’s international expansion.

Mafic SA agreed, and several months later Mafic decided to locate their new European factory plus 70 high quality jobs in Kells, Co. Meath. At the launch of Mafic’s new factory, Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton thanked Hugh for the key role he played in helping to bring the 70 jobs to Ireland.

Since launching in 2012, people worldwide have introduced ConnectIreland to more than a hundred expanding companies, maybe planning a small European sales office, or a research lab or even something bigger. By the end of March 20 companies will have opened operations in Ireland through the program, all thanks to people who are playing their part for Ireland.

ADVERTORIAL

Martin Sheen, Saoirse Ronan, Michael Flatley & Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh are among the Global Irish Stars helping to attract expanding companies into Ireland.

Why Ireland?

Smart companies realise the business advantages of locating in Ireland. Ireland is the European home for many of the world’s leading companies, including 8 of the top 10 pharma companies, 4 of the top 5 busiest websites, 9 of the top 10 medical device companies, and 10 of the world’s top 10 technology companies.

Why are so many leading companies here? What do they know that others don’t yet know?

One key reason rests with the Irish people. Lonely Planet Guidebooks has voted Ireland as the friendliest country in the whole world – twice, in the past 5 years. According to a global report published by the United Nations in April 2012, Ireland ranks in the top 10 happiest nations!

1 Join Us Email joinus@connectireland.com Like Us facebook.com/ connectirelandcom Call + 353 1 635 3716 Visit www.connectireland.com

What you can do now Ireland also has the youngest population and the highest proportion of 3rd level graduates in the EU. IMD ranks Ireland first in the world for the availability of skilled labour.

Forbes Magazine has included five Irish people in their ‘Global 30 under 30 List’.

Ireland has a highly skilled and talented workforce. This is one of the key reasons why Ireland is a fantastic location for business.

Now, with your help, we can attract more expanding companies, and create more jobs in Ireland.

Once introduced, we will help that company learn all of the benefits and financial incentives that are available for locating in Ireland.

We’ll help them with Introductions and provide a free support service to help them establish in Ireland.

2 Share Our Message “Hi Everyone, I’ve joined the ConnectIreland program to help attract companies & jobs to Ireland. If you know of any companies that are expanding in Europe, please let me know.”

As you enjoy this flight with Aer Lingus, with whom Connect Ireland is delighted to have partnered with on this project, why not start thinking about those connections you have. Where are your cousins and extended family working now?

What about your school friends, your neighbours, or business contacts? Would they know of any companies that are expanding internationally?

One powerful step you can take is to share our message: “Hi Everyone, I’ve joined the ConnectIreland program to help attract companies & jobs to Ireland.

If you know of any companies that are expanding in Europe, please let me know.”

Join us by emailing joinus@connectireland.com Or visit facebook.com/connectirelandcom You can also phone our team in Dublin at +353 1 635 3716, or by visiting our website.

If you like what we are doing, please let the world know through Twitter @ConnectIreland or normal media.

And of course if you do know of any companies that are expanding into Europe, please let us know.

We greatly appreciate the help and kind support of Aer Lingus staff in sharing our message with you.

Please remind them that they are fantastic ambassadors for Ireland.

Thank you for taking time to read about ConnectIreland.

3 Let us know

Implementing the Succeed in Ireland initiative, part of the Irish Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, in association with IDA Ireland.

14 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2. Ireland

The

final

ADVENTURE | FLORIDA

FRONTIER

His mission, should he choose to accept it, is to explore the activities, attractions, bars and beaches of Florida’s Space Coast.

David Robbins boldly goes … Photographs

by Matt Marriott.

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Blast off – go on an odyssey at the Kennedy Space Center.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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ADVENTURE | FLORIDA

Right, a display about the Space Shuttle Atlantis, including its solid rocket boosters and fuel tank. Below, Dave Robbins feels the G-force at the Shuttle Launch Experience; bottom, right, a technician cleans one of the Center's rocket exhibits.

visit to the east coast of Florida. A paradise of beaches, palm trees and wildlife, just 56 kilometres east of Orlando. Cocktails at sunset.

Dining to the sound of the surf. A little light retail therapy, perhaps.

What could be more relaxing?

The first inkling that my trip to the place they call the Space Coast was going to be a little more whiteknuckle than expected came at the Kennedy Space Center. In the Shuttle Launch Experience, to be precise. The space centre is the major attraction in the SPACE area, drawing some 1.5 ODDITY million visitors each year. It’s a sprawling Try the freeze-dried, campus, with two space food ice-cream at IMAX cinemas, the Kennedy Space Center. a “rocket garden” It’s dry and warm but tastes and a host of spacestrangely like real ice-cream.

We strap ourselves related exhibits, and The Neapolitan ($3.99) in and our spacecraft is located at Cape is especially good. sways as it comes away Canaveral – a name from the gantry. Soon, embedded in the global we’re rocking and jolting as consciousness ever since the we try to escape Earth’s gravity.

Apollo missions of the 1960s and You even feel your face being pulled 1970s. As you wander among the back by the G-force. Suddenly, it old rockets and landing capsules, all goes quiet and we see the Earth you find yourself saying “Ten ... above and behind us. We have made nine ... ignition ... blast off!” The nice thing is that you’re not the only it into space. Someone at the back whoops. The ride is half-scary, halfone. thrilling, but the really worrying In the Shuttle Launch thing about it is that it ends there, Experience, an astronaut voice-over explains what could go wrong as we leaving us halfway to the Moon.

What about re-entry? And the bit jettison our solid rocket boosters.

A

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O

’Neill’s is one of Dublin’s most famous and historic pubs.

Centuries of Dublin history surround the world-renowned O’Neill’s.

Just around the corner from Trinity College, Grafton Street and the Molly Malone Statue, trade has flourished uninterrupted for over 300 years. O’Neill’s is conveniently set in the heart of Dublin.

Our fully-refurbished Heated Roof-Top Beer Garden & Smoking Area

When you pay us a visit you will receive a warm and friendly welcome and you can enjoy its ageless character, numerous alcoves, snugs, nooks and crannies.

To make your visit as enjoyable as possible we offer you ... ●

Extensive Irish Food Menu and Famous Carvery serving only the finest Irish Meat, Fish and Vegetables. In fact, Lonely Planet rate us as one of the Top 5 Places to find ´Real Irish food in Dublin´.

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Traditional Irish Music 7 nights-a-week

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Roof-Top Beer Garden and Smoking Area

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Largest selection of local Irish Craft Beers in Ireland

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Pour Your Own Pint tables

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Free Wi-Fi to all our Customers

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HD and 3D Screens for the Sports Fan with major international league games.

‘Really Good’ Full Irish Breakfast only

€6.95

Available Mon-Fri, 8am-11.30am

M.J. O’Neill Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 Tel. 01 679 3656 www.oneillsbar.com

Mon-Thurs: 8.00am-11.30pm Fri: 8.00am-12.30am Sat: 8.00am-12.30am Sun: 8.00am-11.00pm SatNav 53.343958, -6.260796

“Top 5 places to find Real Irish Food in Dublin”

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ADVENTURE | FLORIDA

Back on earth – the Atlantis, above, is the main attraction at the Kennedy Space Center.

Visitors learn about the shuttle programme, right, before seeing the 29-year-old spacecraft. Left, astronaut Mark Lee hosts a "lunch with an astronaut" event.

I was really looking forward to: splash-down?

Back on Earth, the real star of NASA’s show is the Atlantis exhibit. Atlantis was the secondlast shuttle to be built by NASA. It was launched in 1985 and flew its final mission in 2011, after which the shuttle programme was shut down. Unlike two of its predecessors – Challenger and Columbia – it completed all its launches and landings safely. The exhibit begins with an immersive video charting the history of the shuttle programme from the original (and at the time radical) idea to build a re-usable space craft,

right through to launch day. It’s stirring stuff and, when the back of the movie theatre opens to reveal Atlantis herself, suspended and tilted at an angle as if in flight, it’s a real “wow” moment.

Entry to the Kennedy Space Center (State Road 405, +1 866 527 6401; kennedyspacecenter.com) costs

There is a couple of rocket launches a month at the Kennedy Space Center. These are usually commercial satellite launches, but just as k spectacular as manned mission launches. Chec . dule sche kennedyspacecenter.com for launch 76 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

$50, and for an extra $29.99, you can have lunch with an astronaut.

Mark Lee is our spaceman on the day, and he gives an entertaining talk about life aboard the space shuttle. He looks a little like an accountant, not at all the squarejawed, Flash Gordon type I expect.

My next near-death encounter takes place the following day, about 100 metres out to sea off Cocoa Beach. It is rough, with high breakers coming in at an angle to the beach. “It’s not an ideal day for a lesson,” says Greg Reynolds, my instructor at Cocoa Beach Surf Company (4001 North Atlantic Drive, Cocoa Beach, +1 321 868 8966; cocoabeachsurf. com) where it costs $50 for an hour’s private lesson. “Normally, we’d postpone. But, hey, seeing as you’re here, let’s give it a go.”

Following a brief, land-based primer (“Grip the rails at the side, then pop up”), we walk about 200 metres to the ocean. The

first problem is getting out far enough. There is a rip current coming against us and moving forward is like wading through treacle. When the water is shoulder-high, Greg shouts: “Okay, climb aboard!” But there is no break in the waves and even getting on the board is tricky. Once or twice, the board turns upside down with

Surf's up, left, as Dave Robbins gets a lesson from Greg Reynolds of the Cocoa Beach Surf Company.

Below, Cocoa Beach Pier, with its bars and restaurants, is a good place to recover.

Space Coast – the name game There is any number of “coasts” in Florida. In the 1980s, the marketing men started renaming various parts of the state. The area around Jacksonville became the First Coast because that’s where the first Europeans landed. And the part north of Miami became the Treasure Coast, based on the fact that a Spanish fleet carrying treasure sank during a hurricane in 1715. There’s also a Gold Coast, an Emerald Coast and a Forgotten Coast.

But the Space Coast has a little more authenticity: it dates back to the 1960s, when people all around the world tuned in on their grainy black-and-white TVs and watched the Apollo missions blast off. It was further embedded into popular culture with the NBC show I Dream of Jeannie. The series ran from 1965 to 1970, and featured a young Larry Hagman as an astronaut who finds a genie in a bottle after crash-landing on a remote Pacific island.

“Larry Hagman’s character lived in Cocoa Beach and, thanks to the TV series, people got to know the name and where we were,” says Bonnie King of the Space Coast office of tourism. “It was a big help when it came to trying to get folks to visit because they already knew something about us.”

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ADVENTURE | FLORIDA

The high life – Brevard Zoo has a treetop walk and zipline, left. It's popular with children, below, and the safety team, below, left, make sure everyone is strapped on tight.

me clinging to its underside like the man in the Loctite glue ad.

We manage ten or so runs to the beach, each ending in a spectacular wipe-out. At the end of the lesson, I have a bruise on my forehead from where the board and I didn’t see eye to eye. I also have the undying admiration of the small crowd of locals who were watching the fun.

“You’re a trier, I’ll give you that,” says one old-timer who was standing beside Cara’s photographer, Matt Marriott. “Did you get anything?”

I ask Matt. “Well, there’s one of you falling off that actually looks like you’re carving through a wave,” he says.

Cocoa Beach, which is the tourist centre of the Space Coast, was initially a surfers’ hang-out. Kelly Slater, holder of the most world surfing championships, was born and still lives here. And Ron Jon’s (ronjonsurfshop.com), the biggest surf shop in the world, is based here. It’s open 24-hours, 365 days a year and has become a tourist attraction in its own right.

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and sea, a visit to little ol’ Brevard Zoo, inland from Cocoa Beach, would be a danger-free zone.

Brevard (8225 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, +1 321 254 9453; brevardzoo.org; adults $15, children twelve or under $11) is a charming, old-style zoo with wooden walkways meandering through the animal enclosures. Oh, and there’s a “zipline tree-top walk” ($34).

There are two 65-year-old women lining up to do the tree-top walk as we arrive. “It’s only 20 feet off the ground,” says the girl at the kiosk.

What could possibly go wrong?

Well, first up, “tree-top walk” is a slight misnomer. It was actually an aerial obstacle course. For a man with slight vertigo, it is even more challenging than the sea-level activities. Even though

Eat at …

SPLURGE Café Margaux is the best restaurant in the area, serving French-style cuisine.

The waiters wax very poetic about the specials. Mains from $25. (220 Brevard Avenue, Cocoa Beach, +1 321 639 8343; margaux.com)

MID-PRICE Jazzy’s Mainely Lobster and Seafood is a funky, casual dining venue with great seafood. The lobster roll is justly famous. Mains $10-$16.

(210 North Orlando Avenue, Cocoa Beach, +1 321 613 3993; jazzysmainelylobster.com)

BUDGET Marlins on Cocoa Beach Pier serves the usual range of burgers, fish tacos and seafood. Great place to watch the surfers below. Mains from $10. (401 Meade Avenue, Cocoa Beach, +1 321 783 7549; cocoabeachpier.com)

Celebrating 25 Years in Business Phone to arrange a consultation.

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ADVENTURE | FLORIDA

I am harnessed and strapped, I keep imagining a fall. The fact that the two old girls are whizzing around like trapeze artists behind me makes it even worse.

The zoo itself is an oasis of calm. Senior citizens whizz about on their COAST mobility scooters.

ALONG Kids wander over For a different view of the to “Africa” to feed Space Coast’s waterways, the giraffes. Our try the bioluminescence/sunset guide brings us boat tour with Space Coast to the aviary.

River Tours (+1 321 652 1052; “Watch out for spacecoastrivertours.

Gilligan,” she says com). playfully. No sooner have we entered the aviary than I am divebombed by a murderous black monster with red feathers on his head.

“Oh Gilligan,” says our guide, as if he were a wayward toddler.

I think I caught him a glancing blow with my map. “He took a bite out of my cheek last week, the darling,” she laughs.

Maybe feeding the giraffes would be safer. I take a wafer of sweet potato and walk towards the rail of the feeding platform. Suddenly, something long, black and wet encircles my hand, snatches the food and retreats somewhere into the distance. Who knew giraffes had three-metre-long tongues?

Over the next couple of days, I discover that it’s perfectly possible to holiday safely on the Space Coast.

There are 120 kilometres of beaches and any number of hotels, inns and campsites. Most people don’t stray much from the hotel-beach-bar circuit. There are three Irish bars and several strip clubs. There are shopping malls and art galleries.

All safe places on ground level.

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Clockwise from main picture, wet and wild – guide Ed Halm leads a group on a sea kayak tour of Merritt Island and the Banana and Indian river estuaries; bird life with a Lorikeet and Hyacinth Macaw at Brevard Zoo; kayaking through mangrove outcrops; getting up close and personal with giraffes at the zoo.

The eco way Florida is flat. So flat that the second highest mountain in the state is Disney’s artificial Expedition Everest, at 61 metres. Given the lack of landmarks, it can be difficult to get your bearings.

That’s true on the Space Coast too. It’s a long, low spit of land clinging to the mainland by a thread. Behind this spit, protected from the ocean, lies Merritt Island and the wide, shallow expanses of the Indian and Banana Rivers. There are 400 square kilometres of wildlife refuge here, with forests and mangrove “islands”. The best way to see it all is by water.

You can take a boat (+1 321 652 1052; spacecoastrivertours.com), which costs

$29 for two hours, but a sea kayak gets you closer to the action. I went with Adventure Kayak of Cocoa Beach (+1 321 480 8632; kayakcocoabeach.com, $30 for two hours) and spent a morning paddling among dolphins, manatees and leaping mullet.

If you’re lucky, you’ll get Ed Halm as your guide. Ed spent 20 years in the US Navy as a survival expert, so there’s a certain comfort having him around.

Ed took us through mangrove channels and out into open water. He spotted ospreys, pelicans and herons. The water was flat calm and it was quite special to be bobbing there in a kayak as the dolphins gently broke the surface of the water all around.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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ADVENTURE | FLORIDA

ILLUSTRATION BY STEVE McCARTHY

Sleep at …

The area attracts a lot of families, who stay by the beach in the strip of three-star hotels and inns at Cocoa Beach. “We don’t have any four-star properties as such,” admits Bonnie King of the Space Coast office of tourism, “but we have a lot of very good three-stars.” Their website visitspacecoast.com is a great place to start planning your visit.

When the space shuttle

Board meeting, below, local Phil Turner heads to the surf at Cocoa Beach. The Space Coast boasts 120 kilometres of beaches.

programme was shut down in 2011, the area took a big economic hit. “There isn’t a family around here that didn’t have someone working for the space programme,” says Marcia Gaedcke, president of the chamber of commerce at Titusville. Now, the region is trying to persuade more people to turn east towards the Space Coast when they arrive in Orlando, rather than heading west to the theme parks and Disneyworld. They also want to cater to the thousands of cruise passengers who head to Canaveral Port to board Disney, Carnival, Norwegian Lines and Royal Caribbean cruise ships. They have settled on the slogan “Orlando’s closest beaches”, and it’s a good one.

This is the place for an all-American family beach holiday, especially if Dad is a space nerd. Just make sure you bring your first-aid kit.

AER LINGUS FLIES FROM DUBLIN TO ORLANDO THREE TIMES WEEKLY.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

The Space Coast does not have any four or five-star hotels. The accommodation is aimed mainly at families on beach holidays.

You could try The Inn at Cocoa Beach, an independently run, European-style hotel close to the beach, behind Ron Jon’s surf shop. Rooms from $125 per night.

(4300 Ocean Beach Boulevard, Cocoa Beach, +1 321 799 3460; theinnatcocoabeach.com) A little further south is the Hilton, which is comfortable without being fancy. It’s right on the beach and has a nice pool deck and bar. Rooms from $119 per night. (1550 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, +1 321 799 0003; hilton.com) If you want to stay a little closer to the port and the Kennedy Space Center, the Marriott Courtyard, above, at Cape Canaveral is a lively, family-style hotel with a good pool and restaurant. Rooms from $129 per night. (3435 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, +1 321 784 4800; marriott.com) You could also try renting a condo or a villa. The area has well over 1,000 rental properties.

Three-bedroom units cost roughly $500 per week in low season.

Try vacationhomerentals.com or holidayrentals.com.

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CULTURE BREAK | STOCKHOLM

The postcard pretty town of upmarket Rovinj on the Istrian peninsula.

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THE BEST OF

ISTRIA

PHOTOGRAPH BY NICK PAPADOPOULOS

While the pretty beaches and coastal towns of Istria are crowd pleasers, head inland and you’ll find a magical place of lush vineyards and medieval hill towns. Jane Foster takes a trip.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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CULTURE | PULA

ames Joyce arrived in Pula in October 1904, as a young man of 22, and worked at the Berlitz School, teaching English to AustroHungarian naval officers for six months. There’s a memorial plaque on the building where he was based on Portarata Square, close to the Roman Arch of the Sergi, and a

J

bronze statue of the man himself, sitting at a table on the terrace in front of Uliks (Croatian for Ulysses) café-bar. Arriving in Pula today, one can’t help wondering what Joyce would make of it all, almost 110 years later.

Pula (Forum 3, +385 52 219 197; pulainfo.hr for the helpful tourist board office) is the ideal starting point, both geographically and historically, for exploring the blissful hist Istrian Istr peninsular. The city’s history dates da back millennia. The Romans conquered co Istria in 177 BC and Pula became be a significant port. Several grand gran Roman monuments remain, mostly mo dating from the early first century cent AD, the most important of which is the Arena, a well-preserved wh amphitheatre, am with 40 stone tiers designed de to seat 22,000 spectators,

Top, a stroll through the Roman Arch of the Sergi, above, a high point for Jane Foster and, left, the James Joyce statue at Uliks café-bar.

who would have come here to watch gruesome gladiator fights. Located just outside the city walls, close to the port, today it is used to host open-air concerts – Leonard Cohen and Joe Cocker played here in summer 2013 – and features on the Croatian 10 kuna banknote.

What was once the Roman Forum is now the city’s main square, overlooked by the elegant Temple of Augustus erected between 2 BC and 14 AD. Post Roman Empire, the Istrian peninsula received wave after wave of invader, and over the centuries was part of the Byzantine, Hapsburg and Austrian empires.

pean cities LET'S GET DIGITAL Pula was one of the first Euro tphone users can to introduce QR codes on its monuments. Smar of info and pics. ite simply scan the code, which links to a webs 86 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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CULTURE | PULA

Joyce just missed the beginning of tourism in the region. At the time, Pula’s Roman monuments were in a state of disrepair, but the city had a tram system (launched the year Joyce arrived, then ceasing to operate in 1934), and a covered market – a two-storey, iron-andglass structure, which was highly innovative for its time when it opened in 1903. The city’s first hotel, the Riviera, began accepting guests shortly after Joyce left, in 1908. An opulent neo-Baroque building with balconied rooms overlooking the port, it is still functioning but in need of renovation.

The covered market, however, continues to thrive – this is where locals come each morning to buy fresh fish, meat and cheese, as well as seasonal fruit and vegetables at the stone stalls outside, in the

the Croatian BACK TO BASICS Budding Bear Grylls will love survival and -day Outdoor Survival School, which runs three rvive.com bushcraft courses in the wilds of Istria. extremesu 88 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Anticlockwise from above, the imposing Arena; a bird's eye view of Porec; the glittering Euphrasian Basilica.

shade of a row of chestnut trees.

Nowadays, many visitors to Pula prefer to stay outside the centre, a short distance down the coast at Verudela and Medulin, where you’ll find a string of small coves with pebble beaches, overlooked by a number of modern resort hotels, dating from the 1970s. South of Medulin, Premantura, a fishing village on the tip of the Istrian peninsula, is one of Croatia’s top windsurfing destinations.

Today, Istria is Croatia’s most developed tourist region. Its coastal resorts appeal to those in search of a restful sea-and-sunshine holiday, with the option of water sports and sightseeing, while the inland area, with its rural hills planted with vineyards, is a haven for hikers, gourmets and connoisseurs.

North of Pula, on Istria’s west coast, the small town of Poreč (to-porec.com) is home to the impressive sixth-century Euphrasian Basilica (Eufrazijeva bb), a UNESCO world heritage site.

Be sure to step inside (shoulders and legs covered for modesty) to see its glistening golden Byzantine

Eat at...

BUDGET The family-run Pizzeria Jupiter is the oldest pizzeria in town, serving tasty, inexpensive, brick-oven-baked pizzas.

It’s informal and fun, with outdoor tables on a terrace with white awnings, making it popular with locals and visitors alike.

(Castropola 42, Pula, +385 52 214 333, pizzeriajupiter.com)

MID-PRICE On Motovun’s main square, the bijou Pod Voltom is lauded for its delicious truffle dishes – try the homemade fuži (Istrian pasta), or steak, both with truffles. (Trg Jossef Ressel 6, Motovun, +385 52 681 923) SPLURGE In a walled garden close to the hilltop Church of St Euphemia, Monte, above left, serves sophisticated contemporary Istrian cuisine. To try several dishes, opt for their seven-course, degustation menu. (Montalbana 75, Rovinj, +385 52 830 203; monte.hr)

PHOTOGRAPH BY NICK PAPADOPOULOS

mosaics, portraying Christ, the twelve Apostles, the Lamb of God, and twelve female martyrs. You can also climb the bell tower, for amazing views over the terracotta rooftops and out to sea. You might spot the Grand Hotel Palazzo (hotel-palazzo.hr), on the seafront promenade close to the tip of the old town peninsular, which opened in 1910 to cater for wealthy Central Europeans who wanted to enjoy Istria’s sunny climate and healthpromoting sea air. And, looking south of the old town, along the coast, you can see a number of big modern waterside hotels, partly hidden behind fragrant pine trees.

Close to Poreč, pretty Rovinj (tzgrovinj.hr) is built around a deep, curving harbour, overlooked by pastel-coloured, Venetian-era buildings, and backed by a hilltop church, built in the 18th century and dedicated to St Euphemia.

Today it’s an up-market tourist destination, with stylish boutique hotels, boho-chic seafood eateries and candlelit cocktail bars – La

Puntulina (Sveti Križa 38) is a lovely spot for a sunset cocktail, with cushions on the rocks overlooking the bay, and an upper-terrace restaurant.

In the past, the people of Rovinj lived from fishing, going to sea in traditional wooden boats called

Top, the coast is indented with rocky outcrops and pebble beaches perfect for swimmers.

Right, Hotel Lone, which resembles a hip cruise liner.

Sleep at ...

BUDGET Ideally located for sightseeing, close to the ancient Arena, Hotel Amfiteatar offers 18 basic but comfortable rooms at a reasonable price and has a ground-floor restaurant. Double rooms from €69. (Amfiteatarska 6, Pula, +385 52 375 600; hotelamfiteatar.com) MID-PRICE Hotel Kaštel occupies a 17thcentury palazzo on the ge of Motovun’s old edge

town. It’s welcoming and cosy – just 33 rooms – and has a garden restaurant and a small wellness centre. Double rooms from €96. (Trg Andrea Antico 7, Motovun, +385 52 681 607; hotel-kastel-motovun.hr) SPLURGE Hotel Lone, below, Croatia’s first Design Hotel, the ultramodern minimalist-chic five-star Hotel Lone is set amid pine trees by the sea, on the edge of Zlatni Rt Park, a te ten-minute walk from the old town.

It has 248 ro rooms and su suites, three re restaurants, and a vast we wellness ce centre and sp spa. Double ro rooms from €1 €175.50. (Luje Ad Adamovia 31, Rovinj Rovinj, +385 52 632 000; loneho lonehotel.com)

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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PHOTOGRAPH BY NICK PAPADOPOULOS

CULTURE | PULA

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Four events to go for ...

1 2

PULA FILM FESTIVAL A two-week film festival held in Pula this July 12-26, with screenings in the Arena and Kaštel. (pulafilmfestival.hr) MOTOVUN FILM FESTIVAL A five-day film festival held in the medieval hill-town of Motovun this July 28 to August 1. (motovunfilmfestival.com) SEASPLASH FESTIVAL Now in its 12th year, this five-day reggae dub festival is staged from July 17-21, at Fort Punta Christo, Pula. (seasplashfestival.com) OUTLOOK FESTIVAL A five-day, underground dance music festival runs every September at Fort Punta Christo, Pula. This year's outing runs September 3-7. (outlookfestival.com)

3

4 batana – visit the Batana EcoMuseum (Obala P. Budicina 2, +385 52 812 593; batana.org) on the harbour should you wish to learn more. The best place to swim is on the islet of Sveti Andrija (served by hourly taxi-boats from Rovinj harbour, journey time 15 minutes).

Or, if you prefer cycling, hire a mountain bike from RM Group (rmgroup.hr; 70 kn/€9 a day) and set out to explore one of the four marked cycling routes devised by the Rovinj Tourist Board (maps available from its office on the seafront at Obala Pina Budicina 12). In summer, there’s a daily fast catamaran to Venice (venezialines. com; Rovinj-Venice return €121, also serves Poreč and Pula), making Istria’s west coast popular with Italians and tourist daytrippers.

But there’s another side to Istria that is also very special: the rural hinterland of undulating vineyards and mysterious medieval hill-towns,

which are veiled in mist in the early morning light, and have a damp greyness that is both magical and a little haunting. Inland Istria is often compared to Tuscany, and if you visit Motovun (tz-motovun. hr) you’ll understand why. y.

A huddle of romantic, cobbled alleys and old stone buildings protected by sturdy 15th-century fortifications, it overlooks the Mirna Valley, with its dense oak forest where the local delicacy of tartufi (truffles) is found, d, and lush vineyards producing the rich ruby red Teran wine. In the distance, you can make out the Parenzana (parenzana.com), a disused narrowgauge railway, which linked Poreč on the coast to Trieste in Italy in the early 20th century, and is now a popular 61-kilometre hiking and

Opposite and above, Op the rooftops and vineyards of the hilltop town of Motovun.

Left, Parenzana, a disused narrowgauge railway, now popular with cyclists.

Below, fresh fruit in Motovun.

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ILLUSTRATIO N BY ANNE SMITH

CULTURE | PULA

Top right, one of Pula Film Festival's special events in the Arena. Right, fuzi, an Istrian pasta. Below, wine-in-progress at the Benvenuti Winery, Kaldir village.

cycling route – bicycles are cycl available avai to rent from Montona Tours To (montonatours.com; 105 kn, kn approx €14, a day).

Inland Istria is also noted for fo its agrotourism – working farms fa offering rural hospitality and an wholesome home-cooking.

Close Cl to Motovun, Stefanić Agroturizam Ag (Štefaniči 55, Motovun, Mot +385 52 689 026; agroturizam-stefanic.hr), ag serves se its own meats, cheeses, homemade ho pasta and homegrown vegetables.

Or, if you’re interested in wine tasting, visit the familyrun Benvenuti Be Winery (Kaldir 7, Motovun, +385 98 197 56 51; benvenutivina.com) in the village of Kaldir – a ten-minute drive

GOOD TASTE Sommelier and food blogger Goran Zgrablić runs one-day and weekend wine tours and cooking classes. For info, visit eatistria.com, tasteofcroatia.org and manjada.org.

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from Motovun – to try their award-winning red Teran and white Malvazija nectar.

Heading back towards Pula, we have just one more port of call.

Brijuni National Park, a tiny archipelago of pine-scented islets, accessible by boat from the harbour town of Fažana. In the Yugoslav years, President Tito used Brijuni as his summer retreat, entertaining illustrious friends such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who used to also attend the annual Pula Film Festival (July 12-26; pulafilmfestival.hr). Today you can visit Veli Brijuni, the largest island, and stroll through beautifully tended parkland, complete with deer and peacocks. The remains of a first-century villa rustica (country villa) show that wealthy Romans used to holiday here, meaning that the history of tourism in Istria dates back 2,000 years. And in the late-1800s, Brijuni was turned into an organised health resort popular with Austro-Hungarian nobility, as well as Central European artists and intellectuals, including writer Thomas Mann, composer Richard Strauss and painter Gustav Klimt.

Which brings us back to our man, James Joyce, who is said to have made a daytrip to Brijuni from Pula to celebrate his 23rd birthday on February 2, 1905 ...

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Paris?

Is there really anywhere more romantic than Paris in springtime?

Having not been away with her beau for more than a year, there’s no better place than the City of Love to rekindle the spark, as Lucy White discovers. Photographs by Carina Okula.

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In bloom – cherry blossom in the gardens of Notre Dame Cathedral, opposite, and this page, low clouds over the Eiffel Tower make for a particularly dreamy scene from Pont Alexandre III.

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Romance | paris

hat does romance mean to you?” I ask, over a corpulent scallop engulfed in frothy cauliflower cream and embellished with French caviar at the Mandarin Oriental Paris’s chi-chi Camélia restaurant.

W

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If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, well, one fine grilled cod, one lamb special, one cheesecake with cashew nut biscuit base, one Saint-Honoré feuilletage, and one glass of Bollinger each later, we’ll surely be swinging from the chandeliers. “Well, it’s not being asked a deep and meaningful question when you’ve a mouthful of food ...” says he. Oh well.

There’s still time for Paris to work its je ne sais quoi.

France’s capital has all-yearround allure but none more so than during springtime, when cherry blossom bursts across the boulevards like a Monet painting, café terraces start twitching, and it takes just that little bit longer before the sun melts over the Seine and those exquisite Haussmannian façades (cop a view from the Printemps department store rooftop). A well-appointed love-nest also

Top, sunrise over the river Seine, beside the Concergerie; above, romance attaché Lucy White with her beau Liam at the foot of the Sacré Coeur, and, left, the charming garden terrace at the Mandarin Oriental's Camélia restaurant.

helps, and the Chinoiserie and antique-festooned Hotel Daniel (8 Rue Frédéric Bastiat, +33 142 561 700; hoteldanielparis. com) does not disappoint.

On a quiet residential rue no more than ten minutes’ walk from the Champs-Élysées, it’s 19th-century bourgeois bolthole meets Silk Road.

Most couples visit Paris for a long weekend and, if this is your first time here, you’ll want to tick all those important boxes: the Champs-Élysées, the Eiffel Tower, the Jardin des Tuileries and the Arc de Triomphe, all located in the city’s upscale west. But, for me, no trip to Paris is complete without a meander to Montmartre in the 9th-arrondissement. Yes, there are more souvenir shops here than you can shake a Toulouse-Lautrec tea towel at, and the bohemian artists of yesteryear have long been replaced with occasionally aggressive street sellers – intent

on flogging me a ring, one hawker at the foot of the Sacré Coeur, grabs my wrist so firmly I have to employ my best scary voice: “Get your hand off me right now.” But rampant commercialism aside, there’s nothing more beautiful than the panoramic views from the basilica, the crisp, springtime sky transforming from brilliant blue to rose gold at dusk. Crack open a few mini Möets and enjoy …

Window shopping is one man’s friend and another’s foe but himself doesn’t flinch as we stroll along one of the city’s most upscale streets – Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, where fine art galleries, Louboutin, Dior, Hermes et al brush padded shoulders with the French President, who resides in the Élysée Palace.

When the vicarious splurging becomes irksome, we detour to the Palais de Tokyo (13 Avenue du Président Wilson, +33 181 973 588; palaisdetokyo.com; closed Tuesdays), a monumental neoclassical bunker cum contemporary art gallery.

Spanning 22,000 square metres, it showcases mostly site-specific work by emerging talent, its noonuntil-midnight opening hours as avant-garde as its programming.

Dishes at its café Tokyo Eat and fine diner Monsieur Bleu are likewise inventive, and don’t leave without having a retro photo taken in the Foto-Automat booth for €2.

Before we know it we’re trotting to Crazy Horse to see Désirs, a risqué Parisian dance show guaranteed to quicken the pulse (12 Avenue George V, +33 147 233 232; lecrazyhorseparis.com). More strip than tease, the fillies are fine – and after the initial shock and awe, the nudity becomes almost normal. “It’s like Riverdance but with breasts ...” my other half quips nonchalantly.

It’s almost a bigger shock when a magician (a fully clothed Philippe Beau) comes out to perform some amazing and non-racy shadow theatre. Arguably the show’s pièce de résistance though is “Upside Down” – an optical illusion “legography” involving mirrored panels, and one of three routines that Christian Louboutin designed killer heels for.

Tickled pink – spring tulips in the Jardin des Tuileries, right.

Stay at ...

CHATEAU Built in 1892, Saint James Paris is the very epitome of whimsy, from trompe l’oeil herringbone “parquet” carpets to chairs with ballet dancer’s legs, all thanks to designer Bambi Sloan. Its 48 rooms and suites are huge – a rarity in Paris – while Lanvin toiletries add an extra frisson of luxury. Exceptional. Double rooms from €360. (43 Avenue Bugeaud, +33 144 058 181; saintjames-paris.com)

CHINOISERIE Hotel Daniel’s 26 rooms and suites are an eclectic pick‘n’mix of shapes, sizes, antiques and curios, each one beautifully considered by designer Tarfa Salam. High tea is popular here, the beautiful Christofle Art Deco tea/coffee pots as covetable as the handmade pastries. Double rooms from €350 (8 Rue Frédéric Bastiat, +33 142 561 700; hoteldanielparis.com)

CHEERFUL What Mama Shelter lacks in centrality (it’s in the 20th arrondissement), it more than makes up for in design: interiors are by none other than Philippe Starck. Small but ingeniously ergonomic rooms are fitted with iMacs, while a resident bar, brasserie and pizzeria further boost the hip quotient.

Double rooms from €89. (109 Rue de Bagnolet, +33 143 484 848; mamashelter.com)

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So hungry we could probably eat a horse, we embark on a wild goose chase across the city to find Candelaria (52 Rue de Saintonge, +33 142 744 128; candelariaparis. com), a super cool taco bar cherished by locals. The combo of a 40-minute Metro journey, incorrect GoogleMap instructions, one cab ride, and

Left, Luc Bertuccelli of Le Café du Tertre, Montmartre.

Below, Café de Flore's terrace, and, bottom, Laperouse.

Ace Dublin theatre company Rough Magic present Mark Cantan's play Jezebel at the Centre Culturel Irlandais on March 7-8.

Check out the full programme at centreculturelirlandais.com

a chock-a-block taqueria counter stifles our ardent hunger however.

Liquid dinner it is then, squeezing past the no-frills front room of Candelaria that belies the bohemian cocktail den beyond the “secret” door. Languid, on scatter cushions, we quickly decide that the margaritas were worth the effort – but sheepishly end up swinging by a fast food chain on the long way home. Mon dieu!

Had we gone to bed earlier, we might have watched the sun rise over La Conciergerie from the Seine, a fragrant Croissant a l’eau Rose in hand from master bakers Du Pain et des Idées (34 Rue Yves Toudic, +33 1 42 40 44 52; dupainetdesidees.com) in the 10th arrondissement ... But then if you can’t enjoy a decadent lie-on in a beautiful hotel in Paris,

Eat at …

BRUNCH If you happen to be in Paris on a Sunday, hotfoot it to Le Dôme du Marais, in the 3rd arrondissement, a glorious glass and cast-iron topped restaurant housed in a pre-Revolution building.

A bountiful brunch menu costs €30, while the enclosed Winter Garden is particularly charmant for afternoon tea.

(53 Bis Rue des FrancsBourgeois, +33 142 745 417; ledomedumarais.fr) LUNCH There’s a distinctly business vibe during déjeuner at Le Boudoir in the 8th arrondissement, but don’t let that put you lovebirds off. Pull up a stool at the hot-red bar, and writhe and moan at head chef Arnaud Nicolas’ delicacies (€28/€30) honed with

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owner Stéphane Dufau’s vision of made-fromscratch, eat-what-we-giveyou, seasonal fare. His wine pairings are spot on.

(25 Rue du Colisée, +33 143 592 529; boudoirparis.fr) DINNER Whether you choose a clandestine tête-à-tête in a private petit salon at Laperouse, left, where mirrors still bear diamond scratches from bygone days when mistresses would doublecheck the credibility of their rocks, or if you prefer gazing across the Seine from this plush 18th-century property in the 6th arrondissement, romance is a given. Threecourse tasting menus cost €45/€55. (51 Quai des Grands Augustins, +33 143 266 804; laperouse.com)

Romance | paRis

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where can you? Appropriately, we enjoy a long lunch at Le Boudoir (25 Rue du Colisée, +33 143 592 529; boudoirparis.fr), a classic French eatery within ten minutes’ walk of Hotel Daniel. The Champs-Élysées area is not known for its quality restaurants so this is a real find.

Its USP is a concise, new set menu every Monday – choose between two starters, two mains and two desserts, while convivial proprietor Stéphane Dufau takes charge of wine pairings. “Our customers trust us, we are about human relationships,” he says, across our fantastic hake. “And we don’t have a freezer,” he adds proudly, on behalf of head chef Arnaud Nicolas and team who, with the exception of bread, make everything in-house each day.

Over-indulgence requires a fitful walk, so we loiter around the Latin Quarter and Notre Dame on the Île de la Cité. From the iconic cathedral to the verdant Square du Vert Galant, a teardrop-shaped garden, it’s all picture postcard perfect. From here, you can take a one-hour cruise Vedettes du Pont Neuf (Square du Vert Galant, +33 146 339 838; vedettesdupontneuf.com). Yes, boating is a romantic cliché but if it’s your first time in Paris, it’s a great way of getting your bearings in one fell swoop, seeing the Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, City Hall and Concorde Square.

Neighbouring island Île St Louis is also a must-visit. Almost entirely residential, it’s a microcosm of calm in a bustling metropolis, and abundant with artisan boutiques, cheesemongers, butchers, bakers, and possibly candlestick makers.

Still full of stomach, I peer wistfully through the window of the bijou restaurant Auberge de la Reine Blanche (30 Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île, +33 146 330 787), where I, on New Year’s Eve 1998, declared what I believed to be “the world’s best French onion soup” and returned two years later with an ex boyfriend (no further comment). If you get French cuisine fatigue, move on later to Saint-Germain, where Basque eatery Chez Gladines (44 Boulevard Saint-Germain, Opposite, clockwise from left, a quiet corner on Rue Galande; pretty ranunculus on a flower stall on the Rue du Bac; style in the city, Dymphne Poppe and Jan Malfliet; Parisian café culture. Below, Le Pont des Arts and Crazy Horse's "legography".

Je t’aime ...

1

PUT A LOCK ON IT Declare your amour at Le Pont des Arts bridge, bottom left, near the Louvre, where lovers attach initialsinscribed padlocks. Don’t be surprised if it’s not there on your return though; authorities are concerned about their collective weight …

BEFORE SUNSET WALKING TOUR Fans of the sequel to Richard Linklater’s film, Before Sunrise, will love ropeofsilicon.com’s unguided amble, starting at the iconic bookshop Shakespeare & Company (shakespeareandcompany.com) and finishing at Celine's apartment on Cour de l’Étoile d'Or, via Le Pure Café (purecafe. fr). Locations flit around a lot so you may not want to do the whole route ch chronologically, but be sure to finish it with a bottle of vi , a park, a sunset vin – or a sunrise – in homa to the three homage mo movies: “Baby, you are gonna miss that plane …”

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FOTO-AUTOMAT Have your courtship immortalised at the Palais du Tokyo’s Foto-Automat (palaisdetokyo.com), a reconditioned black-and-white photo booth.

Everyone looks cuter in monochrome.

BURLESQUE A Parisian revue should loosen even the stiffest upper lip: Crazy Horse, (lecrazyhorseparis.com), bottom right, is the raciest, Moulin Rouge the most infamous (moulinrouge.fr), and Lido de Paris (lido.fr) the most classic. And for a cheaper, more contemporary take on the genre, check out the fabulous Le Zèbre de Belleville (lezebre.com).

LOVE SEATS If the weather turns inclement, take shelter at MK2 Bibliothèque’s cinema, whose auditoria boast long love seats (128-162 Avenue de France, +33 892 698 484; mk2.com). Although, for beauty, you can’t go wrong with La Pagode (57 Bis Rue de Babylone, +33 145 554 848; etoile-cinemas. com/pagode), an exotic Japanese dancehall-turned-independent-movietheatre. And if the sun appears, take tea (or a cocktail ...) in the pretty Oriental gardens.

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ROMANCE | PARIS

Drink at …

ILLUSTRATION BY ANNA SIMMONS

SPEAKEASY Rocking a quirky, 1930s New York/mad house party vibe (check out the bowler hat pendant lights on the grand stairwell), the always-busy Prescription Cocktail Club has a killer cocktail list and serves dinky finger food on week nights (23 Rue Mazarine, +33 950 357 287; prescriptioncocktailclub.com).

SCENESTER If you’re visiting from Dublin – rampant with burrito bars – a Parisian taqueria may be low on your list. But hipster hang out Candelaria boasts arguably the best margaritas in town. Squeeze past the packed front counter to the achingly cool bar beyond. (52 Rue de Saintonge, +33 142 744 128; candelariaparis.com) PROVENANCE The birthplace of the Bloody Mary and a former hangout of the expat literati – Hemingway, the Fitzgeralds, Gertrude Stein – Harry’s New York Bar is a hit with vintage fans.

Old world romance lingers in this laidback, wood-panelled watering hole. (5 Rue Daunou, +33 142 617 114; harrysbar.fr)

+33 146 339 388; gladinesrestaurant-paris.fr) for great value tapas.

They say the best things come to those who wait and, for our last night, we’re checked into the wonderfully whimsical Saint James Paris (43 Avenue Bugeaud, +33 144 058 181; saint-james-paris.com), the city’s single chateau hotel. Dating back to the late 1800s, and on a former hot-air balloon launch site, it’s easily one of the dreamiest – yes, romantic – places I’ve ever rested my head; all busy animal prints, antique furniture, twinkling chandeliers, peacock feathers and stylish monochrome. For all its opulence, there’s a winningly informal atmosphere and staff couldn’t be more cordial. Our suite is as nearly big as our Dublin digs and there’s a bottle of Taittinger in an ice bucket on our arrival. Did I just die and go to heaven?

We spend our last soir not on a lantern-lit bateau mouche (I did that with the ex ...) but having burgers at buzzy 102 |

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Café Charlot (38 Rue de Bretagne, +33 144 540 330; cafecharlotparis.com) in the Marais. All retro white subway tiles and a handsome clientele, its terrace is a big hit in spring and summer. “Now this is romantic ...” he winks, over a bucket

Above, tempting pâtisserie at Le Valentin on Passage Jouffroy, and, left, Philipe Breton with his feathered friend at the Marché au Fleurs.

of French fries and a bo bottle of Heinz ketchup.

Romance is not fo following guidebooks to the word. It’s in ta taking your time in th this splendid muse of a ci city. Spend too long on th the Metro and you’ll mi miss the good stuff, so walk, don’t ride. Look up, not down. Linger, tickle yo your fancies; laissez-faire.

Hold hand hands. Snog – loads. It’s called French kissing for a reason.

By the time you read this, himself and I will have just celebrated our seventh anniversary.

There’s no hint of the infamous itch but, whatever 2014 holds, even if we never quite get the hang of romance, we’ll always have Paris.

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Being there | hanover

Compact yet big on history, Hanover is an appealing city for both young and old.

Knut Diers picks the city's best hang-outs.

48 hours in

Hanover

COURTESY OF HANNOVER MARKETING & TOURISM GMBH

Don’t miss ...

city walks Don’t be afraid to follow the red thread, or Roter Faden (roterfaden-hannover.de), painted on the ground – it won’t take you to the red-light district but, starting at Ernst-August-Platz 8, will lead you to some 36 attractions, including the truly spectacular hanover adventure Zoo (Adenauer Allee 3, +49 511 280 74163; zoohannover.de). A brochure of the route is available in the tourist office near the main station and in the impressive New Town Hall (Trammplatz 2). Or, download the app “Roter Faden”. the great oUtDoors You’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in Italy on the shores of the man-made Maschsee lake, all palm trees and cafés. This July 30 to August 17, some million visitors will turn out for its annual festival – lots of food and drink stalls, and live entertainment. Also,

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there’s plenty to enjoy at the baroque royal gardens of herrenhausen, from the whimsical grotto designed by artist Niki de Saint Phalle to the botanical gardens (great in the winter to warm up!). Here, find out more about the Hanoverian monarchy on Britain’s Throne (1714-1837) or at the Landesmuseum (royals-aushannover.de). shoPPing Germany’s oldest Flea Market takes place every Saturday from 8am until 1pm on the banks of the river Leine, in the historic town centre.

And the nearby market hall is the perfect place for lunch or a glass of prosecco. A great spot to meet locals.

This page, clockwise from above, the sylvan Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen; gorgeous sunsets from Pier 51; Germany's oldest flea market; a polar bear photobombing a vista of Hanover Adventure Zoo from Yukon Bay.

Eat at ...

Gourmets will have a wonderful time – the city is full of places with healthy, regional food. Dip in. traDitional Cosy and oldfashioned – its foundation stone was laid during the Middle Ages – Broyhan haus offers real German food and beer. (Kramerstrasse 24, +49 511 323 919; broyhanhaus.de) watersiDe Pier 51, beside Maschsee Lake, offers great food and is famous for its delicious cakes.

Gorgeous sunsets also! (Rudolf-vonBennigsen-Ufer 51, +49 511 807 1800; pier51.de) hot! Love spicy Thai soups and curries? Try thai Food in the Box, a tiny place tucked away, not far from the Schauspielhaus. Authentic and cheap. (Alexanderstrasse 7, +49 511 169 2245)

Sleep at ...

This page, clockwise from right, the citycentral Kastens Hotel Luisenhof; the majestic New Town Hall, whose 97-metre high dome has a curved lift with a glass roof, at the top of which are amazing views of the city; Brauhaus Ernst August's own-brand beer; rooftop hotspot 6 Sinne Skybar.

Drink at ...

German beer is a must, of course, but the city has even more to offer.

HIGH-END 6 Sinne Skybar is a rooftop restaurant with the longest bar in town. The drinks are spectacular, as is the view from the sixth floor – hence the name.

(Heiligerstrasse 16, +49 511 473 88038; 6sinne-hannover.de) VIBRANT The recently renovated Mezzo is a favourite with young locals and students, and is only

Luxury accommodation is quite affordable in Hanover, compared to other cities in Germany.

SUPERIOR Kastens Hotel Luisenhof is one of the city’s leading hotels, with fantastic suites, an excellent spa, restaurant and bar.

The €20 breakfast is also available to the public. Double rooms from €130 (Luisenstrasse 1-3, +49 511 30440; kastens-luisenhof.de).

CENTRAL A luxurious, quiet place in the middle of Hanover, Grand Hotel Mussmann offers a variety of rooms, all, unusually, with a picture on the ceiling above the bed. Double rooms from €149 (Ernst-August-Platz 7, +49 511 36560; grandhotel.de) CREATIVE The Avalon Hotel is an

a few steps away from the main train station. Have a drink, or enjoy their nononsense but tasty food. (Lister Meile 4, +49 511 314 966; cafemezzo.de).

SINGLES An ideal destination if you’re travelling on your own, Brauhaus Ernst August is a rustic pub that sells its own beer called Hannöversch.

Happy Hour is from 4pm-6pm.

Fun guaranteed.

(Schmiedestrasse 13, +49 511 365 9520; brauhaus.net)

Art Nouveau house in the heart of the lively quarter of List. Rooms are individually designed and themed – choose from “Paris”, “Afrika”, “Rose”, and more – and phone calls are free within Germany. Double rooms from €90. (Ferdinand-WallbrechtStrasse 10, +49 511 626 26338; avalon-hannover.de).

AER LINGUS FLiES FRoM DubLiN To HANOVER FouR TiMES WEEKLY FRoM MARCH 30.

february/march 2014

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Whether you’re a classical fan or not, visit the impressive OpÉRA HOUSE situated in the Place de la Comédie, its huge steel and glass roof extension was added during the 1980s and 1990s. (1 Place de la Comédie, +33 4 69 85 54 54; opera-lyon.com)

An insider’s guide to

Lyon

The ancient city quarter of CROIX-ROUSSE is perched atop a hill and is full of winding streets and staircases, hosting myriad café and restaurant options.

Laidback and rich in culture, this French metropolis ticks all the boxes for Corkman Simon Barry.

The world famous wine-producing region of BEAUjOLAIS just outside Lyon, is a great place to spend a day.

Local vineyards offer daily tours (and tastings) and the surrounding landscape offers stunning views all year round.

Some of the newer bars in Lyon can try a bit too hard, not dOCKS 40 .

Great food, great entertainment and a healthy mix of Lyonnaise and tourists always make this a great night out. (40 Quai Rambaud, +33 4 78 40 40 40; docks-40.com)

More about Simon

The pART dIEU district has everything required for a serious retail therapy session: Galeries Lafayette, Gap, Lacoste, H&M and Hugo Boss are just some of the major names nestled amongst homegrown boutiques. If you intend to do some serious spending it can be worth investing in a Lyon City Card, as many of the shops offer a decent discount to holders.

jARdIN dU MUSEÉ dES BEAUX-ARTS is the ultimate picnic-fortwo location. High walls block off the sounds of the city, and you’re surrounded by fountains, benches and trees. The perfect spot to escape from everything. (20 Place des Terreaux, +33 4 78 28 12 45; mba-lyon.fr)

Corkman Simon Barryy splits his time between Ireland and the city of Lyon, where his parents have an apartment.

He has visited many a major European hub but it’s Lyon’s “vastness ess of choice” that appeals. ls.

By day he works in IT but by night he can be found on the dance floor, music being his first love. A graduate of the Cork School of Music, when it comes to nightlife he’s “never left wanting for entertainment in Lyon. To put it simply, it’s a melting pot of national and international culture that I’ve never experienced anywhere else.”

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SPA DU PAVILLON DE LA ROTONDE is the ultimate pampering spot. With pools, a Jacuzzi, sauna, fitness room and an amazing team of therapists, it’s hard not to spend more time here than you’d planned. (3 Avenue Georges Bassinet, +33 4 78 87 79 79; pavillon-rotonde.com)

The ancient Roman amphitheatre, right, at FOURVIÈRE hosts live performances for most of the year. Perfect for a lazy day, we always bring a picnic, as there are countless spots to throw down a blanket and let life pass you by.

But for a really special trip, prebook a table at LES TERRACES DE LYON hotel’s rooftop restaurant, below. Not cheap, but worth it for the panoramic views over the city alone. (25 Montée Saint Barthélémy, +33 4 72 56 56 56; villaflorentine.com)

Hands down the best way to get around this beautiful city is to SEGWAY . It’s easy! It’s a little expensive (€30-€50) but you’ll see so much more of the city on a Segway tour than walking.

(ComhiC, 5 Quai Fulchiron, +33 607 33 07 65; comhic.com)

When we have visitors who won’t fit in our home, we recommend they stay at LE MERCURE LYON PLAZA RÉPUBLIQUE a contemporary, four-star hotel about ten minutes away from Old Lyon Town.

And the Metro and bus stops are also nearby.

Double rooms from €145.

(5 Rue Stella, +33 4 78 37 50 50; mercure.com) For those who will happily while away a day sifting through boxes of curios and chatting with the locals, the antique district of AUGUSTE COMTE is packed with flea markets. There is also a great booksellers market located on the Quais de Saône.

SELECTED PHOTOS COURTESY OF LYON TOURISM & CONVENTIONS / LA CITÉS DES ETOILES BY VILLE DE GIVORS-J DEL GIVORS / LES TERRACES DE LYON BY LAURENT VELLA

Take it easy at PIZZA PINO . Great pizza and crêpes, friendly staff and affordable prices make this the perfect antidote to a wild night or busy sightseeing. (106 Rue du Président Édouard Herriot, +33 4 78 38 30 15; pizzapino.fr).

cool. It only BI is effortlessly Nightclub l’ALI aced out ople but this is sp pe 0 20 t ou ab s fit terrace. There s and a smoking over three room ct entry gh, so don’t expe ou th de co s es dr is a uai Romain d a T-shirt! (13 Q wearing jeans an co.com) 42 04 66; alibidis 78 4 3 +3 , nd lla Ro

The breathtaking TRABOULES is an area of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and the largest of its kind in France. Situated along the banks of the River Saône, covered passageways form a maze of courtyards, galleries, spiral staircases and a cathedral.

LA CITÉ DES ETOILES is an amazing feat of architecture that has to be seen to be believed. It’s a residential structure composed of many star-shaped levels stacked on top of each other, their points protruding at random angles. Several hanging gardens, well-placed ivy and roof-top plantations only add to its unique appeal.

AER LINGUS FLIES FROM DUBLIN TO LYON FIVE TIMES A WEEK.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Pictured L-R at Champion Jockey Ruby Walshs Stud Farm, Kilcullen with HSS Hire’s newest range of Kubota Mini - Diggers is Ruby Walsh, Kevin Hynes HSS Area Sales Manager, Michael Killeen Managing Director Laois HSS/Laois Hire Group, Ireland, Scotland & IOM.

HSS HIRE - BETTER EQUIPPED TO GET YOU OVER THE LINE We are continually investing in our business so that, when you hire from HSS, you get more. More tools, more plant and more equipment. With an expanding network of over 24 branches located across Ireland and a dedicated expert team- our HSSers- You’ll also find that we will do more to get you whatever you need, whenever you need it. It’s all part of the great hire service we provide.

Whether your business is in Ireland or overseas with HSS you don’t have to entail the tedious trial and error of making new connections abroad.

Clients, used to excellence in customer service, a professional workforce, well-maintained, quality equipment and a commitment to health and safety expect nothing less from HSS.

SPECIALIST HIRE | GENERATORS | ACCESS | PLANT | TOOL HEATERS AND FLOOD RELIEF EQUIPMENT HSS Heating Division

New Transport Fleet

Taking delivery of the new transport fleet is r-l Kevin Hynes area sales manager, Michael Killeen Managing Driector HSS Ireland & Scotland, Declan Dennehy, Regional Director HSS Ireland & Scotland.

ROI: 1800 22 33 66 W: hss.ie NI: 08457 28 28 28 W: hss.com SAFETY / VALUE / AVAILABILITY / SUPPORT

HSS Windfarm Division

INFLIGHT

Inflight

For your guide to our new and exciting On Demand movies and television programmes, including Rush (pictured), turn to page 116.

inflight

Welcome Aboard for your comfort and safety Please pay attention while the cabin crew demonstrate the use of the safety equipment before take-off. Also, make sure to read the safety instruction card, which is in the seat pocket in front of you.

Seat belts must be fastened during take-off and landing, and whenever the “Fasten Seat Belts” sign is switched on.

We recommend that you keep your seat belt loosely fastened throughout the flight.

Your seat must be in the upright position during takeoff and landing, but can be reclined by pressing the large button in the armrest. Other buttons (in the armrest or above your head, depending on the aircraft) may be used to operate your reading light and air vent, or to call a cabin attendant.

ar mhaithe de do chompord agus le do shábháilteacht ... ... iarraimid ort aird mhaith a thabhairt, ar an bhfoireann cábáin ag tús na heililte agus iad ag taispeáint conas an fearas slándála a úsáid. Iarraimid ort an cárta threoraca slándála atá i bpóca an tsuíocháin os do chomhair a léamh chomh maith.

Caithfear criosanna sábhála bheith ceangailte le linn éirí agus tuirlingthe agus ag aon am a bhíonn an comhartha “Fasten Seat Belts” ar iasadh.

Molaimid duit an crios sábhála bheith leathcheangailte agat i rith an turais.

Le linn éirí agus tuirlingthe, ní mór do shuíochan bheith sa suíomh ingearach. Ag am ar bith eile, is féidir an suíochán a chur siar ach brú ar an gcnaipe mór atá ar an taca uillinne. Tá cnaipí eile ann (ar an taca uillinne nó os do chionn, ag brath ar an eitleán) chun úsáid a bhaint as an solas léitheoireachta nó as an ngaothaire, nó chun glaoch ar bhall den fhoireann cábáin.

Portable electronic equipment Portable electronic equipment may interfere with aircraft equipment, creating a potentially hazardous situation. With safety as our priority, we ask you to pay particular attention to the following: Mobile phones and all other personal electronic equipment must be switched off and stowed safely as soon as the aircraft doors are closed. It is not permissible to use any electronic device to transmit or receive data during the flight, however devices equipped with flight mode, or the equivalent, may be used. Flight mode should be selected before the device is switched off.

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 in flight ● but not During taxi/takeoff/initial climb/aPProach

lanDing: Laptops with CD ROM or DVD drive, palmtop organisers, handheld calculators without printers, portable audio equipment (eg Walkman, CD-player, Mini-disk player, iPod and MP3-player). For the comfort of other passengers, audio devices should be used with a headset. Computer games (eg Gameboy, Nintendo DS). Video cameras/ recorders, digital cameras, GPS handheld receivers, electric shavers, electronic toys.

Bluetooth devices with mobile phones in “Flight” mode, devices with “Blackberry” technology with “Flight”/Flight Safe” mode

selected, laptops, PDAs with built-in Wi-Fi with “Wireless Off” setting selected.

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.

a330 aircraft fitted with Wi-fi and a mobile network Wireless settings on your personal electronic devices can be turned on in-flight.

If availing of the Mobile Network, phones should not be switched to “Flight” or “Flight Safe” mode.

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Aer Lingus is delighted to welcome you on board Tá áthas ar Aer Lingus fáilte ar bord a chur romhat

Food and bar service

Seirbhís bia agus beáir

A new range of food items – including sandwiches, confectionery and a range of snacks – is available for sale on all Aer Lingus scheduled services to and from the UK and Europe. A charge applies for all drinks on UK and European flights in Economy class. On long haul flights, there is a charge in Economy class for alcoholic drinks, while soft drinks are complimentary. Details of all items available for purchase are contained in an information leaflet, which is in all seat pockets.

Tá raon nua bia ar fáil anois ar sheirbhísí sceidealta Aer Lingus a dhéanann freastai ar an Riocht Aontaithe agus ar an Eoraip.

Ina measc, tá ceapairí, milseogra agus rogha sneaiceanna éagsúla. Ní mór íoc as gach deoch sa ghrád barainne ar na heitiltí seo. Ar eitiltí Trasatlantacha, tá costas ar dheochanna neamh-mheisciúla go fóill ar fáil saor in aisce. Tá sonraí faoi gach rud is féidir a cheannach ar bord foilsithe sa bhileog eolais atá i bpóca an tsuíocháin os do chomhair.

News, music and movies

Nuacht, ceol agus scannáin

On long haul flights, we offer you an extensive programme of viewing and listening options. For full details, turn towards the back of this magazine.

Ar eitiltí Trasatlantacha tá clár leathan féachana agus éisteachta ar fáil. Le hagaidh tuilleadh eolais, féach deireadh na hirise seo.

Fearas iniompartha leictreonach Is féidir le fearas iniompartha leictreonach cur isteach ar threalamh an eitleáin, rud a d’fhéadfadh bheith contúirteach. Agus sábháilteacht mar phríomhchúram ag Aer Lingus, iarraimid ort aird sa bhreis a thabhairt ar an mír seo a leanas: Caithfear gach guthán póca agus gach fearas pearsanta leictreonach a mhúchadh agus a chur i dtaisce a luaithe agus a dhúntar doirse an eitleáin. Ní ceadmhach úsáid a bhaint as uirlis leictreonach ar bith chun sonraí a tharchur nó a ghlacadh i rith na heitilte. Is ceadmhach, áfach, uirlisí le cumas “mód eitilte”, nó a chomhionann sin, a úsáid. Caithfear an lipéad “modh eitilte” a roghnú sula múchtar an uirlis.

GLéAsAnnA A bhfuIL ✔ ceAdAIthe I GcónAí: Gléasanna a bhaineann úsáid as

micreaceallairí agus/nó fotaichill; cluaisíní chúnta (gléasanna digiteach san áireamh); glaoirí (gleacadáin amháin); séadairí.

GLéAsAnnA Atá ● ceAdAIthe I rIth nA heItILte, Ach nAch

bhfuIL ceAdAIthe Le LInn don eItLeán bheIth AG GLuAIseAcht Ar tALAmh/AG éIrí de thALAmh/ AG tAbhAIrt fAoIn dreApAdh tosAIGh/ AG dírIú Ar thuIrLInGt/ AG tuIrLInGt: Ríomhairí glúine le tiomántán dlúthdhiosca (CD ROM) nó diosca digiteach ilúsáide (DVD). Eagraithe pearsanta boise. Áireamháin láimhe gan phrintéiri.

Clostrealamh iniompartha (ms Walkman, seinnteoir CD, seinnteoir

Mini-disk, iPod, seinnteoir MP3). Ar mhaithe le compord na bpaisinéiri eile, níor choir na gléasanna seo a úsáid ach amháin le cluaisíní. Cluichí ríomhaire (ms Gameboy). Níl cead gaireas forimeallach a úsáid le cluichí láimhe ríomhaire am ar bith (ms paca forlíontach cumhachta a cheanglaítear le cábla). Físcheamaraí agus fístaifeadáin, trealamh digiteach san áireamh. Ceamaraí digiteach. Glacadóirí láimhe chóras suite domhanda (GPS). Rásúir leicreacha. Bréagáin leictreonacha (seachas bréagáin chianrialaithe).

Gléasanna “Bluetooth” i gcomhar le gutháin phóca agus iad i “modh eitilte”; uirlisí a bhaineann feidhm as teicneolaíocht “Blackberry” agus “mód eitilte” nó “slánmhód eitilte” roghnaithe orthu; ríomhairí glúine; ríomhairí boise (PDA) le Wi-Fi ionsuite agus an lipéad “raidió múchta” roghnaithe orthu.

GLéAsAnnA A bhfuIL ✘ cosc IomLán orthu: Gléasanna a tharchuireann

minicíocht raidió d’aon turas.

Siúlscéalaithe. Bréagaín chianrialaithe. Aonaid fhístaispeána le feadáin ga-chatadóideacha.

Trealamh ríomhaire gan sreang (ms luch). Printéirí PC. Schríbhneoiri DVD, CD agus taifeadáin Minidisk atá sa mhodh taifeadta.

Ceamthaifeadáin digiteacha agus iad ag athscríobh dlúthdhioscaí.

Steiréónna iniompartha. Raidiónna póca (AM/ FM). Glacadóiri teilifíse.

Trealamh teiliméadrach. Ní cheadaítear fearas LAN gan sreang (WLAN) a úsáid. Is féidir ríomhairí glúine a bhfuil WLAN ionsuite iontu (ms Centrino) a úsáíd le linn na heitilte ar choinníoll go bhfuil WLAN curtha as agus faoi réir na srianta a bhaineann le húsáid ríomhhairí glúine (thuas luaite).

Tá ár n-eitleán A330 feistithe amach le WI-FI agus líonra móibíleach.

Tá ár n-eitleán A330 feistithe amach le WI-FI agus líonra móibíleach. Is féidir leat an líonra gan sreang ar do ghléas phearsanta leictreonach a chur ar siúl nuair atá an t-eitleán san aer. Má tá tú chun úsáid a bhaint as an líonra móibíleach, níor chóir do na fóin a bheith casta chuig an mód ‘Eitilt’ nó an mód ‘Eitilt Slán’.

SmokINg In line with Irish government regulations, Aer Lingus has a nosmoking policy onboard its flights.

Smoking is not permitted in any part of the cabin at any time. tobAc De réir rialacháin Rialtas na hÉireann, tá polasai i réim ar eitiltí Aer Lingus nach gceadaítear tobac a chaitheamh.

Ní cheadaítear d’aon duine tobac a chaitheamh in aon chuid den eitleán ag aon am.

We hope you have a comfortable and pleasant

flight. Thank you for choosing to fly with Aer Lingus.

Tá suil againn go mbíonn turas compordach taitneamhach agat agus go raibh maith agat as taisteal le hAer Lingus.

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INFLIGHT

Aer Lingus news New routes iN 2014 Aer Lingus customers can look forward to a host of new routes in 2014 including sun and city break options.

New services to North America include Dublin to San Francisco and Toronto, starting April. Aer Lingus has increased frequencies on transatlantic routes from Shannon to New York and Boston, almost doubling the schedule and operating all-yearround. Customers will also benefit with access of up to 40 destinations in North America with partner airline, Jetblue.

A new service to Hanover brings to seven the number of German cities served by Aer Lingus. Another new addition is the destination of Pula, on the Istrian peninsula of Croatia. This ancient city will appeal to lovers of culture with its diversity of attractions, and also to families for its long stretches of coastline and crystal clear sea and beaches.

Customers seeking out a European sun break from Belfast City Airport take For more note: Aer Lingus will fly information on and twice a week to Palma, our great fares sit vi s, Majorca, every Tuesday le schedu and Saturday, six days a aerlingus.com week to Malaga (excluding Tuesdays), and daily to Faro.

Just a Mo! raised an amazing amount Aer Lingus for this year’s Aer Lingus raised €44,000 in donations but has also Movember campaign. Each through staff initiatives helped to spread the word year thousands of people and a week-long onboard about prostate cancer become part of Movember to collection. This is the single and men’s health. help raise funds for research, largest amount raised We hope that this information and support. through the Movember partnership will encourage Aer Lingus has not only Campaign by any Irish more men to be organisation. proactive about their John McCormack, Aer Lingus would like to health and help us CEO of the Irish thank customers who donated achieve Movember’s Cancer Society, said, to the campaign for their mission – to change the “I am delighted at the face of men’s health.” amazing support from generosity and support.

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February/March 2014

From left, CEO of GOAL Barry Andrews, cabin crew Nicola Mooney, Darryl Sheridan and Lisa Casey, and Aer Lingus director of communications, Declan Kearney.

A HELPING HAND Following the devastating typhoon in the Philippines last November, Aer Lingus teamed up with GOAL to fly 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including much-needed emergency medical supplies, water, food, shelter materials and other essential items, to survivors of Typhoon Haiyan. The Aer Lingus flight carried supplies from Dublin to Dubai for onward distribution to the Philippines.

The mission helped GOAL bring key aid staff to Dubai, where they continued on to the Philippines to help bolster GOAL’s response to the disaster. Aer Lingus mobilised teams in operations, cargo, planning, flight and cabin crew to make the special flight a reality. Employees volunteered their free time to facilitate the special aid flight.

In addition, the airline held a week-long collection on board all Aer Lingus flights, in association with UNICEF Ireland, to collect funds for the emergency appeal, raising over €60,000. See “Mercy Flight” on page 32 for David Adams’, media manager at GOAL, first-hand account.

European sales manager John Keogh accepts the award for Best Short Haul Airline from presenter Kathryn Thomas.

It was a very good year …

Aer Lingus wrapped up a fantastic 2013 by winning two new prestigious awards. First was winning the much-coveted title, Best Short Haul Airline, at the Blue Insurances Travel Media Awards held at the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on November 27. The awards were voted for by members of the media, and independently audited and managed by the Department of Tourism at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Aer Lingus PLC then patted its back a second time by topping the Small/Medium Quoted Companies

category at the Published Accounts Awards 2013 the following day. This is the second consecutive year that Aer Lingus has received the award, the event of which was hosted by the Chartered Accountants Ireland Leinster Society, also at the Shelbourne Hotel. A total of 27 public and private companies competed as finalists across seven distinct award categories rewarding companies who seek excellence in financial reporting in Ireland. It was a great way to end the year – and here’s to more successes in 2014.

Anyone for a road trip?

Aer Lingus customers can now enjoy a brand new and improved car rental experience on aerlingus.com.

The newly enhanced online car rental booking facility enables customers to choose from a wider range of car rental brands, best value offers and destinations, than ever before. Industry-leading car rental brands include Avis, Enterprise Europcar, Sixt and National.

By simply visiting aerlingus.com from a PC, tablet or mobile device, Aer Lingus customers have access to great value car rental deals and personalised customer support 24/7, 364 days a year.

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INFLIGHT

Movies

FLIGHTS TO THE UNITED STATES GRAVITY

Drama / Thriller (PG 13) 91 minutes Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone – tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

STARS George Clooney, Sandra Bullock DIRECTOR Alfonso Cuarón

FANNY

LAST VEGAS

LE WEEK-END

LIFE’S A BREEZE

ROMEO & JULIET

RUSH

STARS Victoire Belezy, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Raphael Personnaz

STARS Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman

STARS Jeff Goldblum, Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan

STARS Kelly Thornton, Fionnula Flanagan, Pat Shortt

STARS Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, Damian Lewis

STARS Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde

THE FAMILY

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US

PLANES

Comedy (PG)

Music (PG)

SCOOBY-DOO! MASK OF THE BLUE FALCON

STARS Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Rachael Harris

STARS Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik

Drama (PG)

Comedy (PG13)

Crime (R) STARS Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianna Agron

Comedy (R)

Comedy (PG13)

Animation (G) VOICES OF Carlos Alazraqui, Dane Cook, Stacy Keach

Romance (PG)

Animation (G) STARS Frank Welker, Mindy Cohn, Grey DeLisle

AVAILABLE ON OUTBOUND AND INBOUND FLIGHTS A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Drama (PG13) Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter AUSTRALIA Adventure (PG13) Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Shea Adams BLACK SWAN Thrilller (R) Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

THE BODYGUARD Drama (R) Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston, Gary Kemp BRAVEHEART Action (R) Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA Comedy (PG13) Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Adrian Grenier DOWN WITH LOVE Comedy (PG13) Ewan McGregor, Renée Zellweger, David Hyde Pierce FIGHT CLUB Drama (R) Brad Pitt, Edward Norton,

Action (R)

TE LE B R A TO CE ALE NT, T H NT S IS IR PR E S E ILM S F IN G U S AE R L Y O F IR IS H IN G UD IET L R C A V IN S A ES S , H O RT AN D S L AST PRINC IA , LV Y S TH E , E L &M ELIOT O, BEAT GIR O CUCK COLLIDER. AN D

Helena Bonham Carter THE FULL MONTY Comedy (R) Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES Comedy (PG) Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Coburn INCEPTION Mystery (PG13) Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page THE MASK Comedy (PG) Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Riegert

Movies

FLIGHTS FROM THE UNITED STATES THE COUNSELOR

Drama / Mystery / Thriller (R) 181 minutes Legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott and Pulitzer Prize winning author Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men) have joined forces in the motion picture thriller The Counselor, starring Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem, and Brad Pitt. McCarthy, making his screenwriting debut, and Scott interweave the author’s characteristic wit and dark humour with a nightmarish scenario in which a respected lawyer’s one-time dalliance with an illegal business deal spirals out of control.

STARS Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz DIRECTOR Ridley Scott

1

Documentary (R)

Comedy (R)

Action (PG13)

ALL IS LOST

ESCAPE PLAN

STARS Michael Fassbender, Niki Lauda, Michael Schumacher

STARS Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O’Hara

STARS Robert Redford

STARS Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, 50 Cent

HAPPY FEET TWO

THE LION KING

Animation (G)

VOICES OF Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones

PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS

VOICES OF Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Pink

A.C.O.D.

Animation (G)

Adventure (PG) STARS Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson

Thriller (R)

JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA

METALLICA: THROUGH THE NEVER

STARS Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll, Greg Harris

STARS Dane DeHaan, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich

Comedy (R)

SAMMY 2

TOOTH FAIRY

VOICES OF Pat Carroll, Carlos McCullers II, Cinda Adams

STARS Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd, Julie Andrews

Animation (G)

Comedy (PG)

AVAILABLE ON OUTBOUND AND INBOUND FLIGHTS THE MATRIX Action (R) Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss MATRIX RELOADED Action (R) Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss MATRIX REVOLUTIONS Action (R) Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss

MOULIN ROUGE Musical (PG13) Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo MRS. DOUBTFIRE Comedy (PG) Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan POLICE ACADEMY Comedy (R) Steve Guttenberg, G.W. Bailey, Kim Cattrall SAY ANYTHING Comedy (R) John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Drama (R)

Music (R)

TE LE B R A TO CE ALE NT, T H NT S IS IR PR E S E ILM S F IN G U S AE R L Y O F IR IS H IN G UD IET L R C A V IN S A ES S , H O RT AN D S L AST PRINC IA , LV Y S TH E , E L &M ELIOT O, BEAT GIR O CUCK COLLIDER. AN D

Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton SOME LIKE IT HOT Comedy (PG13) Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE Romance (PG13) Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY Comedy (R) Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon THE WHOLE NINE YARDS Comedy (R) Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry, Rosanna Arquette

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INFLIGHT

Television

ON DEMAND

On Demand TV allows you to select and view your favourite TV shows. Don’t miss the most anticipated new shows on TV in this extensive choice of award-winning Comedy, Drama, Documentary, Lifestyle and Kids’ programmes.

DOCUMENTARY HIGHLIGHTS

Anthony Bourdain

LIFESTYLE HIGHLIGHTS Lifestyle highlights include Grand Designs, Faith in Finance, Auction, Stuff You Should Know, Hooked, Imeall, Ceol ar an Imeall and the Discovery Channel’s hit show, World’s Most Expensive Rides.

Food lovers have a plethora of choice, with Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals, Vine Talk, Kevin Dundon’s Modern Irish Food, Choccywoccydoodah,

Healthy Decadence with Devin Alexander and an Italian food special from Naples with chef Anthony Bourdain on board.

Sports fans can also take a trip down memory lane and enjoy both Golden Moments of the Olympic Games and Olympic Stars, which focuses on the Winter Olympics of 2010.

Documentary highlights include two episodes of The Men Who Built America, the story of the men who catapulted the United States into prosperity. Two episodes of Story of a Marque also feature. For nature enthusiasts, there are two episodes of The Wild West and Animals are Amazing, along with one-off episodes of Flavours of Sicily – Part 1, Great Irish Journeys and Secrets of the Irish Landscape.

Also available is the engineering show Megastructures, which takes us through the journey of German engineers as they attempt to build the world’s largest tunnel-boring machine and use it to create the Sparvo Tunnel that connects

Secrets of the Irish Landscape Germany and Italy. Similar in its innovative nature is Mad Scientists, where John Bowler and Don Giandomenico attempt to create the world’s first jet-powered office chair!

On a more serious note – celebrate the life and times of iconic personalities with Game Changers, Eye to Eye and Risk Takers, which feature Anna Wintour, Heston Blumenthal and Meredith Whitney respectively.

Last Man Standing

COMEDY HIGHLIGHTS

Mad Men

DRAMA HIGHLIGHTS

As we witness a golden age in TV drama, Aer Lingus offers engaging choices with multiple episodes of the hottest drama from the US and UK available.

Enjoy seven episodes of the multi-award winning HBO series Game of Thrones, a thrilling fantasy drama where seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land they call home. Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos at the end of a decade-long summer, the series has received much critical acclaim and a large international fan base.

118 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Watch out for the brand new HBO comedy, Hello Ladies. Starring comedy genius and Golden Globe winner Stephen Merchant, the show follows Stuart, a gawky, British, 6’7” web designer as he searches for excitement and romance in Los Angeles. Half as charming and twice as desperate as he thinks he is, he’s obsessed with infiltrating the glamorous world of beautiful people.

Also on board are episodes of

The Newsroom Three episodes of all-time favourites Broadchurch and Doc Martin are also on board for your enjoyment, along with four brand new episodes of Boardwalk Empire and one-off episodes of The Newsroom, Mad Men, Bones, Touch and Burn Notice.

Jake & the Never Land Pirates

Two Broke Girls Eastbound and Down, How I Met Your Mother, Last Man Standing, Two and a Half Men, and the Emmy award-winning Two Broke Girls.

KIDS’ HIGHLIGHTS

Kids can enjoy Disney favourites such as Sofia the First, Austin & Ally and Peter-Pan inspired Jake & the Never Land Pirates. Also on board are 30 minute compilations of I’m a Monster and Outopus – specifically produced for Aer Lingus by Monster Entertainment.

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INFLIGHT

Radio

ON DEMAND Talk Radio

Rock

Classical

NOVA Irish Classic Rock

The Blue of the Night

Easy Listening

Fitzpatrick Hotels

Tubridy on 2fm

Contemporary easy-listening collection from both sides of the Atlantic brought to you compliments of The Fitzpatrick Hotel Group USA. With two hotels in downtown Manhattan, Grand Central and Fitzpatrick Manhattan, Fitzpatrick’s is the place to stay in NYC. Visit their website, fitzpatrickhotels.com for more information.

Ryan Tubridy’s unique showmanship and wit is broadcast to the nation every weekday morning.

Spontaneous, unpredictable, entertaining and intelligent, Tubridy takes in everything from the day’s news to huge competitions, from big interviews to human-interest stories. Ryan Tubridy is one of Ireland’s most prolific broadcasters and his RTÉ 2fm show raises the bar for morning radio. For more follow Ryan on Twitter @Tubridy2FM.

Pop

Poetry

Talk Radio

Traditional Irish

Chart Hits

Irish Poetry Corner

Best of Moncrieff

Ceol na nGael

Chart Hits lifts the lid on the most up-to-the-minute pop hits from both sides of the Atlantic. This exciting compilation features artists such as Little Mix, Lorde, Avicii and Ed Sheeran. Listen out for more of your favourite artists and enjoy!

Poetry has been a passion in Ireland for a couple of thousand years. Brian Munn selects and reads verses from renowned Irish poets – W.B. Yeats, Oliver Goldsmith, Percy French, Oscar Wilde and others of note.

Moncrieff is a lively mix of funny, engaging and irreverent issues. Its insightful and different format gives listeners a unique experience. Tune in every weekday 1.50-4.30pm on Newstalk 106-108 FM. Text 53106, email afternoon@ newstalk.ie or follow Seán on Twitter @SeanMoncrieff.

Ceol na nGael is a traditional and folk music programme presented by Seán Ó hÉanaigh of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, the national Irish-language broadcaster in Ireland. You can hear many more programmes similar to this on the station. Ceol traidisiúnta agus ceol tíre den scoth, le Seán Ó hÉanaigh. For more, visit rte.ie/rnag or follow on Twitter @RTERnaG.

120 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Marty Miller, on the air, weekdays from 6am GMT with “Morning Glory on Radio NOVA 100FM”.

Playing seriously addictive music and having a lot of CRAIC along the way. Now for 60 minutes, Marty’s here with some of the greatest front men in rock ... and of course their bands! With Aer Lingus, sit back, turn up your headphones and enjoy your flight!

Each night of the week on RTÉ lyric fm, The Blue Of The Night broadcasts a blend of singersongwriter, jazz, roots, folk, world, ambient and classical music that is both relaxing and stimulating. In this bespoke edition made for Aer Lingus, host Eamonn Lenihan presents the Dublin Guitar Quartet performing Philip Glass as well as tracks from Cecilia Bartoli’s album, Sospiri.

Opera

Irish

Documentary

Documentary

Tales from the Opera

Irish Pulse

Documentary On One

Top Ten

Join Liz Nolan and Tales from the Opera for the chronicles of passionate and spectacular art on Sundays at 7pm on 96-99 RTÉ lyric fm. For this flight, Tales from the Opera invites you to celebrate one of the greatest opera stars of the 20th century – Maria Callas.

Irish Pulse brings you some of the most famous Irish songs and artists in recent history. Listen out for hits from U2, The Dubliners, The Cranberries, Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, The Frames and many more!

Documentary On One is the multiaward winning radio documentary strand from RTÉ Radio 1 (8890FM) and is currently the most successful documentary unit in the world – winning over 70 awards since 2009. The documentaries featured are Pregnant on my Lunchbreak and Dublin Council Messiah from the Curious Ear series.

Weekday mornings you’ll find Ray Foley & JP Gilbourne on 98FM! Join the boys for the funniest way to wake up in Dublin. There’ll be plenty of #bants as they cover the big issues and the, er, not-so-big, along with special guests and great prizes!

Kids

Alternative

Jazz

Folk, Roots

RTÉ Jr

Phantom

Jazz Alley

Roots Freeway

Join RTÉ’s digital presenter, Audrey Donohue and Captain Ogie in The Cosy Corner to enter a world of sleepy and comforting music that’s sure to help little ones drift off to sleep. The Cosy Corner has plenty of sleepy-time lullabies and meditations, all specially chosen for sleepyheads flying all over the world. So get your pillow and your blanket and get comfortable in The Cosy Corner, it’s going to be a relaxing flight.

Join John Caddell as he brings you the best Alt-Rock tracks of recent months, along with a few classics of the genre.

Hear Pearl Jam, Bloc Party, Blur, Le Galaxie, Arcade Fire and many more, brought to you by Ireland’s only Alternative Rock station, Phantom 105.2. Visit us online phantom.ie.

Donald Helme, expert presenter of RTÉ lyric fm’s weekly programme Jazz Alley, takes us through some recent and exciting releases from the world of jazz music.

Roots Freeway on RTÉ Radio 1 has established itself as the radio show to keep the listener informed and entertained in terms of Roots Music from around the world. Niall Toner presents his show on Saturday nights at 11pm. Here, exclusively for Aer Lingus, Niall brings you an eclectic mix of the very best in the genre from Ireland, Europe and the USA. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this selection, hand picked for you by a man who knows his Roots.

February/March 2014

| 121

INFLIGHT

Wellbeing Aer Lingus is pleased to bring you some suggestions and light exercises to enhance your comfort and wellbeing during your flight: Wear loose-fitting clothes on board, to allow your skin to breathe.

Stretch your legs by taking a stroll through the cabin.

Circle your ankles clockwise and anti-clockwise.

Trace the letters of the alphabet with your foot by moving your ankles.

Exercising your feet and legs periodically helps to reduce possible effects of long-duration travel.

Avoid sitting or sleeping in the same position for too long and gently stretch muscles to improve your circulation.

Move your neck and shoulders during long flights to prevent stiffness.

Reducing the effects of Jet Lag: Avoid heavy food, alcohol, tea or coffee the day before you travel.

When you arrive at your destination, try to adjust your activities to the new time zone.

Mild exercise on arrival will help to stimulate your circulation.

We wish you an enjoyable experience.

Travel Tips It is important to take time to reduce your risk of getting sick. Various viruses are thought to spread mainly from person to person through coughing, sneezing, or close contact with the flu. Here are some everyday preventative actions you can take to help slow the spread of germs that cause respiratory illness, like flu: Cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze. This will help to prevent the spread of droplets that contain germs.

Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available use an alcohol–based hand rub.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, this can cause the spread of germs.

An important step is to get a flu vaccination, especially for elderly people, people with certain chronic health conditions, and pregnant women.

Carry-on baggage Carry-on baggage on Aer Lingus services is restricted to one piece per person, as well as to the weights and measurements, illustrated below.

Passengers with wheelchair requirements Our priority is to always ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers. We encourage passengers who may need assistance to contact us well in advance of their date of travel to enable us to assess their needs.

If you are a wheelchair user or require wheelchair assistance when travelling on Aer Lingus services, please advise us of your requirements at least 48 hours in advance, quoting your booking reference number. Our contact details are as follows: email: specialassistance@aerlingus.com Telephone: (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

AER LINGUS

AER LINGUS REGIONAL

Maximum weight

48cm (19ins)

10kg 55cm (22ins)

7kg (15 lbs)

(22 lbs)

24cm (9ins)

Maximum weight

40cm (16ins)

20cm (8ins)

33cm (13ins)

In addition you may choose to carry on one of the following, which must be placed under the seat in front: Small ladies handbag/gents satchel = 25cm (10”) x 33cm (13”) x 20cm (8”) OR Duty Free shopping bag as well as: Baby-changing/food bag Medical/assistive devices EU security rules regarding liquids, gels and aerosols in cabin baggage apply. Flights departing the USA are subject to TSA security rules. Passengers in Row 1, or at an emergency exit, MUST store baggage in an overhead bin.

Safety brief We would like to bring your attention to the following safety and security measures: Please pay attention to any instructions given to you by the cabin crew.

Any behaviour towards a fellow passenger or cabin crew that is deemed to be threatening or abusive (including the use of offensive language) is a serious matter.

As our priority is the safety of all passengers, it is important not to interrupt the cabin crew while they carry out their duties, and not to interfere with aircraft equipment.

122 |

February/March 2014

As a service to passengers, alcohol is served in the airport lounges and on board. In the interests of safety, Aer Lingus may refuse to allow you board if it is thought too much alcohol has been consumed. While the majority of passengers are responsible, there have occasionally been incidents where intoxicated passengers have caused serious safety hazards. Passengers are reminded also that during the flight you may not consume any alcohol brought onto the aircraft by you or any other passenger.

The consumption inflight of Duty Free alcohol purchased from the Sky Shopping service is also prohibited. This measure is, again, necessary in the interests of flight safety.

If incidents of this kind occur during a flight, the cabin crew is obliged to contact police on arrival at your final destination.

The Aircraft Captain may also divert the flight enroute in order to remove disruptive passengers. Should this happen, Aer Lingus will not be responsible for getting you

home, your ticket money will not be refunded, and – in addition to the authorities awaiting you on landing – you could be heavily fined and/or be liable to a prison sentence. In many cases, other airlines may subsequently refuse to allow you to fly with them.

We emphasise that while on board the aircraft our priority is your safety. As always, we wish you a safe and enjoyable flight, as well as a safe onward journey.

275

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Enjoy Wi-Fi and Mobile Onboard your transatlantic flight today Wi-Fi Onboard Communicate with friends and family, launch your business to new heights or browse your favourite websites as you fly onboard today.

You can connect via any Wi-Fi enabled device.

Follow these simple steps to get connected.

Switch on Switch on your device when it is safe to do so and connect to the Telekom HotSpot Network. SSID: Aer_Lingus_WiFi

Mobile Onboard Text, email and browse the web from the air with our onboard mobile network, AeroMobile. Connect instantly and keep in touch with friends and family through your mobile as you glide across the Atlantic.

Connect 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.

Purchase Internet Access Click the 'Buy Internet Access' button to purchase a session, then choose a tariff. Your browsing session can last one hour or you can purchase a 24 hour pass.

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

Username and Password

Switch on Switch on your mobile when it is safe to do so and ensure it is in silent or vibrate mode.

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

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

Standard roaming rates apply.

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

Connected

Connected

Remember: Voice calls are disabled and are not permitted during flight. Remember to manage your settings to avoid automatic data download and incurring roaming charges.

You are now free to browse, email and surf the internet... enjoy!

One hour pass €10.95 | $14.95 24 hour pass €19.95 | $24.95

You can now use your phone for SMS, MMS, email, and browsing the internet.

Standard roaming rates apply from your mobile phone operator

INFLIGHT

Route maps

EUROPEAN ROUTE NETWORK

Stockholm

Aberdeen Glasgow

Edinburgh

Copenhagen Newcastle Isle of Man Blackpool Hamburg DUBLIN Manchester London Berlin Birmingham HEATHRoW Amsterdam Hanover Ha Kerry Cardiff London Dusseldorf SouTHEND Bristol Bournemouth London GATWICK Brussels Prague Frankfurt Jersey Rennes

Paris

Stuttgart

Munich

Warsaw

Vienna

Zurich Geneva Lyon

Bordeaux Bilbao

Santiago de Compostela

Toulouse Perpignan Madrid Ibiza

Lisbon Faro

Budapest

Milan

LINATE

Milan lan

Marseille MALPENSA Nice

Venice Pula Verona Ve Bologna Dubrovnik

Bourgas

Rome

Barcelona

Naples

Palma

Corfu Izmir

Alicante

Catania

Malaga

Athens

Agadir Lanzarote Tenerife

Fuerteventura Gran Canaria

To & From Dublin Austria Vienna

Czech Republic Prague

Belgium Brussels

Denmark Copenhagen

Bulgaria Bourgas

France Bordeaux Lyon Marseille Nice Paris Perpignan Toulouse ■ Rennes

Canary Islands Fuerteventura Gran Canaria Lanzarote Tenerife Croatia Dubrovnik Pula (new route

Germany Berlin Dusseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Munich Stuttgart Hanover (new route

commencing 30 March 2014)

Greece Athens Corfu Hungary Budapest

commencing 19 April 2014)

Ireland ■ Kerry

Poland Warsaw

Sweden Stockholm

Italy Bologna Catania Milan (Linate) Milan (Malpensa) Naples Rome Venice Verona

Portugal Faro Lisbon

Switzerland Geneva Zurich

Spain Alicante Barcelona Bilbao Ibiza Madrid Malaga Palma Santiago de Compostela

Turkey Izmir

The Netherlands Amsterdam Morocco Agadir

United Kingdom Birmingham London (Gatwick) London (Heathrow) Manchester

■ United Kingdom Aberdeen Birmingham Blackpool Bournemouth Bristol Cardiff Edinburgh Glasgow Isle of Man Jersey London Southend Manchester Newcastle

■ Aer Lingus Regional routes operated by Aer Arann For more information on schedules, please visit aerlingus.com

February/March 2014

| 125

INFLIGHT

EUROPEAN ROUTE NETWORK

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Knock

BELFAST Manchester

Dublin

Birmingham

SHANNON Bristol London Heathrow

CORK

Amsterdam

LONdON GATWICK

Brussels

Jersey

Paris

Rennes

Munich

Geneva

Nice

Barcelona Palma Alicante Faro

Malaga

Lanzarote

Tenerife

Las Palmas

To & From Belfast, Cork, Shannon & Gatwick FROM BELFAST Flights operate from George Best Belfast City Airport

Portugal Faro Spain Malaga Palma United Kingdom London Heathrow London Gatwick

FROM CORK

FROM GATWICK

Belgium Brussels

Portugal Faro

United Kingdom London Heathrow

Canary Islands Lanzarote Tenerife Las Palmas

Spain Alicante Barcelona Malaga Palma

■ United Kingdom Birmingham Bristol Edinburgh Glasgow Jersey Manchester

France Nice Paris ■ Rennes Germany Munich

Switzerland Geneva The Netherlands Amsterdam

Ireland Belfast Dublin Ireland West Airport (Knock)

FROM SHANNON Canary Islands Lanzarote Portugal Faro Spain Malaga (new route

commencing 30 March 2014)

United Kingdom London Heathrow ■ United Kingdom Birmingham Edinburgh Manchester

FROM KNOCK ■ United Kingdom London Gatwick

■ Aer Lingus Regional routes operated by Aer Arann

126 |

February/March 2014

USA ROUTE NETWORK

Toronto Chicago

Boston New York

San Francisco Shannon

Dublin

Orlando

To & From Dublin & Shannon FROM DUBLIN

FROM SHANNON

USA Boston Chicago New York Orlando San Francisco

USA Boston New York

Canada Toronto

(Via New York/Boston with JetBlue)

Chicago Orlando

HAer Lingus is flying direct from Dublin to Toronto and San Francisco from April 2014. Aer Lingus flights are available for sale on aerlingus.com

February/March 2014

| 127

inFLight

CONNECTING EUROPE, USA & CANADA Edmonton

Calgary Winnipeg Vancouver Seattle Portland OR

Minneapolis Milwaukee

san FranCisCo San Jose

Oakland

Burbank Long Beach Orange County

toronto

Detroit

Burlington Syracuse Ro Rochester

Buffalo lo

Portland ME

Boston Pi Pittsburgh Nantucket Philadelphia neW York Des Moines Salt Lake City Indianapolis Columbus Baltimore Cincinnati ncinna Washington Greensboro Wichita Saint Louis Denver DuLLES uis Washington Wa NATIONAL Louisville Lexington Lex Richmond Ri Nashville Tulsa Raleigh - Durham Ra Las Vegas Oklahoma City Charlotte arlo Knoxville Memphis ChiCago

Omaha

Sacramento

Grand Rapids

Los Angeles Santa Ana San Diego

Phoenix

Cleveland Dayton on

Dallas (Fort Worth)

Atlanta Charleston

Austin

Houston

New Orleans

San Antonio

Jacksonville Orlando

Tampa Fort Myers

West Palm Beach Fort Lauderdale Miami

Aguadilla

San Juan Ponce Po

FLY BETWEEN THE FOLLOWING CITIES VIA DUBLIN, SHANNON, NEW YORK, BOSTON & CHICAGO new destinations with aer Lingus, in partnership with JetBlue, United airlines and aer arann Getting to the uS from destinations throughout Europe has never been easier. uS, Irish and European based customers can book a single low fare reservation between Ireland, Europe and a wide range of continental uS destinations using JFK New York, Boston and Chicago as stopovers.

By choosing to fly to the united States via Dublin and Shannon with Aer Lingus, passengers can avail of united States Customs and Immigration Pre-clearance facilities at

Terminal 2, Dublin airport.

This facility allows passengers travelling on the majority of uS bound flights to clear uS immigration and customs before departing Dublin and Shannon.

Customers arrive in the uS without any further processing requirement allowing for a seamless transfer to their final destination.

■ neW York Connecting with JetBlue at JFk: Passengers travelling from the uS to Ireland and Europe will be able to check in bags at the JetBlue domestic departure point and then pick them up again in Shannon or Dublin. aer Lingus flights operate

from t5 John F. kennedy airport.

■ Boston Connecting with JetBlue at Boston Logan international airport: When you arrive from Dublin or Shannon, proceed directly to Terminal C for your JetBlue domestic departure.

Passengers travelling from the uS to Ireland and Europe will be able to check in bags at the JetBlue departure point and then pick them up again in Shannon or Dublin.

■ ChiCago Connecting with United airlines at o’hare Chicago international airport: On arrival at Terminal Five from Dublin or Shannon, make your way to the nearby ATS (Airport Transit System), which runs every four minutes to your uA domestic departure point.

Passengers from the uS to Ireland and Europe can check in bags at the uA departure point, then exit security in Chicago O’Hare to take the Airport Transit System to Terminal Five for the onward Aer Lingus flight, and pick up their bags in Shannon or Dublin.

■ DUBLin Connecting with aer Lingus regional (operated by Aer Arann) at Dublin airport: Aer Lingus’s interline agreement with Aer Arann allows passengers connect to Aer Lingus transatlantic flights via Dublin Airport, where they can through check their luggage directly to their final uS destination.

All routes correct at time of going to press

128 |

February/March 2014

aberdeen edinburgh

Glasgow

newcastle Isle of Man Hamburg

Manchester

Dublin Birmingham

Shannon kerry

london

london souTHend london

cardiff Bristol

Berlin

amsterdam

HeaTHrow

GaTwIck

warsaw

dusseldorf Brussels Frankfurt

paris Munich

Vienna

Geneva Milan

Malpensa

Milan

rome

Barcelona

Madrid

Venice

lInaTe

palma alicante Faro

Malaga

■ Via Dublin with aer lingus

■ Via Dublin with aer lingus Regional

■ Via new YoRk with Jetblue

                         

        

                          

alicante amsterdam Barcelona Berlin Birmingham Brussels dusseldorf edinburgh Faro Frankfurt Geneva Hamburg london (Gatwick) london (Heathrow) Madrid Malaga Manchester Milan linate Milan Malpensa Munich palma paris rome Venice Vienna warsaw

aberdeen Bristol cardiff edinburgh Glasgow Isle of Man london southend newcastle kerry

■ Via Shannon with aer lingus  london (Heathrow) ■ Via Shannon with aer lingus Regional    

Manchester Birmingham Bristol edinburgh

aguadilla austin Baltimore Boston Buffalo Burbank Burlington charlotte chicago denver Fort lauderdale Fort Myers Houston Jacksonville las Vegas long Beach los angeles nantucket new orleans oakland orlando phoenix ponce portland Me portland or raleigh-durham rochester

         

sacramento salt lake city san diego san Francisco san Jose san Juan seattle syracuse Tampa west palm Beach

■ Via boSton with Jetblue                

Baltimore Buffalo charleston charlotte chicago dallas Fort worth denver Ford lauderdale Fort Myers Jacksonville las Vegas long Beach los angeles nantucket new orleans oakland

               

orlando philadelphia phoenix pittsburg portland or raleigh-durham richmond salt lake city san diego san Francisco san Jose san Juan seattle Tampa washington (dulles) washington (national)  west palm Beach

■ Via ChiCago with united to uSa        

atlanta austin charlotte charleston cincinnati chicago cleveland columbus

                             

dallas (Fort worth) dayton denver des Moines detroit Fort Myers Grand rapids Greensboro Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville kansas city knoxville las Vegas lexington los angeles louisville Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis nashville new orleans oklahoma city omaha orange county phoenix pittsburgh portland or raleigh-durham

            

rochester sacramento salt lake city san antonio san diego san Francisco san Jose santa ana seattle st louis Tampa Tulsa wichita

■ Via ChiCago with united to Canada      

calgary edmonton salt lake city Toronto Vancouver winnipeg

■ Aer Lingus Regional routes operated by Aer Arann February/March 2014

| 129

INFLIGHT

Middle east and australasia route network

Dublin

Bahrain Abu Dhabi

Muscat

Kuala Lumpur Singapore

FROM DUBLIN

VIa aBU DHaBI TO:

Abu Dhabi

Muscat Kuala Lumpur Singapore Bahrain Sydney Melbourne

Flights are operated by our codeshare partner, Etihad Airways.

130 |

February/March 2014

Sydney Melbourne

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Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Ms Claire Murphy

A DUBLIN ICON SINCE 1927 Bewley’s famous Grafton Street Café boasts a rich cultural and architectural heritage and is home to the magnificent stained glass windows by the renowned artist Harry Clarke.

Good Eatin Guide

BEST TOURIST VENUE

2013

Come visit and enjoy our fresh hand roasted coffee and freshly made food, all in our beautiful surroundings.

RDH

Dental Hygienist

Stillorgan Road, Dublin 4 | 083 1543501

www.seafieldlodgedentalclinic.com

The National Cathedral of Saint Patrick Dublin

78-79 GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN 2 t: 01 672 77 20 e:GS@BEWLEYS.IE WWW.BEWLEYS.COM

U.S. IMMIGRATION LAWYERS

Specializing in advising on U.S. immigration law and drafting U.S. visa applications for: • • • • •

Professionals Executives Investors Intra-company transferees Multi-national managers

• • • •

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

Excellent track record representing top Irish companies and individuals.

Personal service and fast turnaround assured.

OFFICES IN NEW YORK CITY AND KILKENNY, IRELAND

New York T: 212 965-1148

Open Daily For Visitors phone: 01 4539472 | web: stpatrickscathedral.ie

Kilkenny T: 056-7767994

MEMBER OF AMERICAN IMMIGRATION LAWYERS ASSOCIATION

Web: www.obrienandassociates.com Twitter: @USVisaExpert

INFLIGHT

Flight Connections

CONNECTING TO ANOTHER AER LINGUS FLIGHT AT DUBLIN AIRPORT FLIGHTS ARRIVING AT TERMINAL 2 FLIGHT CONNECTIONS Connecting flight departs Gates 401 - 426 Arrivals Route to Baggage Reclaim from Gates 400s

FLIGHT CONNECTIONS Connecting flight departs Gates 100s - 300s

To Gates 100s 300s

Immigration

Aer Lingus Flight Connections Desk

Immigration

Security Check

Lifts to Gates 401 - 426 Escalator to Gates 401 - 426

Terminal 2 Arrivals

If you already have a boarding card for your connecting flight, and your baggage has been tagged to your final destination, simply follow the sign for Aer Lingus Flight Connections Desk, which you will see on your left hand side as you enter the Immigration Hall. By following this sign, you will proceed to Immigration and Security Check.

After clearing these points, check the information screens and proceed to your boarding gate.

If your baggage has not been tagged to your final destination you must clear Immigration, enter the baggage reclaim area, collect your bag, exit through the Customs hall and proceed to Aer Lingus check-in on the departures level.

Once you have reached the departures level, check the information screens for your onward flight information, and proceed as directed to the appropriate check-in desk.

If you have any queries, or need further assistance, please go to the Aer Lingus Flight Connections Desk, which is located in the baggage reclaim area in Terminal 2, where our staff will be glad to help.

PLEASE NOTE: EU regulations concerning the carriage of liquids apply to your connecting flights at Dublin Airport

Connecting at Heathrow Airport Transferring to an international flight at Heathrow? Please disembark from the rear of the aircraft where a dedicated coach will take you to the Heathrow Flight Connections area and reduce your journey time by an average of 20 minutes.

PLEASE DISEMBARK FROM THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT IF:

PLEASE DISEMBARK FROM THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT IF:

 You are an international connecting passenger and all your luggage* is checked through to your final destination

    

*Pushchairs checked to London can be collected from the back of the aircraft

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

London is your final destination Your onward connection is to a domestic UK airport Your luggage needs to be collected from Heathrow You would like to leave the airport between flights You or someone you are travelling with needs special assistance

Cloghan Castle

R A I LT O U R S IRELAND

First Class!

Book Today - Travel Tomorrow

• Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty • Waterford & Kilkenny • Cork & Blarney Castle • The Giant's Causeway • The Ring of Kerry • The Aran Islands • Connemara & Galway Bay • The Wicklow Mountains ONE DAY TOURS TO Blarney Castle NINE DAY TOURS FROM and Gardens DUBLIN Cliffs of Moher

C

loghan Castle is an exclusive, self catering venue ideal for that Fairytale Wedding or Party, the self catering option gives the unique opportunity to tailor your day to have it your way!

Banquet Hall can seat up to 120 guests with 7 double bedrooms uniquely decorated giving an authentic castle experience in a luxurious way with central heating throughout. Ceremony and Drinks reception can be held on the battlements, in the courtyard, in our landscaped gardens or in our cosy Drawing Room with an Open Fire.

Intl Tel: + 353 91 870102 Email: info@cloghancastle.com Proprietor: Micheal H Burke, Chanelle Group Contact us for our Special Offers: www.cloghancastle.com

When in Nice,

Car Free - Care Free

www.railtoursireland.com TEL:DUBLIN + 353-1-856 0045

paint beside Matisse!

e-mail: info@railtoursireland.com

American Restaurant & Bar

in association with (Irish Rail)

A FREE APPETISER for one with a main course purchased on production of your boarding pass Terms and conditions apply

BLANCHARDSTOWN CENTRE Dublin 15. Tel: 01 822 5990 ST STEPHENS GREEN Dublin 2. Tel: 01 478 1233 TEMPLE BAR Fleet St, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 672 8975 DUNDRUM TOWN CENTRE Tel: 01 298 7299 SWORDS Airside, Swords, Co Dublin Tel: 01 840 8525 BELFAST Level 2, Victoria Square, Tel: 028 9024 9050 www.fridays.ie

At Jin’s Art Studio, 1st. floor, on corner, 3 pl. Charles Felix, Cours Saleya.

Just buzz the door.

Drop in & paint for just 25c/min.

Everything supplied!

0033(0)6.18.74.62.19

00353(0)868448683 0033(0)6.18.74.62.19 jinsartstudio.com 00353(0)868448683 art@jinsartstudio.com jinsartstudio.com GRAFTON ACADEMY OF DRESS DESIGNING 76 YEARS OF CREATIVITY

tm

(Establ: 1938)

dublin 2 cork blanchardstown dundrum belfast

Michelin Bib Gourmand

PROFESSIONAL FASHION DESIGN DIPLOMA 3yrs

For the Irish & International Clothing Trade Also Short courses in Pattern Drafting & Sewing, Evenings, Weekends, throughout year & Summer day courses.

with over 135 cafes around the world, there’s always something happening at the hard rock.

6 Herbert Place, Dublin 2 Tel:+353 16763653 / 6767940 Email: info@graftonacademy.com

12 Fleet Street • Temple Bar • Dublin 2 • Tel: 671 7777 • hardrock.com

www.graftonacademy.com

INFLIGHT

Flight Connections

AT NEW YORK JOHN F KENNEDY AIRPORT

DEPARTURES

ARRIVALS

From April 3 2013, Aer Lingus will operate from Terminal 5 at New York’s JFK Airport.

While known as JetBlue’s T5, Aer Lingus will have its own dedicated area within the terminal, allowing for easy check in, baggage handling and seamless connections to destinations within the United States and Puerto Rico. With the move to T5, the minimum connection time from European arrivals to connecting JetBlue markets will be reduced to just 60 minutes. Customers traveling to Ireland will enjoy JetBlue connections as fast as 40 minutes.

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The award-winning, stateof-the-art Terminal 5 offers great features and amenities, including:  Up to 15 security lanes  26 gates with seats aplenty  Free Wi-Fi  55,000 sq. feet of great food and shopping  Large children’s play area and much more!

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

INFLIGHT

Multi Charm Double Silver Cross & Rose Gold Vermeil Cross Pendant

by John Rocha Jewellery

Inspired by a mix of organic shapes and forms, renowned fashion designer, John Rocha, has created this multi charm double silver cross and rose gold vermeil cross pendant. Feminine yet contemporary with luxurious packaging.

Michael Kors

by Michael Kors Eau de Parfum - 50ml

An intoxicating tuberose that gently pulses under a sun-kissed bergamot. A warm and sensual cashmere wood and smoky incense provides a sexy and mysterious allure. Always a statement, always glamorous and always Michael Kors, the ultimate signature fragrance. Iconic, luxurious, modern.

Cross Tech2 Stylus & Ballpoint pen

by Cross This Cross Tech2 Stylus and Ballpoint Pen is finished in brilliant chrome, highlighted with sleek black accents. Cross Tech2 allows you to quickly switch from traditional writing to the digital interface. Modern problems require modern solutions, making this the perfect writing choice.

Sky Shopping

Aer Lingus welcomes you to our extensive range of amazing quality items onboard during February/March.

Invictus

by Paco Rabanne Eau de Toilette - 50ml

IceCream Double Scoop™ Intensive Anti-Aging Moisturizer

Inhale the scent of victory with Invictus, the new masculine perfume by Paco Rabanne. This sensually fresh scent sets a modern vision of virility. Invictus is an unexpected clash of worlds, powers, sensations, and values. A thrill of freshness in the top note faces the sensuality of a guaiac wood base note.

by Freeze 24.7®

Instant Targeted Wrinkle Treatment

This powerful moisturizing complex nourishes, firms and tones the skin, diminishing all expression line formations while shielding the skin from oxidative stress and UVA/ UVB rays.

This miracle in a jar works instantly to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, rosacea, enlarged pores, stretch marks and other skin imperfections.

Please check your Sky Shopping brochure for all prices

by Freeze 24.7®

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

| 135

photograph by DarrEN KIrWaN/robbIE rEyNoLDS

Trip of a life Time | Clare WeDDiNG

Perfect match

Clareman Damien Moroney came home to manage Australia at the first Aer Lingus International Hurling Festival – and stayed on for his own wedding. was approached in late December 2012 and asked if I would be available and interested to come home and manage the Australian Hurling Team – who could say no to being involved in the first international hurling festival?

I’m from a little parish in Killanena, Co Clare, but I live in St Mary’s in Sydney with my wife Natalie, our son Ciarán (six) and our baby daughter Aoife (11 months). Currently I’m working as a plant operator in rural Queensland, flying out for three weeks and returning to Sydney for one week each month.

I have hurled since I was a child, so once I came to Sydney eight years ago it was only natural to want to play and join a club here. In that time I’ve been involved with the Sydney Shamrocks Hurling Club as a player and a manager; I have also played on the New South Wales State team with three Australasian titles under our belt. In 2007 I was

I

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February/March 2014

selected for the Australasian All Star team. In 2012 I hung up the boots and joined the NSW GAA committee, managed the Sydney Shamrocks and the New South Wales Hurling Teams. From the end of March to September each year our Sundays are booked out with GAA, something that myself, Natalie and Ciarán love, and we’re hoping Aoife will follow suit.

When I arrived in Ireland for the hurling festival it was also as a groom-to-be! Our wedding was originally planned for March 2014, in the Blue Mountains in Sydney, but with such a wonderful opportunity to return home for the hurling, we decided to change everything to marry with our family and friends by our sides. I have to thank my mother Olive who essentially became our wedding planner. We also have to thank technology for making the process so easy whilst being so far away.

Of course, when we landed, there was no part of my head thinking about being a groom …! It was

Above right, Clareman and hurler Damien Moroney, with Natalie, and their children arrive in Ireland. Above, wedded bliss – the bride and groom lakeside at Lough Graney, Co Clare.

Do you have a Trip of a Lifetime story about an Aer Lingus destination?

Please send it to tripofalifetime@ image.ie at not more than 600 words with a portrait shot of yourself.

The editor’s decision is final.

all about the hurling, as our team was put together of players from all over Australia, most of whom had never met before so our main focus was to get the lads together for a bit of team bonding and then training once the jetlag was over.

We were truly blown away with the welcome we received from the locals of Ballinasloe and of course the wonderful people at Aer Lingus.

And how did our team do? We won our first two tournament games but lost by one point to St Gabriel’s of London, 2-09 to 0-16, in our third. In Pearse Stadium, Galway, on September 21, 2013, we won the Shield Final, defeating a spirited New York team 2-22 to 1-11 – a great end to the tournament.

The wedding day itself was wonderful, a truly fun-filled event with so many great memories. We haven’t had our honeymoon yet, opting to spend the time we had left in Ireland with family instead. The day after the wedding we watched the All-Ireland replay at the pub, which then gave us all a second reason to celebrate. The Clare win was a fantastic way to end our trip.

The hurling, the wedding, the All-Ireland replay and spending time with family – it was a threeweek journey we’ll never forget.

Here’s hoping that we will be able to return for the next one – and that Australia will be victorious again!

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