Cara February/March 2015

CARA Magazine February/March 2015

February/March 2015

Gemma Hayes Irish animators Dublin’s doorstep

Hey, day tripper!

Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela’s food trail

Exploring Dublin’s doorstep

Pilgrim’s bounty

Going loop de loop

Orlando’s theme-park thrills

Pula

Family affair

Orlando

Istria for all ages

7 Best Romantic Cities Barcelona Boston

Making her way SINGER GEMMA HAYES IN FULL BLOOM

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LUCK OF THE DRAW WE MEET IRISH ANIMATORS COMPLIMENTARY COPY

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Contents FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

40

Comic relief

66

52

Spanish feast

Head for the hills

Check in 04 ARRIVALS Families united via Dublin’s T2 07

CHECK IN This season’s best sleeps, eats, events and festivals

Features

18

ON MY TRAVELS Video game composer Eimear Noone’s touring titbits

34 SONGS FROM THE HEART Chanteuse Gemma Hayes waxes lyrical to Tony Clayton-Lea

20 SMART TRAVELLER When in Rome …

James McCormack gets inspired 22 MY TRAVEL NOTEBOOK Jewellery designer Chupi’s hotspots 24 HEART WARMERS Ruth Anna Coss’ mush-free Valentine’s gift ideas 26 WEEKENDER David Robbins gets his hipster on in Shoreditch

40 IN THE FRAME Lauren Murphy spotlights Irish animators 52

ON DUBLIN’S DOORSTEP Pól Ó’Conghaile’s day trips from the capital

66 EAT PRAY LOVE Mary Boland feasts on Santiago de Compostela

22 Ear this!

Regulars 114 48 HOURS AROUND BARCELONA Frances Power gets out and about

28 SHELF LIFE Bridget Hourican’s books edit, plus a Q&A with Sara Baume

80 THE PULL OF PULA Enchanting Istria by Kate O’Dowd

117 AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO BOSTON Áine Greaney shows us the sights

30 WHERE RACING LEGENDS BEGIN Joe Callaghan studies the form of this year’s Cheltenham Festival

TO RIDE Lucy White 92 TICKET TICK scares scar herself silly in Orlando

120 SPOTLIGHT Edinburgh is a Lothian lovely for Niamh Wade

104 7 ROMANTIC CITIES RO Swoonsome Swo trips for two by Lisa Hughes

123 AER LINGUS INFLIGHT All new in-flight news and entertainment

32

FIT FOR A SAINT Sheila Wayman’s Paddy’s Day overview

92

Orlando thrills

112 11 READY TO ROCK? Niamh Wade dives into coasteering

152 TRIP OF A LIFETIME Vet Rita Gately’s journey with Leona the turtle

Contributors EDITORIAL Editor Frances Power Deputy Editor Lucy White Assistant Editor Niamh Wade Sub-editor Sheila Wayman Contributors Kate O’Dowd, Ruth Anna Coss, Bridget Hourican, Lisa Hughes

Dublin native Lauren Murphy’s work as a freelance arts journalist for the Irish Times and the Sunday Times has seen her interview some big names; she’s had chinwags with everyone from Dave Grohl and Noel Gallagher to Robbie Williams and Domhnall Gleeson. For Cara, she casts an eye over the thriving Irish animation industry. “I knew that animation was booming in Ireland, but I didn’t realise how productive it was until I spoke to those at the coalface, as it were,” she says. “From 3D animation to classic cartoon re-boots and feature films, there’s so much going on. It was inspiring to hear what each person is working on.” Read all about it on page 40.

Editorial Director Laura George ART Art Director Clare Meredith Acting Art Director Fred Murray Creative Director Bill O’Sullivan ADVERTISING Advertising Director Noëlle O’Reilly +353 (0)1 271 9621, noelle.oreilly@image.ie Advertising Executive Corinné Vaughan +353 (0)1 271 9622, corinne.vaughan@image.ie Advertising Copy Contact Derek Skehan +353 (0)1 855 3855, dereks@typeform.ie ADMINISTRATION Events & Communications Manager Elizabeth O’Connor, +353 (0)1 271 9653, elizabeth.oconnor@image.ie Financial Controller Olga Gordeychuk Credit Controller Lisa Dickenson Managing Director Clodagh Edwards BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman Laura George Directors Patrick Dillon Malone, Laura George Richard Power, Robert Power, Ann Reihill, Gina Traynor PRINTING Boylan Print Group ORIGINATION Typeform

Graham Corcoran is an illustrator based in Dublin. He has developed his own unique illustration style which blends a textured retro style with modern themes. He also works as an art director in the Irish animation industry, where he designs animated children’s shows that have been broadcast around the globe. Graham is one of Cara’s go-to guys for destination maps, and this month travelled (virtually) to Pula in Croatia, see page 90. “I always try to have fun with my map illustrations, and the map for Pula had plenty of opportunities for adding quirky elements, including a quite grumpy James Joyce.”

Mary Boland is a freelance journalist based in Dublin. She has reported from many countries for the Irish Times, where she spent 15 years as a sub-editor and writer. A keen interest in both travel and food has taken her on many occasions to Galicia, where she has watched the region’s capital, Santiago de Compostela, evolve into the gastronomic haven she writes about on page 66. “Something of a culinary revolution has been taking place in Santiago, with lots of young, innovative chefs offering new takes on local ingredients. If you’ve done the Camino, it’s worth rewarding yourself with a few gourmet days in the city.”

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.

Cara magazine is a member of Magazines Ireland.

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ON THE COVER

Gemma Hayes photographed at Scout (scoutdublin.com) by Rich Gilligan, assisted by Andrew Nuding. Hair and make-up by Leonard Daly.

Welcome to our new issue! We are all take yours. Feel free to ay for this magazine aw ey. your onward journ e your We would also lov l feedback and trave r photos via Twitte . @CARAMagazine

WHO? Lorcan and Patricia Keyes FLYING IN FROM ... San Francisco PATRICIA SAYS ... “We’re home after visiting our daughter, who brought us to many fantastic spots along the coast.”

WHO? John and Magsie Goor FLYING IN FROM ... San Francisco JOHN SAYS ... “We were fixing post-earthquake issues for our daughter, and played in a local quartet.”

WHO? The Conway family FLYING IN FROM ... The Philippines via Paris PADHRAIG SAYS ... “We spent seven days in and around Cebu for a family wedding.”

Arrivals

It’s all about visiting family, whether at home and abroad – Cara magazine meets the newly arrived at Dublin Airport’s T2.

WHO? From left, Deirdre Hunt-Haney and Ailis Haney FLYING IN FROM ...

Frankfurt DEIRDRE SAYS ... “It’s off to Sligo we go for a family reunion, with a pit-stop in Carrick-on-Shannon.”

WORDS BY NIAMH WADE / PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANTHONY WOODS

WHO? Hester Magielse FLYING IN FROM ...

Brussels HESTER SAYS ... “I’m over to hang-out with my three children who live here – I see them every two months.”

WHO? Bernie Foley FLYING IN FROM ... San Francisco BERNIE SAYS ...

“I’ve returned from seeing my daughter and grandchildren, along with Half Moon Bay and Fisherman’s Wharf. I also climbed Mount Diablo.”

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

WHO? Kevin Sheeran with Cara, left, and Grace Sheeran-Hayes FLYING IN FROM ... Toronto KEVIN SAYS ... “I’m home for a quick catch-up with the family and a trip to Liverpool for a match.”

WHO? Shane O’Rourke FLYING IN FROM ... Miami SHANE SAYS ... “I’ve lived away since June, so I’m surprising mum for her birthday.”

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDY METTLER/SWISS-IMAGE.CH

Drag racing

All that glistens at horseracing events is – usually – the bling on Ladies Day. But at White Turf, in St Moritz, Switzerland, it’s the shine of sun hitting ice and snow.

This February 8, 15 and 22, fascinators will be swapped for thermal beanies, as the extreme art of equestrian skijoring – and its 35,000 spectators – take over the frozen lake. Launched in the early 1900s, the competition now boasts international thoroughbreds and racers, plus the usual “après” events you’d expect from a ski resort festival, from live music to art exhibitions to gastronomic feasts. whiteturf.ch

Find out what’s on, where and when in February/March 2015

Check in Compiled by Lucy White, Niamh Wade, David Robbins and Frances Power

STAY

4 Mum pleasers

SC

HE

IB L

EC K

ER

Treat herself with an indulgent mini-break this Mother’s Day (March 15) …

EA

S

AN

Hayfield Manor, Cork

Sunborn Yacht, London

Luxe, but not snooty, this elegant five star is as renowned for its service with a smile as for its super spa and fine dining in the classic Orchids restaurant, above, and its more contemporary sibling, Perrotts bistro. Its two-night B&B Mother’s Day Luxury Break costs from €215pp, and includes a four-course dinner and afternoon tea; non-date specific gift vouchers available. hayfieldmanor.ie

Sup port on the starboard of this 108-metre, 136-guestroom floating hotel moored at Royal Victoria Dock, and a seconder to its Gibraltar mothership. While Canary Wharf can’t exactly compete with a Caribbean cruise, the inimitable buzz of London is right on its doorstep (prow?), while the on-board Elemis spa ups the luxury liner quotient. Rooms from £179. sunbornhotels.com

DR

The Guesthouse, Vienna

If your mum is always the first on the dance floor – with or without your dad – check her into this lovely boutique hotel, just five minutes’ walk from the esteemed Elmayer Dance School, where a 50-minute Viennese waltz lesson costs €58. The Guesthouse is a gorgeous base, with its own brasserie, bakery and picnic hampers. Rooms from €205. theguesthouse.at

The Palace, San Francisco

In the US, Mother’s Day will be celebrated on May 10 but win early, extra Brownie points at this five star property in buzzy downtown. Worth the visit alone is Saturday afternoon tea or Sunday brunch in the opulent, glass-domed Garden Court restaurant that dates back to 1909 and is San Francisco’s only indoor historic landmark – sure to dazzle any mam. Rooms from $330. sfpalace.com

4 ACCESSORIES

THEATRE

For when the clocks go forward on March 29 …

Fully-formed drama FIONA MORGAN

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3 5 2 6

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Dysfunctional families, sexuality and religion are staples of Irish drama but when the source material is Eimear McBride’s 2013 debut novel, A Girl is a Halfformed Thing, and adapted for the stage by director Annie Ryan, you can be sure of originality. Aoife Duffin (Moone Boy) returns in the titular role for a limited run this February, her unflinching, career-best performance of a troubled twentysomething first wowing audiences in Ireland and the UK last year. The play runs at Dublin’s Project Arts Centre (February 4-14), Belfast’s MAC (Feb 17-21) and Bray’s Mermaid Arts Centre (February 27-28). cornexchange.ie

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FILM

Dramatic paws

ART

NORTHERN LIGHT After a lengthy £15 million refurbishment, Manchester’s 125-year-old Whitworth Art Gallery reopens with a new wing on February 14.

British artist Cornelia Parker heralds the relaunch with a major exhibition (above, an installation from 1991), while our very own Dorothy Cross features in a group show. manchester.ac.uk/whitworth

Awards season is here, and there’s plenty happening for cinephiles this month. The blockbusting Jameson Dublin International Film Festival (March 19-29; jdiff.com) returns – including the Irish premiere of Mary McGuckian’s Eileen Gray biopic The Price of Desire, in which Orla Brady stars as the Modernist designer. Also in Dublin is the Silk Road Film Fest (March 18-22; silkroadfilmfestival. com), which showcases Arab, Asian, Persian, Middle Eastern, North African and European cinema, while the Dingle Film Festival (March 12-15; dinglefilmfestival.com) welcomes the inaugural Irish Animation Awards.

But the award for genius

programming goes to Glasgow Film Festival (February 18 to March 1; glasgowfilm.org), which launches the UK’s first Internet Cat Video Festival, above – yes, all your favourite

interweb felines in one sitting.

Also at the event will be Irish actor Sam Keeley, in town to promote Monsters: Dark Continent, the sci-fi sequel to 2010’s Monsters.

GLYNN ANDERSON

VALENTINES

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Love is in the air …

Whichever way you approach St Valentine’s Day – or not at all – the days of padded cards are thankfully over. Thinking outside the box of chocolates is Boston’s Dining in the Dark, a blindfolded dinner at The Hampshire House on Beacon Hill (February 13-15; dininginthedark.com). If that all sounds a little too Fifty Shades of Grey – the film of which, starring Belfast’s Jamie Dornan, gasps into cinemas this February 14 – Dublin’s National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, left, has a Budding Romance walking tour on the big day: a tiptoe among the daffodils, winter blooms and various exotica in the glasshouse (botanicgardens. ie). Also in Dublin – everyone say aaah! – children age six and above can learn all about medieval love tokens, below right, exchanged between smitten knights and ladies at the National Museum of Ireland (museum.ie). And, if you can’t afford to whisk your other half to the city of lurve, consider making their heart melt with a new photography book Robert Doisenau (Taschen, €49.99; taschen.co.uk) featuring work by the Parisian photographer who, in 1950, captured the quintessential French snog “Le baiser de l’Hôtel de Ville” (The kiss by the Hôtel de Ville).

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FAMILY

Breaths of fresh air Put spring into your step at the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens, Surrey, for the seasonal exhibit Alluring Orchids (February 7 to March 8; kew. org), where thousands of the tropical flowers will be displayed. Also organised are tours, events and face painting during mid-term. Less than an hour north of Boston, Massachusetts, is the Merrimack River Eagle Festival (February 7; massaudobon.org), which celebrates the return of the Bald Eagle. Mapped routes

guide visitors to all the best sighting spots, while guided tours, shows and workshops educate and entertain. In the French Riviera, Nice Carnival (February 13 to March 1; nicecarnaval.com), pictured, is Europe’s largest mardi gras.

This year’s theme is “King of Music” so expect sonically-themed floats and more than 1,000 global musicians and dancers.

And if you’re in Ireland and the weather is woeful, batten down the hatches with some indoor children’s theatre. Amy

Conroy’s Far Away From Me (February 12 to March 15; ark.ie) – inspired by The Princess and the Pea – premieres at Dublin’s The Ark before heading on a national tour April 4-16. Also, The Girl Who Forgot to Sing Badly (theatrelovett. com), a genius one-man show starring Louis Lovett and a multi-tasking crate, returns to Ireland after a UK run and will tour everywhere from Bray’s Mermaid Arts Centre (February 3) to Virginia’s Ramor Theatre (March 28).

SPORT

OUTDOORS

MUD RUSH For an exhilarating slog in the dirt – vicarious or otherwise – head to the five-kilometre Run-A-Muck Spring Challenge, above, in Johnstown, Co Kildare (March 7; runamuckchallenge. com), where there’ll be crawling and clambering galore. Prefer steeper inclines? The Comeragh Bogtrot in Ballymacarby, Co Wexford, sees hikes ascending to more than 900 metres on trails of up to 32 kilometres (March 28; nirevalley.com).

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Spring is in the air and, for soccer and rugby fans, so is hope. Ireland’s teams face some tough challenges but, as the supporters often say, the situation is desperate, but not serious. Rugby’s Six Nations championship gets underway first, with Ireland, right, facing Italy in Rome on February 7.

This year, tournament big boys England and France must come to Dublin, so expectations that Ireland can retain its Six Nations title are high (rbs6nations.com). Then it’s on to the Rugby World Cup in September (September 18 to October 31; rugbyworldcup.com), where the team is expected to make the semi-finals for the first time. So no pressure then. Next up,

DAN SHERIDAN/INPHO

We are the champions?

the soccer team faces a do-or-die match against Poland in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on March 29. Win, and a place in the European Championships next year beckons. Lose, and Martin O’Neill’s team might not even make the play-offs.

No pressure there then either. (fai.ie; uefa.com).

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DIASPORA

Creative spark Ask designer Sue Murphy to describe what she does for a living, and there’s a pause: “That’s something I really struggle with,” she says. It’s easy to see why. Her last project with Ogilvy & Mather NYC involved working with electronic musician James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and production agency Tool to create a custombuilt algorithm that turned tennis data (the number of serves, aces and faults), which IBM had gathered at the 2014 US Open, into music cues that produced real-time soundtracks for each match. “The music was streamed on a website and, when you heard a change in the music, you saw what happened in the match to cause it.” On top of that James created an album of remixes – “‘Match 4’ is my fave,” she says.

Rolling Stone magazine called it “glorious”. Sue, a 27-year-old who hails from Cobh, Co Cork, now works in New York for creative agency Wolff Olins. It’s a job she got, like others on her CV, by being what she calls “personally professional”. “All my jobs have come about like that – I emailed [my now boss] saying I loved a blogpost she wrote and asked would she be up for meeting for coffee.

She invited me in and I’m still there.” It’s a jobhunting technique she’ll be speaking about this year at Offset, the three-day creative brainstorm in Dublin of animators (Oscar nominee Cartoon Saloon among them; see our animators feature on page 40), graffiti artists, photographers such as our very own Matthew Thompson, graphic artists and advertising agencies. “It’s the friendliest conference around,” says Sue. “There are no barriers; you could be sitting next to a speaker and then, when you go to the pub, you could end up talking to a speaker. It feels like a blown-up dinner party.”

Offset runs from March 6-8; iloveoffset.com.

To hear James Murphy’s Remixes Made with Tennis Data in association with IBM, visit soundcloud.com/ibm

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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FOOD

4 Weekend munches …

Balfes at Dublin’s Westbury Hotel is a weekend brunch hotspot.

Here, its chef Cathal Dunne reminisces on his favourite brunches.

M A R KU S M A RT Y

London Ham Yard Located in Soho, just minutes from Mayfair, Ham Yard is a fantastic space set around a tree-filled garden.

Besides the restaurant and bar, it also features a 1950s-style bowling alley and a great rooftop garden. Feast on Slow-roasted Sicilian sausage with beans, tomato and basil with an Italian Sour – made with Aperol, Campari, grapefruit, lemon and egg white. firmdalehotels.com

New York Narcissa A bright, light-filled room with two dining areas: one beside the large open kitchen and the other overlooking a lovely private garden. Amazing. The food comes from co-owner André Balazs’s Hudson Valley farm.

Feast on Crab Benedict and a Fly Me To Tulum brunch cocktail with tequila, mescal, pomegranate and chilli. narcissarestaurant.com

Copenhagen Bodega A combination of café and bar, Bodega is a great weekend destination with minimalist, functional design, and high tables at the windows to see and be seen. A serious kitchen and great atmosphere means you can eat, drink and dance to your heart’s content. Feast on The crayfish salad to cure any last remnants of a late night. bodega.dk

Cork The Weir Check out the English Market and wander along the River Lee to The Weir.

Featuring an outdoor terrace and a cool Scandinavian-style indoor space with wood interior, fairy lights and lush plants, the Weir has a chilled, relaxed vibe.

Feast on The Cork Reuben, the city’s best spiced beef with Emmental and sauerkraut on rye, to be enjoyed with a pint of stout. theweir.ie

AMY MURRELL

eeer of food history with your thr SUPPER DUPER Get a side ord United nthly supper club in Dublin 2’s course meal at Bia Beatha, a mo f che and Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire Arts Club, hosted by historian om €65, including drinks. biabeata.c Anthony O’Grady. February 28,

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TREND

Herbivores R Us First there was Meat Free Mondays (or Meatless Mondays in the US) – and now there is Meat Free Week.

Originating in Australia, and making its debut in the UK this March 23-29, the campaign aims to raise awareness of human health, animal welfare and the environmental impact of the meat industry. High-profile supporters of the charity-fundraising initiative include Jamie Oliver, Antonio Carluccio, Bruno Loubet, left, and more, all of whom have devised special recipes for the March meatox. So, if you too fancy flirting with vegetarianism, wherever you are, log on to meatfreeweek.org for inspiration.

DRINK

HOP TOPIC Beer’s facelift continues into 2015, with an expanded Alltech Craft Brews & Food Fair returning to the Dublin Convention Centre this February 27 to March 1. Brewers and experts will be on hand to guide you between blondes, reds, whites and stouts, with food stalls and live music providing stomach-moppage and craic. eu.alltechbrewsandfood.com

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Wish you were here Indianapolis native Dave Ind Pl Pluimer, left, works in insurance but is a whizz ins with a camera in his spare wi tim time. He took this rosehu hued photograph while in the wilds of Connemara, says “The single thing that and says, impressed me most about Ireland in general, and Connemara specifically, is the great sense of calm. Nothing seems hurried or rushed here. This scene of the peaceful Owenmore River and the majestic Twelve Bens really made an impression on me.”

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 2015/MARCH 2015

FEBRUARY 2015/MARCH 2015

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On my travels

Video game composer Eimear Noone travels the globe with her baton. Niamh Wade checks in with the talented conductor.

CARLOS GAUNA

Eimear Noone lives in Malibu, where she creates video game music for the likes of World of Warcraft, StarCraft II and Diablo III. It’s a far cry from her childhood in Kilconnell, Co Galway, while a classical music background has seen her perform with international orchestras. Next up: co-producing the Dublin International Game Music Festival (April 2-4; idigmusicfest.com), with her Emmynominated composer husband Craig Stuart Garfinkle.

always pack …

Earplugs! Also my “Wind Waker” baton. When I was on tour with The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, I would always conduct the Wind Waker movement of the symphony with this talisman from the game. To the fans of the franchise, and myself, this was a magical moment in the concert.

The craziest tour destination …

Has been London’s Apollo Theatre, conducting the Royal Philharmonic. This is even though I’ve conducted in China and Brazil, among others. The Apollo is best-known for being rock-oriented rather than classical, which brings a different vibe to the experience. We’d find long-forgotten beer mugs abandoned in the wings!

GARETH POWELL

I

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

The closest people on tour …

Are my fellow performers – there’s nothing like it. Performing a symphony on stage is an intense experience that requires absolute and complete focus by every member of the ensemble.

As I often say, I have my family, but no less intense is my relationship with the family of musicians I have worked with.

The current project I’m working on … Is the Dublin International Game Music Festival, at which I’m performing some of the music that I wrote for World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor, as well as other iconic game music scores such as the theme from Skyrim. We’re also bringing over some of our favourite fellow game-music composers such as Tommy Tallarico, BAFTA nominees Russell Brower, Jason Hayes and Neal Acree, and Grammy

3 games fests …

1

At Geek 2015, in the UK’s Margate, play your way around the Action Zone, Puzzle World, Simland, Future Time and Minecraft Cave.

With hundreds of playable video games – some going back to the 1970s – and a Cosplay Masquerade event on Saturday, it’s full-on family fun, left.

February 20-22. geek-play.com

nominee Austin Wintory, all of whom will conduct a piece of their own music.

Coming to Ireland … Is always a homecoming – even for my husband, who grew up in Chicago (we’ve adopted him as one of our own). We spend about four months out of every year in either Dublin or the west of Ireland. And for all its notoriety, Malibu – population 16,000 – really has more in common with an Irish village than a city just outside Los Angeles. We know all our neighbours and there is a real sense of community.

My guilty pleasure is … Singing along to Metallica and AC/ DC in my car. My body is so programmed that when it hears AC/DC before going on stage – usually “Back in Black”, and whether or not the programme is Mozart or World of Warcraft – it

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If you’re a student and just holding a console makes you feel giddy, visit Co Tipperary’s Games Fleadh – Ireland’s largest computer and console games programming festival, held at LIT Thurles. Try to win the Robocode challenge, video game tournaments, or build a game. March 11. gamesfleadh.ie

knows that it’s show time. It’s a case of Pavlov’s dog meets hard rock.

If I went on holiday to … Sydney, Australia, for example, what would I want to do more than anything? All I’d want would be to see the Sydney Opera House and hear the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. That would be my holiday. Honestly, my work is often like being on holiday.

An embarrassing tour moment was … The first time I conducted the Royal Philharmonic in London. My baton disappeared and my backup had an unfortunate “gardening accident” – a Spinal Tap reference – breaking in two.

There was no music store to be found. The reviewers thought conducting without a baton was an artistic choice à la Pierre Boulez … we don’t have to share the truth, do we?

3

Fancy rubbing shoulders with top game developers?

Or bagging a prize fund ranging from $3,000 to $30,000? This could happen at San Francisco’s Independent Games Festival. With three arms to the event – IGF Pavilion, IGF Awards and IGF Summit – you’d better get your game face on … March 2-6. igf.com

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Smart Traveller ROME

3

BEST BUSINESS HOTELS IN COPENHAGEN

“Best coffee in Rome …

Tazza d'Oro (11 Via Dei Pastini, +39 066 789 792; tazzadorocoffeeshop.com), near the Pantheon is my number one. They roast their own coffee beans and only serve 100 per cent arabica, which are the best quality. You can only drink espresso in Rome and this is a great, traditional bar to do it in.

Rome is great for business travel because … Everything is so accessible by foot. You can spend days immersing yourself in its culture, which, for me, is so important to the industry I work in.

There’s also Wi-Fi everywhere you go.

Business lunch …

Steer clear of the tourist hotspots and try Il Vignola (25 Viale Vignola, +39 063 227 451; ristorantevignola. it), a rustic pizzeria just north of Piazza del Popolo. For business drinks in a cool, traditional Italian bar, Antico Caffè della Pace (3/7 Via della Pace, +39 066 861 216; caffedellapace.it). is a Roman institution.

Best place for business meetings … Being the romantic that I am, I've had my best meetings at the Piazza della Rotonda, the square in front of the Pantheon. Such a wonderful place. Or, try Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè

MARK DUGGAN

James McCormack is co-director of Dublin Barista School, which trains individuals and companies in the art of coffee.

He tells Lisa Hughes about his favourite city, Rome.

(82 Piazza di Sant'Eustachio, +39 066 880 2048; santeustachioilcaffe.it), which offers an authentic Italian espresso experience.

Best business hotel …

Top, in The boutique Hotel Indigo between (62 Via Giulia, +39 066 86611; meetings, stretch the hotelindigorome.com), in the aul' legs historic centre, has all the around Rome's amenities needed to survive Monumento and get some work done.

Nazionale.

Business travel tip … Be Above, James McCormack, organised and plan trips in co-director of advance, if possible. This offers Dublin Barista a greater choice of plane/rail/ School. bus tickets and hotel availability, so you save money as well as saving time with a more efficient travel route. Technology is vital; everything is on my phone, from “I can’t travel without … My AeroPress GoogleMaps, Hailo and Co Coffee Maker (left, £24.99, at aeropress.

TripAdvisor, to Airbnb, co co.uk), a hand grinder and freshly roasted Facebook and Twitter. co coffee beans from the Barn in Berlin I also visit review sites (thebarn.de). Even when I’m in Rome such as Yelp! before – the home of coffee – I make my own booking anything.” coffee every morning …!” dublinbaristaschool.ie

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ANDERSEN Tucked away in the hip Vesterbro quarter, its 73 rooms and suites feature décor

by Designers Guild. There's high-speed internet, buffet breakfast and bike hire. Check in with CONCEPT24 and the room is yours for 24 hours so you can enjoy a late check-out. (12 Helgolandsgade, +45 3331 4610; andersen-hotel.dk)

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NIMB Most rooms at this Moorish-designed boutique hotel overlook Copenhagen’s muchloved Tivoli Gardens, and are kitted out with antiques, Geismar linen, iPod docking stations and open fireplaces. Wi-Fi is free, and iPad and bike hire are also available. (5 Bernstorffsgade, +45 8870 0000; nimb.dk)

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ADMIRAL Giving a nod to its past as a granary building, rooms at this four-star are notable for their exposed pine beams, views of the harbour and Opera House, free Wi-Fi and coffee-making facilities. The top floor conference suites ooze style and its Salt bar makes for slick business lunches.

(24 Toldbodgade, +45 3374 1414; admiralhotel.dk)

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My travel notebook

CHUPI SWEETMAN-PELL designs delicate gold jewellery in a manner as magical as her name suggests (chupi.ie). What began as a hobby has become a burgeoning business – you can even pick up a piece onboard in Aer Lingus’ inflight shopping magazine, Boutique. She tells Michelle O’Brien how destinations offer creative inspiration as well as some much-needed R&R.

MAT THEW THOMPSON

FAVOURITE PLACE FOR A WEEKEND BREAK?

Sante Fe Bikini, €248 €248 at heidiklein.com

Annie Dress, €80.39 at chichiclothing.com

Custom Black Leather Jacket

by J.O.D. Clothing, €295 at etsy.com

A Rose By Any Other Name Earrings, €139; th Bark Ring, €99; both

by Chupi at chupi.ie ie

IF I COULD FLY ANYWHERE TOMORR TOMORROW IT WOULD BE TO …

“Morocco. My spring/summer 2015 collection is based on dreamy Eastern nights, and I have been longing to go Morocco since I was little girl.”

JO NATH

KIN/EB AN LOVE

S URY PRES

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT?

Cashmere Sweater by Duffy, €295 at net-a-porter.com

“Berlin. My husband surprised me with a trip to the German capital and I had no idea what to expect. The city has so many layers, with everything from cool clubs to hidden lakes surrounded by beautiful forest.”

“Ottolenghi in Islington (287 Upper Street, London, +44 20 7288 1454; ottolenghi.co.uk).

I am utterly in love with everything they make, from divine meringues, to roast garlic and sheep’s cheese tart.”

MOST DARING TRAVEL EXPERIENCE? “Trekking through the rainforest in Taman Negara, Malaysia. A group of us went for a couple of days; it was an insanely intense experience, we’re talking no electricity, giant snakes and monkeys jumping on the roof of our shack. Unforgettable.”

BEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD?

“Bellinter House (Navan, Co Meath, 046 903 0900; bellinterhouse.com).

It’s like the perfect family home in the country – but without the family! Think roaring fires, Eileen Gray furniture and sheepskin rugs.

Best of all is the outdoor hot tub, the perfect spot to drink wine and watch the stars.”

Chupi’s carry-on essentials ...

1 Taylor Rose Gold Headphones by Frends, €215 at avenue32.com 2 Yogandha Ground Rollerball, €19.95 at yogandha.com 3 Lily Bag in Metallic Mushroom Goat, €860 at mulberry.com 4 Dragonfly Wrap by Heather Finn, €75 at heatherfinn.com 5 The Entrepreneur Stowaway, €297 at steamlineluggage.com

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5 2 3

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Twickenham Stadium 2nd May K.O. 17:00

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USB Hubman by Kikkerland, €15 at Brown Thomas, Grafton Street, Dublin 2

Compact High Definition Sports Camera XS100HD by Polaroid, €159.99 at Camera Centre, Grafton Street, Dublin 2 and at camera.ie

cce of e romantic re r an alternativ to take you ur To THE CITY Fo V 2C ge private vinta rmitting. From Paris, book a windows pe hts – steamy sig e th uch.com sto nd arou ailable. man packages av €125 , dinner

Heart warmers

P3 Foldable Headphones

by Bowers and Wilkins, €200 at mrporter.com

Cashmere Socks by Brora, £35 at brora.co.uk

Valentine's gifts need not be mushy, swoons Ruth Anna Coss.

Dolce & Gabbana Sunglasses, €135 at Brown Thomas

Garmin VivoFit, supporting the Irish Heart Foundation, €129 at Arnotts, Henry Street, Dublin 1

G-Shock Resin Strap Sports Watch by Casio, £110 at johnlewis.com

Freeloader Portable Solar Energy System

by Globetrotter, £54.98 at cyberenergy.co.uk

iPad Air Laser Cut Folio Case by Trendz, €27 at littlewoodsireland.ie

Emilia Cable Cashmere Travel Set (blanket, eye mask and zipped bag), £367 at amara.com

Energy Mini Portable Charger by Ye!!, £18.05 at amazon.co.uk Prêt-à-Powder Dry Shampoo by Bumble & Bumble, €30 at Boots nationwide and boots.ie Portable Bluetooth Beatbox from Beats by Dr Dre, €199.95 at Arnotts Firelite Spinner Cabin Size Case by Samsonite, €299 at bags2go.ie Ruby Earbuds by Kikkerland, €12 at Brown Thomas

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Solar Power Monkey Extreme Charger by Powertraveller, £120 at thesolarcentre.co.uk

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Hipster heaven Shoreditch in London’s East End has just the right amount of cool for David Robbins.

ipsters are like a Oh, and there are pop-ups species of rare bird. everywhere. Think of any retail Their movements enterprise and there’s a pop-up and migrations are version here. We even saw a poptracked by experts up five-a-side soccer complex in worldwide. Tell-tale hipster traces a disused site under the railway.

– Dutch bikes, indie coffee bars Boxpark (2-10 Bethnal Green and obscure fashion brands – alert Road; boxpark.co.uk) is a popfollowers to the presence of a up mall, no less, full of small precious social commodity: cool. fascinations.

Shoreditch, in the East End The centre of all this hirsute of London between Hoxton and coolness is the Ace Hotel on Bethnal Green, is still a popular the High Street. The rooms are hipster habitat. Admittedly, some just, well, cool. Ours even had a flock members have moved on to turntable and some vinyl records, Leytonstone, but there are still a comfy window seat/sofa and a plenty of skinny jeans, beards and radio with, get this, “curated” radio micro-breweries to be seen. There stations. Down in the lobby, the are also great restaurants, cool bars waitresses ply you with craft beer and, partly due to the streetscape, and there’s a bank of blokes at a low-rise buildings and general lamp-lit table doing stuff on their absence of neon, a feel all of its own. laptops. Message: you may not be Once you emerge from the cool when you check in, but you will be by the time we’re Tube, you begin to notice strange things. It’s finished with you. relatively quiet, at Outside, there’s lots COOL OUT least compared with of lovely rambling central London. ahead: over to The quirky and spacious Everyone has a Spitalfields rooms at the Ace Hotel start beard. You do Market at £152 per night. The bar is not recognise the (Brushfield a popular local hang-out, and names above any Street; spitalfields. there’s a resident DJ in the of the shops. And co.uk) where they lobby. 100 Shoreditch High you want to go had a microStreet, +44 20 7613 9800; brewery festival into every one acehotel.com of them. the day we visited,

What to pack ...

1 Grenson Fred Commando Boot, €280 at Brown Thomas 2 Hentsch Man Phoenix Brown Sunglasses, €180 at indigoandcloth.com 3 London Design Guide 2014-1015, edited by Max Fraser, €12 at lunaandcurious.com 4 Handforged Bottle Openers, €11 at aprilandthebear.com 5 Wahl Lithium Ion Grooming Station, €105.99 at boots.ie 6 Acqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere Shaving Cream, €32 at Arnotts 7 Murdock Marvellous Moustache Wax, €17.64 at murdocklondon.com

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ANDREW MEREDITH

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Few hotel lobbies are quite as brill as they are at the Ace, above.

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or to the Sunday flower market on Columbia Road (columbiaroad. info; closes 3pm). Or you could just wander. Basically, you can’t go wrong in Shoreditch; around every corner and down every road, there is something interesting, something you won’t find anywhere else.

Redchurch Street, for example, is a good spot for shopping, with niche menswear brands such as Sunspel (7 Redchurch Street; sunspel.com).

As for food, well, there seems to be food everywhere. A short hop over to Bethnal Green will bring you to the Town Hall Hotel (Patriot Square, +44 20 7871 0460; townhallhotel.com), wherein lies the Corner Room restaurant, a small dining room with a touch of abattoir chic. The food is excellent. This is post-pulled pork dining; we’re talking oxtail and other recondite body parts. For something way less formal, grab some poutine (Canadian chips and gravy) at Brick Lane flea market (bricklanemarket. com), just around the corner from Redchurch Street, or try the pizza from Pizza East (56 Shoreditch High Street, +44 20 7729 1888; pizzaeast.com).

Shoreditch feels like London used to be. Hipster-trackers say it’s not the coolest district any more, which means it was just about cool enough for us.

Check in

Shelf Life|

Bridget Hourican charts Garry Loughlin’s cycle trip across the US, and chats to Sara Baume.

Behind the lines

Short-story writer Sara Baume on her debut novel.

FRENCH FANCIES

BETWEEN SPACES by Garry Loughlin

Donal Ryan and Mary Costello are being honoured with French translations of their debut novels, Academy St and The Spinning Heart at the Irish Embassy in Paris, March 5.

(self-published, limited edition, €25) Irish photographer Garry Loughlin takes a quote from Hemingway as the starting centreculturelirlandais.com point for this book: “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” In 2013 he cycled 8,000km from New York to San Francisco, over a period of six months. The photos he took along the way are rural and urban, occasionally peopled, but mostly empty. Almost all are outdoor shots but they achieve the static quality of still life interiors. He was seeking the “beauty in the banality of everyday life”, so there are no famous landmarks – but it’s recognisably the US. Available for purchase at the Library Project and the Gallery of Photography, Temple Bar, Dublin, and at garryloughlin.com.

WHAT IS SPILL SIMMER FALTER WITHER ABOUT? A reclusive man who rescues a one-eyed dog, or perhaps it’s about a one-eyed dog who rescues a reclusive man; I can’t say for sure! The title stands for the seasons – it’s set over the course of a year.

The second half is mostly taken up by a journey …

IS IT SET IN A PARTICULAR PLACE? The journey begins on the south coast of Ireland and works northwards and inland. There’s a lot of circling, backtracking, getting lost, going nowhere; this is what’s important. None of the villages or townlands are real but they’re all nearly real, amalgams of places I know or passed through or remember.

WHERE DID YOU WRITE IT? It came together through a period of my life in which I struggled to sit still all day alone in the house. I have a little banger of a car that I’d drive around the coastline of east Cork, where I live, with my dogs on the back seat, a flask in the glove compartment.

Then I’d park up some place, take out my notebook and prop it open against the steering wheel.

FAVOURITE TRAVEL BOOK? The Rings of Saturn by WG Sebald is an elegiac account of a long walk around the UK’s East Anglia.

It’s almost a novel, as much about history and curiosity, as it is about travel.

Spill Simmer Falter Wither is published by Tramp Press, €12.

3 reads on historic Dublin …

Ro Goodbody IRISH Rob HISTORIC TOWNS ATLAS: DUBLIN, 1756 1756 TO 1847 (Royal (R Irish Academy, €35) This third thi instalment of the Dublin series spans the Georgian se development of wide streets, canal and railway building, and large-scale public architecture, including the Custom House and the GPO. Cue 25 gorgeous, large-scale maps and informative text.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Joseph Jo Brady DUBLIN 19301950 (Four Courts, €26.95) More Mo maps in this fifth volume of the “Making of Dublin” series which wh shows the city’s growth over ove two decades – new road systems, systems suburban growth (Drumcondra, Cabra West), large-scale apartment buildings (Newfoundland Street, Dolphin House, Fatima Mansions) and department stores (Clery’s, Maguire & Gatchell).

Edited Ed

by Sparky Booker and Cherie Ch N Peters TALES OF MEDIEVAL DUBLIN (Four (F Courts, €45/€24.95 pb) Arising Ar from free monthly lectures, le these 14 essays by Irish historians cover the Dublin lives of a slave, tax collector, notary, knight, wife, mason – and a Viking skeleton called Eric.

Photos, maps and etchings convey 1,000 years, from the Vikings to the Middle Ages.

ARANS with ATTITUDE

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Where racing legends begin

A great sporting carnival rolls into Cheltenham every March. Joe Callaghan studies the form.

hey call the Cheltenham Festival (cheltenham. thejockeyclub.co.uk) the Olympics of National Hunt horse racing but it doesn’t sit perfectly. The Olympics only rolls around once every four years, while every March the world gets to roll into nature’s perfect playground in the Cotswolds for one of the great sporting carnivals.

It is the kind of place that you can’t help but be drawn to, which goes a long way to explaining why 230,000-plus people will again make the pilgrimage this March 10-13. A big section of the invading masses will come from across the Irish Sea because Cheltenham also offers Irish fans that rare luxury – a chance to see their side not only holding their own but often asserting total supremacy at the highest level.

From top jockeys Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy, to master trainer Willie Mullins and leading owners JP McManus and the Gigginstown Stud, Ireland’s finest are always front and centre. This year’s festival does not coincide with St Patrick’s Day but that hasn’t put off the

T

organisers, who’ve labelled the third day as St Patrick’s Thursday.

Cheltenham 2015 also marks the tenth anniversary of the biggest sea change in the modern history of the festival. The decision in 2005 to add a fourth day and stretch Riding high, not be a more loved horse in the proceedings from Tuesday to Cheltenham world than Mullins’s venerable Friday had its fair share of sceptics.

Festival, the veteran Hurricane Fly but the However the rejigged schedule – Olympics of feature on the opening day, the with the centrepiece Gold Cup National Hunt.

Champion Hurdle, pits them on the Friday – and new contests against Faugheen, a charge who has that swelled the programme to looked more machine than horse 27 races over the four days, has this season. grown organically, to the point Instead the Gold Cup may that you’d be hard pressed to find again be the main focus of the any dissenters. What’s not to love?

Irish as Jim Culloty’s Lord Thirty-three per cent more of a Windermere tries to see off good thing is, well, a good thing Silviniaco Conti and Road To – although calls for organisers to Riches and defend a crown ensure the quality remains sky-high claimed in epic fashion last year. by limiting the size of race fields, do The sporting world isn’t immune have merit.

STOW to the afflictions of the rest History hangs heavily over AWAY of our social-media driven Cheltenham but another Book in a mere 32 society as the rush to analyse, reason for its enduring kilometres from the action categorise and label gets more appeal is that it’s a place at Porch House (porch-house. and more frantic. Yet in that where new storylines are co.uk), ye olde inn – yup, 970AD environment, Cheltenham is there to be written, new no less – in Stow-on-Wold. a constant. It was, is and will legends born under the Top-class nosh, timbercontinue to be special. Just shadows of Cleeve Hill. beamed rooms; doubles And so to the potential how special? Well, you won’t from £99 B&B. legends of 2015. There may know until you go.

3 great racing getaways …

1

The Listowel Harvest Festival, Ireland, September 13-19 For a wild week in September, Kerry plays host to a unique racing carnival, left, when the entire population of Listowel gets in on the act. The racing itself – with the Kerry National the undoubted highlight – is almost a sideshow to the party. listowelraces.ie

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Royal Ascot, UK, June 16-20 Ascot’s four-day meeting in June is to flat racing what Cheltenham is to National Hunt – if you swap tweed for bow-ties and tails, the flat caps for top hats, the glens of Gloucestershire for the plains of Berkshire. And the true appeal is the same – a chance to see equine perfection. ascot.co.uk

3

Belmont Stakes, US, June 6 As the venue for the final leg of America’s near-mythical Triple Crown of racing, Belmont Park in east Queens, New York, is both the birthplace and graveyard of legends. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Dermot Weld’s win with Go And Go – the last European victor. nyra.com

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CLAIRE KEOGH

Festivities fit for a saint

Sheila Wayman on playing the green card, home and away, on March 17. o other national holiday is celebrated in more countries around the world than that of Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day on March 17. From the “greening” of landmarks to partying in Irish pubs worldwide, it’s a day when everyone wants to claim Irish roots – and when the global daily consumption of Guinness more than doubles to 13 million pints.

The tradition of a Paddy’s Day parade was started in New York by a group of homesick Irish conscripts back in 1762. Nowadays the parade up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue claims to be the world’s biggest and will kick off from 44th Street at 11am. In the saint’s native land, what had been a day of celebratory parades, started to stretch in Dublin in 1996 to what is now a four-day St Patrick’s Festival (stpatricksfestival.ie), with talk of a fifth day for 2016.

The centrepiece is, of course, the March 17 parade, starting from Parnell Square at noon. But other events include a mass outdoor céilí on Monday, March 16, at 4.30pm, on St Stephen’s Green and a fivekilometre race through Georgian

RUTH MEDJBER

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Dublin on Sunday, March 15, from Dawson Street at noon.

Among the capital’s more saintly celebrations on March 17 will be Choral Eucharist at 10.30am in St Patrick’s Cathedral, while in Co Down that morning, pilgrims to the fifth-century saint’s burial site in Downpatrick will include the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby.

Extending celebrations over the nearest weekend is something that has been catching on. Cork will have street-based performances, music and entertainment on March 14-15 before the March 17 parade, which is provisionally scheduled to start at 1pm from the junction of South Mall and Parnell Place (corkstpatricksfestival.ie). Limerick stages a popular international band competition (limerick.ie) the previous Sunday, starting at noon, for musicians who are going to parade there or elsewhere two days later.

And Kilkenny’s TradFest (kilkennytradfest.com) is a four-day affair, March 14-17.

Branches of the National Museum (museum.ie), at which admission is free, mark

Getting ahead of the crowds, above, at Cork’s fest and, below, tunnel vision at the Leprechaun Museum.

3 musical treats ...

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In an annual St Patrick’s Eve Amsterdam event, children’s dance and music workshops run at the music centre Splendor, on March 15, as well as a lecturerecital (4pm) by Irish pianist Finghin Collins on John Field’s music.

Singer/songwriter Julie Feeney, left, joins Dutch musicians, using Irish music as their inspiration, for a gig at 8.30pm. stpatrickamsterdam.com

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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Master uilleann piper Liam O’Flynn takes to the stage of Dublin’s National Concert Hall, with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, on March 17 at 8pm for a celebration of his 70th birthday. “Newfoundland” from Shaun Davey’s The Brendan Voyage, and musical tributes to the late poet Seamus Heaney, mix with tales from Liam’s illustrious career. nch.ie

the saint’s day with events the previous weekend. At the Museum of Archaeology on Kildare Street, for instance, there will be the chance to hear the stories behind the creation of iconic treasures such as the Ardagh Chalice, on March 14 (2pm-3pm). No booking required.

The next day, Irish dancers and harpists will be in action at Co Westmeath’s Belvedere House (belvedere-house.ie), when admission to the Georgian estate is half-price.

Finally, what better time to visit Dublin’s National Leprechaun Museum (leprechaunmuseum.ie) to find out more about those mythical little creatures sitting at the end of rainbows with their pots of gold?

3

It may be a matter of delayed gratification but the National ShamrockFest on Saturday, March 21 at Washington DC’s RFK Stadium should be worth waiting for, when more than 40 bands and DJs take to nine stages from 1pm-9pm.

The street festival also features an Irish Village, food, drinks, roving entertainers, crafts, carnival rides and more. shamrockfest.com

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INTERVIEW

SONGS FROM THE HEART Singer songwriter Gemma Hayes no longer yearns for world fame but her latest album is picking up the best reviews of her career.

She talks to Tony Clayton-Lea about teenage angst, writing music for herself, and motherhood. Photographs by Rich Gilligan.

T

his music lark? It all started, recalls Gemma Hayes, in the late 1990s, in her sister’s bedroom in Dublin. There was a party in full swing downstairs but she was hiding away, passing time by strumming her sister’s guitar and trying to sing a song. Then someone knocked on the bedroom door; a head peeped in and a voice said that if she really wanted to sing songs, she should make her way to the International Bar in the city centre.

“So I went along the next week,” recounts Hayes, as she sips English Breakfast tea and nibbles on a madeleine in a Dublin café. “What I wasn’t aware of, was that the guy who suggested I go there, put my name down on a list of people to be called up to sing. So I got up. I had to use someone else’s guitar because I didn’t have one and that was my first time. I sang two songs – Juliana Hatfield’s ‘My Sister’, and my own song, ‘Dead Man’, which I had written when I was 16. That was when I decided singing was what I wanted to do.”

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Hayes is really quite a special fixture in music. Her petite, willowy and indisputably photogenic presence notwithstanding, she has a subtle steeliness that has seen her engage, retreat and then – with somewhat more strategy, perhaps – re-connect with the music industry. That takes courage and resilience as well as confidence. She is now, also, a mother (to toddler Max), so we can add layers of patience, perseverance, endurance and exhaustion into the mix.

Unlike her songs, which are occasionally oblique in their telling of the complexities of the human condition, Hayes in person is disarmingly honest and good fun.

Back in the late 1990s, when she was in her early twenties, all she had was ambition.

Unwittingly, she had landed in Dublin at a time when a burgeoning singer-songwriter scene (if not movement) was taking off.

Many youngsters, such as Hayes, were taking tiny, tentative steps towards some form of success; others, such as Glen Hansard and Damien Rice, were already viewed as the leaders. It was, she recalls, an

exciting time in her life.

“It was a thriving scene but there was definitely a hierarchy.” A closed shop? “If there’s any kind of a scene where people get together it looks like a closed shop, and if you weren’t a musician, then how could you know otherwise? You wouldn’t be interested in the conversation because it was only ever about music. So, yes, maybe it was closed off, but not in a mean-spirited way. It was hierarchical, but that was the nature of it.”

This “scene” was where she “cut her teeth”, she offers (checking if this is the right phrase to use). It was also where reality checks bounced right back into her face.

Yes, she admits, she had a nice voice and had the passion for it, but not much else. At the International Bar, she adds, she learned about chord progressions and how to lift up a chorus by watching people much better than her do it.

“And yet I applied myself to the job at hand as if a person possessed. I think I found something that filled me with purpose and joy. I’d play guitar for

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INTERVIEW

virtually 24 hours a day. Very quickly it got to a point where I was writing songs that weren’t good, but they certainly weren’t rubbish, either.”

Raised in the Co Tipperary village of Ballyporeen (internationally known for being the ancestral home of US President Ronald Reagan), Hayes passed through primary school with little fuss. Her teenage years were formed, to a degree, by her time at boarding school (Scoil Pól, Kilfinane, Co Limerick, which ceased boarding facilities in 2004).

She laughs at the memories.

“I started meeting people from different counties – not countries, counties! Co Limerick, Co Clare, Co Cork – it was very exciting.

When I look back at it, I can say I loved it overall, but I was an awkward teenager, very shy, caught up in not looking the right way …”

Excuse me? I beg your pardon?!

Did Gemma Hayes just say she was “caught up in not looking the right way”?

Another sip of tea, another bite on a dainty pastry. A nod of her head. A trace of a smile. “I found too many flaws about myself back then but, as is the way with teenagers, a lot of it was in my head. Also, I wasn’t a popular girl, yet I wanted to be, and I wanted to act as the other pupils acted, which wasn’t how I was inside. So I set up a not-good place to be by not being who I was and that was exhausting.

I went through a lot of that – not wanting to be myself – which is typical of those teenage years. And there was the added pressure of being female. As a teenager, I never looked in the mirror and saw a pretty girl – I just saw things that I wanted to be different. But then you grow up and you are yourself, like it or not.”

Which brings us back to arriving in Dublin (“I no longer had to be back in my room by a certain hour, so of course I went mad!”), the International Bar, dropping out of college (arts degree at UCD) and stepping onto the music industry ladder.

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It hasn’t been a smooth trip all the way, she admits. “It’s certainly been one hell of a journey – for good and bad. When you choose to be a creative person, it can be really tough. My disposition isn’t of the jolly, happy-go-lucky type and I’ve gone through bouts of not being creative and having that impact on me. I’ve even moved countries to see if that might help to make me snap out of something.”

Despite this, Hayes has delivered the goods. From 2002 to the present day, five excellent studio albums have positioned her in the front rank of creative songwriters.

While her songs are so inherently melodic that each album should come with a free whistle, she hasn’t had mainstream America fall at

Hayes on fame – “it’s like winning the Lotto – if it happens, it happens. I’m not going to work towards it.”

“The need to prove myself to people got less and the music became a thing that I just loved to do.”

her feet. She remains, nevertheless, determined to succeed on her own terms, at her own pace.

“I think at the start of my career I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to achieve. Back then, I had such a combination of cockiness and naivety. I was, quite literally, aiming to take over the world – my agenda was to be recognised for what I do, when in fact I barely even knew what it was I did. As I progressed, huge success never really arrived. If it had maybe my answer now would be different, but I just don’t care about it anymore.”

Hayes rightly suspects that her music isn’t indie enough for some record labels and not pop-oriented enough for others. Her musical style is what it is – intelligent, questioning lyrics allied to beautiful, woozy melodies.

“When I’m writing a song that I know isn’t super indie, I could easily make it that way. Or if it’s not pop-py enough I know I could make it so for major labels to be

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INTERVIEW

Stage presence – Hayes honed her craft at Dublin’s International Bar.

interested. But I just do what I do. It’s quite selfish, perhaps, but this way everything is simplified.

I would never close the door to selling loads of records, but it’s a bit like winning the Lotto – if it happens, it happens. I’m not going to work towards it. I write songs to make me feel a certain way and there are people out there who get something from that.”

All is well and good, then. A new album, Bones + Longing, is currently picking up the best reviews of her career. Newly married, her baby is reconfiguring the balance between creative pursuits and parenting. (“The writing part is not the worst – it’s the nights with the baby. When I wake up I can’t go back to sleep, so I end up playing the guitar. A lot of my writing is done late at night, anyway, so having a hungry baby has been helpful!”)

And then there is the not-

so-small matter of growing comfortably into your skin, of gradually coming to terms with past ambitions (thwarted), aims (skewered), music industry conflicts (ejected) and sleeping patterns (er, babies). It seems that what Hayes wanted almost 20 years ago has become far less important to her.

“It was a gradual realisation,” she explains, as she manoeuvres her way out of the café and into a waiting taxi. “The need from me for the music to be recognised dissolved quite naturally; the need to prove myself to people got less and the music became a thing that I just loved to do. And, thank God, there were people who bought enough of my albums in order for me to make another one!”

Bones + Longing (Chasing Dragons Records) is out now. For her Irish and British tour dates this March, visit gemmahayes.com.

MUSIC “I’m dipping into Bombay Bicycle Club’s latest album, So Long See You Tomorrow, and FKA twigs’ debut album, LP1. And, Printer Clips! I’m on this album, right, but it isn’t mine – it’s Paul Noonan’s record. He’s the guy from BellX1.

Printer Clips is just a gorgeous collection of songs that feature different female singers, including Cathy Davey, Lisa Hannigan, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and myself. Such a joy, lovely songs.”

BOOKS “Books? Oh, stop, I wish. I’m tipping away at a book I started about 18 months ago – it’s called The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius ... You think of the

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Roman Empire and of Julius Caesar, but, even back then, he was dealing with the same things we’re dealing with now.

Jealousy, gossip, lovers of celebrity.

I love it, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

I used to read so much, but now it’s stuff like Where’s Spot? and other pop-up books!”

MOVIES “I really enjoyed Blue Is the Warmest Colour by director Abdellatif Kechiche; it’s very non-Hollywood, sometimes too real. I love Tim Burton’s movies, and one of my favourites is Edward Scissorhands. It’s such a magical film – Burton can sometimes go the darker route but this is just beautiful-dark.”

TELEVISION “I’m a Netflix person, so it’s stuff like House of Cards. Actually, I started

that, and I couldn’t help but think that Kevin Spacey was on stage. Everything was just a little bit too dramatic and there was nothing subtle about his movements, so it kind of annoyed me. Homeland, on the other hand, is amazing. My guilty pleasure – and it’s a disgusting one – is EastEnders. I know, I know …”

RESTAURANTS “I love Glebe Gardens (Baltimore, Cork, 028 20232; glebegardens. com). It’s a stunning ng family-run place. It’s a bit kitschy, with mismatched cups and saucers, and they do amazing chocolate olate mousse cake, which should be illegal [their mussels, above].

And as for Ballymaloe House (Shanagarry, Midleton, Co Cork, 021 465 2531; ballymaloe.ie) – what a treat that is! In London,

where I live, our local pub is The Prince Albert (Battersea, +44 20 7228 0923; geronimoinns.co.uk). It’s a gastropub – you have an open fire, lamb that falls off the bone, backgammon tables. Brilliant, just brilliant.”

HOTELS “I went to one recently, in England. It’s called The Pig, above, (Brockenhurst, Hampshire, +44 1590 Ha 622 62 354; thepighotel.com).

It looks a bit like Ballymaloe – a big old house, yet it’s in the middle of the New Forest. It’s bizarre but beautiful – wellies all in a row, fishing rods lined up.

Great food, big beds, copper baths. Heaven.”

HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY LEONARD DALY, OUR THANKS TO WENDY AT SCOUT (SCOUTDUBLIN.COM).

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PEOPLE

IN THE FRAME A native talent for storytelling is driving Ireland’s animation industry.

Leading cartoon creators and producers talk to Lauren Murphy about going global. Photographs Al Higgins.

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ot to toot our own horn, but it’s well known that the Irish have always been talented storytellers; call it the gift of the gab, active imaginations, good old-fashioned tradition or whatever you will. Over the last ten to 15 years, however, some of our most creative people have applied that storytelling skill to a comparatively new medium: animation.

The Irish industry was really kick-started in the mid-1980s, with the arrival of international companies such as Murakami-WolfSwenson and Sullivan Bluth. The latter produced children’s animation classics such as The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go to Heaven, and was instrumental in founding the animation course at Ballyfermot College of Further Education in Dublin, which has educated a huge number of people working in the Irish industry today.

Yet the last decade in particular has seen the sector experience a huge boom, with a number of

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Irish studios attracting business from the likes of internationally renowned networks including Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and CBeebies. Many studios have racked up numerous prestigious awards – including Oscar nominations, Emmys and BAFTAs – and freelance directors including Eoin Duffy (The Missing Scarf ) and Kealan O’Rourke (The Boy in the Bubble) have enjoyed significant success with their films on an international level, too.

Festivals such as the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival (March 19-29) and the Galway Film Fleadh (July 7-12) also readily embrace animation and, considering the Irish industry’s ongoing success, you can expect a strong showing of local talent at both events in 2015.

The Irish Film Board has invested a significant amount in the animation industry, providing €11 million over the last eight years alone. “Animation is hugely important and we regard it as a significant category of our

funding,” says its CEO James Hickey. “We’re particularly proud of the short animations that have received such a level of international support, as well as the feature films, like [the Oscar-nominated] The Secret of Kells. It’s an astounding achievement.”

Although tax incentives have helped to draw international interest towards Ireland, Hickey believes that it’s the indigenous talent that keeps it here. “It starts with the creative talent – it always does,” he nods. “For the size of the country that it is, Ireland has an extraordinarily strong animation sector – and it’s a huge credit to the talent of the producers and the creative animators that since the early 2000s, the industry has thrived here.

“I’m certain that, with the level of talent that Ireland has, we will be able to grow this market and the level of activity in Ireland even more substantially. We’re very proud of our animators and what they’ve done.”

Lorraine Morgan & Nicky Phelan, Brown Bag Films Nicky Phelan remembers the exact moment that he decided upon animation as a career: he was on a primary-school trip to a cartoon festival. “I remember meeting people from Sullivan Bluth,” he recalls. “Realising that those films were made in Dublin was kind of eye-opening. I had my heart set on it from then.” Waterford native Phelan’s career has gone quite well to date. His short film, Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty, was nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 2010 Academy Awards, and his continuing work with Dublin’s Brown Bag Films (the studio responsible for international hit series Doc McStuffins, Octonauts and Peter Rabbit, among many others; brownbagfilms.com) has earned him multiple accolades.

The idea for the amusingly acerbic Granny was conceived by Kathleen O’Rourke and John Walsh, the former’s live comedy sketch act catching Phelan’s eye. “There were a lot of funny characters in it but the one that stood out to me was this embittered grandmother telling fairytales in a terrifying way,” he recalls, laughing. “I even got to put an homage to my own granny in the film – although my grandparents were lovely, I hasten to add.” His most recent work at Brown Bag has been directing Bing, a pre-school series about a hapless young rabbit.

Producer Lorraine Morgan smiles as she claims it is “as challenging as it is rewarding”. “But it really hammers home what it’s for when you see pictures on Facebook of Octonauts on birthday cakes, or homemade Bings,” adds Phelan. “That people are bringing the characters into their own homes is very humbling.”

PEOPLE

Robert Cullen, Boulder Media As a child watching Danger Mouse on the television, Robert Cullen could never have envisaged that one day he would work on the series – but next year, he will direct a new reboot of the classic cartoon for CBBC. Cullen’s obsession with comic books and drawing as a kid has served him well. After spending some time post-graduation in various animation studios in the US, he returned to Dublin in 2000 to co-found Boulder Media (bouldermedia.tv). It took three or four years of “scraping by, month to month”, for the company to establish itself but, after winning its first big contract with Cartoon Network, it ballooned in size and today employs more than 80 people. His role as the company’s creative director also allows him to roll up his sleeves and get involved in the nitty-gritty, and his work on series for Cartoon Network such as The Amazing World of Gumball and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends has earned him an Emmy nomination in the past. Taking on such a classic title as Danger Mouse is both “exciting and daunting”, he admits. “I know the talent behind it, so I’m not concerned,” he says, smiling. “I know it’s going to be a great project. We were over the moon to land the series – people of a certain age remember Danger Mouse with a great fondness, including me – so it’s a dream come true. It’s still early days, but I’m looking forward to spending the next two years creating a whole new Danger Mouse.”

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PEOPLE

Jackie Leonard, Kavaleer Productions Like many creatives, Jackie Leonard inadvertently fell into her animation role after initially working in arts administration. She previously worked as a producer for companies such as Brown Bag Films, overseeing numerous series, TV ads, music videos and short features including the Oscarnominated Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty. She joined Dublinbased studio Kavaleer Productions (kavaleer.com) four years ago and most recently has been involved in developing a new in-house TV series called Kiva Can Do!, created

by Kavaleer co-founder Andrew Kavanagh. “It’s a gorgeous little show about a young girl who has to create and invent things using only a cardboard box and her imagination.

Being a producer, I’m not artistic but I’m good at budgeting and scheduling and organising things – so it appeals to me,” she laughs.

Kavaleer has triumphed with kids’ TV series such as Boj and Wildernuts, but also places a strong emphasis on apps and interactive games. They’re currently developing an app called Dougie Noir that will track brain activity in real time, via a Bluetooth headset. “It’s basically Sherlock for kids,” she explains, “with crossover potential to Smart TV – we’re building a new way for kids with autism and ADHD to consume traditional media that they’ve traditionally been ostracised from. Between that and Kiva, it’s nice to be able to develop apps and TV series that make a difference.”

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PEOPLE

Alan Holly, And Maps And Plans “I wanted to make something that felt relevant to me and that was set in the world that I know, so it’s inspired a lot by the city and the people around me,” explains Alan Holly of his short film CODA. Working out of a small office on Dublin’s Capel Street, Holly could never have imagined that his work would travel so far and with such significance, but the beautiful film’s unusual storyline of a lost soul being guided through Dublin

by Death has scooped awards at festivals around the world, and even made the Oscar nomination longlist for Best Animated Short 2015. “I think the heart of the story deals with very universal ideas and feelings,” says Holly, who works as part of the And Maps And Plans collective, a small team of just five people. “The setting may be in Dublin but I think the themes are things that almost everyone can relate to.” Buoyed by the success of CODA, the goal is now to make a feature at some point, while there are other shorts also in production and development amongst the team. “What we really want to do at And Maps And Plans is to make the type of films we would like to see ourselves,” says Holly.

“Films that deal with subjects we feel are relevant to us and not aimed at children, but that can still potentially appeal to people of different ages.”

Watch the trailer for CODA at andcodafilm.com.

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PEOPLE

Nora Twomey, Cartoon Saloon Born in Cork, educated in Dublin and now a resident of Kilkenny, Nora Twomey’s work in the Irish animation industry has taken her to some unusual places – but none more so than the red carpet of the Oscars in 2010 when she was seven months pregnant. “It was very strange, but a fantastic experience,” she laughs, recalling the event.

Twomey, the creative director of Cartoon Saloon (cartoonsaloon.ie), left school at 15 “with no qualifications” before training in animation at Ballyfermot in her early twenties. It was there that she met Tomm Moore and Paul Young, and Cartoon Saloon was founded in the former’s Kilkenny hometown in 1999. The trio found themselves with an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature for The Secret of Kells, which was co-directed by Twomey and Moore and eventually lost out to Up (no shame in that, we say). They’ve replicated its success with their newest production, Song of the Sea, which won a nomination at this year’s Oscars, and opens in Irish cinemas this March. The majority of Twomey’s time in 2015 will be spent directing a new feature, The Breadwinner, based on Canadian author Deborah Ellis’s novel about a young girl growing up in Afghanistan during the Taliban years. “We are more than delighted with the Oscar nomination but you wouldn’t want to be planning your business around winning awards,” she smiles. “You just try and tell the best stories that you can, and see what happens.”

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bulthaup German Kitchens in collaboration with their partner Richard Fagan of Realm Concepts ltd have arrived in an exclusive space in Dublin’s new design hub Hanover Quay.

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PEOPLE

John Rice, JAM Media For a man who is technically a college drop-out, John Rice has done pretty well for himself.

Then again, he left the animation course at Ballyfermot to work for 20th Century Fox in the United States – we’d call that decision justifiable. Rice spent several years in the US working on feature animations such as Anastasia for Fox and MTV in New York, but returned to Ireland to upskill on Trinity College’s multimedia course.

“I could see that the technology was changing and I wasn’t changing with it,” he admits. “So I came back to Dublin to do a Master’s. That kind of opened up the world of Flash to me.” After hooking up with old college chums Alan Shannon and Mark Cumberton, JAM Media (jammedia.ie) was established in 2002. The studio’s big break was with PicMe, a blend of live action and animation that was snapped up

by Nickelodeon. They continued using that style for the hugely successful series Roy, which was made for the BBC and follows the adventures of an animated boy in a real-life live action world. Yet JAM also produces more “traditional” animations such as Tilly and Friends, so Rice is not concerned with them being pigeonholed as the “live action animation studio”. “A French producer once said to me, ‘JAM Media has no style!’” he recalls, laughing. “But I think he meant it as a compliment. Increasingly, we are heading towards a more mixed media/hybrid approach to the stuff that we’re doing, but I think everything that we do is different.

No two shows are the same, really.”

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I spy with my little Ireland’s Eye ... sea scenes from Howth’s East Pier, just 15km from Dublin city.

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ON DUBLIN’S There’s a lot more to Dublin than the city centre, as Pól Ó Conghaile discovers on a series of day trips within an hour’s drive of the capital.

Photographs by Anthony Woods.

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DAYTRIP | EAST COAST

tanding in Ticknock, it seems like Dublin is made of Lego. I have just barrelled through a forest park on a mountain bike. Resting for a few minutes, breathing hard but happy, I begin picking out landmarks in the sprawl below. There is Liberty Hall and the River Liffey. The Pigeon House towers mark the midpoint of Dublin Bay’s welcoming bend. A lumpy spread of mountains rise from Marlay Park and stretch all the way to Wicklow. I feel like a king.

I have walked in the Dublin Mountains dozens of times but this is my first experience thrashing through them on two wheels – on Ticknock’s eight-kilometre mountain bike trail. Riders here run a short but stomach-churning gauntlet of hairpin bends, technical rocky bits and treacherous roots in a descent that seems to whizz by in seconds ... before turning around to do it all over again. Slip free of the trees and the view is sensational. On a good day, you can see Wales.

S

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High roller – Niall Davis of biking.ie saddles up on the Ticknock mountain bike trail.

“Lucky for us, Dublin is sandwiched between mountains and sea,” says Niall Davis of biking.ie, who kindly provided my wheels. “Where else can you ride a bike straight up from the capital and, within a few minutes, be above the clouds?” It’s natural, of course, for those of us who live in, love and visit Dublin, to obsess over the city centre. There’s so much going on there now – hot new hotels, hipster cafés, cracking festivals and food, glorious food.

Dublin is having a moment, freshly dynamic after half a decade in the doldrums. But there’s a lot more to it than the centre – biking the bejaysus out of Ticknock is only the beginning.

Dublin’s doorstep, for want of a better term, offers some of the richest day trip pickings of any European city. From the megalithic

tombs of the Boyne Valley to the horsey plains of Kildare, from the heather-purpled mountains of Wicklow to coastal defence towers and cosmopolitan castles, there’s enough within an hour’s drive to account not just for a short break, but for a whole spring.

Take Howth, bookending the northbound Dart line. With its seafood restaurants, blustery cliff walks and colourful fishing boats, the peninsula is chock-a-block with Dubliners on summer weekends.

Spring offers fewer crowds, however.

It’s the time to nab a walk-in lunch, or check out off-radar gems such as Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum (twitter.com/hurdygurdyradio), a fascinating collection of vintage radios and communications devices in the hilltop Martello Tower.

From Howth, you can also

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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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DAYTRIP | EAST COAST

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Russborough House, beside Blessington Lakes, is a majestic spot to help blow away the winter cobwebs.

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HIDEAWAY Seamus Heaney, Daniel Day-Lewis and Steven Spielberg are among the luminaries to have visited Blue Book haven Hunter’s Hotel, in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow. With its origins in a roadside coaching inn, Hunter’s combines age-old, fusty interiors with lovely Victorian gardens and an oldschool Sunday lunch. B&B from €95pp.

(0404 40106; hunters.ie)

Eat at …

COMFORT Patrick Ryan, above, and Laura Moore’s heart-warming Firehouse Bakery in Delgany, Co Wicklow, is a masterclass in simple creature comforts. Honest-to-goodness bread fresh daily, yummy pizzas cooked to order in a wood-fired clay oven and an array of pretty pastries awaits the visitor to their café. A gorgeous business. (01 287 6822; thefirehouse.ie) FUNKY Howth is renowned for its pier-side eateries, but the inspired The House – set in the former home of Captain Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty fame – is located modestly in the village. Home-cooked food, a funky afternoon tea and House wines (badum-tish!) offer surprising value, too.

Worth a detour. (01 839 6388; thehouse-howth.ie) PALLADIAN Don’t be fooled by the sporting guests (the Irish rugby team stays here, and its golf courses were designed by Colin Montgomerie and Mark O’Meara) – Carton House in Maynooth, Co Kildare mixes contemporary luxe with a drop-dead gorgeous mansion and sweeping demesne. B&B from €65pp. (01 505 2000; cartonhouse.com)

LIVING IT UP Fancy playing lord and lady of the manor for a weekend?

Russborough House and the Irish Landmark Trust have restored the former Beit Residence in its West Wing to a four-bedroom luxury self-catering stay. It sleeps eight and is priced from €380 per night (midweek), with a minimum two-night stay. (01 670 4733; irishlandmark.com)

CONVIVIAL Even in a county known for its gastro-pubs (Fallon’s of Kilcullen and the Ballymore Inn in Ballymore Eustace are two to sample), Harte’s Bar and Grill in Kildare town stands out. Conviviality, craft beers and Barry Liscombe’s cooking combine to make a meal out that everyone from mum to your local MasterChef should enjoy.

(045 533 557; hartesbar.ie) FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

| 57

DAYTRIP | EAST COAST

in this room before heading off to join the battle between King James and William III of Orange on July 1, 1690. Just one of them returned.

My trip takes a similar – though thankfully, less calamitous – turn.

From Malahide, it’s a 35-minute drive to the Boyne Valley, a landscape that is as close as it comes to a 3D-journey through Irish heritage. “The history of Ireland might be written in tracing its banks,” as William Wilde (father of Oscar) wrote. With a rich tradition of settlement dating back several millennia, you could find yourself standing atop of the Hill of Slane, exploring Trim Castle or poring over the Early Christian High Crosses at Monasterboice ... all within the space of a few hours.

My eight-year-old daughter is horse-mad, so another day trip we make a point of taking in spring is the Irish National Stud join a cruise to Dún Laoghaire (dublinbaycruises.com), passing Poolbeg Lighthouse, kite-surfers on Dollymount Strand, and maybe even the odd dolphin.

A short drive from Howth is Malahide Castle (malahidecastleandgardens.ie) – an iconic attraction whose castle, courtyard and gardens recently re-opened after a ritzy refurb, and the demesne now feels much more integrated with the village. Leafy walks, a Victorian glasshouse, a stonking playground and Avoca food hall and café all add up to a pretty radical reboot, and somewhere you could easily while away the bulk of a day. In the castle itself, a new exhibition introduces the Talbot family, its owners for some 800 years. Here, I learned that Malahide boasts its own microclimate, apparently getting less rain than the rest of the country (one reason it costs so much to live there, I guess!).

The castle itself oozes medieval detail, from chunky marble fireplaces to flowing stuccowork.

In the Great Hall, a huge painting depicts a scene from the Battle of the Boyne. Fourteen members of the extended Talbot family breakfasted 58 |

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Top, fetlocks flowing at the Irish National Stud.

Above, a jewelhued interior at the imposing Russborough House.

(irishnationalstud.ie) in Kildare. This is the only stud farm open to the public in Ireland and it sits right at the heart of horse country – a stone’s throw from the sandy-soiled plains of The Curragh.

“Racing fans who have never been to Ireland are like food lovers who have never visited France,” as Channel 4’s Alastair Down has put it. But we don’t go for the races. We go in spring because that’s when the first foals start to appear. From mid-January onwards, these bandylegged creatures can be seen finding their feet in the paddocks, suckling up to their mums, stomping on defiant clumps of snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils, and generally setting my little girl’s heart alight.

About 90 per cent of foals are born at night, we’ve learned, but there’s a lot more to the Irish National Stud too – posh stallion boxes for the sires (we see Moscow Flyer enjoying

Racing fans who have never been to Ireland are like food lovers who have never visited France.

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DAYTRIP | EAST COAST

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There are also a few eateries, and a playground. kildarevillage.com

LIFESTYLE Avoca feels like Ireland’s quintessential lifestyle brand, and it has several stores, food halls and cafés on Dublin’s doorstep – Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue among them. The Malahide Castle store brings a wonderful location to the party … and ample demesne paths to walk off those enormous portions of cake. avoca.com

GIFTWARE Whatever about the twinkling gifts at Co Kildare’s Newbridge Silverware, the glamour rockets skywards in its Museum of Style Icons upstairs, where a world-class collection of celebrity artefacts includes a Dean Martin tux, Lady Diana’s wedding veil and the original disco ball from Saturday Night Fever. newbridgesilverware.com

retirement in the fields), the souvenirsized Irish Horse Museum (containing the skeleton of Arkle, three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup) and the ornate Japanese Gardens. The centuryold fancies here are arranged around a dainty red bridge and April is when the cherry blossoms start to bloom.

A short drive and you’re standing in the Boyne Valley, biking through the mountains or gazing open-mouthed at the Lafranchini brothers’ plasterwork in Carton House; a slick hotel and golf resort, and one of four Palladian mansions within striking distance of the capital. Nearby Castletown House (castletown.ie), Powerscourt House (powerscourt.com), outside postcardpretty Enniskerry, Co Wicklow,

Clockwise from opposite page, sky gazing at Lough Tay; swimmer Brian Kennedy braces himself; stroll spot Great South Wall, and tunnel vision on the Bray to Greystones cliff walk.

3 surprises ...

1

A thick wall of granite stretching some two kilometres into the Irish Sea, the Great South Wall was originally built to combat silting in Dublin Bay. A most pleasant side effect, however, was the delicious walk … On a good day, the views stretch to Howth, the Sugar Loaf and Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport. Brilliant.

2

A theme park run by a crisp brand?

Scepticism about the Tayto Park in Ashbourne, Co Meath is a natural reaction, but fab playgrounds, aerial trekking courses, an adventure zone, minizoo and Tayto factory tour soon knock that on the head. Plus, there’s a free bag of crisps when you leave. Family tickets (2+2) from €44; from March 28. taytocrisps.ie/park

3

The Hell Fire Club in the Dublin Mountains is one of the most foreboding ruins in Ireland – a sulky lump of stone originally built as an 18thcentury hunting lodge. Perched atop of Montpelier Hill, and reached via a walk through Massey’s Wood off the R115, the building is said to be haunted, and it looks it. If you see a black cat, scarper! dublinmountains.ie FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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and Russborough House (beside Blessington Lakes) are the others.

All are crisp and elegant Georgian confections, surrounded by gorgeous estate walks.

Russborough most intrigues me – due as much to the debonair lifestyles of its last residents as its stunning design (its 200-plus-metre façade is Ireland’s longest). Sir Alfred and Lady Beit bought the mansion in the 1950s, and went on to welcome the likes of Mick Jagger, Coco Chanel and Fred Astaire to their home. Visiting today, you can wallow in Russborough’s gardens and maze, as well as touring its mouth-watering art collection ...

Back in Sir Alfred and Lady Beit’s day, Russborough was raided several times, including a heist by IRA members led by rogue British heiress, Rose Dugdale. On that occasion, the couple were tied up in their salon and pistol-whipped while the gang cut Goya’s “Portrait of Doña Antonia Zárate” from its frame with a screwdriver.

“That painting means a great deal to me for two reasons,” Lady Beit later said of the Goya (now in Dublin’s National Gallery). “Alfred was standing beneath it when he proposed to me and we were tied up under it during the Dugdale raid.”

Russborough, together with the Irish Landmark Trust, has restored the Beit Residence in its West Wing into a luxury, self-catering stay.

I stayed shortly after it opened, arriving by night. Several minutes before I got there, I turned a bend 62 |

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ILLUSTRATION BY FUCHSIA MACAREE

DAYTRIP | EAST COAST

to come across two jewels floating in the middle of the road. As I approached, the outline of an animal emerged around the twinkling orbs.

I slammed on the brakes. It was a stag. A massive, steaming stag.

I still remember it vividly – not just due to the fright, but because it seemed to embody Wicklow’s rugged wilderness. Its mountains may not be Ireland’s highest but their wild peaks, purple heather and rich, blanket bog are so beautifully raw. Driving the Sally Gap mountain pass, you’ll encounter St Kevin’s monastic settlement at Glendalough, the gushing tendrils of Glenmacnass Waterfall and the dark waters of Lough Tay.

Top, left, net gain – fisherman Gavin Loftus at Howth Harbour.

CHECK IT OUT Dublin, log on to For more on day trips from .ie; grandtour.ie; ireland.com; discoverireland icklow.ie dublinmountains.ie; visitw

Needless to say, Wicklow Mountains National Park is a walkers’ paradise. The mother route, if you like, is the Wicklow Way (wicklowway.com)– a 130-kilometre waymarked trail stretching from Marlay Park to Clonegal, Co Carlow – but there are shorter stretches too.

One of which takes you from the R759 Roundwood road to Lough Tay, its black waters and sandy beach suggesting a pint of Guinness spilled into the glaciated valley.

Alternatively, you could park within a few hundred metres of Powerscourt Waterfall; take the 10-kilometre cliff walk above the coastal railway line from Bray to Greystones; or set off from Crone Wood to tackle the muscular Djouce or Maulin mountains.

Whichever you choose, you’re still less than an hour from Dublin.

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Help bring jobs and emigrants home by using your connections HUNDREDS of young Irish people who were forced to emigrate could be home for good if everyone played their part in attracting expanding companies into Ireland.

Emigration has hit sports clubs around the country hard so Ireland’s three major sporting bodies have joined forces with ConnectIreland in an effort to reverse the trend.

The GAA (Gaelic Athletics Association), FAI (Football Association Ireland) and IRFU (Irish Rugby) have pooled their massive iv networks in a bid to help create employment opportunities in Ireland.

And they are encouraging members to register with ConnectIreland and pass on information about global companies expanding into Europe.

In 2014, almost 82,000 people left Irish soil in search of jobs abroad. In order to stem the tide of emigration, Ireland’s three major sporting organisations have pledged their support to ConnectIreland.

Recently, the GAA put their weight behind a major ConnectIreland awareness campaign at Dublin Airport, which it’s hoped will bring even more jobs to Ireland over the coming years.

Arriving passengers were we greeted by the Sam Maguire and Liam McCarthy cups and asked to use their connections to help to bring companies and jobs to Ireland.

Celebrating success, ConnectIreland and the GAA teamed up with DAA to applaud connectors for helping to create a planned 1,000 new jobs, through 36 different companies, over the coming 3-5 years.

These jobs will make a huge difference in communities right across Ireland, thanks to introductions made by Irish people all around the globe.

ConnectIreland is a governmentbacked initiative which works hand in hand with IDA Ireland in order to drive investment into Ireland.

Working in partnership with the GAA,

Top, returnin returning emigrants at Dublin Airport and GAA President Liam O’Neill call on people to use their connections to create jobs in Ireland. Above, FAI chief executive John Delaney.

Inset above, IRFU president Louis Magee

FA and IRFU to spread our message was FAI an easy ask for ConnectIreland and we ar privileged to have their support. are ConnectIreland, like sport, is so something that each and every person in Ireland can get involved in. If you hear of an international company considering overseas expansion, put them in touch with ConnectIreland. Simply by making that vital introduction anybody can help bring jobs home.

“A network of over 40,000 connectors are now keeping their eyes and ears open for opportunities and already Ireland is reaping the benefits. All someone has to do is pass on the information about an expanding company. We will partner with the IDA and do the rest and bring those jobs home,” vowed Joanna Murphy, COO ConnectIreland.

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They have chosen Ireland for a variety of reasons:• Our economy is growing – Ireland is on target to reach 64 |

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FOOD | SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

EAT

PRAY, LOVE

From “cappuccino cockles” to marbled slabs of Galician beef, Santiago de Compostela’s food trail is a pilgrimage apart. Mary Boland savours the finest of regional produce prepared with the artistry of clever young chefs. Photographs by Steve Ryan.

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High and mighty – the Cathedral de Compostela marks the pilgrims’ progress.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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FOOD | SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

A

light fog has landed on the Praza de Abastos and is gently curling its way around Santiago de Compostela’s food market (mercadodeabastosdesantiago. com), as though beckoning shoppers towards the plumpest razor clams, the greenest, perkiest Padrón peppers, the juiciest T-bone steaks.

It is raining in Santiago – a common enough state of affairs in Galicia’s capital city – but the last port of call for tens of thousands of pilgrims who complete the Camino each year has the uncommon advantage of looking its best in inclement weather. The market’s granite, church-like buildings take on a honey sheen. The arcaded stone streets of the hilly historical centre glisten. And there is always somewhere to take shelter, try a 68 |

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Top, the vast Parador de Santiago de Compostela – aka Hostal dos Reis Católicos. Above, Mary Boland finds time for some shopping.

gl of local Albariño or Ribeiro glass wine, wi and witness the quiet culinary cu revolution taking place amidst am these medieval streets.

For Santiago, the city of pilgrims, pi is also becoming known kn as a city of food.

After putting down walking sticks and picking up the “Compostela” “Com certificate of completion at the end of the Camino, pilgrims will find the city streets lined with tasty reasons to rest calloused feet, linger awhile and reap some rewards for the challenges encountered en route.

Refuge from the drizzle can be found right here at the market.

Nestled in a row of tiny casetas – stalls where vendors sell pots, mops and umbrellas through windowhatches – sits the nerve centre of Iago Pazos’s and Marcos Cerqueiro’s kitchen insurrection. They call it “fridge-free” cuisine, which means just that – everything is bought

fresh on the doorstep and cooked immediately. The young pair opened their Taberna de Abastos 2.0 (abastosdouspuntocero.es) nearly five years ago, a venture devoted to using the best ingredients from the market and pairing them with wines and spirits from the region to develop modern twists on traditional Galician fare.

And so the gin-and-tonic razor clam was invented (using local Nordés gin); as were “cappuccino” cockles (steamed open by a blast from the milk-frother) and hake served not in a light, paprika-spiked stock with boiled potatoes, as is standard in this part of the world, but sitting on a glossy smear of green-olive sauce. Dishes, like the restaurant, are small: tapa-sized platefuls of innovation that cost €3€7. So popular have they proven that a second, larger Abastos – Ghalpón, meaning storehouse – has opened up across the street, offering a tasting

FOOD | SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Left, photogenic sea bream ceviche at Abastos 2.0, and its chef, Iago Pazos, right.

Middle, chef Ramón Isorna and son Ramón Jr of the “menufree” restaurant, Marisco Manía.

Bottom, a Camino pilgrim. Below, clams in waiting at Taberna do Bispo.

PHOTO FINISH

menu of seven courses for €35 (€10 extra for four glasses of matching wines).

Pazos and Cerqueiro represent a new generation of Galician restaurateurs who are taking risks to showcase local artisan products and revive a regional cuisine that has suffered somewhat from a reputation for, well, predictability.

Not that the signature dishes from this northwestern corner of Spain are objectionable – merluza (hake) a la gallega can be exquisite, its honest simplicity allowing the fish’s subtle flavour to sing, its all-white wedding with boiled potatoes spiced up by that colourful dash of paprika. And Galician beef, marbled slabs of which are displayed alongside tanks of live lobsters and spider crabs in many restaurant windows, is succulent and full of flavour. But where once every restaurant proposed more or less the same bill of fare, Santiago now offers a gastronomic adventure that combines the finest of regional produce with the artistry of its clever young chefs.

Dining is mostly casual here, and knowledge of food and wine lightly worn. Locals eat late – lunch is generally served from 2pm-4pm, dinner from 10pm – but most restaurants take into account the 70 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Enjoy a quiet stroll in Alameda Park on the edge of the old city where the best photos of the cathedral are snapped. Its shaded benches are perfect for whiling away an hour with a good book.

earlier eating habits of many tourists and offer extended service periods.

Service is low key and surprisingly unjaded by tourism overload, the objective always to share the pleasures of top-quality ingredients and, when requested, explain their provenance, seasonality and even how to cook them.

Just inside the market walls, a stone’s throw from the Abastos sister establishments, a noisy queue has formed at the aptly named Marisco Manía, a tiny restaurant tucked into a covered aisle opposite a florist. In addition to seeking a table, prospective diners are pushing large shopping bags of just-bought fish, seafood and meat across the counter, giving their name (which is duly marked on the bags) and being told to come back in half an hour or more.

-free This is (almost) menu-free eating for those who like to control the ingredients but aren’t keen cooks, and for visitors with no access to a kitchen: you buy your own stuff at the market’s more

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than 300 stalls and, for €4 a head plus ten per cent of your shopping total (keep your receipt), they will grill your meat, steam your spider crabs, lobster, cockles, mussels and more, and serve it up with crusty country bread. Everything is cooked simply: meat is brushed with oil, grilled (usually rare – for medium-rare or well done ask for it al punto or bien hecho) and sprinkled with crunchy sea salt; shellfish is steamed in a broth of white wine and shallots. The restaurant offers a limited menu of accompaniments, such as a mixed salad, Padrón peppers and, of course, wine. The wait can be long, especially on Saturdays, so get there early.

A short walk away, through the labyrinthine, undulating streets of the old town – the entire historical

quarter is a Unesco World Heritage site – beyond the majestic Praza do Obradoiro, home to Santiago’s emblematic cathedral where the remains of St James are reputedly stored, Marcelo Tejedor busies lent of a himself in a chef’s equivalent mic science lab. His gastronomic playground is a small, 18th-century converted house on the Rúa das Hortas that was once his Michelin-starred restaurant. In a mark of the confidence for which he is known, he closed his tasting-menu-only -only Casa Marcelo in 2012 – in effect rescinding his star – only to reopen it in the same location and with the same staff last year as a tapas restaurant, serving an extraordinary

Above, mouthwatering wares at Abastos Market. Below, a late night bar snack at O Filandón.

r – Semana SACRED SPACES In the week leading up to Easte diferous theatrical Santiago – the city’s streets are packed with splen n dishes at special processions, a sacred music programme, and Lente nasantiago.com. prices across its eateries. For more info visit sema

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(and affordable) array of Galician and Japo-Galician dishes that will surely soon earn him a new place in the Michelin constellation.

On a recent visit, eating at Casa Marcelo (casamarcelo.net) was like living in technicolour while li a mo monochrome world turned ou outside. A blood-red tomato sherbet – part of a shared starter of tomates “bombón” with anchovy sauce and mint (€7) – explodes in the mouth and has faces contorting and eyes popping in happy disbelief that th such a humble ingredient could throw such a stealthily delicious delici punch. An entire scorpion fish (cabracho), ( fried in the lightest of tempura batters and sitting on its side as though swimming by (€10), is unadulterated and succulent.

Seating comprises three long, high tables that diners share, including one overlooking the open kitchen where Tejedor and his team can be watched at work.

Food is deeply ingrained in Galician culture, so much so that it is unheard of in most bars and

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FOOD | SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Left, audacious chef Marcelo Tejedor at his recently revived restaurant Casa Marcelo.

Below, droolsome prawns and Padrón peppers in Old Town. Opposite, even a downpour won’t dampen the cathedral’s handsomeness.

Eat at ...

SPLURGE It’s difficult to find a truly “splurge” option in Santiago. You can eat in the best places for €40-€45 per person, including wine. In additionn to Casa Marcelo (Rua Hortas 1, +34 981 558 580, casamarcelo.net), Abastos 2.0 and sister restaurant Ghalpón just tos, opposite (Praza de Abastos, +34 981 576 145/+34 606 685 422; abastosdouspuntocero.es), try O Curro da Parra (Rúa Travesa 20, +34 981 556 059; ocurrodaparra.com) where chef Alén Tarría has been blazing a trail and now also heads a young team at the impressive Café de Altamira in the Hotel Pazo de Altamira (Rúa Altamira 18, +34 981 558 542; pazodealtamira.com).

Similarly, at A Tafona (Rúa da Virxe da Cerca 7, +34 981 562 314; restauranteatafona.com), young chefs Lucía Freitas and Nacho Tierno have made their mark with an inventive menu that changes daily. Keep an eye out for their salt-cod carpaccio with olives, and lamb with lemon crayfish.

MID-RANGE The old-style María Castaña’s (Rúa Raíña 19, +34 981 560 137) fine range of sharing dishes – huge salads, langostinos ao allo (prawns sautéed in olive oil, garlic and a touch of chilli), fish and seafood cazolas (stews) – are all reasonably priced. The no-frills, sparse, quirky and always packed O Gato Negro (Rua

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da Ra Raíña, +34 981 583 105) specialises in plainly presented fish and shellfish, incl including Spider crab cra (centolla).

Fo a tapas For extravaganza, ex go to Taberna do Bispo (Rúa do Franco 37, +34 981 586 045; atabernadobi atabernadobispo.com) and its Petis do Cardeal new sister establishment Petiscos (petiscos.es) at number ten, where the counter heaves with tortillas and montaditos (piled-up open mini-sandwiches) of cheese, peppers, meats and seafood, as well as a chilled array of shrimp skewers, clams, scallops, cockles and mussels, all waiting to be cooked on order.

Their solomillo (beef tenderloin grilled to perfection and served on bread with a Padrón pepper and sea salt) is memorable.

BUDGET A good way of keeping costs down is to have a set menu for lunch as your main meal, which makes trying the best places affordable. Most – including the top-notch Acio (Rúa Das Galeras 28, +34 981 577 003; acio.es) – offer daily menus for €12-€15, which usually include a glass of wine. Several decent restaurants on the Rúa Nova also serve good set lunches. In the evening, you can always simply sit with a drink and enjoy the free tapas.

Keep beer costs down by ordering a corta de caña, a small measure which costs around €1.

Don’t miss ...

1

Gastronomy tours may be booked through the tourism office. Prices vary from €10-€40, according to theme: wine and tapas, the Abastos market, the Santiago tart (almond cake), “convent” desserts made by local nuns … Contact the tourism authority about events in English. santiagoturismo.com

2

All roads lead to the cathedral, the city’s heart and soul. Its majestic jumble of granite spires and immense bell towers are visible for miles, its yellowing mossy front (currently scaffolded for a much-needed clean) dominating the elegant Praza do Obradoiro.

Built between 1075 and 1211, the cathedral’s

mainly Romanesque structure was later enhanced by Gothic and Baroque additions, including the flamboyant 18th-century Obradoiro façade created by local architect Fernando de Casas. The extravagant 12thcentury Pórtico da Glória inside the entrance features 200 Romanesque sculptures completed under the supervision of sculptor/ architect Maestro Matéo. If you’re planning to attend Mass, enquire if the massive botafumeiro, or incense-burner, will be in use.

Designed originally to fumigate dishevelled pilgrims, it now selectively operates, requiring eight priests (tiraboleiros) to swing it across the transept in a great 30-metre arc. A guided tour of the roof area, known as the cubiertas, is well worth the climb. santiagoturismo.com

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The Unesco World Heritage site that is Santiago’s old town is filled with atmospheric and pretty streets and squares. Check out the beautiful Renaissance courtyard in the lovely square, Colexio de Fonseca, where concerts are held every July for the city’s St James festival. Close by, the unusually shaped Praza das Praterías is home to the 19th-century fountain, Fuente de los Caballos, that’s said to have been Federico García Lorca’s inspiration for the poem Dance of the Moon in Santiago. Climb the steps at the top of the square and you’re in Praza da Quintana, lined by the massive wall of the Mosteiro de San Paio de Antealtares, founded for Benedictine monks to look after Santiago’s relics.

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Stay at …

SPLURGE The vast, five-star Parador de Santiago de Compostela, also known as the Hostal dos Reis Católicos, is possibly the most beautiful, luxurious – and expensive – hotel in the Spanish state-run parador chain. Taking up one entire side of the main square, the Praza do Obradoiro (the focal point of which is the city’s flamboyant cathedral) the hotel dates back to 1499, when it was built on the orders of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to provide a free hospice and hospital service for recovering pilgrims. Most original features, including cloisters, stone arches and tapestries have been preserved. It has six suites, 105 twin rooms, 14 doubles and only two single rooms.

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Prices vary depending on offers and, if you have an amigo/friend card of the parador system, you can avail of promotional prices too. Doubles including breakfast from €200 (parador.es/maptravel.ie) MID-RANGE The small Hotel Costa Vella, with its picturesque garden, is a popular choice for travellers who prefer to be out of the thick of things and yet close enough to the centre.

Its 14 rooms incorporate old architecture with modern features, and are simply decorated.

Visitors who can’t manage to get a room here can still enjoy a coffee by the fountain or under the apple and lemon trees in the beautiful

garden. Doubles in high season from €81.40, singles €59.40, breakfast €6.05.

(Rúa Porta da Pena 17, +34 981 569 530; costavella.com) BUDGET Run as a single venture, the Barbantes and Libredón pensiónes sit opposite each other overlooking one of Santiago’s most beautiful squares, the Praza Fonseca. They offer spotless – though sometimes noisy – rooms a stone’s throw from the cathedral. Many have balconies overlooking the Fonseca square. Singles from €46, doubles from €54 (Praza Fonseca 5, +34 981 576 520; libredonbarbantes.com)

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restaurants to serve a drink in the run-up to mealtimes without offering a free tapa or two, which allows you to sample the goods before further committing yourself.

Between noon and 2pm and from about 5pm to 8pm (sometimes later), all drinks come with free tapas. In the welcoming La Tita (latitacompostela.com) on the Rúa Nova, a generous hunk of warm, slightly runny potato tortilla, served from a huge cazuela or casserole dish, is the daily staple. In the recently (sadly) modernised San Jaime (restaurantesanjaime.com) on the beautiful Praza Fonseca, olives, croquetas (deep-fried bechamel sauce with ham) and potato tortilla are dished up. Between the thick walls of the María Castaña (Rúa da Raíña 19) are served meatballs with fried potatoes on some days, fried mini-chorizo sausages on others.

At the late-night bar O Filandón (Rúa da Acibechería 6), walk through the cheese and charcuterie shop to the back, where slices of chorizo, salami and local Tetilla cheese are presented with crusty bread all evening until 1am.

Santiago de Compostela’s food trail is a pilgrimage apart. Embark on it and prepare to be surprised, uplifted and blessed.

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ILLUSTRATION BY STEVE MCCARTHY

FOOD | SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Above, service with a smile at Abastos Market.

Here, some happy (and soggy) pilgrims.

The Head Chef Dave carving from a selection of freshly roasted meats at the Carvery

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EXPLORE | PULA

The pull of Pula

Given its complex political past, it’s impossible to visit Pula, the capital of Croatia’s idyllic Istrian peninsula, without becoming entranced. Kate O’Dowd mixes history with pleasure, on a sunshine-filled, family adventure. Photographs by Piotr Dybowski.

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The idyllic medieval hilltop town of Motovun is a day trip must when in Pula.

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A

back-of-God-speed place – a naval Siberia” is how James Joyce referred to Pula, by way of the year he spent there teaching, in his early twenties. Yet despite his contempt, it was in Pula that Joyce did much of his work in perfecting Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, so it must have been more inspiring than he let on. But then Istria has a history of foreigners messing with its identity that far predates Joyce and, as soon as you arrive in the compact port city of Pula, the muddled nature of its past is evident.

It was our first family holiday that brought me here, with travel companions of the husband and toddler sort. In the search for a stress-free summer break that didn’t involve a lengthy airport trek or hordes of rowdy holiday-makers, but did

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Below, Kate and her son Teddy on the trail in Istria. Bottom, Gortanova Uvala, a quietly perfect Pula beach.

incorporate an interesting cultural experience, Istria’s capital came up trumps. And on the five-minute journey from the city limits to our apartment – past a swish, hotellined marina, drab communist-era tower blocks beside once-grand Austro-Hungarian mansions and road-signage pointing to a Roman Arena – my instinct told me we were in the right place.

It requires something of a history lesson to get your head around Pula’s landscape. Istria (in Croatian, Istra) is Croatia’s most northerly region, a peninsula touching Slovenia, yet heavily influenced by Italian culture – confusing, already.

In a nutshell, Italy was gifted Istria

by Britain as an inducement to en the First World War; enter Mu Mussolini banned the Cr Croatian language and Slav su surnames were translated to their Italian equivalent.

Hence, the Italian vibes. Though in the last 100 years, Istria has also been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Yugoslavia; before that it was under Napoleonic rule; in the medieval Republic of Venice and part of the Roman Empire, with various coups, uprisings and invasions along the way. A tiny section of the most northwesterly tip actually still belongs to Italy; just below it is a tract of Slovenian territory and the rest is now, of course, Croatian.

Today, Italian-Istrian culture is celebrated, with bilingual road signs, cultural festivals, restaurants and language schools as subjects of local pride. Istria’s tourist industry has flourished steadily since the 1960s, but good planning laws have ensured that development is wellcontained; the sea is unforgettably clean, while the interior is as unspoiled as it gets. So tourists

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EXPLORE | PULA

Get out of town …

For a real, sleepy, Croatian holiday experience head 15 minutes out of town to the little seaside resort of Medulin – the kind of place that should make an appearance in everyone’s childhood memories. This one-time fishing village snuggles up to Uvala Bijeca, a kilometre of beach that morphs from rocky, to concrete, to pebble, to sand (a rarity in Croatia), the closer it gets to the centre of things.

The skyline is low rise, a few large-ish hotels, an excellent camping ground and a modest strip of marina-side watering holes and restaurants being the extent of its tourist infrastructure. Mostly frequented

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by German and Austrian families, the air is calm and the ground is clean. The seawater, too, is of that bright turquoise, crystal clear, very salty variety, which you visualise on the dullest of days at home – and because it’s sheltered from the wider Adriatic, its surface always looks like a length of satin. Fanciest of the hotels is the newly refurbished Park Plaza Belvedere (Osipovica 33, Medulin, +385 52 572001; parkplaza.com; B&B from €80) within whose Kellerman’s-esque all-inclusive vibe

we became happily ensconced. It boasts its own little section of Bijeca, complete with a sleek sundeck and pebble shore, which leads up to pools, a kids’ club, restaurants, bars, sports facilities, spa and a main building that’s dotted with bright, midcentury-style furnishings. Our second week in Istria was spent doing little more than swimming in the sea, burying our legs in the sand and eating far too many ice-creams ... and it was glorious.

Opposite – the idyllic vista at Uvala Bijeca, Medulin. Left, traffic moves at a leisurely pace in rural Istria and, right, Teddy explores Pula Arena. Below and bottom, many a seat calls for a bit of flanerie in Pula.

from Austria, Slovenia and Scandinavia flock here in summer months, but never in the same numbers as to the rest of Croatia; hence the appeal. You can drive from one end of Istria to the other in just over an hour, so it would be a shame not to get lost along the hilltop villages ... though not before getting to grips with the capital.

And that we did, from our digs in Valkane, a residential area south of the city centre, bordering Veruda (a grim high-rise neighbourhood, built for shipyard employees), but also facing onto the peaceful Lungo Mare forest park and coastal road.

This winds past rocky swimming platforms, very popular with locals (they’re the real Croat beaches), up to Gortanova Uvala, one of the most beautiful white pebble coves I’ve encountered.

Here is where we spent every morning in Pula, and also where we learned the merits of pebbles over what we thought was the Holy Grail of beachy fun, sand (well, you go home with nothing in your crevices).

Our base was Apartmani Val, a

spotlessly clean, very comfortable airbnb.ie find, run by the gorgeous Vlasta, who went out of her way to welcome us to the loft apartment of what is her family home GOLDEN (her elderly parents live NUGGETS in an annex and always The Zigante Truffle beckoned us – in what Days festival happens I think was Italian – to September to November, store our buggy on their every year, in Livade – expect porch, because we were weekend events celebrating “speciale”). It was Vlasta Istria’s pride and joy who pointed us in the (zigantetartufi.com). direction of Restaurant Gina (Stoja 23, +385 52 387 943, ginapula.com), our favourite in the area. An unpretentious Italian bistro, the family kitchen serves pasta to haunt your beachsnoozy dreams – though we visited a few times, I only ever had the langoustine ravioli, followed by lavender ice-cream with fig compote; I just couldn’t bear to stray from its perfection.

Walk the coast northward for 15 minutes and you’ll reach Stoja, which has a suddenly quiet outof-town feel, along with a large picturesque camping ground; go FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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Stay at …

HIP Once the pride of Croatia’s dining scene, Valsabbion abandoned its gastronomic credentials in 2012, to focus on its (more lucrative) trade as an upmarket guesthouse. Having been revamped last year, it now boasts a slick sea-view pool and medi-spa. B&B from €164. (Pješcana Uvala IX/26, Pula, +385 52 218 033; valsabbion.hr)

15 minutes the other way and you have the Verudela Peninsula, Pula’s resort district. The coast along Verudela is split between busy, touristy beaches and chi-chi marinas, so there are some large hotels on this small headland, keeping sun worshippers neatly out of locals’ way. Though it suits the tourists, too, with the Punta Verudela Resort featuring three hotels and three apartment complexes owned by Arenaturist (Croatia’s largest tourism group, arenaturist.com). Also here is Aquarium Pula (aquarium.hr), housed in the historical Fort Verudela (entry gave us a gawk at the fish and the chance to learn some history, which was great for the “I’ve done nothing but lie on the beach all week” niggles). Add in a good bus service, with a tenminute journey to the city centre

(buscroatia.com/local-buses-pula) and you’ve got the perfect resort destination, if that’s what you’re after.

But the city proper is where you’ll really get to grips with Pula’s heritage – and where we spent most of our afternoons. Pula Arena (Scalierova Ulica 30, ami-pula.hr) acts as a giant tourist-magnet in the centre of town and is a good place to start. Constructed 27BC68AD, it’s the sixth largest surviving Roman amphitheatre in the world and certainly worth the 40 kuna (€5.20) entry fee, or indeed booking a ticket to one of the regular music, theatre or film events that happen here in summer months. Head out through Titov Park (includes a nice playground) and take in the activity of Pula Harbour, the massive cargo rgo ships almost dwarfing the amphitheatre heatre as they lload oad and

p destinations Croatia is fast becoming one of Europe’s top r pull – for electronic music festivals, and Istria is a majo m) and Dimensions (August; dimensionsfestival.com based, Pulaare com) Outlook (September; outlookfestival. oatia.com) wncrroatia while Unknown (September; unknownc happens in Rovinj.

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Monumental – Pula Arena, above, stands guard over the picturesque harbour. Below, the bronze statue of James Joyce at Caffe Uliks is always ready to share a coffee.

GLAM On the edge of the Verudela resort complex is Ribarska Koliba, a small aparthotel known for the excellent food in its fine dining restaurant and the glitzy scene on its marina-view cocktail terrace. Selfcatering with breakfast, from €78.50.

(Verudela 16, Pula, +385 52 391 555, ribarskakoliba.com) HIPPIE Three kilometres outside Pula, Camp Site Stoja is 167,000m2 of pine-dappled, cove-indented headland offering well-spaced lots for caravans or tents, as well as neat wooden chalets – never more than a few steps from a private beach – with all the amenities you’ll need to go back to nature, without turning feral. Pitch from €14.15. (Stoja 37, Pula, +385 52 387 144, arenacamps.com) FAMILY The Th best of the big Verudela hotels, Park Plaza Pl Histria, above, is all-inclusive without the cheeseRe factor. Recently having undergone re a total refurb, its rooms and amen public amenities are bright and minimalist – and you can’t beat the option of a kids’ club for some actual time off. B&B from €117.

(Verudela 17, Pula, +385 52 590000, parkplaza. parkplaza.com/histria-pula)

EXPLORE | PULA

Left, truffle hunter Denis Marsic with his dogs Lessie and Ada. Below, Istrian food is fresh and colourful, yet with an earthiness all of its own.

Right, the labyrinthine streets of Rovinj, and, far right, Pula is on the water’s edge.

Eat at …

Explore the region for the best of Istria’s foodie offerings.

HOTEL Opposite Pula’s historic naval graveyard is Milan, a boutique hotel with an excellent, high-end, fish-focused restaurant. Its tasting menus offer extremely fresh fish in as many guises as you could desire. (Stoja 4, Pula, +385 52 300 200; milan1967.hr) TRUFFLES Further afield, eld, try Restaurant Zigante.

Bang in the middle of truffle country, it’s famed for adoration of the precious tuber, right – the owner was once the Guinness ss World Record-holder for the largest truffle ever found. Expect a fancy dining experience and earthy dishes such as scrambled eggs with black truffles. (Livade 7, +385 52 664 302; zigantetartufi.com) PRE-BOOK Konoba Batelina is the epitome of a family business – fish is caught, cooked and served by the Skoko family; there are no walkins, no credit cards, no lunches, no Sundays, no August. And yet, unique dishes such as fish tripe and catfish french fries (at reasonable prices) ensure this place is always booked solid.

(Banjole, Cimulje 25, +385 52 573 767)

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BIJOU Smaller BI again – there are just six tables – is Damir & Ornella, the star of Novigrad’s modest but worthy dining scene. Best known for what its owners call Mediterranean sushi and sashimi, they focus on the freshness and quality of their fish, as well as the skills they employ in its filleting. (Zidine 5, Novigrad, +385 52 758 134; damirornella.com) FINE DINING Monte is lauded throughout Istria for the creativity of its upscale cuisine and impeccable customer service. It’s cosily located beside the cathedral in Rovinj’s old town, but has all the lofty atmosphere you’d expect from a fine dining establishment. (Montalbano 75, Rovinj, +385 52 830 203; monte.hr)

Day trips …

Exploring beyond Pula is imperative.

A more verdant Tuscany, Istria is replete with medieval hilltop towns, quaint fishing villages and horizons of asparagus fields.

1

Rovinj, pictured, is the jewel of the Istrian coast, the Saint-Tropez of the Adriatic, the coolest spot in Istria. Its picturesque Lone Bay and bohemian old town set the perfect scene for chi-chi restaurants and design-focused hotels.

2

Motovun is the poster Istrian hilltop village, nestled inland, overlooking the breathtaking Mirna Valley. It’s best known for the magical Motovun International Film Festival, every July. (motovunfilmfestival.com)

3

Brijuni Islands are a 20-minute boat ride from Fazana. Once the opulent private summer residence of Yugoslavia’s infamous dictator Marshal Tito, they are now a national park. (brijuni.hr)

unload. Though “biiiig BOATS” were certainly the highlight for one small member of our party, we persisted with efforts to wander the medieval streets of the old town, one day stopping for great, crispy pizza in Orfej (Kandlerova 6, +385 52 214405); enjoying fresh coffee and pastries amid the buzz of the daily Green Market in the Piazza Primo Maggio, another.

One great aspect of exploring Pula (especially if you have a little angry man on your back) is that it’s really quite small, so there’s no need for seeking out monuments on maps; you’ll probably just stumble on all the necessaries, if you wander around. Much in this way, we found the Temple of Augustus, the Forum and the Twin Gates – all the more awe-inspiring for having appeared unexpectedly.

Another surprise was bumping into old Monsieur Joyce sitting, in statue form, between the Golden Gates (an important entry point to the old city) and the Berlitz School, where he taught in 1904. Despite his cranky review of the place, the people of Pula seem glad Joyce came, or at least the owner of Caffe Uliks (facebook.com/caffe.uliks) – upon whose terrace the statue is installed – is. From here, we’d stroll down the Giardini (a tree-lined FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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ILLUSTRATION BY GRAHAM CORCORAN

promenade replete with trendy café-bar terraces) to catch our number 1 bus back to Vlasta’s, meandering through the areas I found most enthralling. Because for me, it’s the stark juxtaposition of Austro-Hungarian and Yugoslav architecture, rather than the Roman remains, that really gives Pula its personality.

For the latter part of the 19th century, Pula was Austria’s biggest naval base – the recently opened Zerostrasse tunnels, intended to hold the entire population of Pula, plus food and ammunition, demonstrate how important Pula was to the empire – and the mansions surrounding the port, built as residences, schools, hospitals and entertainment buildings for officers, remain untouched by later regime changes. But leading down through Veruda, their one-time purpose-fellows are now tenements, flanked by tower blocks inhabited by people who remember the Croatian War of Independence and the preceding misery of Marshall Tito’s infamous reign.

Nothing of the past, painful or otherwise, ever seems to be erased from Pula’s landscape. The centuries are stacked up next to each other; history and its lessons ever present.

Pula and its people have survived a lot and they’re proud of that. It’s made the region the most tolerant and cosmopolitan in Croatia. They have, after all, seen it all. Joyce may have hated Pula, with its “hundred races and thousand languages”, but that’s exactly what I loved about it.

Follow Kate @kateodowd Kate’s husband Brian Price and their son Teddy, in Medulin.

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Feel the fear and do it anyway? Lucy White attempts to conquer her phobia of rollercoasters in Orlando.

Sort of. Photographs by Matt Marriott.

The wild ones – only the brave dare Busch Gardens’ Cheetah Hunt rollercoaster.

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I

s it foggy on purpose?” I ask, as we file out of Hogsmeade Station, which is enveloped in a suitably Potteresque fug. At Florida’s Universal Studios (universalorlando.com) it’s really difficult to tell what’s real and what’s not. As it happens, this is a good, old-fashioned, meteorological haze and not chicanery. But I’d be right to second-guess even the weather.

Earlier that day I was flying across the moon on a bike with E.T., fighting alongside Optimus Prime in Transformers The Ride 3D, and supping a Duff beer at Moe’s Tavern in Springfield – everything at Universal Studios Orlando is smoke, mirrors and the very cutting edge of immersive, theme-park technology.

The area has come a long way since its swampy origins, Florida having evolved from citrus state to thriving army and naval base postSecond World War. These days it plays host to many tech companies and aeronautical research parks – but its backbone, of course, is still theme-park tourism.

Perhaps I am still shaken and stirred after Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, the most recent blockbusting entry to Universal’s Islands of Adventure park that also includes a faithful recreation of Diagon Alley.

When the ride opened last July, Potterheads would wait up to seven hours for a five-minute, highspeed chase through the vaults of Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

Fortunately, the narrative starts before you’re even fastened into a carriage. Less a waiting area and more an attraction in its own right, the opulent Gringotts atrium glitters with crystal chandeliers and glowers with animatronic goblin bankers.

We pass a silhouetted Harry, Hermione and Ron – discussing 94 |

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It’s behind you!

Getting soaked on Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. Far left, our writer Lucy White screams to go slower.

our forthcoming mission to retrieve a Horcrux – before arriving in Bill Weasley’s office; our very own Domhnall Gleeson as an all-talking, all-life-size projection. One elevator simulator and a pair of 3D glasses later, we’re cinched into our carts and hurtling across more than 600 metres of rollercoaster track with

Bellatrix, Lestrange and Voldemort in hot pursuit. It’s certainly a thrill but, as the final ride of a day jampacked with adrenaline-surging ’coasters, dark rides and simulators, I rather get the feeling of having drunk too much butterbeer the night before and close my eyes to halt the lurching stomach ...

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Not your average high street – a dragon intermittently breathes fire into Diagon Alley.

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5 non-theme-park highlights …

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AUDUBON PARK GARDEN DISTRICT You could be forgiven for thinking that hipsterdom had eluded Orlando altogether – unless you’ve visited Audubon Park Garden District (audubonparkgardens. com). It’s where all the indie boutiques, coffee shops, florists, bazaars and oases thrive (check out Leu Gardens; leugardens. org), among them: Stardust Video & Coffee (stardustvideoandcoffee.wordpress.com), a caffeinated hangout that hosts movie screenings, music, spoken word events and has the ultimate scenester must-have: an Instamat photo booth. Every Monday, 6pm-10pm, its parking lot transforms into a Community Market selling everything from bric-a-brac to cocktails. (audubonmarket.com)

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ORLANDO BREWING Savour indigenous, certified organic beer at this taproom brewery, be it a robust porter, a light lager or something more adventurous – Chocolate Mint Girl Stout anyone? There are 24 taps to choose from, plus free brew tours every Monday to Saturday at 6pm. (1301 Atlanta Avenue, +1 407 872 1117; orlandobrewing.com)

ORANGE TREE ANTIQUE MALL Pre-loved fans go wild in the aisles of this 1,400-sqm antiques mall where 140 dealers peddle their wares, from furniture to vinyl, Victorian hats to movie memorabilia.

(853 South Orlando Avenue, Winter Park, +1 407 644 4547; orangetreeantiquesmall.com)

ENZIAN New, cult classics and foreign flicks are shown at this alternative, non-profit cinema that’s also home to the Florida Film Festival (this year from April 10-19; floridafilmfestival.com). There are also free movie screenings every other Wednesday – and free popcorn. (1300 South Orlando Avenue Maitland, +1 407 629 0054; enzian.org)

ETOILE BOUTIQUE Break Instagram with your super finds at this Milk District boutique specialising in handmade, vintage and local brands for men and women.

Cue old Polaroid cameras, artisan jewellery, pimped up clothing and more, so leave some space in your suitcase. (2424 East Robinson Street, +1 407 895 6363; etoileboutique.com) FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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THEME PARK | ORLANDO

Eat at …

Ea LIVELY Anywhere that offers 225 varieties of tequila is going to be hopping, so ring ahead at Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food during peak season/weekends. Mop up the margaritas with hearty enchiladas, fajitas et al, while soaking up tunes from the live mariachi band. (CityWalk, 6000 Universal Boulevard, +1 407 224 3663; universalorlando.com/ restaurants) VIRTUOUS If you’re sick and tired of burgers, nuggets and wings at the theme parks, head to licensed eatery Ethos Vegan Kitchen for some stodge-free fare. Meat substitutes tofu, tempeh, soya and seitan are on the menu, with some 50 per cent of the Kitchen’s ingredients organic. (601 South New York Avenue, Winter Park, +1 407 228 3899; ethosvegankitchen.com) KARMA The pay-what-you-can concept behind non-profit coffee shop Downtown Credo was a tad intimidating for some diners so now there are “recommended donations” on the chalkboard. A refreshing antidote to homogenised multinationals, Downtown’s better-than-fairtrade Guatemalan coffee sure ain’t bad either. (706 West Smith Street, +1 407 371 2925; downtowncredo.com)

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I felt much less FlooNe Network-green on Harry Potter an and the Forbidden Journey earl earlier, another impressive od odyssey through Hogwarts, th the Forbidden Forest et al in wh what are essentially flying pe pews zipping through set pi pieces and past wrap-around pr projected screens. Alas, one of the girls in my Tour Am America group (touramerica. ie ie) isn’t quite so lucky and regurgitates her Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans ...

Much easier on the constitution is the Hogwarts Express, a gentle fourminute “normal” train ride (for park-to-park ticket holders only). That’s “normal” in that the compartm compartments have frosted glass doors on to which moving images are projected – key characters, liquorice spiders – while scenes of London and Scottish countryside mosey on past through the window.

Roar! Prehistoric amusement on the Jurassic Park River Adventure Ride, left.

Below, also at Universal Studios, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit!, a musical rollercoaster that plays a tune of your choice selected from a playlist before you sit in and strap up.

The last time I was at Universal Studios was in 1990 and at a curious teenage crossroads of being obsessed with New Kids on the Block and also Twin Peaks. Now in my late-thirties, I suspected I was at a similar juncture; too old for Potter, too young for the Lucille Ball exhibit – and far too pretentious for superhero romps.

How wrong I was! Dazzled by the special effects and technology, I too find myself gasping and guffawing on the 3D Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride and Revenge of the Mummy (twice).

In Orlando, where it’s so hot at times that you’d literally throw yourself down a vertiginous waterslide to cool down – more on these later – the “wet rides” are a real tonic. We squeal like Olive Oyl on Popeye and Bluto’s BilgeRat Barges, a hoot of a white-water rapid, and also on Jurassic Park River Adventure. With or without a “waterproof” poncho though, expect to spend the next few

variety – burgers, fries LEG WORK Food at waterparks is largely of the fast nt of stairs one has to and soda – but this is surely offset by the vast amou these ascents can feel climb to access the tallest waterslides. On hot days, well hydrated. rather like scaling Mount Doom so be sure to keep

THEME PARK | ORLANDO

This picture, Falcon’s Fury at Busch Gardens is not for the faint-hearted, but giraffes and flamingos offer some light relief, right.

Middle, Jay Ramirez-Ayala at Universal Studios’ Hogsmeade Station.

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Left, happy days, and nights, at Cabana Bay Beach Resort.

Above, an American alligator soaks up the sun at Busch Gardens.

Below, only in Springfield ...

hours sauntering around with wet knickers. (Alternatively: dry off in one of the man-sized dryers).

The elephant in the theme park though is the upside-down rollercoaster – the heart-in-stomach, loop-da-loop rides. One doesn’t fly all the way to Orlando just to ride the teacups at Disney World after all, so, despite having an aversion to inversion, I take it for the team on the first day of the trip. It’s now or never, I shudder, while in line for Manta at SeaWorld (seaworldparks. com), possibly one of the worst “entry level” vertical rollercoasters I could try … No sooner are we seated and strapped into the car, it is tilted to the prone position.

Feeling very vulnerable and very clammy, I long to swap Orlando for

Offaly before we race across tres more than 1,000 square metres op of inline twists, a pretzel loop and one corkscrew at speeds of up to 90kmph. My voice largely deserts me on Manta – a good thing since I turned the air decidedly blue … For all of its face-contorting horrors though, it’s surprisingly smooth – but not over nearly fast enough for this coward.

The rest of our group are much hardier, lapping up: Dragon Challenge and Hollywood wood Rip Ride Rockit!, on which you choose your own soundtrack (Universal); Kraken (SeaWorld); rld); Cheetah Hunt and, new fright ht on the block, drop tower Falcon’s’s Fury (both Busch Gardens), whose

Sleep at ...

RETRO The Jetsons meet Mad Men at the cheery Cabana Bay Beach Resort, a swell, three-star resort.

Rooms are spacious and stylish, with handy, open-plan lounge-kitchenettes – and cute 1950s-designed V05 and Zest toiletries. Free shuttle buses to/from Universal Studios until late; there’s a lazy river for all ages and even a bowling alley. Rooms from $119. (6550 Adve Adventure Way, +1 407 503 4000; univers universalorlando.com/hotels) SP SPLURGE An incredible hulk, The Th Ritz-Carlton Grande Lake is more elegant than it at first appears. app Enveloped by 200 he hectares of perfectly manicured gardens gar and Greg Norman-designed golf course, guests can easily forget their close proximity to the theme parks. parks There are 3,700 sq m of spa, and the th sort of impeccable service you’d expect. Rooms from $335. (4012 Central Cent Florida Parkway, +1 407 206 2400; 2400 ritzcarlton.com) DOWNTOWN The faux-vintage vibe DOWN at the Grand Bohemian Hotel is mostly succe successful, its ostentatious flourishes in publ public areas – zebra print and mock croc – leading to more sedate interiors upstairs. upstair There’s a sylph rooftop pool, and music venue the Amway Center is just ju a stroll away, as are bars and restaurants. rest Rooms from $189. (325 South Orange Avenue, +1 407 313 9000; grandbohemianhotel.com) FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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96kmph vertical plunge mimics the dive speeds of the world’s fastest animal. Needless to say, I won’t be first in line when the world’s tallest rollercoaster opens at Orlando’s Skyplex complex in 2016 …

Fortunately there’s plenty else on offer in Orlando to entertain us wusses. Like, waterparks.

That said, Aquatica (aquaticabyseaworld.com) SILVER LINING – a 24-hectare, seven-yearWaiting for rides can young hydro-playground be frustrating – and hot in – boasts Ihu’s Breakaway bowl – coloured lights summer. Jump the queues Falls, a four-pronged, flashing, retro music still with fast-passes at each park. drop-pod slide that grooving – around which we For instance, the Universal opened last year, plunging swoosh before an ungainly Studios Express Pass starts adrenaline junkies down a exit.

Similarly swirly are Brain at $34.99 per person. trapdoor to a near-vertical Wash, a multi-person ride with universalorlando.com a 16-metre vertical drop into a descent. (Don’t be fooled wide funnel, and The Storm, whose by the purple one onto which steaming open bowls are almost you push yourself off. It is the a relief after the initial, and also steepest.) For safety, and sheer final, drop. Both make Black Hole, a hilarity, in numbers, I prefer the Above left, Dutch courage at two-seater, “starlit” space odyssey, a multi-person rides, from Tassie’s Wet’n Wild. comparative breeze.

Twisters, a funnel-riddled frolic, Leave some adrenaline for and Roa’s Rapids, a speedy version Rising Star Karaoke on Universal of the lazy river that has us CityWalk (universalorlando.com), laughing like drains while clinging a huge music venue for anyone too to “rocks” in an attempt to get out shy to audition for X Factor but of the currents. far too exhibitionist for a private There’s also Wet’n Wild booth on Dublin’s Capel Street. (wetnwildorlando.com), which opened in 1977 but remains in Here, select from a seemingly rude health. Here, Disco H20 is a limitless menu of songs in the hope highlight, three of us clinging on of fronting the (brilliant) full live to a circular raft, bellowing and band, including backing singers, giggling down a long, winding tube on stage. That the first two ditties whose climax is a large, enclosed when we enter have “redneck” in 102 |

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ILLUSTRATION BY KATHI BURKE

THEME PARK | ORLANDO

the title sinks the heart, but the set list gathers pace and includes an immaculate version of Pharrell Williams’s “Happy”. Performance of the night though goes to Irishman Danny, whose swaggering “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash brings the house down.

Irish bars are like pine needles; they get everywhere, including CityWalk, where another rush comes in the form of a giant twelveperson “Hurricane” cocktail at Pat O’Brien’s, a piano bar modelled on the New Orleans original – more jambalaya than diddly-eye.

So, just as at Hogsmeade Station, one can’t trust anything in Orlando – not the weather, the smoke, nor the mirrors. It is all pure magic.

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ROMANTIC CITIES | BEING THERE

PHOTOGRAPH BY CARINA OKULA

Romantic cities Perfect for pairs: Lisa Hughes selects spots for loved-up couples.

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Paris For a romantic rendezvous, Paris takes some beating. All of the city’s must-sees – Montmartre, Eiffel Tower, Versailles, Notre Dame – exude romance and even a humble stroll along the Seine is not to be missed. Better yet, zip through the streets together on a rented Vespa (leftbankscooters.com) for that extra je ne sais quoi. The bike is yours for 24 hours – and ranks pretty high in the style stakes.

On the lesser-spotted side of Parisian sightseeing, vineyard-turned-landscaped park Parc de Belleville in the 20th arrondissement boasts a panorama to beat the famous Tower (and its notorious queues). With plenty of zig-zagging walkways, you might want to pack flats but the walk is worth it as you watch the sun go down. The perfect surprise for your other half, Paris Picnic (parispicnic. com) delivers a range of picnic baskets, above, bursting with everything from foie gras to champagne, to most sightseeing spots – even a cosy blanket is thrown in.

Still not in love with Paris? On the 56th floor of the Tour Montparnasse, the Ciel de Paris (cieldeparis.com) champagne bar lets a 210-metre-high, night-time view of the Paris skyline do the talking. It’s a vision worth breaking out the bubbly for.

STAY AT First opened in 1928 and just steps from the Champs-Élysées, it’s hard not to be swept away by the sheer glamour of the George V (31 Avenue George V, +33 1 4952 7000; fourseasons. com). Decorated with period pieces throughout, terraced rooms overlook the historic Golden Triangle for an affair to remember. Rooms from €990.

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ROMANTIC CITIES | BEING THERE

Dublin Many busy Dubliners rush past the unassuming Whitefriar Street Church (whitefriarstreetchurch.ie) each day, blissfully unaware that inside its doors lies the shrine of St Valentine – but this isn’t the only lovey-dovey thing Dublin has up its sleeve. Old romantics will love the National Gallery of Ireland’s (nationalgallery.ie) special viewing of Frederick William Burton’s watercolour heartbreaker “The Meeting on the Turret Stairs” on Thursday, February 12. Recently voted Ireland’s favourite painting, the special event costs €30 per person including supper and music in the Wintergarden Café. One of the best things about Dublin is that it’s 20 minutes by train to the beach. From a walk along Howth Head to a stroll along Dun Laoghaire pier, Dublin Bay is a scenic treat. If it’s raining however (and it often is), try The Liquor Rooms (theliquorrooms.com), the Clarence Hotel’s speakeasy-style basement bar.

Its Fraise Sauvage cocktail – a mix of Beefeater Gin, homemade strawberry cordial and Prosecco topped off with rose petals – is an aphrodisiac in a glass.

STAY AT The latest addition to Dublin’s boutique hotel scene, the four-star Dean Hotel (33 Harcourt Street, 01 607 8110; deanhoteldublin.ie), above, channels London’s hip Hoxton and is a modern base for a loved-up weekend in the capital. Rooms hit all the right notes with cool extras such as vinyl selected

by Tower Records, SMEG fridges and Grafton Barber products. Sophie’s Restaurant and Bar (sophies.ie) serves up rooftop views and hearty Americanstyle breakfasts. A standard SupeRoom at The Dean starts from €149.

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Budapest With steaming hot baths, handcrafted chocolates, monumental opera and picturesque sights, Budapest knows how to indulge the senses. First up, with 15 indoor baths and three outdoor pools housed in a Neo-baroque palace, above, the whopper Szénchenyi Baths (szechenyifurdo.hu) is one of Europe’s largest spa complexes. Pumping six million litres of hot, hot, hot thermal springs, they offer the chance of a long soak – the only way to shake off any lingering winter chills. Hungarians are known for having a sweet tooth but forget chain coffeehouses, cosy up in another historic haunt, the 156-year-old Gerbeaud (Vörösmarty Tér 7; gerbeaud. hu). This “grand café”, below, once counted Habsburg royals among its regulars and the terrace is the best place to savour traditional dobos cake and people-watch on the Vörösmarty Square. A show at the glittering UNESCO Hungarian State Opera House (opera.hu) tops the bill for occasions worthy of getting the gladrags on, or keep it lowkey with a visit to Margitsziget (Margaret Island), a traffic-free island in the Danube. You could spend hours walking

around this jogger’s paradise so your best bet is to rent a “bringo” – a bicycle-meetsgolf-cart, complete with canopy – for the most fun way to get around (bringohinto. hu). Speaking of the Danube, dinner on the “floating restaurant” Spoon Café and Lounge (Vigadó Tér 3, +36 1411 0933; spoonrestaurants.hu) means candlelit dining and terrific views of the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle.

STAY AT If opulence is what you’re after, check into the grand dame of Budapest’s hotel scene, The Corinthia (Erzsébet Körút 43-49, +36 479 4000; corinthia.com). With its Neo-classical façade and glass atrium, this five-star hotel offers sizable suites with marble bathrooms, as well as a Far Eastern restaurant and Royal Spa. Rooms start from €115.

Relax in a lakeside room and experience a truly breath-taking setting, unwind with Afternoon Tea by the fireside in the Piano Lounge, enjoy great fresh Irish food in the Lakeside Bistro or the elegant Castlelough Restaurant. s

A warm welcome awaits you at The Lake Hotel, Killarney. s

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info@lakehotel.com : Reservations +353 (0) 64 66 31035 The Lake Hotel : Lake Shore : Muckross Road : Killarney : Co. Kerry : Ireland hh

ROMANTIC CITIES | BEING THERE

Nantes The north-western French city has a postcard-worthy castle at its centre.

Formerly the residence of the Dukes of Brittany, the Château des ducs de Bretagne (chateaunantes.fr), right, has a moat that’s now idyllically dotted with apple trees and picnic tables. Compact Nantes has a number of green spaces perfect for strolls but the Japanese garden on Île de Versailles (nantes.fr) is prettiest in spring thanks to its waterfalls and colour-pop of cherry trees.

The gorgeously grand brasserie La Cigale (4 Place Graslin, +33 251 849 494; lacigale. com) is always buzzing so don’t expect an intimate soirée but the intricate Art Nouveau interior is a guaranteed mood-setter.

STAY AT Ever fancied overnighting in a chapel? The four-star design hotel Hotel Sozo (16 Rue Frédéric Cailliaud, +33 251 824 000; sozohotel.fr) is an artsy hymn to minimalism, with rooms starting from €169.

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London A short hop on the Thames Clipper (thamesclippers.com), leafy Greenwich is one way to escape the crowds. Formerly Henry VIII’s hunting grounds, Greenwich Park (royalparks.org.uk) is a lush green haven, with Roman ruins, a deer park and ancient oak trees. Re-fuel at Greenwich Market (greenwichmarketlondon.com), below, which boasts some of London’s best street food. Outside on Nevada Street, Heap’s gourmet sausages (simplysausages. co.uk) are deemed Britain’s best by many discerning Londoners. Ask for your grub to go and make your way to the General Wolfe statue at sunset for sweeping views. London’s only planetarium, the Royal Observatory, Greenwich (rmg. co.uk), opens up a world of shooting stars, rarely seen planets and distant galaxies. For a quick pint before hopping back on the

Cl Clipper, the Coach and Ho Horses (the-coachan and-horses.co.uk) pub in the Market is a cosy spot Dubbed London’s spot. most romantic restaurant, Clos Maggiore (33 King Street, +44 207 379 9696; closmaggiore. com) is a moment of calm in hectic Covent Garden – its blossom-filled conservatory definitely has the wow factor.

STAY AT A staple of society weddings since 1865 – and the alleged birthplace of afternoon tea, above – is The Langham hotel (1c Portland Place, Regent Street, +44 207 636 1000; london.langhamhotels.co.uk). Book the Couple’s Spa Suite at Europe’s first Chuan spa, for Zen-like relaxation, before feasting at Roux restaurant. And if you do venture out, shopping on Bond or Regent Street is an easy stroll away. Rooms from £420.

State Building (esbnyc.com) has romance written all over it and hundreds of couples have officially tied the knot on the 86th Floor Observatory. Make your pilgrimage after

10pm to skip the queues and, for a few dollars more, go to the smaller 102nd Floor Top Deck to feel like you’re the only people in the world gazing down on the city’s twinkling lights.

Magical. New York’s premier urban oasis, Central Park, is another year-round romantic must-do, whether you cycle, stroll or take a horse-drawn carriage ride of the 315-hectare parkland. To feel like you’re really in a movie, swap Manhattan for Brooklyn’s River Café (One Water Street, Brooklyn, +1 718 522 5200; therivercafe.com). A Michelin-star holder, the River Café is another proposal hotspot and, with its location right under the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, the dizzying view across Manhattan is priceless.

New York

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE RYAN

Thanks to a starring role in many a rom-com, Manhattan’s streets and sights go hand-inhand with amorous escapades. Soaring 443 metres above Midtown, the Art Deco Empire

STAY AT Striking the right balance between Uptown luxury and the kind of cool you normally only see south of 14th Street, the Viceroy (120 West 57th Street, +1 212 830 8000; viceroyhotelsandresorts.com) brings a splash of much-needed sophistication to Midtown. A mix of floor-to-ceiling windows, public spaces with their own custom fragrance, a slick rooftop bar and rooms with views of Central Park – the only downside is having to check out. Rooms from $379 night.

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ROMANTIC CITIES | BEING THERE

Verona Legend has it that Shakespeare never actually set foot in Italy but that hasn’t stopped his star-crossed lovers making their mark on Verona. Despite an attempt to quash the tradition, throngs of cooing couples make a pilgrimage to Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House) every day to pin love notes on the walls and kiss on the famous balcony. Dating back to the 13th century, this abode once belonged to the family dell Capello, who may or may not be the inspiration for the Capulets. Whether it’s true or not, who knows, but there’s no disputing how romantic it is. Still on the Shakespeare trail, there’s Tomba di Giulietta (Juliet’s Tomb), a dark crypt inside the San Francesco al Corso monastery where locals believe the real-life tragedy of Romeo and Juliet took place.

In Roman times, the Verona Arena (arena.it), right, attracted around 30,000 punters from miles around to watch the games. Estimated to date as far back as 30AD, it’s a rare example of Roman architecture still in fine condition and today the Arena holds atmospheric opera performances, many by candlelight.

STAY AT After touring Verona’s immaculately preserved medieval castle Castelvecchio, check into Il Relais (Corso Castelvecchio 23, +39 045 803 6494; ilrelais.com), a 19th-century palazzo turned boutique hotel. Overlooking the castle and the River Adige, the location is worthy of Verona’s famous lovers.

Rooms from €200.

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MASTERCLASS | COASTEERING

Ready to rock?

Niamh Wade makes a splash at Delphi Mountain Resort, Co Mayo. ook straight ahead, keep your hands crossed holding the buoyancy aid and step out,” encourages Steve, a fully qualified instructor from Delphi Mountain Resort, Co Mayo, which is nestled near Killary Fjord on the Galway/Mayo border.

I’m standing on a cliff edge at Old Head, near Louisburgh, five metres above the large swell of the Atlantic Ocean, waiting to leap. It’s the fourth and highest jump of the morning and I’m exhilarated, slightly terrified and questioning my sanity.

Myself, my sister and ten other thrill-seekers have been kitted out in wetsuits and protective headgear and driven 20 minutes off-base for 90 minutes of coasteering – one of many land and water-based activities available at Delphi – against the stunning backdrop of Clew Bay. For the uninitiated, coasteering is a high-adrenaline activity, combining cliff and cave exploration with jumps at varying heights into the everchanging sea. Naturally, it’s not for the faint-hearted but our instructors put us at ease. In the capable hands of Steve – and Mitch, a fellow expert

L

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DAY OUT Enjoy a Seafood & Farming

from the adventure centre in after me. We laugh as the Traditions Day in Killary – we cross the beach and waves bob us about, often Fjord with sea-fresh shellfish nervously use hands and feet bumping into each other. and a glass or two, followed to scramble along the rocks Clambering out post-jump by turf-cutting and a mouthbefore submersion. is both difficult and hilarious, watering picnic. €500; “Assume a Superman-style with slippery seaweed never far delphilodge.ie pose,” instructs Mitch, “lever away. By the third submersion yourself in and let the swell carry – a pencil jump – I feel braver, and you across to the rocky inlet.” I worry I’m loving the buzz of the group. I as to how I’ll feel with seawater savour the freedom and refreshment swashing about my helmet-clad of bobbing about in the swell before head but – phew – the sea calms Taking the plunge, ascending the shell-covered rocks for when it comes to my turn, resulting above, off Old one final time. in no immediate baptism. This all Head, below, Back on the mini-bus, I feel left, a triumphant changes though when we climb up triumphant and, pumped with Niamh back on a little further and have to straddledry land, below adrenaline, devour the tastiest jump back into the waves. Mitch right, sanctuary – digestive biscuit ever. My sister and I demonstrates and I follow. I love it the spa at Delphi reward our efforts at the resort with Mountain Resort. and enjoy watching my sister leaping Calypso coffees and toasted wraps in the wood-panelled bar, and utilise the free Wi-Fi for a quick “we survived” What’s App message to the family.

Tempting as it is to lounge in our sumptuous, TV-free room we don our robes and saunter to the spa, which boasts a Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and relaxation beds, all overlooking the mountains. Here, I’m reacquainted with the slimy stuff – a seaweed bath, for 45 minutes of lifepondering bliss.

We inhale all three courses at dinner before toasting our survival of the Atlantic Ocean with fellow scramblers in nearby Leenane. s, Needless to say we are all still on a COASTEERING package high – and clearly thirsty from the at 8 €10 m fro B B& 0; €4 90 mins from salty water. delphimountainresort.ie

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BEING THERE | BARCELONA

48 hours around

Barcelona Yes, Barcelona is stupendous, but don’t miss the picturesque towns of Vic, Begur, Figueres and Girona. Frances Power spreads her wings.

Don’t miss …

DALÍ THEATRE-MUSEUM From the moment you clap eyes on the Dalí Theatre-Museum, you’ll be provoked, amused and intrigued. The Surrealist artist spent 14 years on the construction of this monument to his work in the fire-damaged former Municipal Theatre in Figueres, the town he grew up in and the spot where his first exhibition was held.

The building is possibly the world’s largest Surrealist object itself – and from its geodesic, dome-capped exterior to the Rainy Cadillac piece (a garden inside twines itself around the car’s mannequin passengers), it’s an exhilarating journey into his Byzantine mind. His crypt lies at the centre of the museum. (Plaza Gala-Salvador Dalí, 5, Figueres, +34 972 677 500; salvador-dali.org) MONTSERRAT This Benedictine monastery high in the craggy

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mountains, 40 kilometres west of Barcelona, is worth devoting a day to – founded in 1025, it was all but destroyed in the Napoleonic wars, but has been rebuilt around the e original nave. Thanks to the bizarre signs landscape (it inspired Gaudí’s designs for the Sagrada Familia) and La Morenata, a Romanesque wooden statue of the Virgin Mary, it draws pilgrims and plenty of tourists.

It is also home to Escolania de Montserrat, a boys’ choir that sings daily at 1pm, and it’s heavenly.

A short walk from the monastery takes you away from the crowds and into the national park, with commanding views of Catalonia. Or you can enjoy a Caravaggio, some of Picasso’s early figurative work, even a Sean Scully in its museum, refuel in one of the restaurants or stay over at the three-star Abat Cisneros Hotel. (montserratvisita.com)

Heavenly setting – monastic Montserrat, top. Above, the suitably Surrealist Dalí TheatreMuseum.

SALT MINES A salt mine might seem an unlikely tourist attraction, but Cardona’s Salt Mountain Cultural Park is fascinating – not only was it one of Europe’s major salt sources from Roman days until it closed in 1990, and so is loaded with cultural history, but its multi-coloured tunnel walls and caves dripping with stalactites are magical. You can even get married here. (Carretera de la mina s/n, Cardona, +34 93 869 24 75/ cardonaturisme.cat; +34 93 869 27 98/ oficinaturisme@cardona.cat).

Eat at …

LIPSMACKING Set in a medieval walled town, and surrounded by mountain and volcano, Cal Sastre Restaurant (Cases Noves 1, Santa Pau, La Garrotxa, +34 9722 680 421; calsastre.com) is an atmospheric spot (with a hotel if you overindulge). Beloved of se FC Barcelona footballers whose signed photos decorate the walls, this is the spot to carb up (wild mushroom cannelloni with black truffles and pistachio should do it) after a trek through the Parque Natural de la Zona Volcánica de la Garrotxa.

HISTORIC After a Saturday morning browsing in the market town of Vic, join the locals for a long lunch in the frescoed and panelled 18th-century townhouse, Restaurant de Cal’ U (Carrer de la Riera 25, Vic, +34 93 889 0345; restaurantcalu.com) where local produce is served up with skill

Sleep at …

FORTIFIED The Parador de Cardona (Castell de Cardona, Cardona; for bookings, 01 878 3111; maptravel.ie) has never been captured despite many battles over its 1,200 years. It’s a vast castellated 10th-century fort that has been renovated into a fourstar stay with Gothic cloisters and church, four-postered bedrooms, tapestries, beamed ceilings and a fine restaurant. It’s so large that you receive a map when you check in. Oh, and room 712 is reputed to have a ghost. Perfect for an atmospheric wedding. Re-opens February 13, 2015. Rooms from €55 B&B pps.

COUNTRY A short hop from Barcelona, Parador de Vic-Sau (Paraje el Bac de Sau, Centra de Tavèrnoles, Vic; for bookings, 01 878 3111; maptravel.ie) is a traditional Catalan country house overlooking a drowned valley – now a reservoir – where you can still see

the bell tower of the village of Sant Romà de Sau when water levels are low. A footpath leads to the nearby monastery of Carserres. Inside, the parador has been modernised with a vast lobby and bedrooms, a fine pool, and good hearty Catalan food such as broad beans with chorizo, chickpea stew. Re-opens February 10, 2015. Rooms from €555 B&B pps.

SLICK Under the shadow of Girona’s historic cathedral is a stunning, architect-designed apartment – all exposed stone walls, Eames chairs and high spec kitchen, tucked into a 16th-century house. El Badiu (i-escape. com/alemanys-5) has a roof terrace so you can cook and eat outdoors, or wander through the Jewish quarter in search of a restaurant. Sleeps 2-6; from €250 per night for 2-4 persons sharing.

Clockwise from top left, Restaurant de Cal’ U; El Celler de Can Roca; takeaway caramels

by Rocambolesc; Parador Aiguablava and its sandy beach.

– beef carpaccio, salmon tartare, pigs trotter with chorizo and, of course, the obligatory crèma catalana (Catalan crème brûlée). Dinner from €24.

BEACHSIDE The Parador Aiguablava (Platja D’Aiguablava, Begur, Girona; for bookings, 01 878 3111; maptravel.ie) lies just south of Begur, where the well-heeled of Barcelona boost the summer population from roughly 4,000 to 40,000. Set amongst pine trees on the promontory of Punta D’es Muts, this modern hotel overlooks a little sandy bay where you can swim or kayak in summer – or feast on caracoles a la llauna (yes, that’s grilled snails, folks), sea urchin, chicken or lobster. Re-opens February 14, 2015; rooms from €55 B&B pps.

OUT OF THIS WORLD It’s No 2 on San Pellegrino’s 50 best places in the world to pick up a knife and fork, so you may want to book (way) ahead to get a table at El Celler de Can Roca (Calle Can Sunyer 48, Girona, +34 972 222 157; cellercanroca.com), the Michelin-starred spot run by the three Roca brothers, and where you might sampl mpl anything from pomegranate mple sample candy ndyflo to an olive tree with candyfloss cara rame caramelised olives. If you don’t get luck cky with a table, sample their famous lucky desserts dess sser at Rocambolesc (Carrer de Santa Sa Clara 50, Girona, +34 972 416 667; rocambolesc.com), where hot ice-cream filled buns, icecream cupcakes and famous milk dessert can be scooped up sans waiting list.

For more information on places to stay, eat or enjoy, en.costabrava.org AER LINGUS FLIES FROM DUBLIN TO BARCELONA DAILY.

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LE BON CRUBEEN & THE CELT R E S TA U R A N T,

WINE BAR AND TRADITIONAL IRISH PUB OPEN

S E V E N D AY S F R O M 1 2 P M U N T I L V E RY L AT E

C L O S E T O T H E A B B E Y, G A T E & O 2 T H E AT R E S Lunch every day. Early Bird / Pre-Theatre from 5pm. ¤25 value dinner three courses all night all week from 5pm.

Le Jazz Supper from 9pm to very late on Saturday nights.

D TE S VO L I N ’ B DU OST R M LA NT PU A P O AU R T S RE

Rooms Available from as little as €45 pp B & B tel 01 8788810

T E L : 01 704 0126 8 1 - 8 2 TA L B O T S T R E E T, DUBLIN CITY CENTRE

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private dining | live jazz | lunch | brunch | pre-theatre | dinner

Charles Dickens gave the first reading from A Christmas Carol at the OMNI PARKER HOUSE . As the oldest continuously run hotel in America, its ornate lobby makes me feel like I’ve stepped back in time.

The hotel bar is an easy-to-find spot to rendezvous with out-of-town visitors, and I love the bar’s version of New England clam chowder.

Rooms from $199. (60 School Street, +1 617 227 8600; omnihotels.com)

AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO

Boston

From a book browser’s heaven to an aftertheatre eatery, writer Áine Greaney shares her favourite haunts.

ALAN YARBOROUGH

It’s not unusual to hear the older residents still speaking Italian in the North End, Boston’s Little Italy, right. Hanover Street is this neighborhood’s restaurant row and, among the many, many choices, I like PANZA . It rarely deviates from traditional Italian fare and, summer through autumn, the patio-style windows are set open onto the red-brick street. The eggplant (aubergine) parmigiana is the best in town.

(326 Hanover Street, +1 617 557 9248; panzarestaurant.com)

Across the square from Harvard University, the 1932 HARVARD BOOKSTORE is a book browser’s heaven. As well as selling new and used books, the shop’s back-room author series hosts many nationally and internationally known writers.

Sometimes you can watch the staff operate the store’s own slick and quick book-printing press. In a nod to printing history, they’ve nicknamed the press Paige M Gutenborg.

(1256 Massachusetts Avenue, +1 617 661 1515; harvard.com)

The 1848 BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY is America’s oldest public access library. The main branch on Copley Square is much more than its 23-millionvolume collection of rare (and contemporary) books and manuscripts – including firstedition folios by Shakespeare, and an original music score from Mozart. Check out the library’s architectural gems, including the Romanesque entrance hall, and frescoes.

When it’s finally time to shed the snow boots, I love to snag that first springtime table in the library’s outdoor courtyard. (700 Boylston Street, +1 617 536 5400; bpl.org)

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The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (yes, that Kennedy) GREENWAY is a necklace of linked city parks that runs from Atlantic Avenue to the North End. Each park has its own distinct vibe. One quibble with the Greenway: the street art, entertainment and sculptures – not to mention the multiethnic food vendors – make it tough to maintain an aerobic stride. (rosekennedygreenway.org)

I’m far too uncoordinated to try ice skating but I love to watch the wintertime (November-March) skating on the BOSTON COMMON FROG POND . The retro tunes provide the perfect musical score for families, friends and lovers whizzing by under the lit-up winter trees. (bostoncommonfrogpond.com) This city’s bars and restaurants close relatively early, so for an after-theatre late bite and drink, I love SILV SILVERTONE . Small, co cosy and lively, this basement restaurant and bar is known for its all-American comfort foods such as macaroni and cheese, and meatloaf. My favourite, though, is their quesadilla. (69 Bromfield Street, +1 617 338 Bromfie 7887; silvertonedowntown.com)

The cosy couches and wintertime fireplace make CAFFÈ NERO the perfect downtown coffee haunt.

Though the Euro-style, roasted coffee packs an ample caffeine kick, the cappuccino cake is a temptation I can rarely resist. (560 Washington Street, +1 617 936 3432; caffenero.com)

We’re very, very proud of the newly launched BOSTON LITERARY DISTRICT – and with good reason. Rather than just a tourist map of famous and dead writer sites – and we’ve got our fair share – the Literary District showcases everything from the latest book festivals to poetry slams to teen writing workshops and more. It’s the first literary cultural district in America. (bostonlitdistrict.org)

More about Áine

A Co Mayo native, Áine Greaney was working as a primary school teacher when she took a three-month trip to upstate New York – 27 years ago. She worked the usual survival jobs by day and went to college to study for a master’s ma degree by night.

After graduating, she moved to the Boston area where she enjoys New England’s arts and writing scenes. She has published four books and many essays and stories in the US, Ireland and the UK. She also works as a business writer and communications professional. ainegreaney.com

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At first glance, the ESPLANADE may seem too traffic-loud for an evening jog or walk. But a number of foot bridges connect the Back Bay streets to this 27-kilometre trail and parkway along the Charles River. From the Esplanade, it’s fun to take the Harvard Bridge into the neighbouring City of Cambridge where the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus teems with young students. I always wonder: which of these science and tech scholars will become the 21st-century Madame Curie or Galileo? (esplanadeassociation.org)

AER LINGUS FLIES FROM DUBLIN AND SHANNON TO BOSTON DAILY.

Enjoy the Waterford Crystal Factory Experience.

Book your tour online today.

To book your factory tour visit waterfordvisitorcentre.com the largest collection of Waterford Crystal in the world or phone +353 (0)51 317000

www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com

Dublin Office: +353 1 450 8881 Belfast Office: +44 28 9077 0999 www.contractpeople.com

Contract People are one of Ireland’s leading outsourcing & field marketing agencies.

BEING THERE | EDINBURGH

SPOTLIGHT EDINBURGH Compiled by Niamh Wade.

TOP TABLES Edinburgh’s close proximity to the North Sea and the Highlands is evident on its menus. And with Edinburgh Castle in sight, it’s fitting that dining at James Thomson’s Tower Restaurant (tower-restaurant.com), with oysters, cake or cocktails, is fit for a king. Close by is the G&V Royal Mile Hotel (gandvhotel. com), whose modern twist on afternoon tea, left, is bucket list-worthy – hello, mini blue Piña Colada ice lollies! Need to fuel up during shopping on Princes Street? Try Galvin Brasserie de Luxe (galvinbrasseriedeluxe.com) in The Caledonian hotel. Awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2013, it offers Paris chic with an incredible crustacean bar and children’s menu – no chicken nuggets here. The views, top, are also impressive.

MODERN The Sheraton Standing tall beneath Edinburgh Castle ensures this hotel has iconic views in most rooms, along with flexible mood lighting and Bluetooth-enabled stereos. The One Spa, with its outdoor rooftop hydro pool, thermal suites, 19-metre pool, and ESPA treatments, is worth relaxing in. Ditto One Square bar and restaurant for its 40 choices of gin … B&B from £170. sheratonedinburgh.co.uk

Bry

ce M o r r i s o n

3 highlights ...

HISTORIC The Scotsman Its five stars could be for location, the spa, the luxurious rooms – or maybe for serving the best steak in its North Bridge Brasserie?

As a listed building and former baronial printing house for The Scotsman newspaper, this boutique hotel’s original architectural features make for a unique stay. Stunning views and Wi-Fi throughout. B&B from £120. thescotsmanhotel.co.uk

MARVEL AT …

Combine visits to the Royal Botanic Garden or Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art with a good stretch of the legs, courtesy of The Water of Leith Walkway. It’s 20 kilometres of riverside pathway, intertwined with interesting spots, starting in Balerno and ending in Leith including a Visitor Centre halfway. Dip in and out as you like, or hop on a bicycle. waterofleith.org.uk

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EXPLORE AT …

If your luggage is Lycra filled then Edinburgh Run Tours is the sightseeing go-to. Lucja Leonard from the Crowne Plaza hotel tailor-makes trails from five to 18 kilometres depending on fitness levels, preferred time of day and the “must-see” list. Routes go through or around the city. edinburghruntours.com

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

SHOP AT …

St Stephen Street, in the Stockbridge area, is quirky and quaint. With stores including The Gramophone Emporium, and Those Were the Days Vintage, above, it’s a far cry from high street staples. Also, the Proper Tea Shop is a pocketfriendly pit-stop, or for smart-casual, try Purslane eatery. ststephenstreet.com

urgh.com For more info, visit thisisedinb or visitscotland.com.

COSY The Rutland Twelve individually designed rooms and two serviced apartments are on offer, along with homemade muffins, filtered coffee and other in-vogue goodies, including a GHD hair straightener. Have a nightcap in the Huxley Bar or indulge your taste buds in Kyloe Steak Restaurant and Grill. With a daily newspaper, top in-room technology and luxurious robes, you won’t want to leave. B&B from £100. therutlandhotel.com

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OURLM FI TOP O CE CH I

Fury

S EE

E PAG

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Flying with Aer Lingus

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

124 Welcome aboard 125 Your comfort and safety 128 Aer Lingus News 140 Flight Connections 144 Our Route Networks 148 Connecting to Wi-Fi Inflight Entertainment 130 Movies to North America 131 Movies from North America 132 Our Classic Movie Selection 135 Television On Demand 138 Radio On Demand 139 Music On Demand

Welcome aboard Flying with Aer Lingus means you will experience excellent customer service, comfort and, of course, safety. There’s plenty for you to enjoy on board and, on the following pages, you will discover how we’ll be taking care of you. After all, we’re here to help you make the most of your flight. If you have any special requests, be sure to let us know.

h words Useful Iris ses and phra

Why not try speaking a few words ge of the native langua while you are visiting Ireland!

me Fáilte Welco ello Dia dhuit H ill Goodbye Slán go fó is... m My name o d m in a ...is you? tú? How are Conas atá ood ma ith I’m g Tá mé go eers Sláinte! Ch u gat Thank yo a h it a m h Go ra ib me scéal Excuse h it le o m h Gab

Cara Friend

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Inverness Aberdeen Glasgow

Donegal

Knock Shannon Kerry

Cork

Edinburgh

Newcastle Leeds Bradford

Belfast

Dublin

Isle of Man

Manchester

East Midlands Amsterdam Birmingham London (Heathrow) London (Southend) Cardiff Bristol London (Gatwick) Southampton

Exeter

Jersey

Brussels

Paris Rennes Nantes

What cities do Aer Lingus fly to and connect to?

See page 144 for full route maps

In touch with Aer Lingus If you are availing of Wi-Fi on your flight today, why not let us know what you’re up to on board and where you are going. Share your photos if you’d like, because we would love to hear from you on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Take a photo and post it to our facebook page.

Let us know how you’re enjoying your flight.

Chat to us on Twitter where you’ll also find the latest flight information.

View our videos of milestone events, festivals, sponsorships and campaigns.

Passengers with wheelchair requirements If you require a wheelchair to help you reach or depart from the plane, then we’re here to help you. Your comfort and safety are our priority, so please let us know at least 48 hours in advance and we en contacting co ng us you yo will need your booking will look after you. When reference number.

A SS IS TA N CE

ETA IL S CO N TA CT D

.com nce@aerlingus specialassista 365 011 Ireland (0818) on–Fri M 09:00–17:00 t & Sun 10:00–16:00 Sa nk Holidays 10:00–16:00 Ba 20 21 UK (0871) 718 886 8333 1 Europe +353 42 2 22 USA (516) 62

Your comfort and safety When you fly with us, you want to know that we’re looking after your comfort and safety at all times. We are. It is our number one priority and our crew are trained to ensure you reach your destination as relaxed as you need to be.

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

ARE YOU READY FOR TAKE-OFF AND LANDING? 

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



Is your seatback fully upright?



Is your armrest down?



Is your tabletop stowed?



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

You can use portable electronic equipment on flights but some devices can interfere with aircraft equipment, creating potential safety risks. Knowing how to set up your device for flight use and when to switch it on and off are therefore very important.

Please note that certain devices may not be used.

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

Devices permitted at any time

Devices permitted in flight only*

Devices prohibited at all times

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

Laptops, portable CD-players, Mini-disk players, GPS handheld receivers, electric shavers and electronic toys. For the comfort of other passengers, audio devices should be used with a headset.

If using laptops inflight please select flight safe mode before takeoff.

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).**

If you wish to use your phone during your flight, please make sure you select flight safe mode before your phone is powered off.

*Not permitted during taxi/take-off/ initial climb/approach/landing.

Please note, if your device does not have a flight safe mode it may not be used on your flight.

After landing and only when crew have advised that it is safe to do so, you are permitted to use your mobile phone, provided it is within easy reach.

You must remain seated with your seatbelt fastened and follow the instructions of the cabin crew.

ON Airplane

Mode

On A330 aircraft, to avail of our Wi-Fi and Mobile Network, devices must be switched off flight mode once advised that it is safe to do so by crew.

**Laptops with built-in WLAN (eg Centrino) may be used during flight, provided the WLAN option is turned off and subject to the restrictions associated with the use of laptops detailed above.

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Your comfort and safety

KEEP MOVING

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



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



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



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

We also want to make it clear that Aer Lingus may refuse to allow a passenger on board if it is thought that too much alcohol has been consumed. Similarly, behaviour or language towards other passengers or crew members that is deemed to be threatening or abusive will not be tolerated.

Airbus 330-

200

For your Safety

Fógra Sábhá Pour votre ilteacht Sécur ité Für ihre Siche rheit Para su Segur idad

Airbus 319

Safety For your áilteacht Fógra Sábh Sécur ité Pour votre Siche rheit Für ihre Seguridad Para su a Sicurezza Per la vostr

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Here are a few tips to make your journey more comfortable and to reduce jet lag.

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

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

EAR CARE Cabin pressure changes can be painful particularly if you have a cold, sinusitis or existing ear problems.

If you experience these problems during the flight, have a chat to our cabin crew.

ON Airplane Mode

DRINK UP

ON Airplane Mode

ON Airplane

ON Airplane

Mode

Mode

In line with Irish Government regulations, Aer Lingus has a no smoking and no electronic cigarettes policy on board. These are not permitted in any part of the cabin.

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

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

TIME ZONES Help beat jet lag by setting your watch to your destination’s time when you arrive on board. This will help you adjust to the new time zone more quickly.

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Irelands Oldest Pub EST 1198

TRADITIONAL FOOD SERVED ALL DAY LIVE IRISH MUSIC NIGHTLY SUNDAY MUSIC SESSION 3.30-6.30pm

20 Bridge Street Lower, Dublin 8 10 minute walk from Guinness Store House 2 minute walk from Christchurch

Tel : +353 1 6795186 www.brazenhead.com

INFLIGHT

Aer Lingus news FAMILY FIRST We’re delighted to introduce our new Family First offering, which gives families a range of discounts on travel, including half price on checked baggage and advance seat selection for children aged twoto-eleven years travelling on short haul flights. Dedicated to customer care for almost 80 years, Aer Lingus is the family friendly airline, taking great care of all the little crew on board. Families will continue to enjoy priority boarding, generous cabin baggage allowance and equipment for infants on board, making Aer Lingus the smart choice for big ones and little ones.

Mouthwatering morsels

Razor lite in November

In collaboration with The Foods of Athenry, Aer Lingus has added a new gluten-free snack pack (€5) to their onboard menu, Bia. Included are multiseed gourmet crackers with a mild soft Italian cheese; mixed seeds and dried fruit; and a Belgian chocolate biscuit cake.

Also new to the menu is a turkey and brie sesame mini slider with red onion chutney and rocket, and a soft mini slider with pulled ham and coleslaw (€4.50 two-pack).

Movember fundraising ng initiatives at Aer Lingus us have raised more than €35,000 for the Irish Cancer Society’ss prostate cancer service ice and research fund.

During the month of November 2014, overr 50 staff members grew ew moustaches for the cause, with onboard collections organised on all Aer Lingus European flights during the last week of her the month. In a further quirky initiative to help raise awareness of the campaign, an Aer ered EI DES, was Lingus aircraft registered fitted with a giant Movember moustache, right. Naturally, Des’s makeover was documented on the company’s Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Instagram and

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Snapchat accounts. Aer Lingus would like to thanks its many customers who contributed to the Irish Cancer Society via its Movember campaign.

TURTLE POWER

A very special sponsorship Aer Lingus has been named as official airline sponsor of Special Olympics Team Ireland competing at the World Summer Games in Los Angeles in July 2015.

Team Ireland includes 88 athletes, each of whom will travel to LA this summer to compete at the highest level in their sport. We wish them well as they prepare for the momentous sporting event.

AER LINGUS FIRSTS

Aer Lingus transported Leona, the loggerhead turtle, to Gran Canaria in early December. It is just over one year since the turtle was found on the beach at Quilty, Co Clare. Leona was rehabilitated at the Galway Atlantaquaria until she had fully recovered and was ready to return to the sea.

Accompanied by Galway county vet Rita Gately and aquarist Joanne Casserley, Leona received her own boarding pass and was transported in a custom-made lined crate that was secured in two seats in the BIG main cabin. On WINNER arrival in Hurray! Aer Lingus Gran has been awarded the title Canaria, she of Best Airline to Europe recuperated in a sanctuary for a few days where she was fitted with a GPS and Best Airline to North tracking device so that the aquarium and Leona’s America at the Irish Travel many fans can track her progress. Follow her Trade News Awards, and also adventures on @LeonasLog. Best Short Haul Airline at

the Irish Travel Media Awards.

Inaugural flights, cadet licenses and St Patrick’s Day fly-pasts all happened in February and March over the past eight decades.

1938

Aer Lingus’ first aircraft, De Havilland DH84 Dragon EI-ABI Iolar left the fleet on February 16 when it was ferried to the UK to its previous owners, West Coast Air Services. The Dragon was replaced with a DH89 Dragon Rapide from West Coast Air Services’ fleet, and the latter aircraft, registered EI-ABP and named Iolar II, was delivered to Aer Lingus at Baldonnel on February 24.

1950

Aer Lingus participated in the St Patrick’s Day industrial parade in Dublin on March 17 in grand style, with a low overflight by two DC-3s in formation.

their th Friendship conversion training, tr they were presented with wi their wings on May 31, 31 1963. Today, Aer Lingus is again running an ab initio ini cadet pilot training programme.

1971 1963

On February 14, commercial pilot’s licenses were awarded to seven cadet pilots in Dublin who had successfully completed their initial training with Airwork Services Training in Perth, Scotland. These were the first group of cadet pilots, above, taken on by Aer Lingus, and on completion of

In January 1967 Aer Lingus placed an order for Li two Boeing 747s (commonly referred to as Jumbo jets) for use on its transatlantic services. The first of these aircraft, EI-ASI St Colmcille, arrived in Dublin on March 5, 1971. After the customary fly-by of the city and the airport, it landed shortly before 1100 and was escorted in from

the runway by DH84 Dragon EI-AFK, painted to resemble Aer Lingus’s first aircraft, EIABI Iolar. Aer Lingus showed off the new aircraft to the citizens of Dublin in March, 1971, when it flew over the city centre during the St Patrick’s Day parade. The second 747, EI-ASJ St Patrick, below, was handed over on March 18. A third Boeing 747 was added to the fleet in 1979, and the three aircraft formed the backbone of the transatlantic fleet until they were eventually replaced by the Airbus A330 in 1994-1995.

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Movies Flights to North America Aer Lingus presents a variety of recently released movies for your enjoyment on board your flight to North America. Welcome to the international multiplex cinema in the sky!

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Action Fury 134 mins

R

April, 1945. A battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank and her five-man crew on a mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered and outgunned, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany. Stars Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman and Shia LaBeouf.

E

Comedy

Crime

Hello Ladies

R

85 mins Stuart pretends to have a girlfriend to make his ex jealous. Stars Stephen Merchant, Christine Woods, Nate Torrence

This is Where I Leave You

R

R

90 mins Alan gets an unexpected second chance at love and life. Stars Jessica ParĂŠ, Brian Gleeson, Stanley Townsend

103 mins Four adult siblings are forced to live together again. Stars Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda

E

Standby

E

E

Drama

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Drama

R

The Drop

R

The Judge

102 mins Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller reunite in Sin City. Stars Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin

141 mins Hank Palmer attempts to discover the truth about his father. Stars Robert Downey Jr, Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga

E

EFG I S

EFG I S

Sci-Fi

Kids G

General

PG

Parental Guidance

PG13 Parental Guidance

Not suitable for children under 13.

R

The Riot Club

R

107 mins Two Oxford students join the infamous Riot Club.

Stars Sam Claflin, Max Irons, Douglas Booth

E

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The Skeleton Twins

R

The Zero Theorem

R

Princess and the Frog

G

The Book of Life

E G

93 mins Two estranged twins reunite after cheating death. Stars Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Luke Wilson

107 mins A computer hacker has his quest interrupted by management. Stars Christoph Waltz, Lucas Hedges, MĂŠlanie Thierry

80 mins An ambitious waitress faces an amphibious problem. Stars Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Oprah Winfrey

95 mins A young man with a tough decision embarks on an adventure. Stars Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum

E

E

E

EFG I S

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R

106 mins Bob Saginowski finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry. Stars Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini

F G I S

Restricted Not suitable for children under 18.

Available in English French German Italian Spanish

Movies Flights from North America Aer Lingus presents a variety of recently released movies for your enjoyment on board your flight from North America. Welcome to the international multiplex cinema in the sky!

Action

The Equalizer

Drama Gone Girl 149 mins

R

The Guest 99 mins A soldier mysteriously befriends a grieving family. Stars Dan Stevens, Sheila Kelley, Maika Monroe

EFG I S

E

Crime

R

The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz

EFG I S

Comedy

PG13

105 mins The story of prodigy and activist, Aaron Swartz E

Doc

R

On his wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne reports that his wife, Amy, has gone missing. Under pressure from the police and a growing media frenzy, Nick’s portrait of a blissful union begins to crumble. Soon his lies have everyone asking the same question: Did he kill his wife? Directed by David Fincher and stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris.

Biography

132 mins A woman interrupts Robert‘s self-imposed retirement. Stars Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz

OURLM FI TOP O CE CH I

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

PG13

94 mins A businessman’s life changes when he inherits six penguins. Stars Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury E

Drama

Paddington

PG

St Vincent

PG13

95 mins A young boy befriends a talking bear at a train station. Stars Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters

102 mins A young boy finds an unlikely friend after his parents’ divorce. Stars Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts

E

EFG I S

Kids G

General

PG

Parental Guidance

PG13 Parental Guidance

Not suitable for children under 13.

R

Nightcrawler

R

Advanced Style

PG

Joe

R

The Good Lie

PG13

Big Hero 6

E PG13

F

117 mins A journalist blurs the line between observer and participant. Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton

72 mins An examination of the lives and styles of seven New Yorkers. Stars Joyce Carpati, Ari Cohen, Lynn Dell

117 mins An ex-con is faced with the choice of redemption or ruin. Stars Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter

110 mins The lives of several refugees change when they reach Kansas. Stars Reese Witherspoon, Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany

102 mins A group of friends form a band of high-tech heroes. Stars Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Jamie Chung

G

E

E

E

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EFG I S

I S

Restricted Not suitable for children under 18.

Available in English French German Italian Spanish

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We also provide a selection of classic movies available on flights to and from North America.

Timeless favourites such as The Croods and The Great Gatsby are available as well as a selection of Irish short films and features.

Our Classic Movie Selection

Classics (Flights from North America)

Classics (Flights to North America)

A Good Year

PG13

Amelia

117 mins Stars Russell Crowe

111 mins Stars Hilary Swank, Richard Gere

E

EFG I S

Home Alone

PG

Scott Pilgrim vs the World

PG

PG13

Avatar

PG13

EFG I S

E

Solaris

PG13

103 mins Stars Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci

112 mins Stars Michael Cera

E

E

E

G

98 mins Stars Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds E

The French Connection

R

The Inn of The Sixth Happiness

PG

The Sentinel

American History X

R

91 mins Stars Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac

99 mins Stars George Clooney, Natascha McElhone

The Croods

Bad Santa

162 mins Stars Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver

119 mins Stars Edward Norton E

EFG I S

PG13

108 mins Stars Michael Douglas

105 mins Daniel Radcliffe, Teresa Palmer

E

E

The Last King of Scotland

Mr & Mrs Smith

R

Argo

120 mins Stars Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston

December Boys

PG13

R

104 mins Stars Gene Hackman

158 mins Stars Ingrid Bergman

123 mins Stars James McAvoy

120 mins Stars Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie

E

E

E

E

R

Gangster Squad

R

R

Citizen Kane

172 mins Stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry

E

E FGS

Happy Feet 2

100 mins Stars Elijah Wood, Robin Williams

EFG I S

E

114 mins Stars Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson

R

EFG I S

The Great Gatsby

EFG I S

G

General

PG

Parental Guidance Not suitable for children under 13.

86 mins Stars Neville Archambault, Lee Arenberg E

Capturing our Capital 8 mins

E

PG

How to be Happy

80 mins Stars Brian Gleeson E

R

RĂşbaĂ­

PG13

12 mins Stars Donncha Crowley. Irish with English subtitles

The Attendant

R

12 mins Stars Adrian Dunbar, Abigail McGibbon E

The PG Storyteller: The Referee

R

18 mins Stars Eddie Lenihan

E

E

G

F I S

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Restricted Not suitable for children under 18.

Available in English French German Italian Spanish

Invictus

R

PG13

134 mins Stars Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon EFG I S

PG13

143 mins Stars Leonardo DiCaprio

PG13 Parental Guidance

R

G

113 mins Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling

Rocknrolla

Cloud Atlas

119 mins Stars Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten

Irish Shorts and Features

A Kiss for Jed

G

The Nightmare before Christmas

76 mins. Stars Danny Elfman E

PG

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Television On Demand On Demand TV allows you to select and view your favourite TV shows.

Aer Lingus is home to some of the most anticipated new shows on TV in this extensive choice of award-winning Comedy, Drama, Documentary, Lifestyle, Business, Sports and Kids programmes.

Business

Bloomberg’s Game Changers

This month, Bloomberg’s Game Changers spotlights the careers of Sergey Brin and Larry Page – from their first encounter at Standford University to the development of products such as Google Maps, News and Gmail.

Bloomberg’s Eye to Eye, meanwhile, profiles Martin Sorrell, an English business and current CEO of the WPP Group. Also on board are Enterprise, Inside, Euronews’ Business Planet and Real Economy – all of which cast a cold eye over the world of business.

Comedy

Documentary

The Horsemen

In Clifden, a small village on Ireland’s west coast, Henry O’Toole has made it his life’s mission to breed and protect Connemara ponies. Tune into The Horsemen to find out more. Animal lovers may also enjoy The Day of The Wolf or Marine Mammals. Keep an eye out for Movie Award Memories for a reminder of the biggest movies, actors and TV shows of 2014. Also available on board are Inside The American Mob, Beer Geeks, Shameless Idealists, Megafactories and Cosmos: A Space Odyssey.

Drama As we witness a golden age in TV drama, Aer Lingus offers engaging choices with boxsets of Game of Thrones, House of Cards and Mad Men on offer, as well as multiple episodes from the brand new series, The Knick and a return to fan favourite, Boardwalk Empire.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

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

Wahlburgers

Enjoy highlights of the Big Apple as John Fitzpatrick, CEO of Fitzpatrick Hotels North America, invites us to explore his quintessentially Irish hotel and his version of New York in the TV short, Fitzpatrick Hotels New York.

For more on Irish culture, food and music, tune into Imeall, Kevin Dundon: Modern Irish Food and Living The Wildlife. Jim Sherwin walks through his native Dublin from Clontarf to the National Botanic Gardens in Tracks and Trails.

In this month’s episode of Young Hollywood’s Greatest, we delve into the lives of seven actresses, including Olivia Wilde and Zoe Saldana, who have paired supreme talent with breathtaking beauty. Also available are Pawn Stars, Wahlburgers, Project Runway All Stars and Jamie’s Comfort Food.

Sport

Kids

Silicon Valley first hit our screens in April, 2014 and it has made quite the splash.

Although, with five Emmy nominations and writer Mike Judge (King Of The Hill, Beavis and Butt-Head) behind the series, it really is no wonder. Catch the season 1 finale on board.

Those with a more anarchic sense of humour might appreciate two new episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Also on board are multiple episodes of New Girl, The Big Bang Theory, Girls or HBO’s The Comeback, starring Lisa Kudrow.

Lifestyle

250 Great Goals

Sofia the First

Kids will surely enjoy Roobarb & Custard, a lighthearted comedy about Roobarb, a lovable, wacky dog and Custard, a sarcastic pink cat. Fans of Roobarb & Custard may also enjoy Sofia the First, a Disney series about a young princess, charming animated series Pip Ahoy! or an imaginative episode of Rocka-Bye Island. Teens may be more inclined to view and enjoy Austin and Ally, a sitcom about a young internet celebrity.

Soccer fans shouldn‘t miss 250 Great Goals, a collection of the finest goals ever scored in world-class tournaments such as the Bundesliga, The FA Cup and many more.

Also on board is One Second in F1 Racing, which examines the technology and innovation that goes into each second on the racetrack. One on One with Ahmad Rashad: Michael Jordan and HSBC Golfing World are some of the other available titles.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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Television On Demand Drama Boxsets

OU R V TOP TICE CHO

Game of Thrones The Chicago Sun-Times’ Andrew Romano once called Game of Thrones ’the most pleasurable television show’ there’s ever been – and also ’the hardest to convince... friends and family to watch.’

Now that Season 4 has been and gone, this is no longer the case.

The stigma against fantasy has finally lifted, in the face of the series’ gripping storytelling.

Game of Thrones is a cultural phenomenon the likes of which hasn’t been seen since, say, the publication of

Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers; a serial narrative masterwork that has viewers salivating for the next installment.

Dubbed ‘The Sopranos in Middle Earth’ by series showrunner David Benioff, Game of Thrones is a sprawling multi-narrative saga, based on George RR Martin’s book series ’A Song of Fire and Ice’. The books, first published in the mid-nineties, made Martin’s name. They’re full of realistic violence and debauchery, and Martin’s penchant for

killing off beloved characters is notorious; his plots are extremely unconventional for a genre in which convention is sacrosanct. The TV series has surpassed The Sopranos as HBO’s most popular series ever; the number of Emmys the show has earned recently hit double figures.

A fantasy drama series that is set in the mythical land of Westeros.

The fourth season, based on books 3, 4 and 5 of the series, is set to be the series’ most exciting yet. The royal wedding approaches, but several forces conspire to upset the proceedings.

House of Cards Since its debut on Netflix in 2013, House of Cards has become one of the brightest stars in the glittering constellation of top-quality modern TV. Based on a BBC miniseries from the early nineties, the series is Macbeth, or Richard III, transposed to Capitol Hill; a classic high drama of Machiavellian political intrigue.

House of Cards tells the story of Frank Underwood (played

by Kevin Spacey), a Democrat from South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District and

House Majority Whip who, after being passed over for appointment as Secretary of State, decides to exact his revenge on those who betrayed him with the help of his equally cunning wife Claire (played by Robin Wright).

The series also stars Kate Mara and Nathan Darrow in supporting roles.

The show’s first season received nine Emmy nominations, with shouts for Spacey, Wright, and director David Fincher. Wright also won the Golden Globe for

Best Actress, making the show the first online-only series to boast a major acting award for one of its cast.

Now we’re in Season 2, and the really compelling character has proven to be Claire Underwood. Behind every great man is a great woman, goes the old sexist saw. In House of Cards, behind the smart, conniving Frank stands Claire, still smarter and more cunning, pursuing her own mysterious agenda.

A political drama series that delves into the dark underworld of politics.

Mad Men Madison Avenue, 1960: where today’s advertisingsaturated culture was born.

Mad Men tells the story of the fictional Sterling Cooper ad agency. With the benefit of hindsight, the series works a kind of magic; its storyline is structured to bring about a slow deflating of the rakish ad man’s mystique, all the while making the debauched antics of said ad men gripping to witness.

At the centre of Mad Men is Don Draper (Jon Hamm), the agency’s alpha male.

He’s a true pro, and a

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

ladykiller with a penchant for expensive whiskey and cigars. He also becomes, in a feat of superlative character development, the series’ moral centre. As the story progresses, we start to catch glimpses of the thick deposits of existential dread that are piled up at the bottom of Draper’s soul.

another lost soul, his old-guard superior Roger Sterling (John Slattery).

Even bit parts are perfectly rendered, like the company’s Freud-obsessed head of research – appositely described by critic Mark Greif as ’a cross between Hannah Arendt and the Wicked Witch of the West.’

Hamm regularly chews the painstakingly recreated scenery as he carouses his way from crisis to depressive crisis. Then there’s the supporting cast – his wife Betty (January Jones),

In Season 6, the rising counterculture movement makes an impression on the office. Keep an eye on Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), as he finally starts to gain the viewers’ sympathy.

A drama series about one of New York‘s most prestigious ad agencies in the 1960s.

RESTAURANT, BAR & VENU E

Make it your business to visit Pacino’s, Dublin’s premier Restaurant, Bar and Venue

Award winning authentic Italian restaurant with resident Milanese Chef Patron Luca Mazza. Voted the Best Italian Chef in Ireland for the last two years by Italian Food Critic Paolo Tullio you will not get better cuisine in the country.

Using the best of Irish and Italian produce Pacino’s is a prominent member of “Good Food Ireland”, an association that features the best in Irish food producers and providers.

Pacino’s now provides entertainment on both Friday and Saturday nights, through it’s Pacino’s At Night Calendar including the best resident radio DJ’s and International Acts playing in the Cellar Venue weekly.

W www.pacinos.ie

E info@pacinos.ie

PH +35316775651

18 Suffolk Street, Dublin 2

Radio On Demand

TO P R A D I O P I C K

Fitzpatrick Hotels

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

CL ASSIC AL

INDIE

Contemporary easy listening from both sides of the Atlantic brought to you compliments of The Fitzpatrick Hotel Group USA.

IRISH

A World of Song

The Blue of The Night

TXFM‘s Indie Hits

Ceol na nGael

Irish Pulse

Liz Nolan of RTÉ lyric fm celebrates the wealth of Western vocal music in the exclusive, Aer Lingus edition of A World of Song.

In this bespoke edition of ’The Blue of The Night’ made for Aer Lingus, Eamonn Lenihan features an orchestral movement

by Ravel, and much more.

TXFM bring us the best indie hits of the moment, featuring artists such as U2, Royal Blood, Kongos and Kasabian. Curated especially for Aer Lingus

by Claire Beck.

Join Seán Ó hÉanaigh of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, as he brings you traditional Irish and folk music.

Irish Pulse brings you some of the best Irish songs in recent history.

Listen out for U2, Thin Lizzy and many more!

JA Z Z

KIDS

POETRY

POP

Jazz Alley

Happy Days

Irish Poetry Corner

Chart Hits

The Nicky Byrne Show

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.

Join Emma O’Driscoll in this special edition of Happy Days on RTÉjr Radio with songs about flying, exercising during the flight and some fun games that you can play on your journey!

Brian Munn selects and reads verses from renowned Irish Poets: WB Yeats, Oliver Goldsmith and Oscar Wilde amongst others.

Tune in as Chart Hits lifts the lid on the most up-to-the-minute pop hits from both sides of the Atlantic!

A music driven entertainment show mixed with guests from the world of music, entertainment & TV. Presented by Nicky Byrne and Jenny Greene.

POP

ROCK

Top Ten

Weekend on One

Weekday evenings you’ll catch ‘The Big Ride Home’ with Dara Quilty on Dublin’s 98FM from 4pm.

Dara’s on board right now to count down the top ten songs of the year!

The Weekend on One with Cathal Murray airs every Saturday and Sunday morning between 6–8am on RTÉ Radio 1.

It features an eclectic mix of music from all genres.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Nova Irish Classic Rock For 60 minutes, Marty Miller is here with some of the greatest rock bands around. Sit back, relax and enjoy your flight!

TA L K R A D I O

Documentary on One

Best of Moncrieff

RTÉ Radio 1 Documentary on One brings you, ‘Con Carey and the Twelve Apostles‘ along with ‘Never Knocked Down‘, which tells the story of Irish boxer, Seán Mannion.

Moncrieff is a lively mix of funny, engaging and irreverent issues.

Tune in every weekday 1.30–4.30pm on Newstalk 106–108FM.

Music On Demand Browse through our selection of music and create your own playlist from a collection of over 1,000 albums. Why not begin with some of our crew’s favourites below!

A L L T I M E FAVO U R I T E S

Moby

Amy Winehouse Back to Black Fatboy Slim You‘ve Come a Long Way Baby Moby Play Oasis (What‘s the Story) Morning Glory?

E L EC T R O

Röyksopp

Aphex Twin Syro Basement Jaxx Scars Depeche Mode Sounds of the Universe Jungle Jungle Röyksopp The Inevitable End

OPER A

Andrea Bocelli

Alfie Boe Alfie Andrea Bocelli Aria – The Opera Album Anthony Kearns With a Song in My Heart Katherine Jenkins Believe

A LT E R N AT I V E

Johnny Marr

Johnny Marr Playland Karen O Crush Songs Lykke Li I Never Learn Morrissey World Peace is None of your Business Royal Blood Royal Blood IRISH

Damien Rice

Hozier Hozier (Deluxe Version) Damien Rice My Favourite Faded Fantasy Sinéad O’Connor I’m not Bossy, I’m the Boss The Coronas The Long Way

POP

Jessie Ware

Ariana Grande My Everything Jessie Ware Tough Love One Direction Four (Deluxe Version) Sam Smith In the Lonely Hour Taylor Swift 1989 (Deluxe)

CL ASSIC AL

Alexandre Tharaud

Alexandre Tharaud Scarlatti André Rieu Music of the Night Benjamin Grosvenor Dances Rachel Podger Guardian Angel Rafal Blechacz Chopin: Polonaises

JA Z Z

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

Bill Laurance Flint Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band Landmarks Ginger Baker Why? Joe Jackson The Duke Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Fly: The Customs Prelude RNB

Paloma Faith

Electric Wire Hustle Love Can Prevail FKA Twigs LP1 Jennifer Hudson JHUD Paloma Faith A Perfect Contradiction (Deluxe)

COUNTRY

Florida Georgia Line

Brantley Gilbert Just as I am Dierks Bentley Riser Florida Georgia Line Anything Goes The Secret Sisters Put your Needle Down M E TA L

Slayer

Eluveitie Origins Judas Priest Redeemer of Souls Megadeth Th1rteen Metallica Death Magnetic Motörhead The Wörld is Yours Slayer South of Heaven ROCK

Robert Plant

Foo Fighters Sonic Highways Robert Plant Lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar The Black Keys Turn Blue Slash World on Fire U2 Songs of Innocence FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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Flight Connections at Dublin Airport DUBLIN

WELCOME TO DUBLIN AIRPORT Dublin Airport provides FREE WiFi

QUESTION 2

QUESTION 1

Where are you flying to?

Are your bags checked through to your final destination?

YES

Follow signs for Flight Connections

NO

Follow the signs for ‘Baggage Reclaim’.

After clearing passport control, your baggage belt will be displayed on the screens. Collect your bags, exit through Customs and proceed to Aer Lingus Check-in Terminal 2.

All other destinations

USA Departing gates 401 – 426, allow 15 minutes to walk to gate

Departing gates 401 – 426, allow 15 minutes to walk to gate Departing gates 101 – 335, allow 20 minutes

Have all your required forms filled out.

Follow signs for US Preclearance Aer Lingus Flight Connections Desk Our staff are on hand for any queries you might have.

Here you can; - Collect your onwards boarding pass - Check your next boarding gate and flight status

Passport Control and Security Screening

Hand Baggage search

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

Follow signs for Flight Connections

Gate Information Screens

Our Gold Circle Members and Business Class guests are welcome to visit the Lounge. You can work, eat, drink or even grab a shower between flights.

Enjoy refreshments in one of the restaurants or cafés. If you are travelling Business Class, there ther is our Gold Circle Lounge.

DEPARTURE GATE

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DUBLIN

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contact@mcgettigans.ie

CLARKE QUAY SINGAPORE Opening March 2015

NEW YORK USA

Opening March 2015

www.mcgettigans.com

Flight Connections at T2 Heathrow Airport K EY

L5 U V E RT L E E PA D

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S EC U R IT Y

BAGGAGE R ECL AIM

PARKIN G

P U BL I C AR E A

I M M I GRAT I O N

TO ILE TS

SEC U RE AR E A

SEC U R I T Y

GOLD CIRCLE LO U N GE

GATE NUM BER

#

C H EC K IN B31

B49 B48 B47A

B32

B47B

B33

B46

B G T A E S

B44 B35

A18

DEPARTING PA S SEN G ER S

2

B34

A17

T

A16

B43 B42

B36

A19

B38

A20

L 4 EV VE L L E AT E G

B39

A21A

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B41

A21B A23 A24

A26 A25

ARRIVIN G PA S S E N G E RS

L A EV R E R L IV 1 A LS

LONDON HEATHROW TE RMINAL 2

Flight Connections at T5 JFK Kennedy Airport ARRIVIN G PA S S E N G E RS

D G AN IA K I NAG E I N VK R PA A R T R A A L G IR YW A K S

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JO H N F. KENNEDY TERMINAL 5

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

the ca s tle | the lodge | the old stable mews

A rural retreat in the heart of Ireland‌

N

estled on 1,000 acres of undulating Irish countryside, dotted with ancient woodland and glittering lakes, Castle Leslie Estate is one of the last great Irish castle estates still in the hands of its founding family. Steeped in history, full of character and charm, it is the ultimate Irish rural escape.

Only 80 minutes from Dublin and 60 minutes from Belfast,

hub of the Estate, a country house boutique hotel that brings

Castle Leslie Estate boasts a variety of accommodation and

locals and guests together in an atmosphere of conviviality and

activities to suit all tastes. The Castle, at the heart of the Estate,

comfort. The Old Stable Mews and Village Cottages are the

offers authentic original interiors and old-style hospitality and

perfect spot for groups that want the convenience of hotel living

is a complete respite from the world. The Lodge is the social

combined with private self catering.

Castle Leslie Estate, Glaslough, Monaghan

t: + 353 47 88 100

www.castleleslie.com

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

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Aer Lingus partner destinations (JetBlue, United Airlines, Air Canada) With US Customs and Border Protection Pre-Clearance at Dublin and Shannon airports, you will save time and avoid queues in the US. Arrive in the US before you depart Ireland.

144 |

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Aguadilla Ponce

We are the best choice for connecting Europe to North America.

You can travel from Dublin direct to five US destinations, or to Canada, and benefit from up to 70 onward connections with our partner airlines.

Halifax

Connect with ease from any of our European destinations to our Northern American network via Dublin or Shannon.

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Perpignan

Bourgas

Dubrovnik Rome

Barcelona

Naples

Madrid Corfu

Palma

Lisbon Alicante

Ibiza

Athens Catania

Malaga Faro

Agadir

Tenerife Gran Canaria

Lanzarote Fuerteventura

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

Izmir

Our Middle East and Australasia Route Network You can now book flights between Dublin and Abu Dhabi, and have full access to flights across the network beyond Abu Dhabi, to points including Australia, Asia-Pacific, the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East. Visit aerlingus.com for more information.

Dublin

Bahrain Abu Dhabi Muscat

Kuala Lumpur Singapore

Aer Lingus routes from Dublin (Operated by our codeshare partner Etihad Airways) Aer Lingus routes via Abu Dhabi (Operated by our codeshare partner Etihad Airways)

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Perth Sydney

Melbourne

Saint Patrick's Cathedral Dublin

Open Daily for Visitors www.stpatrickscathedral.ie or call +353 1 4539472 for details

THINK TANK

© BROSNANPHOTOGRAPHIC

Awaken your senses over 7 courses with our award winning Thai food & cocktails THINK, A BREAK AWAY THINK, LUXURY

Awarded Thai Select Premium Certification

Diep Le Shaker Award winning Royal Thai Cuisine 55 Pembroke Lane, Dublin 2 | T: 01 661 1829 | www.diepleshaker.ie

THINK, AMAZING FOOD THINK, LOCATION

THINK, TANKARDSTOWN Georgina Campbell’s Country House of the Year 2015 Georgina Campbell’s Atmospheric Restaurant of the Year 2015 AA Guest Accommodation of the Year – 2013-2014 E: INFO@TANKARDSTOWN.IE

T: 00 353 (0)41 982 4621

WWW.TANKARDSTOWN.IE

✔ Great contacts ✔ Fresh ideas ✔ I nspirational speakers

Enjoy Wi-Fi and Mobile on board your transatlantic flight today* Wi-Fi on board On our A330 aircraft you can stay in touch with everything that matters, even when you’re in the air. Here’s how to connect your Wi-Fi enabled devices.

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

Mobile Network on board With our on board mobile network, AeroMobile, you can use your phone for text, email and internet browsing, just like you always do**. Stay connected even as you cross 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 and choose a tariff that offers either one hour of browsing or 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 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

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

You can now browse, email and surf the internet… enjoy!

One hour pass €10.95 | $14.95 24 hour pass €19.95 | $24.95 148 |

Switch on

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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

Standard roaming rates apply from your mobile phone operator *A330 aircraft only.

A beautiful 12th Century Castle & Botanical Gardens Just 10 minutes from Dublin Airport and 13Km from Dublin City Centre • • • • • • •

Open daily from 9.30am Guided tours Audio Language Tours Exhibition Areas Walled Botanical Garden Gift shop AVOCA cafe & retail store Book online www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie +353 1 8169538 Adult €12, Child €6, Student €8, Senior €7.50 Garden only tickes also available.

The d hotel Drogheda

A stunning contemporary hotel overlooking the River Boyne in the heart of the Boyne Valley.

The d hotel is only 25 minutes from Dublin Airport and the ideal base to explore the World Heritage Site of Newgrange, the Battle of the Boyne, Monasterboice, Mellifont Abbey, Millmount & Much More...

104 Bedrooms, Wm Cairnes & Son Gastropub estd. 1825, De Lacy’s Steak & Seafood Restaurant, Free WiFi & Car Parking.

The d hotel, Scotch Hall, Marsh Road, Drogheda T: +353 41 9877700 E: info@thedhotel.com www.thedhotel.com

Cloghan Castle

R A I LT O U R S IRELAND

First Class!

Book Today - Travel Tomorrow Cliffs of Moher

• 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 NINE DAY TOURS FROM DUBLIN

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

also available from LONDON

Car Free - Care Free

www.railtoursireland.com TEL:DUBLIN + 353-1-856 0045 e-mail: info@railtoursireland.com

Blarney Castle and Gardens

American Restaurant & Bar

Interactive Exhibition

A FREE APPETISER for one with a main course purchased on production of your boarding pass

Literary Walking Tours

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

Free Audio Guides Take a picture of this advert for 20% off entry

™

35 North Great George’s St. Dublin 1 www.jamesjoyce.ie

Managing parking for businesses and consumers.

It’s convenient cashless parking by:

tm

APP

Michelin Bib Gourmand

From Houston, TX to Heuston Dublin ™ is available in 300+ locations across Ireland, the UK & USA. Visit www.parkbytext.com

with over 135 cafes around the world, there’s always something happening at the hard rock.

12 Fleet Street • Temple Bar • Dublin 2 • Tel: 671 7777 • hardrock.com

KORJO USB HUB POWER ADAPTOR

Most people these days have more than one device and charging them can be a nightmare, especially when you’re travelling. Enter: the ingenious USB Hub Power Adaptor, which allows you to connect and charge up to four USB devices at one time. And even better, the four included interchangeable plugs mean you can do so anywhere in the world.You’ll find it on page 75.

New!

Travel Exclusive €25!

New!

WHAT WE’RE BUYING IN...

boutique COLLIE DOG

Travelling companions don’t come much cuter... Made from the fifinest nest quality materials, this little guy is fifibre-filled bre-filled and fifinished nished in super-soft faux fur.

Find him on page 76.

Start your New Year in style with one (or all?) of these awesome buys...

Want to get fitter, healthier and happier?

You need the Fitbug Orb, a discreet button-sized device that tracks your daily activity. It then sends all the data wirelessly to your smartphone or tablet, where you can analyse it on the Fitbug app. Gifts don’t come much smarter.

For more info, turn to page 71.

ON-BOARD PRICE RRP €70

€65

Save €5

ORLA KIELY PURSE

Orla Kiely is, without doubt, one of Ireland’s best designers. Incorporate a little classic Kiely into your wardrobe in the form of this gorgeous multi-stem print wallet in one of her signature styles.

It’s also the perfect present for the stylish woman in your life. It’s on page 57.

Star buy

On-board P rice €8!

New!

FITBUG ORB

€55 RRP €79 Save €24

ON-BOARD PRICE

BROOKE & SHOALS FRAGRANCE DIFFUSER

Sandalwood & Amber is the heart-warming fragrance from Brooke & Shoals, which comes in this stylish travel-sized diffuser. Combining soft powdery notes of vanilla and patchouli, with comforting sandalwood, this will make the ultimate housewarming or host gift. Check it out on page 58.

ON-BOARD PRICE RRP €20

€16

Save €4

Check out the new issue of Boutique.

Better brands, bigger savings, this is luxury shopping at discounted prices.

TRIP OF A LIFETIME | NATURE

enough to be released and the question was where – and could we track her. Celestial Green Ventures agreed to sponsor the cost of a GPS tag and then I came across Centro de Recuperación de Fauna, a rehab centre in Gran Canaria, who agreed to take her in.

A year to the day that we found Leona, we heard that Aer Lingus When Leona the turtle washed up in Co Clare, she would fly her to Gran Canaria. We’re really appreciative of Aer Lingus’ was in a bad way. One year, and plenty of TLC later, support and, in particular, we’d like to Rita Gately released her back into warmer waters. thank Robbie Patton for his help with making Leona’s passage safe on board hen Leona was so Simon contacted me – Galway the aircraft. Otherwise Leona might washed up on the Atlantaquaria had already agreed to still be here when she should be back beach in Quilty, take her in. in the ocean.

Co Clare, in First, we had to raise her Myself and Joanne Casserly LURE November 2013, she temperature – very gradually, of the aquarium travelled with was nearly dead. She had obviously or she could die. We couldn’t Leona to the rehab centre OF THE SEA been tossed around in a storm for put her into water because in Gran Canaria where the When Leona was first quite some time because she should she couldn’t lift her head and satellite tag was fitted. People released in December 2014, she made for the be in the warmer waters of the south would have drowned. So we kept saying, “What have you coast of North Africa. You mid-Atlantic at around 21-25oC. put her into very shallow been feeding her with, she can check where she is now Her temperature was 10oC. It was a water and covered her in is very pale?” I said, “That’s on @LeonasLog or to learn miracle she survived.

Vaseline to prevent any further the Irish skin, she’s matching more about turtles, seaturtle.org We know so little about turtles. water loss. mine.” But she’d been indoors They hatch out, go into the water We then introduced her very for a year, so she was paler than and, if they’re female, they come gradually to deeper water. We put her turtles out in the wild. back to the beach where they were in fresh water to rehydrate her and Joanne and myself were in tears born to lay their eggs about 25 years gradually increased the saline content on the day of her release at Melenara later; if they’re male, they never to that of sea water. I also treated Beach, but we were also very relieved come back. We think Leona, a her for pneumonia. She didn’t eat to see her swim off. She was so strong loggerhead turtle, is between ten and for four weeks but eventually made and took off into the water like a 15 years old. She probably originated an excellent recovery – she even had rocket. Straight ahead and not a from the Gulf of Mexico or the lobster on Christmas Day. backward look.

Carolinas, became ill, got caught The aquarium did all the nursing But we’ve been able to track her up in cold Atlantic currents and care and that included keeping her since.

If we are right about her age, Above left, Galway couldn’t swim or dive. So she had an in heated water, which was a big she’ll probably swim round the County Council adventure getting here. commitment. We had three storms vet Rita Gately, Atlantic for a while – but we would centre, with Leona love to think she’ll go back to Florida She was found by a passerby who in Galway last year and the power at Melenara and the beach where she was hatched contacted Dr Simon Berrow, head of was knocked out. At one stage they Beach, and, right, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group were boiling kettles to keep the water not a backward one day.

(IWDG). I work as the county vet warm in her tank. look, Leona sets off. In conversation with Frances Power. with Galway County Council and By mid-summer she was well

Into the wild

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CELESTIAL GREEN VENTURES

W

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

GLOBAL EXPERTS LOCAL SPECIALISTS Working with us means you can quickly access a global network of over 8,000 lawyers in 70 countries worldwide. We can help you in the areas of: > Corporate Transactions > Data, Privacy and Technology > Dispute Resolution and Litigation > EU, Competition, State Aid > Foreign Direct Investment > Intellectual Property and Technology > Tax

Get in touch with us today Dublin Andreas McConnell amcconnell@philiplee.ie

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7/8 Wilton Terrace, Dublin 2, Ireland T: +353 (0)1 237 3700 F: +353 (0)1 678 7794 info@philiplee.ie philiplee.ie

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