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January 22 2017 Sunday Independent
STAR DESTINATIONS
Whether it’s for work commitments or relaxation purposes, there’s no doubt that Irish celebrities love to travel. Clodagh Dooley finds out what holiday plans are on the horizon this year for some well-known personalities, as well as some of their best (and worst!) holiday memories
Maria Walsh. Image credit: Plan International
Roz Purcell
ROZ PURCELL, MODEL AND CHEF
Travel planning “I visited LA this month and I’ve booked a trip to Paris in April. I have some work commitments in the UK and US so I’ll be spending some time there during the year too. I really want to go back to South America and explore more places. Chile is top of my list. This Christmas just gone, I went to Thailand again. I visited last year with my sister and loved it there. We stayed at the Amatara Resort in Phuket which is amazing – the staff made us feel like queens during our entire stay. The food was insanely delicious, the weather couldn’t have been better and we explored lots of amazing islands during our trip. It was the most relaxing trip I’ve been on and I really didn’t want it to end.” Foodie paradise “I really like to experience different cultures when abroad, including the food – which may not always be the healthiest but I like to give it a try as I think it’s all part of the experience when travelling! Copenhagen is a great destination for healthy food. Berlin and Hong Kong are great too. However, my favourite foodie holiday is London. London is massive, with an extensive list of amazing restaurants from low to high budget. I’ve had some of my all-time favourite meals there and any time I go, I have a long list of new places to try.”
RÓISÍN O, SINGER, SONGWRITER AND MUSICIAN
Childhood cruises “Myself and my mam’s side of the family are heading on a cruise around the Caribbean in February. We’re performing on it, but mostly it’s a great holiday for us. We’ve gone on it most years since I was a kid and it’s a great way for us to hang out with our uncles and cousins who live in the States, once a
of my Rose of Tralee year. Ireland offers such beauty and characters like no other. I adored those two weeks.”
Róisín O. Image credit: Dara Munnis
year. The ship usually leaves from Miami and heads around St Thomas and the Virgin Islands. It’s the perfect time to go in early February when the cold dark nights at home start getting to you!” Hot holidays “My favourite cruise was when I was 15 and we all went to Stingray City on the Cayman Islands. However, I’ll never forget the time while on another cruise, I got so badly sunburnt, I came up in blisters all over my body. At dinner one evening, my little cousin Catriona jumped into my arms and ripped a layer of skin off my chest when she jumped
down. I spent the rest of the holiday in bed. I never forget to reapply sunblock now!”
MARIA WALSH, FORMER ROSE OF TRALEE AND BUSINESS OWNER
Unique opportunities “To step away and treat myself after my 2014/2015 Rose of Tralee year, I walked the Camino de Santiago, all 500 miles of it! And I loved it. The Camino de Santiago was a gift to myself, 30 days of walking, connecting with various nationalities, all sharing a common quest to answer ‘what is next?’. I also loved visiting all 32 counties of Ireland in a two-week period in a cold January
Travel bug “I can’t relax while sitting beside a pool so adventure and sightseeing have to be on the agenda when I travel. It is on my bucket list to visit a fitness camp somewhere in the sun but I might wait until autumn to find and experience something unique. 2016 saw a trip to Ghana with Plan International, NYC/ Boston and Philadelphia, as well as Toronto and a weekend getaway to Madrid. “I am biased towards my hometown, the City of Brotherly Love – Philadelphia. Since leaving in 2015, I have missed it dearly and encourage all who are thinking of putting it on their itinerary to please do so. Such a beautiful and historic part of the East Coast. And for all my lovely memories, it will forever remain my home away from home. I am eager to see more of the Camino routes in coming years, in particular the Northern Route, as it looks tougher. Africa and I have always had a love affair, and any time there is time well spent. I first travelled there when I was 21 and, again, in 2014 and this past May. Remarkable continent, full of rich culture. I definitely have the travel bug. Here’s to 2017 being as packed.” 2017 will see the launch of Maria’s business, Juniper & Ruby, which will cater for both corporate events and weddings. Maria will also be sharing advice at the Wedding To A Tea event across Munster and all tickets can be purchased on www.eventbrite.ie
VOGUE WILLIAMS, MODEL, TELEVISION AND RADIO PERSONALITY
Getting away “I love travelling. I recently filmed a travel series for BBC NI and RTE called ‘Getaways’, which will air in early 2017, and I got to visit
Sunday Independent January 22 2017
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Vogue Williams
Pat Divilly Image credit: Rick Barrett
Ironman booked in with some friends for Barcelona in May.”
some beautiful places. I went away over Christmas to Spain to see my mum, I love it there – it’s one of my favourite countries in the world. I also love going back to my family home in Howth; it’s the prettiest place and just a great place to relax. This month, I am in Austria filming ‘The Jump’ on Channel 4, where I’ll be for a while. I’ve been doing quite a bit of travelling recently but I’d always love to be doing more – Jamaica’s at the top of my list!” New experiences “I like to fit in as much as I can when going to a new place, I try to see everything! I
went to Iceland earlier this year which was just gorgeous, truly one of the most breathtaking countries I’ve ever visited. We went and saw this amazing waterfall and then went snow-mobiling. It was so much fun. The views are just fantastic at Iceland’s glaciers, I highly recommend visiting. I love to go to art galleries in my spare time too, so if I’m going somewhere new then I like to check out the culture. Food is always on the top of my list when I visit a new place, I love local cuisine and trying new things.” Vogue Williams is a brand ambassador for Sun Kiss fake tan (www.sunkiss.ie) and will be competing on Channel 4’s ‘The Jump’ in early
2017. ‘Getaways’ airs on BBC NI and RTE One from January 2017
PAT DIVILLY, FITNESS EXPERT, AUTHOR AND ENTREPRENEUR
New year, more travel “Travel is one of my main passions and I’ve had a busy 2016 of it, visiting close to 20 countries. I keep saying I’m going to slow down in 2017 but we’ll see if that happens! I’m speaking in Barcelona at an event at the end of October, and then I’m off to climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania the next day. I’m also looking at climbing Elbrus in Russia, Europe’s highest peak, and I have a half
Adventure of a lifetime “I fell in love with Nepal last year with two trips over there in April and October. After speaking at a conference there and then hiking to Everest Base Camp, I knew it’d be a place I’ll return to for the rest of my life. I’m currently building a school out there, an hour outside of Kathmandu so that’s a place I’m excited to get back to! The views are incredible, every time you look up, it’s like looking at a postcard. Any bar or teahouse you venture into in the mountains is like a museum with such culture and history. The locals are incredibly friendly and kind and the other tourists you meet tend to have incredible stories and a true sense of adventure. Closer to home, the West of Ireland is the place to be for an adventure holiday. Leenane is incredible and I like Ballyvaughan for a quiet getaway.”