Go Rail Summer 2013

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2013 VOL:03 ISSUE:04

Jim McGuinness

The Man Who Revolutionised Football

Pauline McLynn

On Being Jason Byrne s Mammy

Dido

Back To Reclaim Her Pop Crowd PLUS: Jon Richards, Sheila O Flanagan & Paul Walsh

GH! U A L A H E ’ S H AV I N G

JOINS THE COMEDY A-LIST SP OT L I G H T O N T I P P E R A RY & O F FA LY Go Rail Cover 3-4.indd 1

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CONTENTS GO

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2013 VOLUME: 3 ISSUE: 4

C H R I S O ' D O W D P22 6 GO FOR IT A rundown of what’s hot and happening throughout the country.

18 TRAIN NEWS Up-to-date train news from Iarnród Éireann.

22 CHRIS UPON A STAR The toast of Hollywood thanks to Bridesmaids and This Is 40, Roscommon actor Chris O’Dowd talks about his remarkable career.

26 DIDO, IT’S OFF TO WORK SHE GOES She was one of the biggest selling singers of the decade and then she seemed to fall off the face of the planet. Pop star Dido on her years away and why she has decided to return.

28 LIFE AFTER MRS DOYLE She will be forever known as Father Ted’s Mrs Doyle. However Pauline McGlynn is also a respected writer and stage actor. She reflects on her career before, during and after Ted

30 A NOVEL IDEA Best-selling writer Sheila O’Flanagan on how the concept of dark family secrets inspired her latest novel, a tale of mixed identities and buried truths spanning the Atlantic.

50 GO EAT All the latest foodie news

32 JIMMY’S TALKING MATCHES Donegal football boss Jim McGuinness discusses his All-Ireland winning management style

56 GO TRAVEL A trip to Catalunya yields a marvellous ten-day adventure

34 GO BUSINESS At an elegant country house in Tipperary Sarah Baker is putting a unique twist on the traditional cookery course

59 MY FAVOURITE TRAIN JOURNEY Jon Richards of Galway Bay FM on the joys of travelling by train

36 TIPP AT THE TOP From great restaurants to historic sites, Tipperary has something for everyone. We look at the thriving foodie scene and talk to the innovator behind Cashel Blue cheese.

53 FASHION Why futuristic is the hot look this season

60 24 HOURS IN ATHENRY Immortalised in song, the Galway town is today a booming holiday destination.

62 GO REVIEW Our team of reviewers cast their eye over the latest albums, books and DVDs.

44 AN OFFALY BIG ADVENTURE Why the midlands county is one of Ireland’s coming tourist magnets.

03 Contents GoRail 3_4 1

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CREDITS AUG - SEPT 2013 VOLUME: 03 ISSUE: 04 MANAGING EDITOR

Máirín Sheehy

COMMISSIONING EDITOR

Roisin Dwyer

CONTRIBUTORS

Stuart Clark Craig Fitzpatrick Maeve Heslin Laura Hogan Roe McDermott Celina Murphy Colm O'Hare Conor Neville Anne Sexton

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

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STUDIO MANAGER

Graham Keogh

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GO RAIL IS PUBLISHED FOR IARNRÓD ÉIREANN BY: Osnovina Ltd 13 Trinity Street Dublin 2

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LETTERS

The Editor, Go Rail Magazine, 13 Trinity St Dublin 2

THE CHANGING SEASONS S

ummer came early this year in Ireland. The sun shone like crazy. It was good at first, feeling the heat and watching people strut their stuff under a cloudless sky.

While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, the publishers cannot accept any responsibilities for errors. The views contained in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Iarnród Eireann.

All material © Osnovina 2013. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of material without permission of the publishers is strictly prohibited.

The biggest risk was that collectively we might get fried to a crisp! Doubtless some people did, but most of us survived. The first week you could lather on the sun cream and relish the warmth.

On weekends off, the trick was to relax into it and conserve your energy. But if you were working – well, that was a different kettle of anchovies entirely.

In Ireland, with the odd exception, we don’t do air conditioning. And so it gets hot and sweaty inside.

Fans are fine for a bit of light relief, but they don’t complete the job of cooling us effectively over the course of an 8 hour working day. Everyone gets too hot. And then they get irritable. We are not prepared for a heatwave any more than we are ready for a freezing spell in Winter.

And so it gets to a point when you start to long for a serious drop in temperatures. A cool breeze.

Maybe even a bit of rain. Lovely rain!

Instead we got torrential showers and thunderstorms designed to collapse dams. This is supposed to be a moderate climate, but there we were going from one extreme to the other, in no time at all! You can’t win. Or not very often anyway!

One interpretation of the calendar has the last day of July as the end of summer. I never accepted that. August was always the time when the majority of Irish people went on holidays as kids, and so it has to be a summer month! Which means that November must still officially be autumn. That’s a somewhat harder proposition to sell.

I don’t know. Maybe some seasons are four months long and others two? In that scenario, summer runs from the beginning of May to August 31st; Autumn takes us on to Samhain; and Winter covers four cold and miserable months from November to the end of February.

Psychologically, that feels about right. Spring is a short season in this part of the world, covering a mere two months, in March and April. And come May, we are back into dreaming again about endless sun, and swimming, and the arrival of the longest day – which, of course, is just around the corner on June 21.

Perhaps. But for now, as we look towards August, we can also see September, looming over the horizon. There is just the sinking feeling, which comes with the realization that, once Electric Picnic is over, we are looking at the shortest day through a powerful telescope.

Pass the Prosecco, please. I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet...

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Where life sounds better 96-99fm | On Digital Radio | On the RTÉ Radio Player Twitter@rtelyricfm Facebook/rtelyricfm www.rte.ie/lyricfm

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A R U N D O W N O F W H AT ’ S H O T & H A P P E N I N G

BY LAURA HOGAN & CONOR NEVILLE

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The capital will be buzzing September 26 to October 13 with the return of the annual Dublin Theatre Festival. The programme includes the first new work from playwright Frank McGuinness in 14 years, The Hanging Gardens, and a 60th anniversary staging of Waiting For Godot, the Samuel Beckett play. Kurt Weill’s Threepenny Opera will be performed at The Gate. On the international front, Ground and Floor by Toshiki Okada and the acclaimed Neutral Hero by Richard Maxwell will capture the best of world theatre. For more information and a full programme log onto dublintheatrefestival.com.

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CHILD’S PLAY

����������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������� Baboró International Arts Festival for Children returns to Galway from October 14-20. Though geared towards children, kids of all ages will enjoy the week-long programme of events. Baboró’s aim is to enrich children’s creativity through inspiring performances, exhibitions and interactive workshops. The festival intends to introduce children to the world of the arts with the cultural mecca that is Galway as backdrop.

Young people can act as both spectator and actor via this unique introduction to theatre and performance. Events will take place all over Galway City. More information is available at www.babaro.com.

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CELTIC

COOK-OFF Chefs from each of the Celtic nations will gather in Skibbereen, Co Cork on September 11 to compete for the title of the ultimate Celtic Chef. The annual competition is part of the Taste of West Cork Festival. Chefs will battle it out using only produce from the locality. Overseeing The Cook Off is restaurant critic John McKenna; he will quiz the contestants on ingredients, cooking methods and recipes while interacting with the audience too. The aim is to celebrate the shared heritage of the Celtic world via food. More information about the festival and details on how to book tickets is available on atasteofwestcork.com/celticcookoff.

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BEER, GLORIOUS BEER! Returning to the RDS this September is the All-Ireland Craft Beer Festival. The event boasts over 20 different Irish brewers, gathered together to celebrate their love for the good old stuff.

Spanning across one mouth-watering weekend, September 6 – 8, a punter can explore a plethora of tipples by sampling the very best of what Ireland has to offer beer and cider wise. Tickets are just €10, which includes your

complimentary pint glass along with a voucher for one half-pint of whatever tickles your fancy.

The festival also provides live music along with fabulous Irish artisan food stalls. This is a craft beer-lover’s dream with the opportunity to taste over 70 different types of beers, ciders and stouts while also having an aul’ chin wag with the brewer who made it. If you’re a fan of the odd ‘light refreshments’ this is definitely one not to miss.

READ ALL ABOUT IT This year’s Mountains Of The Sea Book Festival is shaping up to be the most enjoyable yet. There are writing workshops, a ‘Picture Book Picnic’ and ‘Where’s Wally’ trail for kids and a talk by writer in residence, playwright Declan Hughes. Check out mountainstosea.ie for more information on locations and times.

The Jackie Clarke Collection Jackie Clarke (1927-2000) was a genius collector. From the age of 12 he amassed a collection of Irish material comprising over 100,000 items, spanning 400 years Open Daily Tues-Sat from 10am to 5pm Family Activities, Group and School Tours

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The Dublin Horse Show is Ireland’s most prestigious equestrian event and a fixture on the social calendar since 1864. Every year, the eight top show jumping nations in the world compete for the prestigious Aga Khan Trophy at the RDS in Ballsbridge, in Dublin. In 2012 the plucky Ireland team lifted the trophy for the first time in eight years. From August 7 – 11. For more information contact the RDS at (01) 668 0866.

THE COHEN S ALL HERE Leonard Cohen will stage what is sure to be an emotional return to Dublin with shows at The O2, September 11 and 12. Aged 78, the old warhorse shows few signs of slowing down. Last year he released his twelfth studio album, Old Ideas, garnering some of the best reviews of his career. Cohen is hugely influential and not just as the composer of ‘Hallejuliah’, a song that has been interpreted/ vandalized by everyone from Jeff Buckley to Alexandra Burke.

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FOTA WILDLIFE PARK IS 30 YEARS OLD IN 2013

PERFECT

PICNIC Celebrating its tenth birthday is the always amazing Electric Picnic.

In the picturesque surroundings of Stradbally Estate in Co. Laois the line-up is something special. The Picnic will be ringing in a decade this August 30th - September 1st with Fatboy Slim, Bjork, Arctic Monkeys, Robert Plant, My Bloody Valentine, The Knife, Franz Ferdinand, WuTang Clan, Eels, Noah and The Whale, Ellie Goulding, Johnny Marr, Disclosure and more.

As always Stradbally will be filled to the brim with top Irish talent, including Little Green Cars, Mick Flannery, The Strypes, Gavin James and the incredible SOAK. Plus, there is a return of Electric Picnic faves such as the international comedy tent (line-up yet to be announced) the chilled out Body and Soul area, a 24-hour cinema and amazing food.

CORK’S NO. 1 TOURIST ATTRACTION

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THE KERRY BEST When this spectacularly picturesque Atlantic costal town decides to strut its impressive culinary credentials at the annual Dingle Peninsula Food Festival it becomes one of the hottest tickets in the annual foodie calendar.

Showcasing almost exclusively local produce such as Dingle Bay seafood, Blasket Island lamb and Dingle peninsula cheeses, the festival’s famous Food Trail will involve a gourmet safari to over 60 establishments around the town, ranging from pubs and restaurants to pottery studios and hat shops.

Visitors will be treated to chocolate making lessons, tea and coffee workshops, beekeeping, cheesemaking, an adventurous foraging walk, which sits alongside a fully themed kids programme on

The Big Blue Bus, to keep them happy and involved.

Cookery Demonstrations will take place throughout the weekend in the beautiful old St. James Church and are free for all to attend, while the streets of Dingle will be lined with the biggest farmers’ market in the country.

Centre Stage will be the finals of the prestigious Blas na hEireann, National Irish Food Awards, which will be announced at a gala presentation over the weekend, ensuring that hundreds of the best producers in the country are in the town sampling and selling the finest Irish produce.

The 7th Annual Dingle Peninsula Food Festival.

October 4-6.

Find out more at www.dinglefood.com

CULTURE CLUB

TRAD TO THE BONE

Culture Night began in 2006 as an initiative of the Dublin Temple Bar Trust and has since gone national. Across the country, all manner of institutions, from art galleries and museums to Masonic halls, throw open their doors to the public. Last year some 900 venues across 34 locations took part. This year Culture Night is scheduled for Friday September 20. Standouts include free opera concerts in Limerick City and star-gazing at Blackrock Castle in Cork.

Good news for folk fans: the Dingle TradFest returns September 12 – 15. Previous headliners have included Donal Lunny and Niall Vallely.

This year’s festival includes lunch-time and late evening concerts.

Plus there will be sessions in a variety of novel locales. In 2012, performers graced nearby Mount Brandon. There are plans to repeat the experiment this year.

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GOFOR IT

CAPE OF

GOOD HOPE

TOMMY S ISLAND RETREAT

The Cape Clear International storytelling festival is in its nineteenth year and takes place September 6 - 8. Eight miles off the Cork coast, Ireland’s southern most inhabited island is a magnet for gifted storytellers, yarn-spinners and seanachaís.

Highlights include ‘Storyswaps’, Storytelling Workshops, and Heritage Walks.

Organisers encourage visitors to bring with them durable footwear, strong waterproofs and to leave behind phones or recording equipment.

Visitors are also strongly advised to bring a sense of humour.

For more information, contact director@capeclearstorytelling.com or phone 086 844 3067.

One of Ireland’s most precious funny men, Tommy Tiernan is doing something truly unique this year. His latest ‘world tour’ will be of Ireland’s islands. The Navan man has found time between writing his debut comedy TV series for Sky 1 and has decided to island hop his way around the nation performing on eight different land masses.

Tiernan begins his mini-tour on August 9 on Cork’s Sherkin Island before jumping across to Cape Clear, and Bere. He then takes his comedy roadshow to Donegal’s Arranmore and Tory Island before finishing up with a show on each of Galway’s Aran islands.

Most of Tommy’s island shows are just €25. The funny man is used to sell-out runs in Vicar St. and similar venues across the UK and US. He now brings his talents to locales where the entire population is often in and around 100 people. One not to be missed if you’re near by!

Royal Marine Hotel Dun Laoghaire, Dublin T: +353 (0)1 23000 30 E: reservations@royalmarine.ie W: www.royalmarine.ie

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GRUB S UP! GAA-ING FOR IT

The All-Ireland hurling and football finals are two of the biggest days in the Irish sporting calendar.

They take place on the second and fourth weeks of September respectively.

Invariably played in front of an 80,000 sellout crowd in Croke Park, the All-Ireland finals generate huge interest both at home and among Irish people abroad.

This year’s hurling championship has already been packed with surprises. Cork have demolished reigning champions Kilkenny while unfancied Limerick, Clare and Dublin are all semifinalists.

In football, Donegal claimed only their second All-Ireland title, defeating perennial bridesmaids and romantic underdogs, Mayo.

This year, Mayo look like strong contenders to reach another final, while the Dubs have a great shot at winning a hurling and football double. Of course, in both hurling and football, you can never rule out the most successful country in the GAA, the mighty Cork.

Waterford becomes a bustling culinary hub as the annual Harvest Festival gets underway from September 10. There will be cook-offs, and masterclasses showcasing the best of Irish fare.

From curry wars, scarecrow festivals, ‘eat along’ movies and celebrity cook-offs to the harvest dinners and restaurant tours, this festival has something for anyone with tastebuds. Of course, they’re not going to leave you without something to wash it all down. The festival also features a whiskey weekend, craft beer nights and wine-tasting talks.

Plus, there’s a rich music line-up, with jigs, orchestra concerts, and jazz nights, leading up to the festival finale with the Butterfly Band. For more information see waterfordharvestfestival. com.

RETURN OF THE MAC Legandary rockers Fleetwood Mac play two sellout nights in the O2 in Dublin this September.

The soft-pop geniuses behind ‘Go Your Own Way’, ‘Dreams’, ‘The Chain’ and ‘Gold Dust Woman’ had originally only planned a single date. They added a second night after the first sold out.

The band, formed in London in 1967, had their commercial heydey in the late ’70s with the release of the much feted Rumours.

The group have been through many changes in personnel over the years and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Stevie NIcks, and Lindsey Buckingham are touring together for the first time since 2009.

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Ambassador for Diabetes Ireland

GOFOR IT

STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Celtic Steps, a celebration of traditional Irish music, song and dance, runs Monday to Thursday at INEC Killarney until October. Irish Dancing World Champion David Geaney stars. More information is available on inec.ie.

Tickets can be purchased from the INEC on the night of the event and prior to the event from the box office.

WESTISBEST Foodies will flock West this September for the annual Westport Food Festival (September 6 – 8). Events range from sampling local food at the Festival Village to tutorials on coeliac cooking and bee-keeping to competitions in cocktail-making and desserts. ‘Recipes for Success’ is a festival highlight: support and advice is provided to small food businesses from experts in the industry. The popular ‘Come Dine With Me’ segment returns on Friday night with teams made up of Westport chefs and producers dishing out a six-course meal for guests in a bid to earn the title of best team. The weekend concludes with a Westport speciality: a seafood and local produce BBQ. Go to westportfoodfestival.com for the complete festival programme.

BREWING UP A STORM

Set amidst the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, the Doolin Hotel is the perfect venue for a Craft Beer and Food Festival.

Featuring the very best brewers from Ireland, including the Carlow Brewing Company, Dungarvan, Eight Degrees, this event is the perfect chance to sample what the country has to offer in the ales department. The festival runs August 23- 25.

There will also be performances by The Sumbrellas, Bushplant and The Céili Bandits. Tickets are the recession-busting €5. As with its sister event in the RDS admission includes a souvenir glass.

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STYLE NATION F

rom September 5 to 8, Dublin’s City Centre will be taken over by style, as sartorially-minded creative types flood to the capital for the Dublin Fashion Festival.

Organised by Dublin City Business Improvement District, the same people who bring you Dublintown.ie, Dine In Dublin and Dublin at Christmas every year, this four-day festival aims to put Dublin back on the map as an international shopping destination.

Over the last decade, Dublin has become synonymous with fashion, providing an exciting cocktail of retail options, from designer to high street to vintage. DFF's style extravaganza is a must for keen fashionistas and savvy shoppers alike, boasting an exciting line-up of diverse events to put the fun and theatre back into shopping. As well as bringing together top fashion and beauty retailers on Grafton Street, Henry Street, and the city centre, the DFF programme will include special offers, live fashion events and in-store activities.

During the festival, particular attention will be paid to Dublin’s Creative Quarter, adjacent to Grafton Street. Blessed with a rich retail history that dates back to the 18th century, it's now home to an eclectic mix of shops, café, galleries, restaurant, and creative businesses, all of which will be showcased in the festival’s lively and engaging programme.

Sponsored this year by Samsung, the Dublin Fashion Festival has something to suit every taste and whim. Key events in the style diary include: • FESTIVAL LAUNCH PARTY The festival kicks off with a VIP launch event, boasting an exclusive guest list of key fashion, media and industry experts, and showcasing Autumn/Winter looks from some of the biggest retailers in the city.

• SAMSUNG YOUNG DESIGNER EVENT This will be the inaugural edition of the Young Designer event, a new competition which celebrates Ireland’s wave of indemand fashion designers, and the next generation of homegrown talent. Finalists will be selected from nationwide entries and invited to

Go For It GoR 3-4 10

showcase their designs in a unique event as part of DFF. Attendees can also expect a fashion Q&A with the accomplished judging panel, who will offer mentoring opportunities to the talented contestants.

• BLOGGERS EVENT The biggest fashion bloggers and industry experts in the business will be present at an exclusive DFF preview to mark their top tips and favourite fashion spots on the Dublin Festival Of Fashion Pin Board. In a fun and interactive night of entertainment, they'll also be testing their knowledge on all things fashion.

• SHOPPING CENTRE ACTIVITY Brown Thomas, Stephen’s Green, Jervis, Ilac, Powerscourt, Kilkenny, Clerys and Arnotts will each host their own instore events to celebrate DFF, with stylists giving makeovers, and talks and workshops popping up in each location.

• PAMPERING BUS This cosmopolitan carriage will be in service for the duration of the festival, taking its cues from New York Fashion Week. Visiting various locations across the city in the run up to the festival, the bus will offer

mini manicures, makeovers, and beauty tips, as well as a range of goody bags to the public.

• ON-STREET ACTIVITY The Dublin Fashion Festival takes to the streets for an array of al fresco activities, including outdoor pop-up catwalk shows and fashion parades on both sides of the Liffey.

• DFF BY NIGHT In collaboration with retailers and restaurants across the city, Dublin's best bars and venues will host a series of pop-up catwalk shows, culminating with the DFF by Night Fashion Parade, which will see urban trends paraded in and out of various nightlife hotspots as a moveable catwalk. And of course, top models and DJs will be crashing the party.

• GALAXY GIRLS NIGHT OUT Here’s one for the girls! In 2012, DFF premiered Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel in Smithfield’s Lighthouse Cinema. Following the event's success, in 2013, the festival is teaming up with Galaxy to host a Ladies Fashion Flick evening, a night of wining, dining and sartorialthemed viewing.

• DFF KIDS The kids will get a chance to strut their stuff at DFF too, in a selection of children's fashion workshops, and with costumes from the dress-up boxes that will be set up in city centre shopping centres and on the streets.

So, there you have it. All events across the four-day programme are non-ticketed, which includes the in-store events which will be happening around the city.

Whatever event takes your fancy, a weekend of fun and fabulous shopping and glamour is guaranteed...minus the hefty price tag!

For more information and to find out what’s happening when, check out www.dff.ie.

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The Kennedy Homestead: commemorating JFK’s legacy and his ties with Ireland

T

here are many exciting stop-offs around the country, each steeped in historical and cultural heritage. Here, Go Rail takes a look at four essential trips that are guaranteed to brighten up your summer!

THE KENNEDY HOMESTEAD The story of Ireland’s most successful emigrant family is told in an exciting new way in Dunganstown, New Ross, where a unique cultural museum has just opened its to the public.

Following the visit of Caroline Kennedy and over 30 members of the Kennedy family to Ireland as part of the JFK50 celebrations in June, The Kennedy Homestead is officially open for business, inviting guests to follow the progress of the iconic family from the Irish countryside to the White House and beyond.

Nestled in the lush Wexford landscape, close to the River Barrow and under the shade of nearby Sliabh Coillte, The Kennedy Homestead is the birthplace of President John F. Kennedy’s greatgrandfather Patrick Kennedy. It’s also a working farm, where Kennedy cousin Patrick Grennan still farms the land his ancestors left during the Great Famine.

Celebrating five generations of the Kennedy dynasty, the new state-of-the-art visitor centre tells the story through a mixture of graphic panels, original objects, like the dogtag JFK wore when he was assassinated, and the rich use of quotations from JFK and other members of the family.

Against the backdrop of the original farmyard, the insightful exhibition is based around an engaging guided tour, incorporating audiovisuals, a photographic exhibition and a historical

S E E

Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre: one of Dublin’s best loved retail landmarks

interpretative display.

Through a mixture of media, the exhibit traces the story from Patrick Kennedy leaving as a famine emigrant to his great grandchildren’s return as US President (John F Kennedy), US Ambassador (Jean Kennedy Smith), founder of the Special Olympics (Eunice Shriver), Attorney General (Bobby Kennedy) and US Senator (Ted Kennedy).

The Kennedy Homestead is situated about 7 kilometres from the town of New Ross, meaning that guests will also get a chance to take in the Dunbrody famine Ship and the Emigrant Flame during their visit.

ARIGNA MINING Ireland is often said to have little tradition of heavy industry.

However, a fascinating visitor centre by the River Shannon in Roscommon shows otherwise.

The town of Arigna has a long history of mining which dates back to the Middle Ages.

The Arigna Mining Experience offers a fascinating glimpse of what life was like down the mines. The tour guides always know what they’re talking about, as all tours are given by former miners.

The job of a miner was back-breaking and arduous. Visitors will be astonished to learn how men “lay on their backs in water using a handpick to shovel out a thin seam of coal”.

The wealth of historical documents, photographs and early mining equipment on display trace 400 years of mining history in the area.

The tour contains actual footage of miners working in the pits just weeks before their closure

in 1990.

In total, 350,000 visitors have traveled to the centre since its opening in 2003. The tour offers a stunning insight into this incredibly risky and dangerous job that was still being done until relatively recently.

IMAGINOSITY No family trip to the capital is complete without at stop-off at Imaginosity, a creative, educational and interactive space where children (up to the age of 9) and adults can play, discover, learn and create.

As Ireland’s only children’s museum, Imaginosity champions the vital role that play has in fostering a lifelong love of learning in young children and families, offering a diverse array of educational and cultural experiences for young and old.

A registered charity and not-for-profit organisation, Imaginosity boasts an everchanging daily programme of interactive and explorative activities in the areas of arts, science, engineering, maths, the natural world, dance, music and drama.

The museum also offers summer camps throughout August for children aged four to seven years and can cater for birthday parties for those aged one to nine.

Given the number of exhibits and events in the Imaginosity calendar, the Sandyford centre is a popular spot, so booking is essential at all times.

Phone 01 2176130 or visit imaginosity.ie to learn more.

JACKIE CLARKE COLLECTION The most important private collection of Irish historical material is now open to the public. The

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three people can be booked by phoning +353 (0)96 73508 or email clarkecollection@mayococo.ie.

Opening hours: 10am – 5pm daily from Tuesday to Saturday Web: clarkecollection.ie

TULLAMORE DEW VISITOR CENTRE Visitors from across the globe are flocking to the refurbished Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre, which is set on the stunning banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore.

The world-renowned whiskey tour blends audio-visual technology with traditional storytelling to reveal Tullamore Dew’s journey from humble beginnings to the present day, with archive footage and interviews with workers from the original 19th century distillery.

Visitors can enjoy an immersive tour, beginning with a video in the main auditorium where the story of Daniel E. Williams sets the scene. The film ends to reveal a giant drying kiln for malted barley, which you are then invited to enter. This area becomes the fulcrum around which the tour revolves, as visitors move up the stairs through the mashing kettle and washback to explore the distilling process from ingredient selection to treatment.

The tour concludes with a complementary whiskey tasting, when visitors can sample the triple distilled, triple blended Irish whiskey.

Opening hours: Monday – Saturday, 9.30am – 6pm, Sunday/Bank Holidays, 11.30am – 5pm Tel: +353 (0)57 932 5015 Email: info@tullamoredew.com Web: tullamoredewvisitorcentre.com

Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre and (below) The Jackie Clarke Collection

STEPHEN’S GREEN SHOPPING CENTRE

Jackie Clarke Collection has come to Ballina, comprising over 100,000 items from four centuries. Artefacts from Theobald Wolfe Tone are presented alongside letters from the likes of Michael Collins, Douglas Hyde, Charles Gavan Duffy, Michael Davitt and O’Donovan Rossa.

Also to be found in the new cultural attraction centre, located in the former Provincial Bank on Pearse Street, are rare books, poster, pamphlets and political cartoons, works by Sir John Lavery, maps, hunger strike material and personal items from the leaders of the 1916 Rising.

It is all thanks to the late Jackie Clarke, a local

businessman and notable collector. In 2005 his widow, Anne Clarke, gifted his collection to Mayo County Council. The Genius Collector room presents a short film on the man himself.

Elsewhere, there is a maps room, a beautiful library, a space dedicated to hundreds of prints, posters and political cartoons, and The Repository, which offers in-depth access to the collection. The centre also boasts a spectacular Urban Walled Garden, a preserved Victorian-style space for relaxation, exploration and education.

General tours are available at 11.30am and 2.30pm daily. Specialist tours for more than Imaginosity: fun and learning for children

Celebrating a quarter of a century in business, Stephen’s Green is home to everything a discerning shopper could wish for, from independent boutiques to internationally loved brands and some of the best bars and restaurants in town.

A retail hub that doubles as a historical and architectural marvel, the much-loved St Stephen’s Green centre feels as if it’s been part of Dublin for countless decades. In fact, it opened its doors for the first time in 1988.

Prior to that, the site was the home of the Dandelion Market, another famed Dublin institution. Back then, an archway on the Georgian west side of the Green led along an alley of shops and eventually into an open courtyard, housing more stall holders. In the late ’70s, a makeshift stage was created towards the back of the enclosure for up and coming bands.

Among those to grace the stage was little-known outfit called U2.

It’s fitting, then, that when a new venture was being planned in the ‘80s, developers decided to create a haven for shoppers. Boasting thousands of panes of glass and a pitched roof, the building is inspired by the design of a Victorian greenhouse. Decorative ironwork is displayed throughout the Centre, along the elegant staircases and along the first floor, where semicircular balconies protrude over the ground floor.

The interior is rendered all the more striking by the impressive dome and huge centre-piece clock (the clock, thought to be the largest in Dublin, is invaluable for the time-conscious shopper!)

A popular tourist destination, the centre is served by many bus routes and the Luas Green Line. It acts as the gateway to the hustle and bustle of Grafton Street and the rest of the city.

Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre is open Monday – Wednesday, 9am – 7pm, Thursday, 9am – 9pm, Friday and Saturday, 9am – 7pm and Sunday, 11am – 6pm. See stephensgreen. com for more.

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GONEWS

Westport Train Station

WESTPORT IS IRELAND S BEST STATION! CARLOW, KILLARNEY, PEARSE, ADAMSTOWN & GLOUNTHAUNE STATIONS ALSO WIN MAJOR AWARDS.

W

estport has been named Overall Best Train Station at the Iarnród Éireann Best Station Awards, which took place at Inchicore Engineering Works.

The awards were presented by Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, Leo Varadkar.

The awards recognize excellence in customer facilities, cleanliness, innovation and customer service. Some 15,000 people voted, either online or at train stations.

The accolade is just the latest honour for Westport, which was last year named by the Irish Times as ‘Best Place in Ireland to live’. The accolade is all the more satisfying as the winner was chosen by Iarnród Éireann customers.

The station triumphed in all four criteria: Staff Helpfulness, Staff Appearance, Station

Appearance and Customer Information.

Anne Elliot, Westport station manager, collected the award, a crystal locomotive trophy.

She was accompanied by Noel Enright, Rosaleen Wallace and John O’Grady. The award will be on display at the station for the next year.

Westport was also named Best Connacht Station, ahead of Castlebar, Ballinasloe and Boyle.

Carlow won best station in Leinster. Station Manager John Kennedy collected the award.

Athy and Arklow received commendations.

In Munster Killarney was named best station.

The award was accepted by station manager Catherine Cahill. Commendations went to Banteer and Glounthaune stations.

Best DART station for 2013 was Pearse Station, which recently received an upgrade and new

entrance. It finished ahead of Sandymount and Malahide. Mick O’Grady, Caroline Troy, Paul Parsons, John Donegan and Damien Brazil collected the award.

Adamstown was named Best Commuter Station for the first time, pipping Donabate and Coolmine. Brian Quinn, assistant station manager and Simon Doyle were there to pick up the award.

Glounthaune in Cork collected the special crystal steam locomotive ‘Meabh’ trophy for Best Customer Service. As a busy commuter station on the Cobh line, Glounthaune provides customer care of the highest standards. Ray Foley, Station Manager for Cork, collected the award along with Vincent Donnelly, the well regarded official in charge at Glounthaune.

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ROLL OF HONOUR Overall Best Station and Best Connacht Station: Westport

Best Munster Station: Killarney

Best Leinster Station: Carlow

Best Dart Station: Pearse

Best Commuter Station: Adamstown OVERALL BEST STATION Westport

HIGHLY COMMENDED Arklow & Athy

BEST MUNSTER STATION Killarney

BEST DART STATION Pearse

HIGHLY COMMENDED Banteer & Glounthaune

HIGHLY COMMENDED Sandymount & Malahide

BEST CONNACHT STATION Westport

BEST COMMUTER STATION Adamstown

HIGHLY COMMENDED Castlebar, Ballinasloe & Boyle

HIGHLY COMMENDED Donabate & Coolmine

BEST LEINSTER STATION Carlow

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE Glounthaun

Best Customer Service: Glounthaun

19 Train News 3-4 2

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xxxxx

GONEWS

A VISIT TO WESTPORT IRELAND S BEST RAILWAY STATION

In 2003 the staff of Westport Station researched and gathered artefacts and photos of the old Achill line. They opened a museum at the former waiting area serving trains from Westport to Achill.

Westport Station Booking Office and Waiting Room area.

Staff of Westport Station: John Casey ticket collector, Irene O Hara, clerical officer, Anne Elliott, station manager, Rosaleen Wallace, clerical officer, and Joe Feeney locomotive driver. Back Row (Left to Right) : Ger Ruane, station operative and Paul Barrett, station operative.

GoRail paid a visit to Westport Station recently to meet Anne Elliot, station manager and her staff, to see just why Westport is much-deserved winner of this year’s coveted Best Station in Ireland title.

How does it feel to come out on top amongst all the stations around our network?

I am extremely proud and attribute this fantastic achievement to all the employees, from clerical staff Rosaleen and Irene to ticket collectors, station operatives and train drivers, to the support staff of building and facilities, infrastructure department and maintenance and also to Rail Gourmet staff.

Westport station plays a key role in the life of the town and is very important to the area as a tourist destination. Last year Westport was voted best place in Ireland to live. I am very pleased to have received another award for the town.

As a member of Westport Tidy Towns committee, I am very conscious of the high

standards set locally. We are the custodians of the station. The onus is on us to provide the very best for our customers.

The Best Station awards are voted for by Iarnród Éireann customers. What does that mean to you?

We are delighted that our high standards meet customer expectations. So it makes it all the better that we were chosen by our customers.

This isn’t the first time Westport has won the overall Best Station award? Can you tell me about when you last won and also any further awards the station has received?

We achieved a hat-trick in 2003 when we won

Best Station in our category, Best Overall Station and the Heritage award. We have also won, over the years, awards for floral displays, staff effort and innovation. In 2010 we were nominated in the International Best Station awards. We were highly commended at a function in Manchester.

What changes have taken place over the years at the station?

In 2012 our customer facilities were refurbished, particularly the booking office. A modern ticket office was installed to serve customers.

The introduction of new trains with extra frequency has improved services and onboard Wi-Fi has been well received.

20 Train News 3-4 3

02/08/2013 17:40:23

SAVE MONEY AND START YOUR JOURNEY WITH A LEAP A

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It also works out cheaper than return tickets on Luas/DART/Commuter Rail services. Plus there’s no fiddling with change. With the Leap Card you simply top-up your travel credit and ay as you go whenever you like.

RECENT LEAPS FORWARD Leap Card Capping If you make lots of trips with your Leap Card within a single day or week (Mon-Sun), the Leap system will automatically cap the price. So you don’t spend any more than you need.

More Top Up options Ticket Machines in all DART and Commuter Rail stations in the Short Hop Zone have been upgraded to sell and top up Leap Cards.

Student Travelcard Students can now pay-as-you-go with a Leap enabled Student Travelcard. That is in addition to availing of a great range of discounts on longer period tickets. Check studenttravelcard.ie for more details.

Coming Soon on Leap Auto-Top-Up is currently being developed.

Once available, it will be the easiest way to top up your Leap Card. Auto Top-Up will be made available to all registered Leap Card users when the current trial period concludes.

A wide range of ticket options, such as annual and monthly tickets, will also be made available on Leap Cards later this year.

What are you waiting for? Take the Leap today and get your card at one of over 400 shops in Dublin or online at leapcard.ie

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Ballinesker Beach, Co. Wexford

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21 Train News 3-4 4

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PHOTO: PAT O’ LEARY

GOFEATURE

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This

Charming Man

All round nice guy Chris O’Dowd has already conquered Hollywood... and he’s not finished yet. WORDS CHRIS DONOVAN

“I

t didn’t really occur to me that you could make a career out of comedy,” admits Chris O’Dowd with a disbelieving laugh. “Growing up in Sligo that was like saying you wanted to be an astronaut.”

The astronaut analogy is appropriate given that the 33-year-old Moone Boy creator is fast becoming a major star. Famous on this side of the Atlantic for his role in Graham Linehan’s acclaimed sitcom The IT Crowd, the 2011 Hollywood hit Bridesmaids – in which he appeared alongside Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo – has seen him go supernova Stateside.

These days, you’ll find O’Dowd charming David Letterman, chewing flies on The Graham Norton Show, and starring in Christopher Guest’s HBO show Family Tree.

He may currently be one of the most bankable Irish actors in Hollywood and a leading light in big screen comedy, but he refuses to get ideas above his station. Charmingly self-deprecating, he claims to consider himself sitting a good deal below his actual station. So much so that he’s yet to acquire a mid-Atlantic twang.

“Just listen to me,” he laughs. “I’m not cool!

Although, it’s weird, I went to UCD and all the D4 kids used to slag my accent terribly, but apparently it’s okay for Hollywood!”

Whatever about the accent, he maintains that his Irish sense of humour goes down well in Tinseltown. “Actually working in Hollywood has been – easy’s not the right word, but in terms of comedy and tone it’s been quite natural, particularly in the SNL crowd. Because I think they’re quite aligned with that Irish slaggy humour – much more so than British comedy is to either American or Irish comedy. British comedy is much more tight-lipped and derisive, but America and Ireland seem to be on the same page.”

Even so, it was in England that O’Dowd got his first big break. Born in Sligo, he was raised down Roscommon way in the small town of Boyle, now immortalised in his Sky One show Moone Boy. Having failed to finish a degree at UCD, he moved on to the London Academy Of Music And Dramatic Art, but ending up in the business he loved still seemed like a pipe-dream. Let alone comedy...

“I think it just happened because when you come out of drama school you audition for everything, and back then I was a big dude, I was two or three stone heavier and had a shaved head – I was not an attractive human being!

So I wasn’t going to get any of the serious or heartthrob roles – and that kind of led me into comedy. And it’s worked out!”

It most certainly has. He’s busier now than he’s ever been before. “We’ve wrapped up Moone Boy series two but we start shooting series three in a month. I’m directing this series so there’s a bit more planning. We started preparation last week so I’m out in Ardmore trying to work that out.”

If it sounds like a commitment that means foregoing big film offers in the US, you’d be right.

“A little bit,” O’Dowd admits. “But that’s ok, they’ll wait. I’m quickly losing my looks but luckily I didn’t look that great to start with!”

Something else that will be keeping him on these shores is his new role as Arts ambassador for the Arthur Guinness Projects. He says he welcomes the diversion. “I’m in the country and I don’t really drink when I’m working so I have to have something to do in the evening!”

O’Dowd has talked about the importance of diversity and the unexpected in his Arthur Guinness Projects ambassador category, but his comedy pedigree must have him secretly hankering for someone to drop the script for a new hit sitcom or film on his lap.

“I think there’s some really funny stuff kicking around,” he says. “And I see that RTÉ have just introduced a Head Of Comedy which I think is a really good step. Ireland is the funniest country

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O’Dowd in Moone Boy

pound for pound in the world.”

While it’s true that we’ve successfully exported that funny gene around the world – Mr. O’Dowd himself being a good example of that – we haven’t always seen similar success at home.

Does he put the lack of strong indigenous TV comedy over the years down to resources and finance?

“That’s a big part of it,” he nods. “The fact that the national broadcaster didn’t have a comedy department isn’t going to help comedy. The fact that it is so close to Britain makes it difficult as well. I think it is important that we try to shoot more stuff here. Even stuff like Father Ted and Mrs. Brown’s Boys, none of it shoots here and here is a great place to shoot.”

At this stage in his career, the actor is equally well-versed in international talent, having worked with some of the brightest stars of screens big and small. That continues this summer, when he shoots the upcoming film De Van Nuys alongside Bill Murray. Before that, he can be seen in Family Tree. He’s delighted to be in the new comedy series from Christopher Guest, the man behind This Is Spinal Tap. “I was a huge fan! I was one of those guys who had the video of Spinal Tap on in UCD just playing and playing so I never took it off. It was bizarre that (Family Tree) came around and he is the sweetest man. He’s really funny. After a take, we would go off and do our big improv take and I would do some kind of joke and... ‘CUT! Ok, Chris that was great... I love that joke that you did about the skeleton and that was really funny.

Not for this show but save it for something else!’

So even when he’s putting you down he makes you laugh.”

On a personal level, the Bridesmaids star got hitched himself last year – to Dawn Porter, no less. He’s happier to talk about his breakthrough movie than his domestic life. He says that he initially wasn’t that invested in Bridesmaids, not even reading the entire script.

“To be honest, one of my big faults is that I get too involved in a project and I begin worrying about everything. So I made a conscious decision to just read my part and asked everyone not to tell me about what was happening in the rest of the film so I could just focus on my bit. It meant watching the film was a joy, because I hadn’t seen most of it, and it genuinely is so funny. I was also conscious of the fact that I’m playing the girl here – the women are the hilarious leads, while I’m in the more passive romantic role, which is the role the actress usually takes. I think I do it well though. I just let my cleavage do the talking!”

Joking aside, he confides how shocked he was when the flick ultimately went supernova.

“I was. I was surprised by the success of it everywhere, because it was so successful. I mean, I thought it would do well, I just didn’t realise it would do so well. When we were shooting I thought, ‘this is really good, this is going to be a really good film’. Then when I saw it I was like, ‘they’re amazing!’ Cos I hadn’t seen what the girls were doing. But it exceeded those expectations again. I loved how well it did in Ireland, too. The night we had the premiere in Dublin was one of the best nights of my life.”

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GOSPORT

32 Jim McGuinness GR 1

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GOFEATURE

26 Dido GoR 2-8 1

02/08/2013 18:46:05

DIDO A N OT H E R D AY

She’s taken a break to start a family, but DIDO returns to music this year with new album Girl Who Got Away. The soft pop sensation talks to CRAIG FITZPATRICK about motherhood, sexism in music, and the massive success of Adele.

I

t is easy to forget that life goes on for artists in the gaps between the dates in their discography. British pop heavyweight Dido may have been the millennial Adele when Adele herself was still at school, but today she admits half the taxi drivers she meets immediately give her the “where the heck have you been?” speech.

As for press coverage since the 2008 release of her third album, Safe Trip Home?

“They’re making out like I’ve turned into Miss Havisham or something!” she laughs today.

The London songwriter has plenty of reasons to be cheerful: not only did she finally release fourth album Girl Who Got Away in March, but she’s experiencing motherhood for the first time. Her son Stanley – yes, her child bears the same name as the Eminem collaboration that announced her to the world and, no, she didn’t get the link until it was pointed out – was born in December 2011.

Indeed, it is her newfound family life that accounts for the absence from the music scene.

The plan was always to quickly follow Safe Trip Home, after she decided she would be unable to tour that record.

It came from a sombre place, around the time of her father’s passing. An Irishman, songs from Safe Trip Home such as ‘Grafton Street’ were paeans to him. It won her much critical acclaim, but she felt she couldn’t perform it, couldn’t hit the usual media trail.

“The reviews were exemplary!” she says, “But no one knew it was out, other than the journalists!

Instinctively, I felt it wasn’t the kind of record to go bashing people over the head with. It didn’t feel right. It was such personal, insular record and I think when I started doing gigs, it just felt weird.

I felt weird ‘promoting’ it. And I know that sounds precious but it really was that personal. It’s a really moving record, a moment of darkness. It feels a bit funny to get on stage with lots of lights and do it...”

So she was eager to move on to album number four, hit the circuit again. And then...

“I found out I was pregnant,” she explains.

“Which was very exciting. Suddenly, life went into high speed and now we’re in 2013. I don’t really know how that happened! When I got pregnant, my brother Rollo [Armstrong, also her long term collaborator and founding member of Faithless] rightly said, ‘let’s just leave it for a second and we’ll put it all together when you’re properly ready to release it’. I definitely didn’t want to put a record and a baby out at the same time, that

would have been... bad. Not sleeping at all for the first year?! Now, it still feels new even though it’s stuff from a while ago.”

As with her previous record, Girl Who Got Away has been garnering positive reviews. Subtly experimental in a manner similar to her debut, there is a confidence and joy to it that she says stems from starting a family.

“It’s funny, I think when you have a kid, priorities change. Even becoming a mum makes you feel more confident. It’s like, ‘I know what I like, I know what I’m good at doing, and I just want to make an album of songs that I love and feel really good about’. So you do feel more relaxed, you do feel more confident.”

It is easy to get distracted by the mass appeal of her early work, but she never toed the line or tried to sound like anything other than herself.

In that way, there is a comparison to be drawn between Dido at the start of the century and the manner in which another British female songwriter has conquered the globe in her absence. “I love Adele, you can’t not love her, she’s totally brilliant.

She’s still only 24, that freaks me out. She’s got so much poise. There’s no way I could have handled what she’s handled at that age. It all kicked off for me when I was 29 and that’s a whole different thing. I have to say I’m in awe of her. She doesn’t put a foot wrong. She makes beautiful music and is somehow managing to have a life, so good for her.”

Canadian artist Grimes recently wrote an open letter on the sexism and stereotyping she’s encountered in the music industry at this early stage in her career. A veteran in this game now, does Dido relate?

“I think I’ve managed to avoid that for the most part and do you know why? No one was helping me make No Angel, it was just me and Rollo. When that was stupidly successful, they didn’t want to interfere. It was almost like, ‘we don’t want to jinx it by getting involved now’.

So they didn’t interfere with Life For Rent either, and they were never going to after that. So I’ve never really had ‘interference’. I’ve had one A&R the whole way through in America who has just been my rock, and I’ve had Rollo as well. Those are the people I go to and they’re not going to bully me about stupid stuff because they know my integrity is everything to me. So I think it’s down to circumstance. I see that stuff and I feel it, especially in this industry. I see how the pressure comes, particularly because it’s a tough world for record companies now. Thankfully I’ve always been quite immune to it, which I’m very grateful for.”

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GOFEATURE

FATHER TED AND THE HEALING EFFECTS OF KNITTING TEA COSIES ARE ON THE AGENDA AS PAULINE MCLYNN PREPARES TO TAKE ON MRS. BROWN’S BOYS. INTERVIEW: CRAIG FITZPATRICK

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I

rish comedian Jason Byrne is charged with a daunting task: trying to create a sitcom that will rival the enormous popularity of Mrs. Brown’s Boys across the Irish sea. Currently in production, Father Figure looks set to be the prime-time BBC One show that announces the Dublin funnyman to British households this autumn. So he’s enlisted some big guns of Irish comedy, including Pauline McLynn as his “mammy”.

Of course, the actress forever linked to Mrs. Doyle has been there and done it all before with Father Ted. Juggling her time between promoting her second teen novel Jenny Q, Unravelled (“I’m in the Penguin offices in London, very lovely indeed!” she giggles with delight) and filming, her experience tells her they’re on to a winner with this new show.

“I think this one’s funny,” she confides. “I know it is. People will really enjoy it. Jason is one of the most positive people I’ve ever met. He retains this almost child-like joy. He is a stay-at-home father in this, and to see him play with the kids is just fantastic. He has two of his own and I’d say he’s a brilliant dad. He’s well on for chasing people around with poo on a stick! There’s one particular episode where himself and myself just beat the crap out of each other. It’s got slapstick in it and great situations.”

She admits comparisons with Mrs. Brown’s Boys are inevitable, but notes that they’re doing something quite different. What does she make of that show’s enormous, slightly baffling success?

“There was clearly a gap somewhere for it. It’s old-fashioned, vulgar... and extremely funny.” The big question is whether Father Figure can take on Brendan O’Carroll and win. “Oh yeah. We have Jason Byrne! Bring it on!”

That kind of statement says a lot about McLynn’s current outlook. She’s forever looking forward optimistically, which, she says, leaves little time for trips down memory lane. That means you won’t have caught her at Tedfest 2013, which took place on Craggy Island (aka Inis Mór) in February.

“I’ve never gone,” she confesses. “I believe it’s a great weekend away. I’d just be worried that I’d be killed with kindness and come back from the Aran Islands in a body bag! I’m delighted people love Father Ted as much as they do, I do as well.

I didn’t take part in the documentary they did either because I was working in Manchester and couldn’t get the time off. But also, I didn’t feel it could be definitive. Dermot’s gone and so is the original producer Geoffrey Perkins. It wouldn’t have been the same going back. I’m just happy for people to remember that time by watching the show.”

Today, she’s focused on the present. It’s been well-publicised that the recent past, after her shock 2011 exit from Shameless, had been a dark period for McLynn, but she certainly seems in a good place now.

“I get the blues quite regularly. I talked about depression once on John Murray’s Radio One show and it was like I became a poster-child for depression for a while afterwards! I felt a bit guilty about that, because I wouldn’t be a person who is in a depressive state every day.

But certainly after the Shameless thing (she still can’t talk about the circumstances surrounding her departure), that was a dark enough period I have to say.”

In the time since, McLynn has busied herself with her literary work. She has penned eight novels of straight fiction over the past decade, along with two novels for teenagers. Jenny Q, Unravelled arrived in June.

“A writer called Sarah Webb said ‘why don’t you try a teenage book? I think you’d enjoy it and be good at it.’ That’s how Jenny Q came along. The thing about the younger readers is that you have to keep that story rattling along.

If you’re not entertaining, they will not waste their time. It’s for ages 10-14. From 14 onwards, jeepers, you’re into The Hunger Games and kids killing each other. That’s the pitch for my next book: ‘it’s kinda teens killing one another’! When they say it’s been done, I’ll say, ‘but this is in new, unusual and horrible ways!’”

If the writing got her back on track, the real healing was apparently done while she was... knitting.

“Well you may mock slightly! But I am here to tell you, I was talking to a psychologist and when I told her I knit, she said that’s what they’re recommending to people now. If you’re finding it hard to do relaxation exercises or mediation, knitting is the thing. You can zone out or have a chat with yourself. I find I have a lot in common with me. We have good talks, sometimes out loud!”

McLynn even turned her hobby into a business when she launched her own range of knitted tea cosies, inevitably titled ‘The Go Ons’. As for Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews bothering her for royalties, surely her immortal catchphrase was all about the delivery...

“I was just a conduit!” she laughs. “The swingtag does say I was once a priests’ housekeeper on the TV. But I never say ‘Mrs. Doyle’ once. As far as I know, you can’t copyright a catchphrase anyway. Otherwise most of the people on the street who shout ‘Ah go on!’ or ‘Ah you will!’ at me would owe money as well! If people make the connection, that’s lovely. And why wouldn’t they? It’s tea and it’s “Go On!”

29 Pauline McGlynn 2

02/08/2013 20:09:24

GOFEATURE

30 Sheila OFlanagan GoR2-8 1

02/08/2013 20:11:12

SHEILA Take a Bow One of Ireland’s best-loved authors, Sheila O’Flanagan’s latest book, Things We Never Say, explores the darker side of Irish family life.

WORDS Anne Sexton PHOTO Varya McCaslin-Doyle

I

t’s a miserable summer’s day of torrential rain in Dublin and Sheila O’Flanagan is having her picture taken. Like many of us, the author doesn’t particularly enjoy posing for photos.

But, as she wryly notes, it’s part of the job. What she does enjoy is writing – since her first novel was published in 1997, O’Flanagan has authored a further 17 books, as well as two collections of short stories and numerous articles, making her one of Ireland’s most prolific and popular writers.

O’Flanagan’s latest novel Things We Never Say is the story of Abbey Anderson, a young woman in San Francisco, who discovers to her shock that her mother Ellen was adopted and that she has family connections in Ireland.

Her adoption occurred under tragic circumstances. The novel opens 55 years in the past, with a young woman being emotionally and physically abused by nuns in a Magdalene Laundry – a historical fact of Irish life that has contemporary resonances.

“I wasn’t going to write about the Magdalene Laundries as other people have done it far better than I could ever do. I didn’t want to disrespect their stories by using them in a popular fiction book. But I think it’s really important to show what had happened,” says O’Flanagan.

“What interested me is that, although something happened a long time ago, it doesn’t stop – it reverberates right through to the present time and that’s what I wanted to write about.”

The novel touches on the idea of nature versus nurture. Abbey’s mother Ellen regards her adoptive family as her true family. But when

Abbey meets the Fitzpatricks, her Irish relatives, she’s struck by the physical similarities between her mother and her mother’s half-sister Suzanne.

“You know what I find really interesting?

Sometimes when you look at a photograph of a nephew or niece or grandchild, and you go ‘Oh my God! They are so alike…’ You might not notice it until you see a gesture. That interested me, Ellen and Suzanne don’t know each other and didn’t even know each other existed. But they look quite the same and have some gestures that are the same.”

Discovering long-lost relatives can be a complicated business. At the request of her grandfather Fred Fitzpatrick, Abbey travels to Ireland. Her relationship with the rest of the family gets off to a rocky start and Fred’s attempts to make reparations to his daughter and granddaughter plunge the Fitzpatrick family into crisis. They’re not exactly a delightful bunch – greedy, blinkered, selfish and dysfunctional.

Writing about obnoxious people has its pleasures, says the author.

“You can enjoy your dark side!” she laughs. “I wanted to write about people who are hard to like and you do meet people like that. I think a lot of it has to do with their upbringing and the kind of person their father was. Even the most dislikeable characters have certain vulnerabilities or certain issues so I try to show why they are the way they are. Having said that, the Fitzpatricks are not particularly likeable.”

The Fitzpatricks have long been waiting for Fred to die to get their hands on his beautiful Howth home and his savings. The eldest son Don believes the house is his by rights, while his younger brother Gareth is anxious to get

his hands on Fred’s money, as he cannot afford the repayments on his investment properties and French holiday home. Desperate for cash and social status the Fitzpatrick brothers – and their wives – feel cheated by Fred’s attempts to compensate his long-lost daughter, believing they’re being punished for the sins of the father.

“I was thinking about how because of choices people make, other people’s lives can be very affected and how far does reparation go, and what is the right thing to do?” explains O’Flanagan.

As well as fathering an illegitimate child as a young man, we learn that Fred Fitzpatrick had many indiscretions over the course of his marriage. He also, in typical stern father style, kept his daughter Suzanne on a short leash, forbidding her even the most innocent of teenage amusements, highlighting the hypocrisy of Irish society in the past.

“We had a very patriarchal and somewhat misogynist society. We still have to some extent.

It’s seen as okay for guys to do certain things whereas women get blamed. Globally, not just in Ireland, men’s behaviour has been judged differently to women’s and Fred is certainly of that era. It’s less so, but even now there’s still a double standard,” says O’Flanagan.

“In Fred’s time if a woman got pregnant that was her responsibility. Again, there’s still an element of that, but not quite so much any more as more men are willing to take responsibility.”

The novel is peppered both with characters that refuse to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions and others who go above and beyond the call of duty. “I think if you look at modern life, a lot of people are like that. Nobody wants to take responsibility. Not that I’m trying to draw an analogy. But in politics, in business, in everything, nobody says ‘I’m sorry.

That was my fault.’ People just try and justify what they do and I think there is far too much of that.”

31 Sheila OFlanagan GoR2-8 2

02/08/2013 20:11:15

GOSPORT

32 Jim McGuinness GR 1

02/08/2013 17:14:00

{

Lucky

JIM

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He transformed under-achieving Donegal into All-Ireland champions; now at the top of the pile, the question is can they stay there? JIM McGUINNESS, Donegal football manager and Glasgow Celtic’s Performance Director, shoots the breeze with STUART CLARK MAIN PHOTO Monika Karaliunaite

No, you haven’t stumbled across some mysterious merging of sporting reality and religious satire magicked up in an episode of Father Ted. Jim McGuinness is recalling the panic that spread through the Donegal football panel and coaching staff when his silver companion of 25 years’ standing went missing.

His beloved whistle aside, there’s been very little luck involved in McGuinness’ guiding of Donegal to their first Sam Maguire since 1992.

Such success had seemed preposterously unlikely in June 2010 when he took over what one senior GAA writer reckoned to be the 23rd best footballing county in Ireland. McGuinness had succeeded John Joe O’Doherty, a former county teammate who jumped before he could be pushed after Donegal were dumped out of the All-Ireland qualifiers by Armagh.

With the senior players looking disinterested and the youngsters on the team bereft of coincidence, it was hard to see how their fortunes were going to be turned around.

“It was a matter of trying to go in a different direction, create a new identity and culture for ourselves and get the players to come on board,” McGuinness says now of the team’s remarkable turnaround. “Obviously as coaches you have ideas of how you want the game to be played, but in reality it’s the players’ game plan. If that game plan’s going to be delivered with conviction, they’ve got to believe in it themselves. They must feel ownership of it.

“I had a coffee with each member of the panel individually, looked them in the eye and got a feel for how far they were prepared to go,” the 40-year-old Glenties man continues. “Did they believe in what was happening? Could you light a fire inside them? Could they come on board and not be divisive and want to move forward in a positive fashion? That first meeting – I think it was November 6, 2010 – was a very important day for us. That was when everything negative that had happened in the past was banished.

The chord had to be snipped. We were able to say things like, “In the past the gym work wasn’t structured properly. People have been cutting corners and not working hard enough. I made, if you like, a contract with each of the players – ‘This is what I expect in terms of discipline, this is what I expect in terms of commitment and

this is what you can expect from myself and the coaching staff in return. Are you willing to sign up to that?’ The answer, I’m pleased to say, being a fairly resounding, ‘Yes!’” The recent Ulster Final defeat to Monaghan aside, his Donegal team has stuck assiduously to the winning script.

“We’re fortunate in that we have a group of players who are very focused,” their manager reflects. “They’ve been heavily criticised in the past. They’ve come from a very low base and are going through a rich vein of form now – a rich time in our history. Let me just work it out… in 2011 we won League Division 2 and the Ulster Championship. Last year we won the Ulster Championship and the All-Ireland. That’s four cups in two seasons. We had a lot of players who were really, really hanging in there to try and win one provincial championship and now they’ve surpassed all that. That’s more than they could possibly have dreamed about in a Donegal jersey. People look at you differently and you view yourself differently.”

There was a brilliant story recently about McGuinness deploying SAS-style tactics and making players train in the dark.

“The only way that would happen is if we had a light failure at McCumhaill Park!” Jim laughs.

“There’s also been stuff in the media about teams around the country training for 2 1/2, three hours because ‘that’s what Donegal do.’ Very, very rarely would a session last that long with us.

I don’t think those kind of bootcamp-style tactics work in sport. Everything we do is designed to build confidence.”

In addition to managing Donegal, McGuinness spends three days a week at Parkhead as a performance consultant. How did the Celtic hook-up come about?

“I’m friendly with Paul McGinley the golfer,” he explains. “We’d spent a few hours down in Dunfanhey before Christmas 2011 chatting about the next season, and I think he tipped Dermot (Desmond, Celtic owner) off about what we were looking to do. So he was kind of tracking me, as was Neil Lennon who having played at minor level for Armagh would have been keeping an eye on us Donegal lot as well!

“I’m very lucky because we’ve an airport in Donegal, which I live only 25 minutes from.

There’s no real security because you’re only ever going to have ten or 15 on the flight, and if the plane’s delayed they’d ring me at the house and say not to come down yet. I can be door-to-door in 2hrs 15mins, which is quicker than if I was travelling to Dublin!”

Jim will be taking on a third job next year when he helps aforementioned team captain Paul McGinley prepare Europe for the Ryder Cup. “His father, Mick, played football for Donegal so there’s an understanding of what I can bring to the table in terms of a team dynamic,” McGuinness notes. “There are a lot of things we do that wouldn’t normally be relevant to golf as played by individuals, but the Ryder Cup is about making twelve Europeans believe they can beat twelve Americans. Martin O’Neill is a good friend of Paul’s as well, so you’ll have a wee bit from the soccer background and a wee bit from the Gaelic background.”

THOMAS GALLAGHER

“I

’ve a lucky whistle, which got mislaid one day at training. I gathered the lads together and said, ‘No one’s going home till it’s back in my pocket!’ We had to tear the dressing-room apart but eventually we found it!”

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness with his family and Colm McFadden after the All-Ireland Final win

33 Jim McGuinness GR 2

02/08/2013 17:14:04

GOBUSINESS

xxx

At an elegant country house in Tipperary SARAH BAKER explains to ANNE SEXTON how she has put a unique twist on the traditional cookery course.

I

f you fancy improving your cooking skills, a beautiful period home surrounded by magnificent gardens is certainly a lovely place to learn. Cloughjordan House in north Tipperary is over 400 years old and home to the Cloughjordan House Cookery School, which runs classes for teenagers and adults.

le Development d’lEconomie Rurale, a rural development programme part-supported by the European Union. LEADER supplies funding and can help and advice on the development of a project.

Sarah began the school in the middle of the recession, which meant that students were initially hard to attract. Although knowing how to cook is certainly an important life skill, adult cookery classes are generally undertaken for fun and as such seen as a luxury.

“I started doing evening classes for adults.

What we found that it was hard to sell to individual people and trying to fill the adult classes was definitely very hard at first,” she says.

Sarah realised that the cookery school needed a unique selling point.

“We had to re-invent ourselves within the business,” explains Sarah. “We had to tap into

“I’ve always been interested in cooking, ever since I was a kid,” says Sarah Baker, who runs the school. “I started in my own kitchen and it developed from there.”

Sarah turned her passion for cooking into a business four years ago. This was, she laughs, “hard work.”

“Starting off, I bought some stools! I had the kitchen and we just had to use whatever resources we had. Then we received LEADER funding, which made a big difference.”

LEADER is the Liason Entre Actions pour

3434

Cloughjordan House

Sweet things at Cloughjordan

an area that wasn’t being tapped.”

“We saw there was an opening in transition year students. I have teenagers and schools are willing to spend to teach students a necessity like cooking. It was something that nobody else was doing. That’s really what turned things about – the move into schools. Because we are on the rail line, kids come on the train from Dublin and Limerick or wherever along the track.”

The course for teenagers’ places emphasis on the provenance of food as well as on dishes that are tasty, enjoyable and easy to prepare.

“We give them the whole ‘farm-to-fork’ experience. They would pick and harvest ingredients and then bring these to the cookery school. It’s all about cooking real food and what real food tastes like, such as making pasta from scratch, sauces, and sticky toffee pudding.

It’s all fun stuff and recipes that can be easily replicated,” she says.

While Irish tastes have certainly grown more sophisticated over the years, a great deal of us rely on convenience foods, bottled sauces and ready meals, making cooking from scratch a rarity in some homes. Because of this many of the transition year students who attend the cookery school have never cooked before.

“A lot of parents are not cooking any more and how children learn is by helping their parents or by osmosis when parents are

cooking. If your parents don’t cook it is unlikely you will unless you have a real grá for cooking.

That’s how people learnt over the years – it’s passed on from family to family. When people are time-poor convenience food can seem much easier,” says Sarah.

The cookery school also does team-building exercises for corporate groups as well as upskill courses for chefs. However, it’s not just the younger generation that can lack experience in the kitchen and the school also distinguishes itself by offering adult courses for people with no skills.

“You need pretty much zero talent!” Sarah laughs. “Anybody can learn to cook. If you know how to read you can learn to cook! It’s all about knowing the basics and practice.”

“We get plenty of people who come and say they can’t cook at all, but it’s all about confidence and instilling confidence. It really isn’t rocket science. I don’t believe that anybody really can’t cook.”

“Part of the problem is cookery programmes.

People see them and feel a little bit inadequate sometimes. That unless they can make a meal in rapid time with amazing ingredients and amazing presentation they feel they are not good enough as cooks.”

Over the years a number of food scares and scandals have made consumers more aware of the fact that ready-made meals may contain

35

unexpected ingredients or unhealthy additions.

Cloughjordan House places emphasis on the provenance of their food.

“We have our own kitchen garden. Ever since I moved to Cloughjordan I’ve had my own vegetable garden. It is something I have always done. My mother had a garden at home.”

“Our bacon and sausages are all from our own pigs and we have our own free-range eggs. As much as possible our food is organic and also local. We’re trying to keep everything wholesome. There’s nothing chef-y – it’s all about the ingredients and letting them speak for themselves.”

As well as the cookery school, Cloughjordan House holds wedding and events and operates as a guesthouse.

“We do weddings for up to 140 people and food is a huge part of that. It is a real house party atmosphere. You get the house and it is totally private. We also have accommodation with six bed and breakfast bedrooms. A lot of family groups come and take the house for a weekend because we’re in such lovely surroundings.”

For more information see cloughjordanhouse. com

GOPLACES

www.tipperary-coop.ie

KICKHAM PLACE TIPPERARY 062-51901

STATION ROAD TIPPERARY TEL: 062-33111

TIPPERARY 062-33199 BORRISOLEIGH 0504-51117 GOOLD’S CROSS 0504-42444

O’BRIEN STREET TIPPERARY 062-33199

Proudly supporting the local community since 1908

36 Tipp- Feature 1

02/08/2013 18:58:37

TIPPERARY

TIPP-ING THE LIGHT FANTASTIC

It’s the self-proclaimed ‘home of hurling’ and boasts some of Ireland’s best farmland and leading food producers. But Tipperary also has a thriving cultural scene and a rich history, as ANNE SEXTON discovers.

W

hen you think of Tipperary, three things immediately come to mind: dairy farming, hurling and the World War I song, ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’.

Of course, Tipp is justifiably famous for the quality of its diary products and its hurlers, but there is a lot more to the county than farming and sports. Besides, it’s not a long way at all – particularly if you go by train!

The Premier County is the sixth largest in Ireland and one with a long and proud history that stretches back to the pre-Christian era. The Crotraighe, Eoghanacht and Artraighe tribes are said to have been some of the earliest settlers in the county, until the Déise tribe rose to prominence in the 5th century. Remains of their settlements can be found on the Tipperary Hills.

Tipperary was under the control of the Kings

of Munster until the ascension of Brian Ború, who by 1011 had asserted his authority over all the regional kings of Ireland. Life in Tipperary trudged along as peacefully as it could anywhere during the Middle Ages – meaning that there was the odd barney between local chieftains! – until the English invaded in the 12th century.

It is hardly a surprise that the English were anxious to hold onto Tipp. The Golden Vale stretches across the county. The vale is an area of rolling pastureland famed for its fertility and is renowned as the best dairy farming land in Ireland. In an economy based largely on agriculture, Tipperary was a unique prize. Nor is it a surprise that the Irish wanted Tipperary back – during the late 19th century the county was a centre of agrarian agitation.

All of this makes Tipperary an excellent place to visit for history buffs – there are castles,

monasteries, abbeys and the ancient walls of fortified towns. However, Tipperary also has incredible natural scenery, lakes, parks and gardens, a thriving arts, culture and music scene, festivals and of course, lovely, lovely food!

“Tipperary has so many things to do and places to see it’s hard to choose,” says Pierce Duggan, Chairperson of the North Tipperary Tourism Company. “Any visitor should try and experience at least one of our historic sites, our beautiful scenic walking trails and our awardwinning foods. Not to be missed is the Rock of Cashel, which is the most important example of medieval architecture to be found anywhere in the world and one of Ireland’s most famous visitor attractions.”

He’s right, of course – so the Rock of Cashel is where we’ll start!

37 Tipp- Feature 2

02/08/2013 18:58:40

GOPLACES The internationally famous Rock of Cashel

Nenagh Heritage Centre

Fethard Walls

“IN AN ECONOMY BASED ON AGRICULTURE, TIPP WAS A UNIQUE PRIZE”

HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS THE ROCK OF CASHEL St Patrick figures prominently in the story of the Rock of Cashel. Legend has it that when the good saint banished Satan from a cave in the Devil’s Bit Mountain north of Cashel, the Rock flew the 20-mile distance and landed in Cashel.

It is also said that the Rock is where St Patrick converted Aenghus, the King of Munster, to Christianity in the 5th century. Some remnants of Cashel’s earliest beginnings remain, but it is the adjacent medieval buildings that are world famous. These include a round tower built in around 1100, a 13th century cathedral and a 15th century castle. Some of Ireland’s most famous high crosses can be seen in the graveyard in the grounds, adding to the fascination. See cashel.ie for more information.

NENAGH HERITAGE CENTRE & MUSEUM In a different era, the Nenagh Heritage Centre and Museum was the county jail for North Tipperary. The jail opened in 1842 and housed both male and female prisoners during the fortyfive years it operated. Almost inevitably, the history is quite grisly – public executions took

place in the prison and seventeen men were hanged between 1842 and 1858, the youngest of whom was only 20 years old. The last two men to be executed were the Cormack brothers, who were convicted of murdering a land agent named John Ellis. Fifty years after they died, they were proved innocent and exonerated – a little too late for them one suspects!

At the Nenagh Heritage Centre, you can learn about the history of the buildings and the jail, follow in the footsteps of the prisoners, visit the condemned cells and the execution area and learn about the men who were executed here.

The Governor’s House at the Nenagh Heritage Centre is home to the North Tipperary Genealogy Centre, a genealogical research service. Genealogist Nora O’Meara MA can help you trace your North Tipp ancestors, identify an old homestead, and even find living relatives.

The centre’s database is fascinating in itself and includes census data; religious and civil records such as marriages, baptismals and deaths; land records; Poor Law Rate Books; and the 1660s Hearth Money Rolls to name a few. If your ancestors are not from Tipp, the Genealogy Centre also provides an online research service through rootsireland.ie, the largest provider of family history research records in Ireland. This

service has proven to be extremely popular with both the Irish Diaspora and local visitors who want to learn about their Irish origins – nearly 4,000 people used the service last year and 862 people consulted Nora O’Meara for help in tracking down their ancestors.

Entrance to the Heritage Centre and Museum is absolutely free. See the website, tipperarynorth. ie/heritagemuseum for details.

FETHARD MEDIEVAL WALLED TOWN Fethard is regarded as the finest example of a medieval walled town in Ireland. The walls are over 1.2 kilometres long and date back to the founding of the town by the Normans in around 1200. Unlike most historic towns that evolve over time, Fethard was planned by the Normans who laid out streets and areas such as the market and graveyard. Life was pretty good if you were a citizen – townspeople enjoyed fixed annual rent, their own court and fines were set for most offences so you’d know exactly how much bad behaviour would cost you. As well as the walls, there is a medieval church dating back to around 1200 and an Augustine Abbey that was built in the early 12th century. Signed walks and guided tours around the town are available.

38 Tipp- Feature 3

02/08/2013 18:58:43

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Mirror World Sailing Championship, Dromineer: 27th July – 2nd August www.mirrorworlds2013.com Upperchurch Drombane ʻThe Homecomingʼ: 20th July – 6th August www.upperchurch.ie

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Aglishcloghane Stepping Stones Féile: 3rd – 4th August www.thegatheringireland.com Terryglass Arts Festival: 14th - 18th August www.terryglassartsfestival.ie

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Weekend of Welcomes, Ballinahinch & Killoscully: 24th – 25th August www.thegatheringireland.com International Ryan Gathering, Thurles: 23rd – 25th August www.thegatheringireland.com Oʼ Tierney Clans Society Gathering, Nenagh: 23rd – 26th August www.thegatheringireland.com Dromineer Literary Festival presents a Reading by Kay Ryan, US Poet Laureate: 24th August 2013 www.dromineerliteraryfestival.ie

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39 Tipp- Feature 4

02/08/2013 18:58:48

GOPLACES Pony aTrekking

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Tipperary may be an inland county but there are plenty of water activities on Lough Derg. You can rent a cabin cruiser, take sailing lessons, go canoeing, try water-skiing, shimmy into a wetsuit and take part in the ‘Immersed in Ireland’ open water swim event or book yourself in for the one of the Killaloe River Cruises. Lough Derg is popular with anglers as the lake is home to bream, roach, perch, and pike. Other popular fishing spots include the Shannon, Nenagh and the Suir, which is well stocked with trout and salmon.

Tipp has an abundance of walking or cycling trails, all set in beautiful scenery and teaming with wildlife such as foxes, otters and deer. Near Nenagh you’ll find the Leinstermen Loop and the Millennium Cross, both of which are part of the Lough Derg Way. Popular walks include Cashel to Clogheen, which is a 56km moderate walk. It starts at the Rock of Cashel, bringing you along the River Suir, past Athassel Abbey and finishing in the Vee valley near Clogheen. For something a lot less challenging you could try the Kilcommon Pilgrim Trail, an easy 7km loop through farmland and forests near Kilcommon village.

If you’re not much of a hiker and prefer a horse to “shanks’ pony”, you should head down to the Crossogue Equestrian Centre. Crossogue offers a number of options for all levels of riders. Beginners can take a gentle ride through the countryside; more experienced riders can gallop at speed along the cross-country course, or jump over the obstacles set up across the farm. Crossogue has horses, facilities and tuition to suit all levels of riders, and you can sign up for a day course or stay for a week. If you are arriving by train – and of course you should be – the Crossogue Equestrian Centre has a free pick up and return service to Thurles station. Look out for the special offers available from 17 August to 17 November this year. See crossogueequestrian.ie for details.

Choose from one of Tipp’s many walks and trails

There’s lots of fun-filled festivals to choose from

FESTIVALS

Fireworks over Lough Derg

CLONMEL BUSKING FESTIVAL The Clonmel Busking Festival takes place from 811 August this year. The festival features a range of performers who play on the streets during the day and in pubs and venues later in the evenings.

And best of all, all that lovely music is totally free! The 2013 line-up is yet to be confirmed, but last year’s programme featured Bipolar Empire, Juliet Turner, John Spillane and The 4 Of Us. Keep an eye on clonmelbuskingfestival.ie for details.

TERRYGLASS ARTS FESTIVAL Now in its fifteenth year, the Terryglass Arts Festival has grown from being a small local celebration of the arts on the shores of Lough Derg to one that attracts artists and visitors from across Ireland and further afield. This is a multidisciplinary festival and includes everything from music to visual arts, poetry, performance, dance, theatre and storytelling. The 2013 festival takes place between 15-19 August and the line-up is still to be announced. See terryglassartsfestival. ie for updates.

THURLES HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL Halloween doesn’t have to be all ghosts, witches and zombies – the Thurles Halloween Arts Festival takes place between 25-31 October and features art exhibitions, drama, music, comedy, film, street entertainment, fireworks, a street parade, workshops, fire shows, lunchtime concerts, dance, public talks and more. After that, you may be too exhausted to be terrified by

the undead. See thurleshalloweenfestival.com.

CLOUGHTOBERFEST Cloughtoberfest is something of an odd but inspired mix: gypsy jazz music and craft beer. Then again why not? The festival takes place in the town of Cloughjordan from 25-28 October and features Irish and international musicians, music master classes and swing dance workshops – all washed down with fine craft beer. There are also beer tastings, craft beer cookery demonstrations and family events.

Visit cloughtoberfest.com for more information.

40 Tipp- Feature 5

02/08/2013 18:58:58

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41 Tipp- Feature 6

02/08/2013 18:59:02

GOPLACES

Sarah and Sergio Furno with children Luka and Anna

RHAPSODY IN BLUE

Cashel Blue is one of the Irish food success stories of the past 20 years. Director and head cheese taster SARAH FURNO offers an insight into an area where Ireland is competing against the best in the world – and winning. WORDS ANNE SEXTON

S

arah Furno’s earliest memories are of her mother making cheese.

“My mother said she was lucky that the house had an old farm kitchen with stone floors.

She always had bags of curds draining in the kitchen,” says Sarah.

Furno is chief taster with Cashel Blue – a locally produced cheese that has become a Tipperary and Irish success story. Their story offers a lesson for us all in illustrating how one family’s passion can lead to the creation of an internationally recognised name.

It all began when, in the late ’70s, Jane and Louis Grubb returned to the family farm, Beechmount, in Fethard, Co. Tipperary. Louis was an agricultural advisor, Jane a chef. At the time Beechmount was a traditional mixed farm. It was Louis who decided to specialise in dairy farming.

With lots of milk available to her, in 1980 Sarah’s mother Jane began experimenting with cheesemaking. She wanted to create a cheese that captured the essence of the rich and creamy milk sourced from the farm’s dairy herd in a distinctive way. Cheesemaking is both science and art and so there was a period of trial and error. After a few years, and several false starts, however, Jane felt she had created a cheese that was just right – the wonderful, creamy, semisoft Cashel Blue, laced with that delicious ‘blue’

pungency.

Deciding to produce a cheese of this variety was in many ways a risky strategy. Although Ireland was importing around 25 tonnes of Danish Blue into the country at the time, blue cheese was a niche market and Cashel Blue was Ireland’s first farmhouse blue cheese. It was also the first soft blue cheese, which might give it an immediate distinctive platform – or sink it entirely. Thankfully, Cashel Blue hit the mark, and was immediately seen as a genuine rival to the great English blue cheese, Stilton or the French Roquefort.

You can make cheese with almost any cow’s milk , explains Sarah. However, the quality of cheese is hugely dependent on how the cows are reared.

“Grass fed cows give a sweeter milk and a milk with a greater complexity of flavour,” she says.

“We have 130 cows ourselves and we also buy milk from three local farmers.”

Working with trusted suppliers is essential. The amount of fat in a cow’s milk can vary depending on the breed, the stage of lactation, the seasons and other environmental factors. Too much or too little fat affects the final taste and texture of cheese.

These days Cashel Blue is sold across the world. It is stocked in some of the world’s most famous restaurants as well as delis like Fortnum & Mason in London and Zabar’s in New York.

“We first sold it in country markets,” says Sarah. “We still sell to farmers’ markets and we work directly with supermarkets. We also work with Michelin-starred chefs like Kevin Thornton.

These days, 65 percent of what we produce is exported.”

Cashel Blue is milder, softer and has less salt that many blue cheeses, which makes it highly versatile. This is one of reasons why it has proven popular with chefs – and why it is used in hundreds of recipes.

While Cashel Blue is the Grubb family’s flagship product, its sister product, Crozier Blue is quickly gaining in popularity. Like Cashel Blue, Crozier Blue is a hand-made, semi-soft blue veined cheese. The difference is that it is made with sheep’s milk. Sheep’s milk has not traditionally been popular in Ireland but that is changing, says Sarah. Sheep’s milk is rich and the fat content is ideal for cheese.

“It’s liquid gold,” she laughs.

Keeping a close eye on quality means that every batch has to be tasted – as Cashel Blue’s chief taster, does Sarah ever get tired of cheese?

“No,” she laughs. “Cheese is very exciting.

There are incredible people in the business and there are always new developments. It is wonderful to be a part of it.”

Amen to that.

42 Tipp- Feature 7

02/08/2013 18:59:04

LOCAL FOOD IS BEST Tipperary food producers are showing the way both in Ireland and internationally. “If someone is coming to Tipperary they have to try the local food,” says Sarah Baker of Cloughjordan House, an historic home and cookery school in north Tipperary. “It’s an important part of enjoying the countryside.”

She is right of course. And where Tipperary is concerned, that is a real bonus, because Tipp is one of Ireland’s premier food counties.

Indeed in 2012, Tipperary won six prizes for food excellence in the National Irish Food Awards, the Natural Food Awards, The National Organic Awards and the Irish Cheese Awards. Numbered among the winners were Cashel Blue Cheese, Cooleeney Cheese, Cloughjordan Woodfired Bakery, Country Choice food shop, Crowe’s Farm, and Lough Derg Chocolates.

Tipp’s prime dairy farming means that some of

Ireland’s most famous cheeses are made here.

Cashel Blue has been made by the Grubb family since the mid-1980s (see interview). Similarly, the Maher family makes Cooleeney Farmhouse Cheeses, which are made in Moyne, not far from Thurles. The Mahers have farmed in the area for four generations and won their first award for quality milk in 1905.

All of Cooleeney’s cheese is made from grassfed, pedigree Friesian cows - and because the milk is so good, no cream is added to the cheese. The cheeses are vegetarian and glutenfree, contain less than 1 percent salt and are around 80 calories per serving – that’s guiltfree cheese if ever I heard of it! One of their newest cheeses, ‘Baking Cooleeney’, is similar to camembert. It comes in a terracotta dish and can be popped straight into the oven and enjoyed with fresh crusty bread and a glass of wine.

Which sounds very good indeed to me!

Meat lovers should head to the Thatched Cottage Restaurant in Ballycommon, Nenagh to

enjoy their celebrated barbeque. This summer’s barbeque menu has pork ribs, chicken, hot dogs and beef burgers as well as a whole host of salads and sides. See thethatchedcottage.ie for more details. Other excellent restaurants in the greater Tipperary area include the legendary Chez Hans in Cashel (deemed Atmospheric Restaurant of the Year in Ireland in 2009, and deservedly so); Mitchel House Restaurant in Thurles; Inch Country House and Restaurant also in Thurles; and The Peppermill Restaurant, run

by Maireád Gill, in Nenagh. For all of them, local produce is at the heart of the cullinary offer.

The county caters for those with a sweet tooth also! Lough Derg Chocolates are luxury chocolates hand-made using local ingredients where possible and Irish ingredients throughout.

Their superb range includes truffles, chocolate bars and even chocolate lollipops and can be bought online at loughdergchocolates.ie. Go on, treat yourself: they’re gorgeous...

Tipperary food producers: winners all the

Breda from Cooleeney Cheese

A selection of locally produced Tipperary food

ACCOMMODATION CAHIR HOUSE COURT HOTEL The Cahir House Hotel is located just five minutes walk from the Cahir train station, close to the River Suir and with views over Cahir Castle. The hotel is an excellent base for fishing, golf, horse riding and hill walking, with direct access to the woodland walk to the Swiss Cottage. The hotel offers old world charm with 21st century amenities including 41 well-appointed rooms, wifi access and a health spa.

O’Brien’s, the hotel’s traditional bar has cosy snugs and a quiet library area; the enclosed beer garden is perfect for sunny days; and the bistro specialises in food using local, organic and artisan ingredients. The bar and bistro serve food all day making the Cahir House Hotel the perfect pit stop on your travels through Tipp. The hotel also offers hosts live music

INCH COUNTRY HOUSE Inch Country House and Restaurant near Thurles is an 18th century Georgian home that has been turned into a 5-star hotel.

The restaurant sources food

every weekend, which is popular with locals and tourists alike. For bookings and more information see cahirhousehotel.ie THE HORSE AND JOCKEY HOTEL The Horse and Jockey Hotel is a family run hotel near Thurles. This 4 star hotel has a long history – an inn has been trading on same site continuously for 250 years and was once a popular meeting place for Wolfe Tone’s United Irishmen in the 1790’s. Of course there have been significant renovations since then and in 2006 the final extensions were made to the hotel. These days the Horse and Jockey has 67 bedrooms and is home to the award-winning Silks Restaurant.

Other amenities include the Elemis Spa, Q Hair Salon, a conference centre, theatre, leisure centre with a pool and an in-house artisan bakery.

See horseandjockeyhotel.com for more information.

locally and much of the fruit and veg is grown on site. Inch Country House is close to a number of walking and cycling routes, food trails and horse riding centres. See inchhouse.ie for details.

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43 Tipp- Feature 8

02/08/2013 18:59:11

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44 Offaly GR 3-4 1

02/08/2013 20:13:54

MAGIC IN THE MIDLANDS

OFFALY

The midlands come alive: Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival

An ancient cultural and social hub turned relaxed getaway destination, Offaly is one of Ireland’s rising tourist treasures.

WORDS ANNE SEXTON

O

ffaly was once the centre of the civilized world. The monastery of Clonmacnoise, located beside the River Shannon, south of Athlone, was founded in 546 and for hundreds of years it was a hub of learning, trade, religion and craftsmanship, attracting scholars from all over Europe as visitors.

It is an aspect of Irish and European history that makes the county a particularly fascinating place to visit. In general, Ireland is rich in history, culture and natural beauty – we all know about the Ring of Kerry and about Yeats County. But to find some of the most amazing historical sites and beautiful landscapes you have to delve a little bit deeper, explore a bit more energetically.

In the heatland of the country, Offaly is situated between the Shannon River and the Slieve Bloom Mountains – making it particularly popular with outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. But it is

not all rough and ready – far from it! There are excellent awarding winning restaurants; lovely luxurious hotels; friendly pubs; family activities to beat the band and plenty of festivals. There are lots to do in the heart of tne midlands: here we select some of the must-see sites for your visit.

HISTORIC SITES AND ATTRACTIONS If you love castles – and most of us do – you’ll be spoiled for choice. The county’s crowning glory is Kinnitty Castle, a 19th Century gothic wonder in the vein of Downton Abbey’s iconic Highclere Castle, perched in the shade of the Slieve Bloom mountains, on the road between Kinnitty and Cadamstown. A serial victim of Ireland’s tumultuous political past, the grand estate has been the scene of several tragedies over the years – the first castle was destroyed in 1209 and rebuilt by the Normans in 1213; a

Kinnitty Castle: a beautiful, romantic setting

new castle was built in 1630 but confiscated in 1641 as part of the plantation of Offaly, or Kings County as it was then named, and an extended and renovated castle was burned by the Irish Republican Army in 1922, to be restored in 1928.

These days, Kinnitty Castle is a luxurious four-star hotel and the best way to experience its grandeur is from within one of its regal state rooms.

Have a look at the Accomodation section to learn more.

Elsewhere, there’s Ballybrittan Castle near Edenderry, which has been used as a home for more than 500 hundred years. Birr Castle Demesne has beautiful formal gardens and a river walk, lake and waterfalls. Leap Castle near Roscrea dates back to 1250 and is said to be the most haunted castle in Ireland. Perhaps the bestknow castle in Offaly is Charleville. It is said to be the finest examples of gothic-revival architecture in Ireland and stands on an ancient oak forest.

It has a haunted history too. The castle’s most famous ghost is Harriet, the young daughter of one of the Earls of Charleville who fell to her death sliding down the staircase banisters. Over the years many visitors have claimed to see Harriet. The castle has featured on television shows such as Most Haunted and Scariest Places on Earth.

Offaly is known as the “Monastic County” with good reason. Clonmacnoise is one of the most important Early Christian monastic sites in Ireland and flourished for hundreds of years, despite being ransacked by the Vikings at the beginning of the 9th century and later the Normans. The monastery is architecturally important. During his Irish campaign, Cromwell destroyed the monastery but ruins dating to the 13th century can be seen on the grounds as well as round towers and high crosses. Rory O’Connor, the last High King of Ireland, was buried here in 1198.

There are a number of other early Christian monastic ruins and churches in Offaly including Seir Kieran in Clareen, which dates back to the early sixth century; Birr Early Christian monastic site is home to the Book of Birr, an illuminated manuscript copy of the four Gospels. At Fore Abbey, you can visit the Anchorite cell where Ireland’s last hermit lived.

The Lough Boora wetlands have long been popular with visitors to Offaly. The wilderness reserve is the perfect place to enjoy nature,

45 Offaly GR 3-4 2

02/08/2013 20:14:45

GOPLACES

TNT Theatre presents Much Ado About Nothing at Birr Castle Demesne, Thursday 8 August

Birr Vintage Week Craft Market: so much local produce to choose from

whether you enjoy cycling, angling, bird watching or just walking in beautiful peaceful surroundings.

The Lough Boora Parklands dates back as long as 9000 years. The area is home to unique flora and fauna, including the last remaining population of native Grey Partridge. Since 2002 Lough Boora has hosted some of the most innovative land and environmental sculptures in Ireland. The parklands are open 365 days a year and there are picnic benches and restrooms on site to you can make a whole day of your visit.

Plus, if you’re really lucky with the weather, Offaly boasts a varied selection of outdoor activities, suitable for family outings and romantic mini-breaks. Take a meander through the boardwalk of Clara Bog surrounded by heather and bog cotton, or try a trek in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, where there are looped walks to suit all levels of fitness, ranging from easy strolls to strenuous hikes. Anglers are kept exceedingly busy with Offaly’s rivers, canals and lakes, while golf enthusiasts have excellent golf courses to choose from, including Edenderry Golf Club, Mount Temple Golf and the New Forest Golf Course.

For more on outdoor and indoor pursuits, see offalytourism.com.

FOOD AND DRINK Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre.

No visit to Offaly would be complete without call

A scene from Birr Vintage Week

to the Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre. The whiskey is named after Daniel E. Williams who created Ireland’s first triple distilled, triple blended Irish whiskey in 1829. The centre is in the 19th century bonded warehouse where the casks of whiskey would rest before being shipped off around the world. The guided tour uses audio-visuals to take you through the history of William’s creation and the early years of the distillery as well as the process of whiskey making. Best of all, you end with a tasting session where you’ll put this knowledge to use by comparing three of Tullamore Dew’s most famous blends.

There is also the “Special Reserve” tour. Here you’ll receive in-depth information on the whiskey making process and have a chance to sample the brew at each stage. This needs to be booked in advance but it is a real treat for whiskey aficionados. See tullamoredew.com/ourbirthplace for more information.

Sirocco’s Italian Restaurant Sirocco’s in Tullamore is regarded as the best Italian restaurant in the midlands and, since 1999, has been a favourite with locals. Sirocco’s has won the Irish Restaurant Award for Best Restaurant and Best Customer Service in Offaly (2010—2013). Food critics such as Paolo Tullio and Lucinda Sullivan have also given it thumbs up. And it is recommended by Georgina Campbell’s Ireland Guide, Lonely Planet and on Trip Advisor – all good reasons to visit, and reservations are recommended. The food may be

Italian but the steak, lamb and fish are all Irish.

The menu is varied, dishes freshly prepared. You can see the chefs at work in the restaurant’s open kitchen. See siroccos.net for more information and special offers and promotions.

Country Markets Sample the local produce and pick up a bargain at Offaly’s country markets. The Killeigh Farmer’s Market takes place on Saturdays from 9.30am and 5pm; Tullamore Country Fair runs Saturday mornings between 9am and 12.30pm and the Birr Farmer’s Market takes place every Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

The Portarlington Blueberry Festival Taking place over the weekend of September 20, 21, and 22, the Portarlington Blueberry Harvest Festival is a humble celebration of the mouthwateringly versatile berry that Offaly farms are so great at producing, as well as a fantastic excuse to sample some of the county’s best local produce, from cheese to confectionery to baked goods. Promoting healthy eating, exercise and a sustainable lifestyle, the programme boasts something for everyone: outdoor kitchen demonstrations, farmers market, craft area, children’s area, and fun sporting events for all ages. The jam-packed weekender (no pun intended!) is held in conjunction with the annual 10km run and The Big Push, an ambitious attempt to stage the world’s biggest rugby scrum! See portarlington.ie for more information.

46 Offaly GR 3-4 3

02/08/2013 20:14:55

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THE NATIONAL CENTRE OF CUTAWAY BOGLANDS REHABILITATION

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Activities

Walking • Angling & Picnic Area • Bird watching Bike Hire and Cycling • Off Road Cycling Paths Wildlife & flora • Sculpture Park •Mesolithic site

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Blueball, Tullamore, Co Offaly For guided tours phone Lisa & Helen on 0879904234 or 0862896397 Tel: 0579345978 For bike hire phone Pat 0868895194 info@loughbooraparklands.com www.loughbooraparklands.com

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47 Offaly GR 3-4 4

02/08/2013 20:14:58

GOPLACES FESTIVALS Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival The 45th Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival takes place from 2 to 10 August this year. This is one of Ireland’s longest running and most successful festivals and a huge programme is planned for 2013. This includes an antique and fine arts fair; an artisan and craft market; vintage aircraft and cars; street theatre; marching bands; children’s events; and music. Theatre highlights include Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing staged using Birr Castle as a backdrop and Les Misérables performed by the Midlands Musical Youth accompanied by a full professional orchestra. There is a huge range of music events such as Whispers in the Night with the soprano Kerstin Doelle, a trad music session, the annual busking competition and local boy, Mundy will be performing live. All of these are just a small selection of what’s planned so check out birrvintageweek.com for more details.

The HOFF If fine food is your passion, you should head to the Harvest Offaly Food Festival which takes places in Tullamore 13 to 18 September. This is the first year of the festival and it promises to kick off in style with artisan food stalls, craft markets, children’s workshops, and cookery demonstrations from some of Ireland’s top chefs and foodies, including Michelin star chef JP McMahon of Galway’s award-winning Aniar Restaurant. MasterChef Ireland finalist Clare Anne O’Keefe will be overseeing a ‘long table banquet’ catering for the 100 diners along the Grand Canal bank. And a jazz band on a barge docked alongside will keep diners entertained. For details see the website, harvestoffalyfoodfestival.com.

St. Patrick’s Day festivities are an annual highlight

The Slieve Bloom Storytelling Festival An ideal opportunity to enjoy Offaly’s natural beauty and spend time in the great outdoors, The Slieve Bloom Storytelling Festival brings storytelling, music and song to a stunning landscape of mountains, valleys, glens, waterfalls, ancient raths and medieval castles. Taking place from October 9 to 12, the much-loved event hosts a selection of indoor and outdoor performances on and near Ireland’s famous mountains, which are intrinsically linked to the landscape and the history of the area, stretching back to before the time of the druids. See slievebloom.ie for the full line-up.

ACCOMMODATION Kinnity Castle Hotel.

A stunning, ‘high-romance’ getaway in the heart of the Irish countryside, Kinnitty Castle Hotel boasts a dramatic past (see Historic Sites And Attractions for the full history lesson!). There’s

also plenty of excitement in its future – it’s currently among Ireland’s most sought-after castle break destinations. Whether you are looking for a romantic trip to a fairytale setting, an enchanting venue for your wedding day, an intriguing getaway with family or friends or a unique place for any event, the character, charm and genuine Irish hospitality of the Castle makes it the perfect destination.

With its picturesque location at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, it is ideally located for those interested in outdoor pursuits such as walking, horse riding, archery, clay pigeon shooting. Keen golfers can enjoy a number of wonderful golf clubs close by. There are also kennels on site should guests wish to bring their dogs with them. Deliciously dramatic gothic architecture and interiors give the Kinnitty and Cadamstown-adjacent building a magical ambiance. You’ll also find some terrific dining rooms within its walls. Executive chef Anthony Holland flexes his culinary muscles in the Sli Dala

KINNITTY CASTLE HOTEL A little Irish Magic in the heart of the Midlands, awaiting your arrival.

MID WEEK SPECIAL OFFER One Night’s B&B and an Evening Meal with Afternoon Tea from €78 per person sharing This offer is available for selected Midweek dates throughout September & October Activities available range from Walking, Cycling, Horse Riding, Clay Pigeon Shooting, Historical Local Trips and much more...

You can even bring your dog as we have kennels on site...

To book or for further information on any of our offers please contact:

Kinnitty Castle Hotel, Kinnitty, Birr, Co. Offaly Email: reception@kinnittycastlehotel.com

Tel: 05791 37318

Web: www.kinnittycastlehotel.com

48 Offaly GR 3-4 5

02/08/2013 20:15:02

Restaurant. This year alone, Kinnitty Castle Hotel has picked up some prestigious awards. It has been named Wedding Venue Coordinator of the Year, Runner up for Best Castle Wedding Venue (Weddings Online Awards); Best Chef in Offaly and Best Customer Service in Offaly and short listed for Best all Ireland Chef (Irish Restaurant Awards); Runner up for Best Alternative Venue of the Year and Hotel Venue (Wedding Journal Reader Awards). Contact the Kinnitty Castle Hotel Team on 05791 37318 or e-mail reception@ kinnittycastlehotel.com to book your stay.

The Bridge House Hotel If you want to stay in luxury during your trip to Offaly the four-star Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore is an excellent choice. The hotel has a wonderful spa; a Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant and a traditional Italian restaurant

as well as the Palace nightclub for after dark amusement. The Charleville Restaurant won the Best Hotel Restaurant Offaly 2013 and the kitchen is under the auspices of award-winning chef Patrick Kennedy.

The hotel’s White Flag award-winning Leisure Club includes a gym with state of the art equipment, personal fitness programmes, a 20metre swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, and outdoor hydrotherapy pool. The 70 guest rooms are luxurious and many have Jacuzzi baths or balconies. Look out for the excellent special offers such as two nights bed and breakfast with a four course dinner on one evening, a 60 minute spa treatment and a session in the spa’s Relaxation Chambers from just ¤149 per person sharing midweek, or ¤189 per person sharing at weekends. For information and booking see bridgehousehoteltullamore.ie

Tullamore Court Hotel The Tullamore Court Hotel is a superb four-star hotel with 103 lovely rooms, fine dining and extensive leisure facilities. Close to the Slieve Bloom Mountains and Lough Boora Parklands with guided walks and cycling paths, lakes and rivers, golf and much more this hotel is a great choice for an active getaway. The restaurant and bistro use locally sourced ingredients and the bar is popular with locals and visitors. The Leisure Centre includes a fully equipped fitness suite with a separate aerobics studio and a freeweights room, a 20-metre swimming pool with Jacuzzi and the largest sauna and steam-room in Tullamore. There are plenty of great offers including two nights bed and breakfast with one evening meal from just ¤119 per person sharing and bed and breakfast for two people from just ¤99. See tullamorecourthotel.ie for more details.

Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre

Backing a winner: the Moneygall Donkey Derby, August 30 – September 1

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GOEAT EAT

A MATTER OF TASTE ST UA RT C L A R K B R I N G S YO U T H E L AT E ST FO O D I E N E WS Dylan McGrath: ‘We are not morons. We are cool’

If writing songs, touring, appearing on numerous popular television shows such as The Voice of Ireland and The Hit and getting fit for a boxing match wasn’t enough, Paul is also doing an undergraduate degree at UCD. But he says he’s generally not recognized there as the singer in a popular band.

“In my first year a guy came up to me and said, ‘There’s a guy on RTE2 who looks exactly like you, but he wears the worst clothes!’ That’s exactly what he said and I pretended I wasn’t him!”

THE DAMAGE BEWLEY'S CAFÉ, Bewley’s Café, Grafton Street, Dublin 2 Tel. +353 (0) 672 7720 www.bewleys.com/bewleys-grafton-street-cafe We were very abstemious due to the hot weather. Paul had the noodles in a red Thai coconut curry sauce with chicken and chilli.

These were lovely and spicy and can be ordered as a small or large portion (¤9.85 and ¤14.35). I had the salad Niçoise, which is a classic French dish with tuna, French beans and potatoes. This can be ordered in small and large portions as for ¤9.60 and ¤12.40. Cajun chicken and smoked bacon can be added to any salad, and all salads can be ordered without meat or cheese. We also ordered a side potion of homemade breads three dips and olives (¤5.75).

Bewley’s offers a range of cocktails, wines, beers, ciders and liqueur coffees. I had a glass of Pinot Grigio which was priced at a very reasonable ¤4.60. However, because the weather was so hot, we drank litres of sparkling Ballygowan (¤5 for 750ml).

There is a huge range of cakes and pastries made fresh everyday in Bewley’s bakery. These are one of the reasons the café is so perennially popular and we regretted being too full to sample them.

Bewley’s also has a selection of desserts that are perfect for hot weather including a nut sundae with fudge sauce and Knickerbocker glory (both ¤4.80).

Although Bewley’s is best known as a coffee shop, it is a great alternative for dinner or a tasty snack. The prices are very reasonable, the portions generous and the service was attentive, prompt and friendly.

IN WITH A STOUT Arts, music, sport and – most deliciously! – food are the cornerstones of the Arthur Guinness Projects, a new initiative which over the next three years will make ¤3 million in funding available to creators, visionaries and innovators in the aforementioned fields.

The edible side of things is being looked after by MasterChef man Dylan McGrath.

“Ireland has changed and it’s part of the reason why I got involved in this project,” the Belfast chef says of his involvement. “We’re not morons. We are cool, we are innovative and it’s great to remind Ireland that we’re not as beat-up as we think. The last couple of years the press have just been bashing on about whose fault it was and how it has robbed people of their ability to go out and do it. And I, as a person, refuse to accept that.

That’s why I got involved: so I can try and open doors for people.”

From foodie apps and restaurant concepts to artisan fare and the cookbook, if you’ve an idea you’d like to develop, see arthurguinnessprojects.com for more details.

HOPPY TALK The Irish artisan beer revolution

gathers apace with Macroom’s Mountain Man Brewing, Clonmel’s Baile Brewing Company, Donegal’s Muckish Mountain Brewery and the West Mayo Brewery all making their bow over the past few weeks.

From IPAs and porters to red ales and stouts, they’ve all bases covered!

Talking of the dark stuff, Cork’s Franciscan Well brewery has teamed up with Jameson to produce a limited-edition stout brewed by the former and aged in the latter’s oak barrels. Having been fortunate enough to attend the launch recently in Dublin’s W.J. Kavanagh’s gastropub, Go Rail can report it’s a marriage made in heaven!

Some of them will be making an appearance from August 23 – 25 as Doolin stages its annual Craft Beer & Food Festival, which is also renowned for its selection of local farmhouse cheeses.

Also coming up fast on the rails is the Irish Craft Beer & Cider Festival, which returns to the RDS, Dublin from September 5 – 8 with 25 producers already confirmed. www.irishcraftbeerfestival.com CASTLEMARTYR TO THE CAUSE If you fancy a splurge, let us recommend the Gourmet Menu available in the Castlemartyr Resort’s AA Rosette-d Bell Tower restaurant. Big on seasonality and locally sourced East Cork ingredients, standouts include the Pan-Fried Sea Bass, Roast Celeriac, Poached Fennel, Cep Salsa & Mussel Veloute with Chervil; Roast Breast of Duck, Endive, Tart Fine of Butternut, Pickled Pear & Port and a Crème Brûlée so decadent we’re surprised there’s not a law against it. They also rustle up a mean Full Irish if you’re staying over! castlemartyrresort.ie

Castlemartyr: decadent and delicious

50 52 Go Eat GoR 3-4 B.indd 3

02/08/2013 18:38:00

EAT

7

A MATTER OF TASTE

The

ST UA RT C L A R K B R I N G S YO U T H E L AT E ST FO O D I E N E WS

MAGNIFICENT Dylan McGrath: ‘We are not morons. We are cool’

gathers apace with Macroom’s Mountain Man Brewing, Clonmel’s Baile Brewing Company, Donegal’s Muckish Mountain Brewery and the West Mayo Brewery all making their bow over the past few weeks.

From IPAs and porters to red ales and stouts, they’ve all bases covered!

Talking of the dark stuff, Cork’s Franciscan Well brewery has teamed up with Jameson to produce a limited-edition stout brewed by the former and aged in the latter’s oak barrels. Having been fortunate enough to attend the launch recently in Dublin’s W.J. Kavanagh’s gastropub, Go Rail can report it’s a marriage made in heaven!

Some of them will be making an appearance from August 23 – 25 as Doolin stages its annual Craft Beer & Food Festival, which is also renowned for its selection of local farmhouse cheeses.

Also coming up fast on the rails is the Irish Craft Beer & Cider Festival, which returns to the RDS, Dublin from September 5 – 8 with 25 producers already confirmed. www.irishcraftbeerfestival.com

'S E V E N

IN WITH A STOUT Arts, music, sport and – most deliciously! – food are the cornerstones of the Arthur Guinness Projects, a new initiative which over the next three years will make ¤3 million in funding available to creators, visionaries and innovators in the aforementioned fields.

The edible side of things is being looked after

by MasterChef man Royseven’s PAUL WALSH enjoys a leisurely bite and Dylan McGrath. beverage at Bewley’s with ANNE SEXTON “Ireland has changed and it’s part P H O T O S R U Tof H the Mreason E D J why B E R I got involved in this project,” the Belfast chef says of his involvement. “We’re not morons. We are cool, we are If writing songs, touring, appearing on numerous popular television innovative and it’s great to remind aul is having his photo taken. shows such asWalsh The Voice of Ireland and The Hit A and getting fit for a thousandIreland we’re as to are bound get a bit heated TO from time to CASTLEMARTYR THE CAUSE in front of ten people.that There wasnot a as beat-up group of young girlsPaul spot boxing match wasn’t enough, is the alsoRoyseven doing an undergraduate weweek think.before The last couple of time. years If you fancy a splurge, let us guy I recognised from the because Gourmet front But manhe and burst song: “We degree at UCD. says he’sinto generally not recognized as the a very obvious the press have justshell been bashing “We have a policy that the every idea is Menu thrown recommend he there was wearing turquoise in the Castlemartyr should be lovers, cause we can’t be friends!” singer in a popular band. on about whose fault andthe ringavailable and we try every idea. Even if tracksuit. I spotted him and he was waving upit wasinto AAawful Rosette-d Tower “In my first year a guy came up to me and said, ‘There’s a guy how it has robbed ofwe their think it isResort’s stupid or or notBell going to me so on I said, ‘Hey Montreux!’

It was fine people for Big onspend seasonality Be Lovers” was but the he song of 2011 RTE2 “We who Should looks exactly like you, wears the worst clothes!’

That’s ability to there go out and do it. And I, to work, we restaurant. try it. We would longer him and me, but everybody else including the track thatand turned Royseven into a him!” andwhether locally sourced East Corktry and what exactly he said I pretended I wasn’t as a my person, to accept that. about arguing or not we should Bryan Adams, his band and bandrefuse thought household name. ingredients, standouts include the That’s whywhen I got Iinvolved: soit Ithan can trying it. So we just do it! We do have I thought I was in Montreux.

Even told “I’m waiting for Reeling In The Years!” he Pan-Fried Bass, Roast Celeriac, try believe and open doors for people.” arguments, but it’s notSea personal.

It’s very much them the story they didn’t me.” laughs. “I’m quite happy when people say to Poached Fennel, Cep Salsa & Fromalmost foodie apps and restaurant like having brothers.”

Royseven have been touring me, ‘I’m sick of your song. It’s on the radio all Veloute with Chervil; concepts to artisan brothers, Paul comes from a Roast continually since the release of their secondfare and Talking of Mussel but cookbook, the lads have the time.’ It’s good for me!”

Breast Duck, Endive, Tart Fine of if you’ve an musical family.

His of father was in show bands, album You Say, We Say the BEWLEY'S CAFÉ, Café for dinner and the recently gone back into idea the studio to write new see We’re in Bewley’s Butternut, Portof and you’d like to develop, his mother was a balletPickled dancerPear and & many his Bewley’s Grafton historic Street, Dublin 2 is a songs. cool of Café, the beautiful building Crème Brûlée so decadent we’re arthurguinnessprojects.comsiblings for playainstruments too.

Tel. +353 (0) 672 7720 in sodetails. we took them “The gigs kept comingmore welcome respite from the temperature outside. surprised not law piano against “My parents tried tothere’s get me to atake www.bewleys.com/bewleys-grafton-street-cafe obviously – we wanted to promote the album.

But with the mercury hitting 27 degrees it. IThey also up a mean lessons when was a kidrustle but I didn’t like the But there came a point when weTALK decided, look, Celsius, both of us decide that eating light is Full Irish in if you’re staying over!

HOPPY idea of being tested front of other people. were abstemious due to the hot coconut weather. Paul theto stop and start We wehad need songs,” he revolution the wayvery to go – a small portion of Thai Thewriting Irish artisan beer That freakedcastlemartyrresort.ie me out. I chucked that in but I noodles in for a red Thai coconut curry and chilli. explains. noodles Paul; salad Niçoise for sauce me. with chicken continued to play the piano at home,” he says.

These were lovely and spicy and be ordered as a small or large Having one mega-hit album to their credit, Paul doesn’t watch his diet ascan such His love of music is also typical of Clonmel, portion (¤9.85I and ¤14.35). had salad Niçoise, which a classic does is the band feel pressure to repeat that – “Although am aware of Iit,” hethe explains – but Tipperary where he grew up.

French dish with tuna, French beans and potatoes. This can be success? he is keen on keeping fit.

“It’s a very musical town. There is a local ordered and trainer large portions for ¤9.60 and ¤12.40.

Cajun “I don’t know if pressure is the word. It would “I gotinasmall personal recently.asI felt I marching band in Clonmel and they win lots chicken smokedasbacon be past. added to any salad, all ifsalads beand great we could have an album that was wasn’tand as healthy I was can in the I also of competitions. My dad was involved in the can be ordered meat at or Dalymount cheese. WePark also ordered side as, ifanot more, successful. But each creation is signed up for without a Fight Night very early days of that and a lot of my family potion of14th homemade breadsIt’s three and olives (¤5.75). its own entity and I don’t want to put pressure on the of September. for dips Bohemians members joined and were part of that. I Bewley’s offersI asaid range of cocktails, beers, andWhatever happens happens. If it’s on that.

Football Club.

I’d do that with wines, the view to ciders resisted. He asked me to join and I said ‘No.’ I liqueur coffees.

I had a glass of Pinot Grigio which was priced at fantastic, a successful, but if it’s not, it’s not the getting a bit fitter.” wanted to be a bit of a rebel!” he laughs. “So I very“We reasonable ¤4.60.

However, because theand weatherend wasofso hot, the world – it’s honestly not. Yes, I am were touring with a couple of bands joined a guitar band instead.” wethe drank of in sparkling (¤5 forto 750ml). ambitious and career-focused but at the same leadlitres singer one toldBallygowan me that you have Since we’re featuring Tipperary in this issue, There a huge range of cakes pastries made fresh timeeveryday I am realistic about it. I work hard, I work be ‘gigisfit’.

If you’re jumping onand stage like I tend we thought we’d ask Paul what he most in to Bewley’s bakery. are oneI find of the reasons the café is really so really, hard and if it comes good I’ll be do it takes a lotThese out of you. it quite appreciates about his hometown. perennially popular we regretted being sample them. but if it doesn’t I won’t feel guilty hard to control myand breathing and not lose too my full todelighted, “It is far more beautiful than I realised Bewley’s also sing has athe selection of desserts that are perfect forithot about because I put so much work into it.” breath and way I should be singing.” growing up. Every time I go home I think weather including a nut withhefudge “The first album I wrote most of it myself, Paul suffers from haysundae fever, but says sauce and Knickerbocker ‘Wow!’ If you’re going to Clonmel you should glory (both kicks ¤4.80). but with the second record everyone pitched adrenalin in on stage and he never needs drive in from the Cashel side and take note of Although is best known as a doesn’t coffee shop, itinisand a got involved. Everybody had a stronger to sneeze Bewley’s when performing.

But that the view. Clonmel is surrounded by mountains great alternative for dinner or a tasty snack. are very sense of unity and it wasCastlemartyr: the band’s project mean he has never embarrassed himself in The prices so it is perfect for urban living or to get away. I decadent and delicious reasonable, portions generous and the service was attentive, – and I think that is reflected in the album and front of anthe audience. love it for many reasons – obviously my family prompt in the success of it as well.”

“We and werefriendly. at the Montreux Jazz Festival and and friends – but also for the environment With six creative people in the room, things the following week we were in Locarno in Italy itself.”

P

THE DAMAGE

5251 Go Eat GoR 3-4 B.indd 3

02/08/2013 18:39:15

EAT

A MATTER OF TASTE ST UA RT C L A R K B R I N G S YO U T H E L AT E ST FO O D I E N E WS Dylan McGrath: ‘We are not morons. We are cool’

If writing songs, touring, appearing on numerous popular television shows such as The Voice of Ireland and The Hit and getting fit for a boxing match wasn’t enough, Paul is also doing an undergraduate degree at UCD. But he says he’s generally not recognized there as the singer in a popular band.

“In my first year a guy came up to me and said, ‘There’s a guy on RTE2 who looks exactly like you, but he wears the worst clothes!’ That’s exactly what he said and I pretended I wasn’t him!”

THE DAMAGE BEWLEY'S CAFÉ, Bewley’s Café, Grafton Street, Dublin 2 Tel. +353 (0) 672 7720 www.bewleys.com/bewleys-grafton-street-cafe We were very abstemious due to the hot weather. Paul had the noodles in a red Thai coconut curry sauce with chicken and chilli.

These were lovely and spicy and can be ordered as a small or large portion (¤9.85 and ¤14.35). I had the salad Niçoise, which is a classic French dish with tuna, French beans and potatoes. This can be ordered in small and large portions as for ¤9.60 and ¤12.40. Cajun chicken and smoked bacon can be added to any salad, and all salads can be ordered without meat or cheese. We also ordered a side potion of homemade breads three dips and olives (¤5.75).

Bewley’s offers a range of cocktails, wines, beers, ciders and liqueur coffees. I had a glass of Pinot Grigio which was priced at a very reasonable ¤4.60. However, because the weather was so hot, we drank litres of sparkling Ballygowan (¤5 for 750ml).

There is a huge range of cakes and pastries made fresh everyday in Bewley’s bakery. These are one of the reasons the café is so perennially popular and we regretted being too full to sample them.

Bewley’s also has a selection of desserts that are perfect for hot weather including a nut sundae with fudge sauce and Knickerbocker glory (both ¤4.80).

Although Bewley’s is best known as a coffee shop, it is a great alternative for dinner or a tasty snack. The prices are very reasonable, the portions generous and the service was attentive, prompt and friendly.

IN WITH A STOUT Arts, music, sport and – most deliciously! – food are the cornerstones of the Arthur Guinness Projects, a new initiative which over the next three years will make ¤3 million in funding available to creators, visionaries and innovators in the aforementioned fields.

The edible side of things is being looked after by MasterChef man Dylan McGrath.

“Ireland has changed and it’s part of the reason why I got involved in this project,” the Belfast chef says of his involvement. “We’re not morons. We are cool, we are innovative and it’s great to remind Ireland that we’re not as beat-up as we think. The last couple of years the press have just been bashing on about whose fault it was and how it has robbed people of their ability to go out and do it. And I, as a person, refuse to accept that.

That’s why I got involved: so I can try and open doors for people.”

From foodie apps and restaurant concepts to artisan fare and the cookbook, if you’ve an idea you’d like to develop, see arthurguinnessprojects.com for more details.

HOPPY TALK The Irish artisan beer revolution

gathers apace with Macroom’s Mountain Man Brewing, Clonmel’s Baile Brewing Company, Donegal’s Muckish Mountain Brewery and the West Mayo Brewery all making their bow over the past few weeks.

From IPAs and porters to red ales and stouts, they’ve all bases covered!

Talking of the dark stuff, Cork’s Franciscan Well brewery has teamed up with Jameson to produce a limited-edition stout brewed by the former and aged in the latter’s oak barrels. Having been fortunate enough to attend the launch recently in Dublin’s W.J. Kavanagh’s gastropub, Go Rail can report it’s a marriage made in heaven!

Some of them will be making an appearance from August 23 – 25 as Doolin stages its annual Craft Beer & Food Festival, which is also renowned for its selection of local farmhouse cheeses.

Also coming up fast on the rails is the Irish Craft Beer & Cider Festival, which returns to the RDS, Dublin from September 5 – 8 with 25 producers already confirmed. www.irishcraftbeerfestival.com CASTLEMARTYR TO THE CAUSE If you fancy a splurge, let us recommend the Gourmet Menu available in the Castlemartyr Resort’s AA Rosette-d Bell Tower restaurant. Big on seasonality and locally sourced East Cork ingredients, standouts include the Pan-Fried Sea Bass, Roast Celeriac, Poached Fennel, Cep Salsa & Mussel Veloute with Chervil; Roast Breast of Duck, Endive, Tart Fine of Butternut, Pickled Pear & Port and a Crème Brûlée so decadent we’re surprised there’s not a law against it. They also rustle up a mean Full Irish if you’re staying over! castlemartyrresort.ie

Castlemartyr: decadent and delicious

52 Go Eat GoR 3-4 B.indd 3

02/08/2013 18:39:42

GOFASHION

The

Sum

Of All Wears

FROM FUTURISTIC METALLICS TO THE PUREST OF WHITES, ROE MCDERMOTT HAS ALL OF THIS SUMMER’S BIGGEST TRENDS COVERED.

1 53 Fashion GoR 2-8 2

02/08/2013 18:49:35

GOFASHION PEDAL TO THE METAL Add a jolt of shimmer and shine to these sunny summer days with this season’s metallic trends.

Exciting, odd, exhilarating, elegant and everpresent, the versatile metallic trend was shining on all the major catwalks this fashion season.

Futuristic twists, delicious shimmers and classic sequins mean there’s a way for everyone to work this style into their wardrobe. Look for opulent brocades and jacquards in metallic hues for a beautiful clash of past patterns and futuristic shines. Also, be sure to clash and contrast your metallic jewellery for a modern blend of silver, gold and copper tones.

A SECOND SKIN According to the Chinese zodiac, 2013 is the Year of the Snake, and thissss sssslinky trend is sssset to mesmerise. A plethora of python sheath dresses, trousers and clutches are on the market right now, just waiting to be snapped up. A truly provocative print, snakeskin can be sexy and sophisticated when worn right but like all animal prints, it can overwhelm. So tread lightly and note that wearing just one serpentine element makes it more memorable. For a more causal trip to the jungle, team snakeskin skinnies with metallic chunky knits or add a small bite to any outfit with python print heels or a bag.

2

6

3

AHOY THERE Be nautical but nice in this season’s take on a cute and classic trend. Whether you go for a literal or subtle interpretation, the flirty girlishness and irrepressibly sunny feel of nautical fashion never fails to feel fresh. A traditional take calls for that combination of blue, red and white, with Breton stripes, shorts and bows dominating. To lend some hardiness to your sea-worthy ensemble, look for structured pieces like striped blazers that would look adorable teamed with a floaty sun dress, or sassy with skinny jeans and sky-high red heels.

For a subtle evocation of the trends, keep your eyes peeled for unusual statement pieces such as nautical-themes hairpieces.

4

FLIRTY FLUORESCENTS Prepare to glow this summer, as fluorescent neons bring that retro ’90s vibe back with a bang. This unabashedly fun and flashy trend has grown up slightly since the glowstick era’s philosophy of “more is more”. This time around it’s about picking statement pieces and using some colour-blocking skills to make an impact with bright bursts of bold colour. Flirty mini dresses in icy blue, acid green or canary yellow can be teamed with a sensible blazer, while the attention-seeking tones of neon tops can be subdued by a pair of dark skinny jeans. Of course, accessories are a brilliant way to brighten an outfit, and we’re loving the combination of neon piping and neutral base colours on these gorgeous clutches.

5

ALL WHITE ON THE NIGHT If all that colour, clashing and co-ordination is proving too much, you can embrace the timeless purity of all-white ensembles. Fear not: basic doesn’t mean boring and there is a plethora of purity to choose from. To embrace the romance of the delicate and feminine, look for lace and filigree-inspired fabrics. For a classic country-girl outfit, look for rustic crochet designs. Or for a dramatic, show-sopping evening look, embrace Grecian-style maxi dresses to make you feel like summer royalty.

1.

Vertical stripe column skirt ¤21.21, Asos.com

2.

Theresa headpiece ¤224, Anne-Sophie Coulot at Boticca.com

3.

Striped blazer ¤15, Penneys

4.

Neon clutch ¤35, River Island

5.

Helix heels ¤120, Dune

6.

Clarabelle maxi dress ¤53.87, Missguided.eu

54 Fashion GoR 2-8 3

02/08/2013 18:49:45

7.

Helen crochet dress ¤120, Monsoon

8.

Violete sleeveless swing dress ¤19.23, Missguided.eu

9.

Metallic Top ¤15, Jacquard Trousers¤17, Pointed Ankle Strap Court ¤18, L.E. Necklace ¤10, all Penneys

7

8

10. Ammo heels ¤120, Dune 11.

Spiceyas clutch ¤65, Dune

12. Folded clutch ¤88.90, Poupee Couture at Boticca.com

9

11

10

12

STOCKISTS ACCESSORISE/MONSOON 23D Jervis Shopping Centre, Mary Street, Dublin 1 10-12 Williamsgate Street, Co. Galway Unit 30, Mahon Point Shopping Centre, Co. Cork Unit 26 Garryowen Mall, Crescent Shopping Centre, Dooradoyle, Co. Limerick

RIVER ISLAND 102-103 Grafton St., Dublin 2 Unit C1 – C7, Ilac Shopping Centre, Henry St., Dublin 1 14 – 15 Shop Street, Co. Galway 39 Patrick St., Co. Cork 9 Cruise’s St., Co. Limerick MISSGUIDED.EU

ASOS.COM BOTICCA.COM DUNE Dundrum Shopping Centre, Dublin 16 Debanhams Henry Street, Dublin 1

PENNEYS 35-39 Lower O’Connell Street, Dublin 1 47 Mary Street, Dublin 1 Unit 225 Eyre Square S.C, Co. Galway O’Connell Street, Co. Limerick St. Patrick Street, Co. Cork

55 Fashion GoR 2-8 4

02/08/2013 18:49:57

GO PLACES

CATALUNYA CALLING The old town in Girona

56 Spain GoR 3-4 1

02/08/2013 18:51:29

Land in Barcelona and stay as long as you please. And then head north to enjoy the manifold pleasures of life in this brilliant and beautiful part of the world. With a visit to the No.1 restaurant in the world, El Celler de Can Roca thrown in, it is the perfect place to unwind for 10 days. The only problem is that we don’t have longer! WORDS & PHOTOS NIALL STOKES

A

sk me where might I like to go for a holiday. There are so many places is the first reaction! And so, as the summer beckons, we start to reel through the possibilities.

What about Corsica? Croatia? The South of France! Is there somewhere in Italy? A trip to the States might be a good idea. Morocco!

Greece. Or Turkey for a change. Somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere? Pity Mauritius is so far away! Likewise Argentina. Some other time...

No matter how many times the discussion takes place there is one country that always claims its place in the spotlight.

Spain.

Andalucia in the south is a beautiful and beguiling destination. The Costa Blanca, encompassing Valencia, Alicante and Althea is full of charm. The Basque region, and San Sebastian in particular, are magnificent. But no matter what angle you approach it from, or how often you’ve made the choice before, it is hard to think of anywhere that can match the rich heritage, the natural beauty and the wonderful man-made attractions of Catalunya. It is a region that, more or less, has everything...

This year we had just 10 days to play with. How to structure it? Rather than basing ourselves in one place we wanted to mix our pleasures. We’d have three days in the city, three days by the sea and a few more somewhere in between! It seemed like a plan.

We decided to hit Barcelona first. We’ve been there a dozen times and it still always seems like a wonderful prospect. My favourite metropolis in the world, with the possible exception of New York – an entirely different beast! – it is a great city for culture, for food, for walking and for shopping. Alongside Paris, it is the apex of European cosmopolitanism. But it is warmer than Paris and has the sea too. I love it.

Where to stay? There are superb hotels in Barcelona. In the recent past we’ve stayed in Hotel Claris, a friendly and informal place that is close to the heart of the action in the Eixample; and last time around we chose Hotel Murmuri, a sweet boutique hotel, located on the Rambla de Catalunya. The Murmuri has fantastic apartments around the corner in the Passatge de la Concepcio – a narrow, lane way, that’s home to numerous buzzing, restaurants, bars and clubs which runs across to the Passeig de Gracia. A family of four could live through a hard winter. in one of these, so it is well worth enquiring to see if one is available...

On this latest trip, we were lucky to get a good deal in the highly celebrated Hotel Omm, a chic five star joint located just off the Passeig de Gracia, on Carrer Rossello. Hotel Omm is part of the Trazaluz group, who run some of the best restaurants in the city – check out El Tragaluz (on Passatge de Concepcio), El Principal de Trtagaluz, Agua and Bestial, both of which are in Barcelontta, Gallito and Luzia for starters. But the jewel in the crown is Rocca Moo, the Michelin starred restaurant in Hotel Omm, to which the Rocca brothers of the world’s No.1 restaurant El Celler de Can Rocca (more on which anon) act as mentors and consultants.

In the morning there is a superb breakfast, offering anything a man or woman could want, and all served up with a friendly and generous hand. It is as good as it gets.

Hotel Omm is a brilliant base from which to explore the city. Fifty yards away, the Diagonal slices across Barcelona at its familiar, odd angle. I went for a run in the evening and raced for miles, up along the broad central avenue, mixing it with bikes, joggers, couples out strolling and people walking their dogs alike.

The following morning we covered the same ground, only this time sticking to the pavements, window shopping in the stylish boutiques, interiors shops and restaurants that line what is one of the great European boulevards.

There are so many competing attractions in a city that is rightly renowned for its magnificent architecture. The great Catalunyan genius Gaudi has left his imprint all over the city, inspiring subsequent generations of architects to reach for the stars.

His most famous – and iconic – building, the Segrada Familia, is a work of stunning genius.

A church which remained a shell until relatively recently, the extraordinary natural energy of its design is stunning. Anyone with an interest in art, light, space and spirituality should make sure they see it. But that is just one of a number of Gaudi masterpieces which adorn the city: if you are going to see one more, make it Park Guell, to the north of Barcelona, in the Gracia district, a public space imagined as a fairytale world which is truly special.

The range of attractions across the city is almost endless. There is the Fundacio Joan Miró on Montjuic, housing dramatic and impressive works from the celebrated Catalan painter, ceramicist and sculptor, alongside pieces from many other leading contemporary artists; MACBA (The Museu d’art Contemporani de Barcelona), which houses a superb collection of modern Catalan art, with guided tours available; and the Museu Picasso, in the historic Barri Gótic district.

This time around we visited the Museo de Historia de Barcelona, a fascinating trip through the various stages of the development of the metropolis, uncovered in an archaeological dig, with each new epoch layered on top of the previous ground-level of the city. In the Roman era, we learned, the average citizen of Barcelona drank 250 litres of wine a year or close to a bottle a day – and lived to tell the tale. The casks in which the wine was held and matured are everywhere to be seen in the remnants of the old city.

Barcelona beach might not be to everyone’s taste but having swum there on New Year’s day (it was cold), we know the form. This time around, it was a pleasure to relax into the warm, calm waters for a long swim and a saunter along the boardwalk afterwards.

One of the great attractions of the city is that you can go from the hills of Tibidabo (there’s a fun fair there that’s well worth visiting) and Montjuic to the beach in a matter of minutes.

And at night, especially along the beach front in Barceloneta, the city comes alive with clubbing, dancing and music.

From the city’s extraordinary range of high flying restaurants, on this occasion we chose Cinc Sentits as our special occasion. Having been there shortly after the restaurant opened, we knew that it was good. It has since earned a Michelin star and fully deserves it for what is a brilliant tasting menu. It is almost permanently booked out, so if you are planning a visit, make

sure to book well in advance. The wine pairings with the tasting menu were especially brilliant – bringing out the best in the food, but also in the wine. Cinc Sentits is one of Spain’s truly great restaurants.

Our approach is generally to have car at the ready. Having collected it from Barcelona Sants railway station, we travelled North from Barcelona, along the AP7, the highway that takes you to the French border. It is always worth stopping off in La Rocca Village, the designer outlet mall about 50 kilometers north of Barca.

There are genuine bargains to be had – I once procured a wonderful Gianni Versace leather jacket with gorgeous design features for €99, which was a 90% markdown on its regional price.

Having picked up a few bargains, we carried on in the direction of Figueres, a city that’s most famous for the Teatre-Musee Dali. If you are in the area, it is an essential stop-off. Salvador Dali was a remarkable character, an egotistical genius and showman, whose surrealist legacy is of immense fascination. It is captured superbly in an attraction that was originally created by Dali himself.

Mas Pau is about 4 kilometres outside the city.

On the outskirts of Figueres a thunderstorm of biblical power erupted and crashed on for the next 45 minutes: it was a curious introduction to a hotel where the guest rooms are located in a 16th Century tower building.

The rooms are big and cool, even on the hottest summer’s day. Having started out as a restaurant, the hotel is an added luxury in a place where the food is king. Mas Pau is run by Toni Gerez and Xavier Sagrista, who worked for over 10 years at Ferran Adria’s El Bulli restaurant and the ambitions of the dinner menu reflect that, with Sagrista delivering a unique and always tasty twist on the traditional recipes of the Emporda.

The hotel has lovely grounds around which you can wander and is a great base from which to explore the area. We swam every day, at the beach in Llanca and had lunch afterwards in one of the excellent local hosteleries. Choose well and the food is great wherever you go in the region, with fresh local produce making goats cheese salads and smoked salmon ideal lunch options.

Some of the beaches are stony, and so rubber shoes for your feet are a great accessory.

Afterwards, we’d explore the village or surrounding area. One evening we travelled the 20 kilometres to Besalu and had a magnificent meal and wine in Restaurant Pont Vell for just €70. And in between, there was plenty of time and space for chilling out and reading...

We made the short journey to Girona, a beautiful old city which sits at the confluence of four rivers. Its extraordinary history includes having been one of hte most important centres of Jewish learning in Europe. Inevitably, the jews were driven out of Catalunya, but their legacy remains in the old Jewish quarter here, which is very well preserved. Girona is a great place to walk around, with teh tall builings and narrow streets offering respite from the sun, even in the middle of summer.

We stayed in the Hotel LLegendes de Girona.

Located in the old town, it is a wonderfully friendly place. The theme of the hotel is based around the legends which are an integral part

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GO PLACES

(Clockwise from the left): the garden in Mas Pau, outside Figuerues; the Lomas family who run Bocca in Regencos; in the kitchen in El Celler de Can Roca, l to r, Jordi Roca, Niall Stokes, Joan Roca, Mairin Sheehy and Jordi Roca; the carpano bon bons at El Celler, served on a tree; and Clara and Joan in Hotel Aiguaclara...

of Girona’s history. But it is brilliantly fitted out inside, with every modern facility imaginable.

There are three Eros Rooms – which boast special Eros Sofas, designed for a variety of sexual positions and for facilitating tantric sex – as well as Junior Duplex Rooms and Suite Margarita Bonita.

Hotel LLegendes offer a variety of packages including Romantic Package and the Sybarite Package – which includes dinner in some of Girona’s finest restaurants.

With their help, we were able to secure a reservation in El Celler de Can Rocca. It has officially been designated the Best Restaurant in the World and so dinner there was a mouthwatering prospect indeed.

We weren’t disappointed: the food was magnificent. At a table beside us, another journalist told one of the waiters that he had eaten in Noma – which had held the title, bestowed by Restaurant Magazine and is now ranked No.2. “That was amazing and challenging,” he said. “But it wasn’t all about pleasure or enjoyment.”

It is a crucial difference. The staff at El Celler de Can Rocca are committed to the quality of the experience. They ferry food up and down the aisles in a blur of activity. When necessary, they run to make sure that everything is happening on time at the tables. And they express real pride in the food, bringing good humour to the tables which says something really positive about the spirit of the place.

Run by three brothers, Joan, Jordi and Josep Rocca, El Celler de Can Rocca combines a finely tuned awareness of tradition with a hunger for contemporary experimentation. They describe El Celler as a freestyle restaurant, committed to the avant garde but still committed to the memory of different generations. It would be impossible to do justice to the way in which the Roca brothers have crystalised the dialogue between science and the land – but it is all there on the plate, as the dishes are delivered.

We had the Classics Tasting Menu – a seven course treat which begins with Tasting The World: delivered to the table hidden in a globe are five brilliant morsels inspired by five countries: Finland, Japan, Morocco, Peru and Mexico. The carpano bon bons that followed boasted a brittle chocolate shell, encasing a

black sesame and grapefruit core.

The taste sensations at every stage were unique: among the numerous amuse bouches at the start the black truffle brioch was a highpoint.

The black truffles that followed were even better.

Foie gras came wrapped in an apple timbal.

Grilled halibut was presented, picture perfect with five sauces. And the Iberian Suckling Pig, accompanied by melon and beetroot was stunningly good.

Throughout, the wine tastings were brilliantly chosen, adding a whole other aura of mystique and pleasure to the experience. Eating in a restaurant like El Celler de Can Roca is part theatre, part artifice, part communal celebration, part indulgence. On the one hand, it involves cooking at the cutting edge of modern science; on the other it reflects the ancient values of doing things to the very best of our potential as human beings.

After we’d finished the meal, we were taken into the kitchen and introduced to the brothers: three hugely friendly, unassuming and thoroughly likeable guys, who made us feel very welcome.

We were taken on a guided tour of the kitchen: in all 55 people work there, serving approximately the same number of diners. No wonder they have to charge a little bit more than your average chain! The work in the kitchen is meticulous, pressurised and constant. There is no let-up as each of the dishes is prepared, finished, presented beautifully and delivered to the tables, which are set in a triangle around a central indoor garden. Everything is done to perfection because that is the name of the game. It was obvious at every stage why they have been named as Best Restaurant in the World. It was a privilege to be there and enjoy every aspect of the experience – but most of all the (literally) fantastic food and matching brilliant wines.

After Girona, we headed to Begur, a bustling small town on a hill just above the coast line.

We stayed in Hotel Aiguaclara, a Cuban House dating from 1866. All of the character of the original building has been retained by its owners Clara and Joan, who have added their own special charm, with a series of unique touches.

They have a chill-out terrace downstairs, alongside a lovely, cool massage room. All around the hotel are spread collections of

random things: suitcases, toys, and lots more besides. And there are signs proclaiming: All you need is love.

It is one of the most refreshingly idiosyncratic places I’ve ever stayed in, and Clara and Joan are lovely, friendly and extremely helpful. They do a great bereakfast, and the restaurant is open five nights a week, offering really good food, cocktails and wine at very reasonable proces.

It is a lovely hotel indeed, one we would highly recommend to our best friends.

Begur is a lovely small town, bustling and busy at night, with people gathering in and around hte square to enjoy a concert on the bandstand or to promenade, sit or sip drinks.

One of the highlights of out holiday was a visit to Bocca, a new restaurant just a few kilometres away from Begur, in Regencos. The head chef Oriol Lomas has adapted the freestyle cooking ethos, in a marvellous setting ornamented by the work of his artist mother, Marta. We ate on the terrace and as the night settled over the area, a magical atmosphere was created. We had a special eight course tasting menu, which was full of invention. Among the dishes three – Nems Vietnamitas de Salmon con salsa agridulce; Tartar de atun con mayonesa de wasabi, augacate y alga nori and Huevo poché trugado con crema de ceps y jabugo – give an indication of the meshing of different styles, again strongly based in Catalan cuisine but looking to the east and to South America for fresh inspiration.

The value here was amazing, the tasting menu coming in at just €29. With a brilliant Mallorcan red 12 Volts at €25, the bill for an amazing evening came to just €83. We’ll be back!

Again, it was just a short run of a few kilometres to the beach of our choice. We settled on Aiguafreda as our favourite: the sea was deliciously calm and you could swim for forty minutes without feeling the strain. We had lunch in Sa Rascassa, a hostel and restaurant just thirty yards away from the harbour.

It was the perfect place to end what was a wonderful ten days of seeing and enjoying brilliant new things. Our unwinding was complete. Time then to head for Barcelona airport! I can’t wait to be back in this rich, hospitable and beautiful part of the world.

Now, where might I like to go for my next holiday?

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GO DESTINATION: GALWAY

RIGHT ON TRACK Galway Bay FM music man Jon Richards loves catching the train to Dublin.

WORDS LAURA HOGAN

J

on Richards is one of Galway’s best loved DJs and presenters. As host of Galway Bay FM’s Brunch on the Bay morning show the erudite host charms listeners with his singular mix of chat and music.

He is a key member of the Galway Bay team. He has worked at the station since its inception in 1989 and is now head of commercial production.

In addition to being an accomplished raconteur he is a seasoned traveler. Asked his favourite means of transport he doesn’t hesitate – he loves to take the train. Richards is a regular on the service to Dublin and has a ritual he always follows. First is breakfast, followed by a refreshing nap. Then he likes to relax over a book, half watching the landscape zip by. Usually, he drifts into consciousness as the train reaches the Bog of Allen in the midlands. He adores the haunting

beauty of this part of the country.

“It’s that time of the morning where you get to see the mist and fog rising from the bog but it only lasts about 10 miles. And then you are into the greater Dublin region.”

He talks passionately about his interest in books. “I’m a reader of all genres,” he says, revealing that he usually returns from the capital “laden down” with tomes.

Richards laughs as he recalls one particular Irish train journey. “We organised a competition called Rock ‘n’ Rail. Our audience had an opportunity to go and see Neil Diamond in Dublin. We packed the train with Bay FM listeners.”

He’s a seasoned rail voyager. Several of his most memorable journeys were overseas. To celebrate his 40th birthday he took a train through British Columbia in Canada and Washington State and Oregon in the US.

“The train had a glass roof so you sit back and enjoy a panoramic view. I got to see Whistler and Jasper and all the fantastic mountain ranges of the Rockies.

“Train journeys in Canada and America are amazing, The distance is so vast that the train has to be the best thing ever because you spend a lot of time on it. The train is literally a hotel on iron-clad wheels.”

Another favourite trek was across the Swiss Alps. “The Glacier Express is a seven and a half hour journey taking you from the eastern to the western Alps by train. You see green pastures and the cows eating and water cascading out of the cliffs.”

Jon Richards’ Brunch On The Bay can be heard weekdays from 11.30am on Galway Bay FM

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GOPLACES

24 HOURS IN ATHENRY

Athenry Heritage Centre

It is one of Ireland’s best preserved medieval towns, with the added bonus of a thoroughly 21st century night life. ANNE SEXTON reports

A

thenry is the best-preserved medieval town in Ireland. It boasts among the most complete middle ages walls in the country with a number of original towers as well as the stunning ‘North gate’. Athenry Castle was built around 1240. The restored 13th century keep and the remains of the Dominican Priory, from the same period, are well worth a visit.

Plus, the Lantern Type market cross in the town square dates from the 15th century and is the only one of its kind in Ireland.

The best way to start exploring is to make the award-winning Athenry Heritage Centre your first port of call. This is a short walk from the train station and stands in the grounds of St. Mary’s Church. There is plenty to do at the centre itself, such as dressing up in medieval costumes, trying your skills with the bow and arrow and participating in interactive exhibits of weapons and armour from the Middle Ages.

Most intriguing of all, arguably, is the ‘dungeon of despair’ where you can learn about the dark side of life in medieval times. We also enjoyed a picnic area with a wooden maze – great fun for children of all ages.

The centre is home to the town’s original 14th

century Mace and Seal, the oldest of their kind in Ireland. Experienced tour guides will take you through the history and life of Athenry.

You can chose between the general tour and the ‘Medieval Experience’ alternative. For more details see athenryheritagecentre.com.

After that you’ll need lunch. The Nook on Church Street is perfect for a quick bite. Owner Julie Murphy serves up a selection of sweet and savoury crepes and coffee using the award winning McCabe’s Espresso Italia blend. The Old Barracks Pantry and Bakery on Cross Street offers freshly baked bread and pastries and is great if you fancy early dinner too. The bistro menu is available from 5pm to 8pm in the evenings and offers lighter meals, cheese and meat platters to share, along with favourites such as steak, burgers and salmon.

Later in the afternoon, why not head to Athenry Castle? The structure was built around 1250. The oldest part still standing is the hall keep, a large rectangular building originally containing a hall on the ground floor and storerooms underneath.

It was here that the lord received guests and presided over court. The castle has fine carvings on the exterior doorway and on two of the inner windows, dating back to the late 12th and early

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13th centuries. The battlements are original 13th century edifices. An audio-visual presentation will take you through the castle’s history.

Nearby you’ll find the Dominican Priory, again from the mid 13th century. In 1427 the priory needed to be rebuilt after a fire destroyed it. The Dominicans combined a monastic lifestyle of prayer, silence and penance with learning and, in 1644, the priory became a university.

Unfortunately Cromwell put an end to that when he suppressed Ireland’s monasteries. The priory is a ruin, but it is architecturally important with beautiful window designs, tombs, tomb recesses and inscribed grave slabs.

After your visit to the castle and priory you’ll be grateful for some liquid refreshment. J Glynns on Old Church Street, also known as Bridgies or the Yellow Pub, is quaint and

friendly with wooden décor and cosy snugs as well as an outdoor beer garden. It’s small so you might want to claim your seat early and stay for the night.

When you’re done for the day, bed down at the Raheen Woods Hotel.

Hosts Lester and Maria McNamara have been welcoming people from all over the world to the Fields of Athenry, as made famous by the iconic song by Pete St. John. The hotel has 50 bedrooms and suites with all mod cons; McHale’s Bar and Lounge and the Clarin Bistro serve excellent Irish cuisine by head chef Paul Murphy and the hotel has a spa and leisure centre with a special ‘Kardio Kids’ area so younger family members can enjoy themselves while mum and dad relax. For more information and special offers see raheenwoodshotel.ie.

HOSPITALITY IN THE FIELDS OF ATHENRY!

5 minutes from Athenry Train Station

Raheen Woods Hotel looks forward to welcoming all Irish Rail passengers from around the country to the Fields of Athenry.

For all your leisure breaks this year contact us today using the reference GO RAIL.

TEL: 091 875888

EMAIL: INFO@RAHEENWOODSHOTEL.IE

WEB: WWW.RWH.IE

Athenry Castle

History the Fun Way! Dress up in Medieval Costume, Experience Have-A-Go Archery & Discover the Middle Ages with Interactive Exhibits & Activities.

Web: www.athenryheritagecentre.com Tel: 091 844661 Email: info@athenryheritagecentre.com

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GO

REVIEW A L B U M S .

TOM ODELL

M O V I E S .

B O O K S

PG 63

GOLISTEN. We give you the essential info on the season’s top releases. One of Ireland’s most consistent bands, Bell X1 return, cricketobsessed duo Duckworth Lewis Method are back bowling for glory and the buzz keeps on building for English crooner Tom Odell.

GOWATCH. There’s something for everyone in this issue’s DVD reviews. Robot and Frank is a touching account of a human-android relationship; Arbitrage stars Richard Gere as a Wall Street highflyer and The Sessions takes a brave look at romance and disability.

GOREAD. Schindler’s List author Thomas Kenneally revisits the trenches of World War I, Sheila O’Flanagan spins a tale of family secrets and lost identity and Joyce Carol Oates re-invents the vampire myth in our roundup of the latest must-read fiction.

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GOLISTEN. AUTUMN HYMNS SOUNDTRACK THE REST OF YOUR SUMMER WITH SOME SUMPTUOUS PIANO BALLADS, RETURNING IRISH HEROES AND.... CRICKET POP?

T

here’s little doubt that 2013 has been a year of big ‘event’ albums, as the likes of David Bowie, Daft Punk, Kanye West and My Bloody Valentine all returned to action.

So it’s easy to forget that we’re only just over the halfway mark and that a new batch of much-anticipated summer releases are with us.

Up first, the blond singer-songwriter who just might be Britain’s next big thing. Tom Odell’s debut long-player arrives on a wave of hype and publicity – most notably, he scooped the Critics’ Choice Award at this year’s BRITS, a gong that has previously gone to Florence & The Machine and Adele. For the most part, Long Way Down goes a long way towards backing up the Sussex musician’s early promise. It doesn’t re-invent the wheel, but it does successfully tap into the rich vein of emotive, stadium-filling MOR rock that Keane and Coldplay have mined so successfully.

‘Another Love’ arrived last October and sets out Long Way Down’s stall, with plenty of plaintive piano, heavy-hearted verses and nods to Elton John’s back catalogue.

The formula works particularly well on ‘Grow Old With Me’, which grows into an invigorating stomp-along, and ‘Can’t Pretend’, which boasts a soaring middle-eight. Occasionally, things can get a little overwrought and when Odell attempts to channel Jeff Buckley’s trademark falsetto, you are reminded that he is still a long way off the sum of his influences. As opening gambits go, however, Long Way Down contains plenty of bold and arresting melodies. The 22year-old should have a big career ahead of him.

Onto a well-established Irish band whose career and creativity shows no signs of slowing down. Having spent the past few years

revisiting their 2000 debut Neither Am I live and undertaking acoustic tours (the fruits of which were released in the form of 2012’s Field Recordings), Bell X1 have decided to re-boot their sound on their latest album.

Recorded over 13 days in Connecticut with Thomas Bartlett and Peter Katis (The National), Chop Chop finds the Kildare trio leaving behind the synths and electronic bells and whistles of their recent offerings for a more organic, stripped-down sound. It works a treat. The result is a work of elegance and grandeur, ruminating on both life’s sadnesses and its little joys. It is also a collection that makes the most out of the old guitar/bass/drum/piano combo.

‘Starlings Over Brighton Pier’ sets a wistful tone that serves the band well throughout lovely ballads such as ‘Diorama’ and ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’. They’re unafraid to mix things up; ‘I Will Follow You’ is cocksure, ‘Feint Praise’ is pure soul. It all ends on the apocalyptic ‘The End Is Nigh’, where the band delight in impending doom. It is the sound of a confident group revelling in a creative purple patch and the knowledge that they’ve never played better.

Chop Chop’s nine songs suggest the next phase of Bell X1’s story will be a thrilling, fulfilling one.

The final album that could be bowling you over this summer comes from old chums Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy) and Thomas Walsh (Pugwash). Teaming up as The Duckworth Lewis Method back in 2009, the pair turned in a self-titled album that married their love of pop music and the popular sport of cricket to charming effect, earning them an Ivor Novello nomination in the process. Four years on, they return with the cheekily-titled Sticky Wickets.

Thankfully, they’ve kept their batting average up, which is not too surprising considering Walsh and Hannon’s reputations as two of this island’s most talented pop stars.

Starting with the Bee Gees-esque title track, this is a well-polished set of tunes that recalls the glory days of ‘60s pop. Crucially, you don’t need to love cricket to get involved, though they mine the subject for all it’s worth – one haunting number, ‘The Umpire’, captures the melancholy state of mind of a referee made redundant by technology. Featuring a host of special guests such as Daniel Radcliffe and Stephen Fry, Sticky Wickets is all seriously good – and smart – fun.

We could definitely find time for a third test.

Neil Hannon

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GOWATCH. BIG SCREEN MAGIC COMES TO YOUR DVD PLAYER

FEATURING ADORABLE ROBOTS, ENRAGING ONE-PERCENTERS AND LIGHT-HEARTED EXAMINATIONS OF SEX AND INTIMACY, ROE MCDERMOTT GIVES YOU THE LOWDOWN ON THE BEST SUMMER DVDS.

A scene from Robot & Frank

K

icking off the summer is the utterly charming, if very slight, dramedy Robot & Frank. Jake Schreier’s debut is a sweet meditation on ageing, technology and unexpected friendships. Set in the nottoo-distant future, it sees the delightful Frank Langella cast off the dark cloak of intimidation he wore in Frost/Nixon and settle into the comfortable slippers of cantankerous grump. A retired cat burglar in denial about his dementia, Frank’s anxious son (James Marsden) insists that he get a health-care robot. With Peter Sarsgaard providing the mellifluous voice of the earnest Robot, the joy of this film comes from watching the two characters develop an unconventional relationship. As library books and emotional connections are championed, there’s a warm if overwrought central message about the danger of society’s loss of memory as technology advances. It also boasts a gorgeous score that appropriately marries the traditional with the electronic. But at just ninety minutes, the film is too short to build momentum or delve deeply into the issues raised, resulting in a delightful yet forgettable acting showcase.

For a more enraging examination of modern culture, Arbitrage follows in the footsteps of Wall Street and Margin Call in its maddening portrayal of financial greed. A crisp procedural thriller that addresses entitlement, moral dissolution and our ambivalent feelings towards the one-percenters, the directorial debut of Nicholas Jarecki finds Richard Gere as Wall Street billionaire Robert Miller, who is trying to conceal an affair and some high-

level fraud. After a bloody accident and some astute investigations by his idealistic daughter (Brit Marling), Robert’s coolly rationalised and carefully controlled world teeters on the brink of ruin. The best he’s been in years, Gere is regal, nuanced and assured, his trademark open features hardening over time as his sense of entitlement and invincibility are put to the test. Marling is stunning as Robert’s foil, a symbol of trust and naiveté destroyed in the crossfire. Her loss of faith in her once-revered friend and father is heart-breaking to watch.

Too many overly complicated supporting characters vying for attention make the job of tying together the elements of murder mystery and Wall Street thriller more difficult, but there is much to admire about Jarlecki’s assured technical directing, particularly the dark and jazzy score.

This August, The Sessions exists in the Venn diagram intersection of topics that Hollywood is notoriously terrified of: the day-to-day existence of the disabled, and real, honest sex. Tackling both subjects with warmth, intelligence and humour, Ben Lewin’s beautifully acted film examines how sex is one big, challenging step for a man, and intimacy is one giant, challenging leap for mankind. John Hawkes, best known for bringing a sinister edge to Winter’s Bone and Martha Marcy May Marlene, confounds expectation and contorts his spine to play Mark O’Brien. O’Brien is a polio survivor who is paralysed from the neck down and dependent on an iron lung to keep him alive. However, his imagination and joyful curiosity about the world persist.

Hawkes brings as much mischief, longing

and excitement to his eyes as he does sharp concaves to his body. Following a series of unrequited crushes on his caretakers, Mark hires sex surrogate Cheryl (Helen Hunt) to teach him about physical intimacy – and help him lose his virginity. The combination of disability, nudity, religion and reality could easily have read as manipulative Oscar bait, but The Sessions’ greatest asset is its light tone. Instead of a tragic, tear-jerking tale, the witty script and playful performances render it sweet and circumspect. Featuring an Oscar-worthy performance from Hawkes, The Sessions is a gentle examination of carnality and compassion, revealing how sex can satisfy not just a person’s basest desires, but also their purest.

In September comes a salty, humid breeze of sheer Americana. Jeff Nichols’ Mud is a visually gorgeous coming-of-age tale that deals with love and masculinity. With echoes of Huckleberry Finn and Stand By Me and featuring a man called Mud and a boy called Neckbone, this archetypal bayou noir story unfolds with a languor befitting its swampy Southern setting. Matthew McConaughey continues the career-boosting run of Bernie, Killer Joe and Magic Mike by playing the titular character; a spiritual and leather-skinned fugitive living on an island on the Arkansas stretch of the Mississippi. He strikes up an unlikely relationship with the idealistic young Ellis (Tye Sheridan, The Tree of Life) and smart-mouthed Neckbone (River Phoenix doppelgänger Jacob Lofland). For vulnerable Ellis, whose parents (the brilliant Sarah Paulson and Ray McKinnon) are on the verge of splitting, the real draw is reuniting Mud with his long-time love Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) and proving that true love exists and can last forever. Nichols creates an exquisite juxtaposition of realism and fancy as Ellis escapes his cramped, shabby houseboat for the romance of the open water and Mud’s boat lodged high in a tree; a dream-like clubhouse in which a young boy’s imagination can play. A beautiful examination of masculinity and adolescence that’s as slowly seductive as that big ol’ river.

But be warned: there are some turkeys out there just waiting to steal your precious summer hours. Avoid the underwhelming roadtrip comedy Identity Thief, the sloppy and melodramatic Paperboy and Terrence Malick’s exercise in sheer indulgence To The Wonder.

Otherwise, happy viewing!

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02/08/2013 18:09:30

GOREAD. HISTORICAL EVENTS INFORM OUR TRIO OF PAGE-TURNERS

WHAT’S YOUR PLEASURE – HISTORICAL NOVELS, COMMERCIAL FICTION OR SUPERNATURAL STORIES? WE’VE SELECTED THREE TITLES FOR THOSE WITH VORACIOUS AND ECLECTIC READING HABITS.

T

homas Keneally may be most renowned for his Booker Prize-winning novel Schindler’s Ark – better known as Schindler’s List these days – but the prolific Australian deserves to be read more widely.

His 29th novel, The Daughters of Mars, follows the story of two Australian sisters, Naomi and Sally Durance, who volunteer as nurses during the First World War. Sally leaves her dull but safe existence in New South Wales, and Naomi gives up her urban independence in Sydney.

Both young women are doing penance for “murdering” their mother, whose painful lingering cancer induces them to commit euthanasia.

However, both are also seeking adventure and independence beyond the confines of home.

Horror and beauty are juxtaposed in Egypt and from here the sisters travel across various theatres of war and onto the Western front. This book was inspired by the journals kept by WWI nurses, and as with all his historical fiction, The Daughters of Mars is grounded in meticulous research. Keneally is also an incredibly gifted storyteller and the novel is peopled with characters and tales that will stay with you long after you finish the book. The Daughters of Mars

is highly recommended for fans of both historical and literary fiction.

Sheila O’Flanagan’s Things We Never Say opens with the story of a young woman being emotionally and physically abused in a Magdalene Laundry. This 55-year-old incident is not the focus of the novel but, much like how Ireland is still coming to terms with this shameful episode in our history, the past bleeds into the present and shapes the lives of O’Flanagan’s characters. Abbey Anderson is a nail art technician in San Francisco whose life gets turned upside down when an Irish lawyer, Ryan Gilligan, contacts her. Abbey learns that her mother Ellen was adopted and that Abbey’s biological grandfather would like to meet them both. When she travels to Ireland to meet Fred Fitzpatrick, the visit plunges Abbey and the greedy, dysfunctional Fitzpatrick family into an unexpected crisis and she is forced to make a difficult choice that will affect all their lives.

Things We Never Say is a novel about taking responsibility for your actions, the influence of nature and nurture, what it means to be a family and how the sins of the past continue to reverberate. This is a hugely readable book that

is sure to delight O’Flanagan’s many fans.

Vampires, demons and hauntings are not generally the stuff of serious literature but the hugely talented Joyce Carol Oates makes the supernatural both terrifying and believable.

The Accursed is set in the university town of Princeton. The year is 1905, and Woodrow Wilson is the college president. Wilson, who would later gain renown as the 28th President of the United States and founding member of the League of Nations, is a petty, self-involved academic. He is solely concerned with his status and defending his position against perceived slights from the wealthy, upper-class families of Princeton society. Like Wilson, these families are obsessed with status, and the marriage of the wealthy Annabel Slade promises to be the social event of the season. Annabel leaves her new husband at the altar, and is spirited away by a demon. After this shocking incident, the families can no longer ignore the evil spirit in their midst as murder, rape, and the death of children plague the community. The Accursed is written as a history of these events and Oates mixes factual characters with the fantastical to create a creeping, understated and chilling tale.

65 Pop Culture GoR 2.8 4

02/08/2013 18:09:37

G O F I G U R E

GO RAIL'S BRAIN TEASERS

COMPETITION WIN A THREE NIGHT MIDWEEK B&B BREAK AT THE MILL TIMES HOTEL IN WESTPORT The Mill Times Hotel is the proud winner of 2013 Trip Advisor’s Travellers Choice Award, where customer service is paramount throughout this boutique 3 star family run hotel. A warm and friendly welcome awaits you and is an ideal base to explore beautiful Westport & County Mayo. Check out www.milltimeshotel.ie for more. To be in with a chance of winning, simply email your answers to the three questions below to gorail@hotpress.ie. Please include your contact details, and let us know on which train route or at which station you picked up your copy of Go Rail. Good luck!

THE QUESTIONS (A)

(B)

(C)

THE TOP FIVE COUNTIES IN IRELAND RANKED BY SIZE ARE:

THE TOP FIVE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS IN THE WORLD ARE:

THE TOP FIVE SLOWEST ANIMALS IN THE WORLD ARE:

1) Cork 2) Galway 3) Mayo 4) Donegal 5) Kerry

1) Everest 2) K2 3) Kangchenjunga 4) Lhotse 5) Makalu

1) Three-toed Sloth 2) Starfish 3) Garden snail 4) Giant Tortoise 5) Koala Bear

What is the sixth largest?

What is the sixth highest?

What is the sixth slowest?

Terms & Conditions: The prize is valid for one year, and subject to availability. No cash alternatives will be offered. Entrants must be aged 18+. Go Rail may contact competition entrants with details of future special offers. Your details won’t be passed on to any third party. Please specify in your email if you would like to opt out of this.

COMPETITION WIN A FAMILY WEEKEND AWAY AT THE BABORO INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN! In this issue of Go Rail we’re offering one lucky reader a family weekend away in Galway for the Babora Festival. It’s so easy to be in with a chance of winning -To be in with a chance of winning, simply email your answers to the three questions below to gorail@hotpress.ie. Please include your contact details, and let us know on which train route or at which station you picked up your copy of Go Rail. Good luck!

THE PRIZE Win a fantastic family weekend in Co. Galway for Baboro International Arts Festival for Children. The prize includes 2 nights bed & breakfast for a family (2 adults & 2 children) in the award winning Harbour Hotel located in Galway city centre on Friday October 18 and Saturday October 19. Also included in the prize is dinner on one evening in the Harbour Seafood bar and Grill Restaurant, two family tickets to selected Baboro events and goodie bags for the kids.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL Baboro is Ireland’s premier international arts festival devoted exclusively to children and their families. This year it will run from October 14-20 in Galway city and county. The festival features theatre, dance, literature, music, puppetry, workshops and visual art for all ages.

Baboró brings the most diverse selection of the finest in performing arts from Ireland and overseas to its annual one-week festival. Baboró originated as an offshoot of Galway Arts Festival and in 1997 it was decided to create an independent festival so as to address the needs of children who may not usually be included in cultural events.

To enter, simply email your answer to gorail@hotpress.ie. Please include your contact details and let us know on which train route/station you picked up your copy of Go Rail. Good luck!

Terms & Conditions: The prize is valid for one year, and subject to availability. No cash alternatives will be offered. Entrants must be aged 18+.

Go Rail may contact competition entrants with details of future special offers. Your details won’t be passed on to any third party. Please specify in your email if you would like to opt out of this.

Q) WHAT IS THE NATIONAL EMBLEM OF IRELAND? (A) Shamrock

(B) Harp

(C) Celtic Cross

66 Quiz GoR 3_4 1

02/08/2013 19:03:13

Dublin’s

Gathering Place for 25 years From young ones to auld wans and mods to hipsters, from monks to punks, old beans to grungy teens and yuppies to yummy mummies, Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre has been their place to gather for 25 years. With over 100 stores to kit them all out and some fantastic restaurants and bars, it’s no wonder we’re still the Shopping Centre of Dublin.

facebook.com /stephensgreensc 75104552 SGSC_The Gathering_Go Rail_A4.indd 1

19/07/2013 11:41

Easofen – for the relief of pain

‘Easofen 200mg film-coated tablets. Easofen Max Strength 400mg film-coated tablets. Ibuprofen.

Always read the label. The tablets should be swallowed with water. Do not exceed the stated dose. Consult your doctor if there is no improvement. Available in Pharmacy only.

Clonmel Healthcare Ltd., Waterford Road, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

2013/ADV/IBU/010’.