Home & Away with Robert Walshe
Weekend Hotspot One Pery Square Limerick
Limerick city has undergone considerable revitalisation since the days recounted in Frank McCourt’s famed childhood memoir, “Angela’s Ashes”. Ireland’s first National City of Culture in 2014, Limerick has also enjoyed intensified activity in the arts sector. In the old “Customs House” on the banks of the Shannon, the Hunt Museum has the finest collection of Celtic and medieval treasures outside the National Museum in Dublin. Ancient Irish metalwork,
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European objets d’art, and a selection of 20th-century European and Irish paintings including works by Jack B. Yeats are on view. Inside, a 22-minute audiovisual show illustrates the history of Limerick and Ireland and an archaeology centre has three pre-Norman houses; and two exhibition centres display scale models from its founding in AD 922. The Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin is the oldest building in the city still in daily use. Look out for splashes of stained glass once used to teach religious lessons. Limericks most chic accommodation provider is “No.1 Pery Square” overlooking
The Georgian Drawing Room at One Pery Square Limerick
Bedroom Suite at One Pery Square Limerick
the “People’s Park” in the Georgian quarter. This magnificent property is set in a painstakingly restored and modernised town house, originally built around 1830. Enjoying a unique corner location, the twenty rooms have a boutique ambiance that plays on the history of the building with ornate and luxurious touches. Be sure to opt for one of the grand period rooms and treat yourself with an open fireplace, super king size bed, a fabulous roll top bath and authentic sash windows. Sash Restaurant at No 1 Pery Square serves seasonal inspired menus focusing on traditional home cooking and simple but elegant dishes, both classic and contemporary, with the emphasis on local produce and ingredients. Sash also has an excellent wine list, with pairings for all dishes and occasions. To relax and unwind after a busy day shopping, the vaulted basement spa boasts a full range of facilities, including a coal bunker sauna, aroma steam room, Irish mist showers and
St Johns Castle Limerick
a Zen garden. A unique selection of Voya treatments is also available on request. Other convenient services include an express check-in feature and a luggage storage area. If you feel like venturing out of Limerick nearby Adare was once a marketplace during the middle ages, and was then part of the Dunraven Estate. There are also a number of old abbeys and fortresses adding to the village’s architectural charm. The region is also renowned for its wild Atlantic coastline (the Cliffs of Moher, Baltard and the Burren) and the River Shannon, which runs through rolling green hills and farmland. For the sports enthusiast there is a lot to do: horse racing at Limerick, Gaelic football, scuba diving, trout fishing in lakes or rivers – and, of course, the lure of some excellent golf courses including Adare. One Pery Square is a member of Ireland’s Blue Book
a collection of Irish Country House Hotels, Manor Houses, Castles and Restaurants located throughout the island of Ireland. These charming and stylish hideaways are the perfect choice for a midweek or weekend break and those seeking a romantic getaway. Activities vary from golf, fishing, spas and cookery schools or just relaxing in warm and comfortable surroundings. Residential packages at One Pery Square includes two nights deluxe accommodation, with evening meal and fully cooked to order Irish Breakfast all from €159.00 PPS including use of the thermal suite. You’ll feel the difference the moment you arrive. www.irelandsbluebook.com Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio in Northern Ireland and Travel Editor for River Newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com