TRAVEL
Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio Network & Travel Editor for River Newspapers Ireland & Lifestyle Northern Ireland Online - www.robertwalshe.com
Home & Away with Robert Walshe Pride of Britain Hotels, the consortium of 46 privatelyowned independent British hotels and spas recently welcomed two new members to the portfolio. Lucknam Park near Bath, one of Britain’s finest five-star country house hotels, and the recently-refurbished Seaham Hall, a stylish and contemporary coastal retreat near Durham. Both were voted in as members of the exclusive consortium and provide the exceptional hospitality and high standards that Pride of Britain Hotels are known for. The addition of Lucknam Park and Seaham Hall takes the Pride of Britain collection to 46 member properties, close to the maximum of 50 allowed in its rules. www.prideofbritainhotels. com Meanwhile “One piece at a time,” the Johnny Cash Museum (JCM) has transformed into an amazing celebration of The Man in Black. Located at 119 Third Avenue South between Demonbreun and Broadway, the museum is en route between the tourist circulated Broadway strip and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The JCM will be open every day from 11 AM to 7 PM. Many never before seen historical documents, letters, awards, costumes and instruments will take the visitor on a three dimensional journey through Johnny Cash’s life with interactive technology provided by the Nashville based company Griffin Technologies. For Full details visit www.johnnycash.com
Weekend Hotspot – Knockranny House www.knockrannyhousehotel.ie
Overlooking Croagh Patrick and Clew Bay Knockranny House Hotel & Spa in Westport offers stunning views, luxury accommodation and true Irish hospitality. Opened in 1997 as a four-star hotel.
a spa and 40 luxury bedrooms were added including presidential, penthouse and a number of master and courtyard suites. Knockranny has an excellent selection of accommodation options where calming colours blend perfectly with tasteful furnishing including all necessary comforts and facilities. The hotel’s culinary reputation is known to foodies everywhere with La Fougere restaurant offering superb cuisine and fine wines. The menu draws from the freshest local produce, an organic herb garden and local salmon smoked on site. Dining options include table d’hôte, à la carte and tasting menus with an emphasis on fresh seafood & a tasty 21day dry-aged sirloin of Irish beef while chocolate lovers will fall in love with the desert menu. La Fougère, was awarded Best Hotel Restaurant in Ireland in 2010 and received Two AA Rosettes for culinary excellence in 2011. It was also named Best Restaurant in Connacht in 2011. The Brehon Bar at Knockranny is perfect for relaxing & the weekend entertainment is a warmly welcomed by guests. The conservatory is under used and could make for a wonderful afternoon tea destination if the hotel so wished. Spa Salveo offers twelve spacious treatment rooms and post treatment relaxation areas. The therapeutic vitality pool with hydrotherapy massage stations is perfect for the more energetic alongside a technologically advance fitness suite. Westport in Co Mayo is a charming town, with lively pubs and plenty of Irish music. Saturday night out here ranks alongside any of the top ‘going out’ towns in Ireland. An unrivalled pub scene and ever-improving culinary reputation, a weekend in Westport makes for the ideal short break. The
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town is unique in that it was designed to the plan of James Wyatt, the well-known architect of the Georgian period. The Mall, with its lime trees lining both sides of the Carrowbeg River, is a charming thoroughfare. The Westport neighbourhood was the setting of many novels by George A. Bermingham who was once Church of Ireland rector in the county. Westport is also well known as a sea fishing centre and its annual festival attracts many visitors. There is bathing at many nearby beaches and a championship golf course. About a mile outside Westport is one of my favourite stately homes in Ireland “Westport House”, home of the Marquess of Sligo. It is a fine Georgian mansion and the contents include English and
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Irish pictures, silver, Waterford glass, and exhibits of historical interest. The house is open from mid-May to mid September and well worth a visit. For the month of July Knockranny offer the “Couples Treat” with dinner, B+B and two hours of spa treatments from €215. For other rates check out. www.knockrannyhousehotel.ie
Home & Away Deal of the Week
Orlando is a magical place with something for everyone – whether you are visiting with a young family or a group of friends, Orlando is the place to enjoy the holiday of a lifetime. Abbey Travel is offering a seven night break in Orlando for €585 per person. This great deal includes flights, taxes and accommo-
dation in the 3* International Palms Resort based on 4 sharing and is valid for travel in October and November 2013 www.abbeytravel.ie If you are suffering withdrawal symptoms following last seasons final episode of the new series of Dallas, then why not consider heading for the home of J.R. himself to fill the void? So, if you are looking for a holiday that will include
Home and Away Extra Air Europa has launched a new route from Gatwick to Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital city. The Latin American airline will operate three flights a week from Gatwick via Madrid to Montevideo. Colin Stewart, UK general manager for Air Europa said: “This new route to Montevideo once again confirms our commitment to connecting our passengers with key economic and tourist destinations in Latin America.” Just last November we launched flights to Santa Cruz, Bolivia,
and with this latest service we are cementing our position as the airline of choice to Latin America.” Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 is to open in a year’s time on June 4th 2014. The first flight to land in the new terminal will be a United Airlines flight from Chicago, scheduled to land at 05.55am. Terminal 2 will eventually serve 20 million passengers a year and be home to 23 Star Alliance airlines, as well as Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic Little Red and Germanwings carriers.
live music, jazz venues, dueling pianos, outdoor activities night and day, stunning sunsets, history, shopping and excitement, then Texas is the destination for you. American Holidays have a variety of fantastic packages at the moment meaning you can experience all that Texas has to offer from only £1149pp.With the 7 night “Texas Treats” package from only £1149pp you get, 2 nights in Downtown Dallas at the Hilton Indigo, 2nights in Fort Worth staying at the Hilton Fort Worth, 1 night in Austin Downtown, staying at the Radisson Hotel & Suites, 1 night in San Antonio staying at the Holiday Inn River walk & 1 night in Houston at the Westin Galleria. Price includes: Return flights ex. Dublin, 7 nights accommodation on a basis, 7 days carhire in a 4 door economy car or similar, taxes and charges. www.americanholidays.ie
with Kathleen Murray
Pet birds – do some homework
In recent times the demand for pet birds has risen as people think that they are very cute, and the fact that some can talk is very entertaining. There are lots of birds to choose from and they are easily got which is a problem. Some of these birds are very expensive and have been taken from their natural environment by poachers, for cash. This is no reflection on pet shops, by the way, as they know where their birds are coming from, and can trace them back to source. If there is a bird that you are interested in then do some homework first. Find out more about this type of bird in a book or on the net. Find out where it comes from and what it eats in it’s natural environment. If you have a
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bird already or have lost a bird because someone has let it out by accident then you’ll know the downside to having a bird in your home. Cute as they are they need exercise like any other animal and some can be destructive. They need space to flap their wings and fly. You need to have a very safe place for them to do this. If we lived in a very warm sunny country then getting out by accident wouldn’t be as big a problem than getting out here on a cold windy day. Keeping these birds in a central heated house and then losing them to the elements outside is very upsetting as they can’t withstand the cold or feed themselves without danger. They are used to having food in a
certain place every day (provided for them) and then suddenly they are in a world that they don’t know, where there are other birds with territorial issues that won’t be so generous with the food if your bird arrives to eat with them. Pet birds are very trusting and don’t know the dangers of the outside world so enemy number one is the local cat. As our cat population is enormous due to cats not being neutered in time (6 months) the bird won’t be around for long. Safety plans are very important when you have a bird in your house. Summertime is the most dangerous as we have our windows and doors open for fresh air. If you are out and about in the garden in the summer you can
take the bird out there in the cage with you and put it up on a table or somewhere that you can supervise it. Protect it from the strong sun by putting a towel over the top of the cage. Being in the sun is fine but if you are stuck there for a lengthy period of time, in a cage, with no way to get to a tree for shade, then it is not fine any more. If there are children in the house then they must be taught not to leave doors open when they go in and out when the bird is “loose”. Children should always be supervised around any animal as they don’t know the right way to behave around animals. They often bring problems onto themselves by just simply being children. Birds are
intelligent. They can be trained to do many things and adapt to many situations, but they also need to be protected.