TRAVEL
Home & Away with Robert Walshe Belle Isle Cookery School in Co Fermanagh has announced the appointment of Corrie Cadden as the new resident Head Tutor and Manager. After she graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a first class honours degree in Business and Politics she was subsequently offered a job tutoring Marketing Management. However her passionate love of food which had begun in early childhood eventually lured her in a different direction. On the advice of a friend, fellow foodie and restaurant adviser, Blathnaid Bergin, she decided to gain some experience of the food industry. and now is one of the islands culinary success stories. An avid member of the Slow Food Movement, Corrie is particularly keen to educate young people as to where food is grown or reared and to stress the importance of identifying where food comes from. Home & Away wishes her well. www. belle-isle.com
Weekend Hotspot – Triumphal Arch Gatelodge, Co Fermanagh
On Home & Away last week I told you about my one night stay at Ballealy Cottage on the Shane’s Castle
Estate in Randalstown my first Irish Landmark Trust property experience but the following day in nearby Co Fermanagh my next instalment totally captured my heart! “Triumphal Arch Gatelodge”, .a grade “b” listed building is part of the Colebrooke Estate in the village of Brookeborough. The lodge sets the scene to one of Ireland’s most important and historic stately homes recently renovated and refurbished by the present Viscount and Viscountess Brookeborough. The estate has a long history dating back to the 1640s when a large portion of confiscated land at Brookeborough was given to the Brooke family as a reward for services during the 1641 rebellion. In 1786 the post Chaise Companion described Colebrooke as “a very fine and delightful seat” but Sir Henry Brooke had grand plans for the demesne and from 1819 the eminent Dublin architect William Farrell was commissioned to redesign the main house, park and estate buildings including two gate lodges one with an ambitious entrance arch. The House stood empty for a period during the 1970s, following the death of Basil Stanlake
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Pet’s Corner...
Is your dog in heat? At this time of year many dogs are in heat. This not the only time of year that dogs come into heat but it is the time of year that is not suitable for breeding from a puppy training point of view. The pups of dogs that mate at this time will not be going to their new homes until October or later and that is bad from the pups perspective because toilet training will be jeopardised due to the dark evenings coming in. A heat lasts three weeks, the pregnancy lasts nine weeks and the following eight weeks is for the pup to mature
enough for it to be able to handle moving on to a new owner. Not all pups are re-homed straight away at 8 weeks so some may be even later going into November. A pup should not leave it’s mother before 8 weeks. It will have been weaned by it’s mother before that and eating and drinking on it’s own but it has valuable lessons to learn from her that will make it a more stable pup later on. A pup that is younger than 8 weeks that is re-homed can often develop behaviour problems further down the line. To give a new pup the
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Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough and 5th Baronet. (1888–1973) The 2nd Viscount preferred to reside at the dower house, Ashbrooke while the 3rd and present Viscount has transformed Colebrooke into an estate fit for the 21st century while giving the Irish Landmark Trust permission to restore the lodge and arch. The result here is another “triumphal” occasion having been lovingly restored and re-furnished to an exceptional standard. The property can cater for up to four people and the under floor heating on a cold February night with my weekend newspapers was the ultimate “ me “ time. For those on a voyage of discovery Fermanagh as a county is the epitome of tranquility and serenity which continues to excite me. Anglers flock here to sample some of the finest course and game angling in the world and, the vast, sprawling beauty of the Lakeland’s never fail to impress. Enniskillen’s castles & country estates remind us that a deep and vibrant history is all around and the natural history of this grand county always delivers. Some of my favourite places to visit include Crom and Enniskillen Castles
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along with Florencecourt & Castlecoole from the National Trust. Guests to the gate lodge at Colebrooke can also enjoy a host of outdoor activities organised by arrangement through the Brookeborough family such as fishing, walking trails and bird watching. The property is 90 minutes from Belfast, 2 and a half hours from Dublin, and 40 minutes from the west coast of Ireland so it’s easy to find! For those with an interest in this vibrant area a family or group of up to four people can make” Triumphal Arch Gate lodge” their mini stately pile with rates for a three weekend at £280 or a shorter weekend (Fri-Sun/Sat-Mon) at £190. The Irish Landmark Trust saves heritage buildings throughout the island of
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Ireland that are at risk of being lost through neglect or inappropriate use; conserving and restoring these buildings so they can be let as holiday homes. This allows these buildings to be enjoyed by the present and future generations. Remember by staying here or at any of their properties island wide you are helping to secure the future of fascinating heritage buildings such as this. You can help to support the work of the trust by purchasing a gift voucher which makes an ideal wedding, anniversary or birthday gift. www.irishlandmark.com
Weekly Best Buy
Joe Walsh Tours will run
a number of high profile pilgrimages departing from Belfast International airport on the following date departures on 11th July 2012, for 5 nights, from just €599pp +tax Depart on 12th September 2012, for 5 nights, from just €599pp +tax or depart on 7th October 2012, for 5 nights, from just €599pp +tax. For Medjugorje departures on 23rd May 2012, for 7 nights, from just €549pp +tax. www. joewalshtours.ie Robert Walshe is a freelance contributor / broadcaster and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com
Home and Away Extra The Irish Open golf championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club in June will again put Northern Ireland firmly on the global golf map and provide a major boost to the local economy, according to Alan Clarke, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. The success of Northern Ireland’s golfers, led by Rory McIlroy, has led to an unprecedented level of interest in the region as a golf tourism destination and was undoubtedly a factor that was taken into consideration when making the decision to hold this year’s Open in Northern Ireland for the
first time since 1953. Meanwhile a generation of parents are following in the steps of their globe-trotting kids and jetting off to far flung destinations, according to Thomas Cook. Researchers found that one in ten over-50s has been inspired to travel to a destination they hadn’t previously considered after their children recommended it to them. Australia, Canada and even backpacking hotspot Thailand are among the new hotspots for the over 50s after hearing about the experiences of their young relatives who have been there. www.thomascook.ie
with Kathleen Murray best chance in life and to do what is right by it you should not sell it or give it away before 8 weeks old and not sell it or give it away during long dark evenings, because it may be denied a chance to learn the very basics in good house manners properly. Nobody wants to stand out in wet, cold, dark miserable weather waiting for a pup to pee.... every half hour or hour. That is what is required when you bring a new pup home. It is a responsibility and the pup will not know anything about your house so it will have to learn everything including where to go to the toilet. It needs to get off to a good start. Owners have often let pups down by not doing the toilet
training properly and by just putting the pup out by itself and expecting it to know what to do. Pups will just sit at the back door waiting to get in or they will scratch the door or worse still they will go to the toilet on the back step. This is all because the pup is too scared to venture out by itself. It is too young. You need to go with it and show it what to do the way its mother would have. It’s depending on it’s new owner to lead the way. I have not met an owner yet that loves standing in the rain or snow, freezing or getting soaked waiting for a pup that is feeling the same way to go to the toilet. Toilet training takes commitment and time. It is hard work
with some pups but it is important that it is done properly then everyone has peace. Spring and Summer are the times to get a pup, not Autumn or Winter.... for the pup’s sake. If you have a dog in heat at the moment please don’t let it mate. Watch it like a hawk, Keep it in or very close to you at all times until the heat is over. Think of the lives the pups will have.
Don’t spoil it for them, they will be around for a long time. Pregnancy should be planned so that pups are born in the spring.