Home & Away with Robert Walshe
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Weekend Hotspot - Westville Hotel - Enniskillen Co Fermanagh
WESTVILLE Hotel Enniskillen is a four star accommodation with twenty eight rooms, a restaurant and a bar. The style is chic, modern and contemporary while being very comfortable throughout. The rooms have a flat screen television, direct dial telephone, hairdryer, safety deposit box, tea and coffee making facilities, iron
■ Neven Maguire TV Chef Mc Nean’s Co Cavan
and ironing board including free WIFI internet access. The Executive Rooms have added luxuries like upgraded toiletries, fruit and chocolates. They are also larger, as are the suites, which are very spacious and luxurious. The bar has a tasty all-day menu, and the award-winning Terrace Restaurant is open each evening. The Westville “Luxury Weekend Away” offer includes a sumptuous three course meal on a night of your choice with full Irish breakfast each morning from £119 per room. Full rates and other offers are available from www.westvillehotel.co.uk Enniskillen is an island town which divides the upper and lower lakes on Lough Erne, providing lake cruising, outdoor activities, fishing, hunting and history. The Westville Hotel is situated on Tempo Road a perfect location to access the town centre with all its shops, cafes, restaurants and bars less than half a mile walk away. The hotel is also in a perfect location to access
Fermanagh’s many other attractions including Ardhowen Theatre and the National Trust houses of Castle Coole and Florence Court as well as the historic castle. Famous residents of the town include literary giants, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett, who attended the famous Portora Royal School. County Fermanagh also gives bikers and hikers an abundance of choice. If you’re on two feet, consider exploring the trails at Crom Estate, where you’ll find wild deer and eight species of native bats in one of Ireland’s most important nature conservations. If you’re on two wheels, try a section of the 230-mile cross-border Kingfisher Trail. Full attractions details at www.fermanaghlakelands. com Boasting some of the finest restaurants in Ireland, Fermanagh has much to offer both locals and visitors - the only difficulty will be deciding where to go! MacNean House nearby in Blacklion Co Cavan is a fine dining restaurant with luxuri-
■ Fermanagh Lake
lands
ous guestrooms run by television personality chef Neven Maguire offering guests extended menus of his award winning dishes and wines from all over the world. Originally opened as MacNean’s Bistro in 1989 by Neven’s parents, Joe and Vera Maguire. The Bistro was named after the spectacular MacNean Lakes nearby. A family concern, Joe and Vera involved all nine of their children in cooking and working at the restaurant with Neven taking over in 2003. He and wife, Amelda, took inspiration for the new décor and recipes from extensive travel and research in London, Paris, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand finally
re-opening MacNean House & Restaurant in 2007. Awarded Georgina Campbell’s prestigious ‘Restaurant of the Year’ Award the restaurant’s menu continues to reflect Neven Maguire’s advocacy of local and artisan producers and insistence on high quality, seasonal and traceable produce. MacNean House and restaurant is exceptional and by far the finest restaurant in Ireland but remember weekend sittings book nearly twelve months in advance so get in early. The ‘Neven Maguire Cookery School’ is the ideal location for all aspiring chefs and food enthusiasts. All courses are conducted personally by Neven who has carefully se-
lected a range of his own recipes for participants of all cooking levels. Course numbers are kept small so participants can enjoy direct instruction and assistance from his dedicated team. After a personal demonstration all participants will have the opportunity to cook dishes under his helpful, friendly guidance in fun, hands on setting. www. macneanrestaurant.com Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio in Northern Ireland and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe. com