TRAVEL
Home & Away with Robert Walshe Almost 1.8 million people visited Ireland between April and June, a 15.6 per cent increase on the same period last year. Quarterly figures from the Central Statistics Office show a significant increase in the number arriving from the UK, North America and Europe. The surge came during a period when Queen Elizabeth II and US president Barrack Obama visited Ireland and the Aviva Stadium hosted the UEFA Europa League final between Portuguese sides Porto and Braga. However, the corresponding period in 2010 was particularly difficult for the tourist industry with hundreds of European flights cancelled in April and May as a result of the volcanic ash cloud. When compared to the same period in 2009, there was a decrease of about 120,000 in the number of visitors to Ireland with the largest drop off in the key UK market where visitor numbers fell by about 11 per cent from 858,000 to 761,000. The most recent figures show growth in the numbers traveling here from North America. Visitor numbers rose from 264,000 last year to 308,800, which represented a 1 per cent rise on the 2009 figure. The numbers arriving from Europe, the market hardest hit by the ash cloud last year, recovered from 500,500 to 620,700. However, the number of Europeans traveling to Ireland was more than 37,000 lower than in the same period of 2009.Tourism Ireland welcomed the improvement in visitor numbers but acknowledged the impact of the ash cloud on the previous year’s statistics.
Weekend Hideaway
Marlfield House, Gorey, Co Wexford is a Blue Book property first opened in 1978 run by a motherand-daughter combination of Mary and Margaret Bowe, but Mary has retired, and now the house is run by Margaret and her sister, Laura and I just cant help feeling elated by their addiction to what is Irelands most luxurious country house and gardens. Built in the 1830s and once the dower house of the Earls of Courtown, Marlfield House’s authentic classic design and décor with modern amenities has become a regular for visitors to the sunny southeast including many famous
Living
faces like Robert Redford, Tom Hanks and U2.The interior is luxurious in the extreme with accommodation options including six state and twelve superior rooms all uniquely designed using period pieces, fine linen, deeppile carpets, antique furniture and regal four poster beds..This Regency style house is full n Mayfield of antiques and classic House exte rior. pieces that transport m. roo te sta use Ho ld yfie Ma n you back to the days of gracious living and this stately combination offers a feeling of refined elegance. The extensive gardens provide numerous country “Sunny South East,” the county of refreshment stops. www.hideaways. activities; including equestrian en- Wexford provides the best year- co.uk/holiday-cottage/lock-keeperdeavors, archery, fox hunting, golf, round Irish weather, historic sites s-cottage-H115 Head to the Big croquette, tennis, castle tours, tours and a laid-back atmosphere ideal Apple this November and do your and long walks along the nearby for a relaxing trip. With more than pre-Christmas shopping for less! beach at Courtown are also possi- 70 miles of white beaches and some Package includes DIRECT flights ble. Marlfield House leads the way of the top golf courses in the coun- from Dublin, 3 nights accommodaon food reputation and quality and try, Wexford has a large tourist fol- tion in the 4* Grand Hyatt Hotel my dining experience. was excep- lowing. (located beside Grand Central Stational. The dining room and TurnerThe city and its surrounding area tion) including all taxes. Prices are style conservatory merge into one, offer some of Ireland’s finest hotels, per person €569 based on 4 sharing providing modern Irish cuisine with many of which offer special ameni- or €669 based on 2 sharing www. a range of fresh produce including ties for four-legged family members. sunway.ie Irish Ferries will host a fresh herbs, vegetables fruit, wild Marlfield House set on 35 acres of wine fair on board its cruise ferry salmon, spring lamb, Bannow Bay grounds and woodlands is a mem- ‘Oscar Wilde’ sailing from Rosslare oysters, Wexford mussels and beef. ber of Ireland’s Blue Book and has to Roscoff on September 16th. The My only concern was the use of rich won numerous accolades for its event, free to all passengers, will see butter and cream sauces irresistible charm, welcome and cuisine and a number of French wine producers to taste but upsetting on the hips! rightly so.!! www.marlfieldhouse. conducting tastings, giving expert The selection of Irish artisan com advice and previewing some of the cheeses with baked biscuits, home wines that can be bought ashore made apple jelly and caramelised Weekly Best Buy - where savings of up to 12.5% for walnuts were also gorgeous. The Autumn is the perfect time to dis- Irish Ferries customers are on offer. Sunday lunch time recitals continue cover the wonderful English coun- For passengers seeking to extend for the autumn with performances tryside on a walking break. Base this stay, Irish Ferries is offering in the intimacy of the state “print yourself at a Hideaways cottage short hotel breaks with one night room “preceded by a four course and you’ll have scenic footpaths on in Roscoff and a second night in lunch in the conservatory. The next the doorstep and a cosy, welcom- Cherbourg with prices from EUR199 installment is on the 25th Septem- ing retreat to return to at the end per person. Based on 4 passengers ber and features Gabriela Istock of the day. For gentle, level walks traveling out on September 16th, Soprano accompanied by Mihaela with a constantly-moving backdrop, returning from Cherbourg on SepChirvase Mezzo Soprano and Dim- nothing beats a canal. Stay at Lock tember 19th, this offer includes on itri Papadimitrou concert pianist. Keeper’s Cottage, a recently reno- board accommodation, two nights Lunch will be served at 12.30 fol- vated home on the banks of the hotel accommodation and return lowed by the recital at 3.30. Tick- Kennet and Avon Canal in Wiltshire, car ferry travel. www.irishferries. ets are €63 per person for lunch and you’ll have a grandstand view com/winebreak and recital; recital only tickets are of passing, colourfully-painted nar€20. Very special bed and break- rowboats. Sleeping five, the cottage Robert Walshe is a freelance confast rates from €70 per person shar- is adjacent to the lock in the pretty tributor / broadcaster and guest ing are available on Sunday nights village of Seend and the towpath travel writer for River Media and from €80 per person sharing provides a scenic walking route newspaper titles across the island on Saturday nights. Known as the with plenty of waterside pubs for of Ireland
Pet’s Corner...
Home and Away Extra Floating 350kms above the earth, the hotel will be pretty basic - no ensuites, no showers and only freeze-dried food to eat and yet it will cost £100,000 for a short break, making it the most expensive boutique hotel in the universe. However, it will offer the best ever views. There’ll be no excursions, no smoking, no drinking and only a TV and the internet for entertainment, but the Russian company which unveiled its plans for the first space hotel this week promised it would be more comfortable than the International Space Station .It could also represent a great sales opportunity for some savvy travel agents. The flight is likely to set holidaymakers back a further £500,000, bringing the total spend for a threeday trip to £600,000
with Kathleen Murray
Back to school – for pets
with Kathleen Murray: Animal Behavioural Therapist
What does it mean for pets when school opens again? For many dogs it means having to adapt to being on their own for longer periods of time. This needs to be done in a way that the dog has time to adjust before the school reopens. If it is suddenly landed on them after a summer of lots of company and extra attention then it will come as a bit of a shock. It’s a good idea to start getting the dog into a routine now the same as it will have when everyone is out. If the dog lives in the house then it would be a good idea to start paying a bit less attention to it at certain times of the day
so that it can adjust to having quiet times by itself while you are still there. A dog that is suddenly left alone or pushed outside without warning, (especially a young dog) can become destructive. It can mess up your garden pretty good or find ways to escape. Escape means more fun, adventure and company but it also means risks like traffic, eating something toxic, or a visit to the dog pound. Lots of dogs are stolen and never found again so please don’t let this happen to your pet. When the school routine kicks in, there’s homework, dinner, extra activities and bed. Where does the dog
fit in? It still needs to be walked and guided so that it and the family can stay sane. A routine needs to be set up to include the dog. If it is not then the dog will make sure you will have no peace, and resentment will set in..... not the dog’s fault. Cats also have difficulties when the family routine changes. They start drifting off into neighbours gardens and sometimes away altogether. This is sad for the cat mostly because neighbours don’t want your cat, so your cat will not be getting a warm welcome. If it goes off looking for company or food then it could be killed by a car or injured by a person, or dog. Worse again
it may become feral and produce litters of wild kittens that will be a menace to wildlife, or it may die a long lonely death of pain due to medical problems as there are many disease that cats can get if they are not looked after properly. Any pet that lives at home as part of the family needs to be maintained as part of the family. If a child is starting school for the first time, or going to the dentist then parernts prepare the child for the experience in advance so that the surprise or shock is minimised, or they can judge the reaction of the child to the new experience. It’s the same for animals. If
you don’t want trouble then you need to make plans in advance for how things are going to be when you are not there all day, now that the routine is going to be changed. If a dog lives outdoors then it needs to be ignored for a spell during the day to allow it to show how it will cope with the change. If it barks a lot or digs then that’s what it will do when everyone is gone. The neighbours will not be looking forward to that. The dog needs a new routine to settle it down again. Going back to school affects the whole neighbourhood whether you have kids or not. 0863192247