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VALENTIA ROYAL HOTEL
The Ban Cheile* and I were really looking forward to our three-day stay on Valentia Island (Kerry, Ireland). We jokingly decided we’d go to South West Cork to see if we can follow the Force as it were. All true Star Wars fans know by now that the amazing scene at the end of The Force Awakens, where Luke Skywalker makes his big entrance, was shot on a tiny monastic island off the Kerry coast called Skellig Michael. We decided it was time for us to return to the area to see what the influence of the Force might have had on the place and to treat ourselves to a chill-out long weekend in the process. We arrived early the previous day to our hotel, The Royal Valentia Hotel. We’d stayed there some years earlier when it…
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GALWAY: A WEEKEND TRIP (Part 2)
In Galway: A Weekend Trip (Part 1) I took you through the food and accommodation highlights of our recent weekend trip to Galway. In this instalment, I want to share some photographs of the first leg of our tour of the Wild Atlantic Way. The Lonely Planet™ describes the route as “The ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ driving route neatly packages the abundant attractions of Ireland’s west coast, from West Cork to Donegal. The well-signed, easy-to-navigate route includes 157 ‘Discovery Points’, where drivers can stop and learn more about the must-sees and lesser-known diversions of this fascinating area”. It’s 2500 km of coastline and apparently one of the longest coastal routes in the world. Our plan is to take in chunks of the way over a period of time in a weekend or one-day bites. In truth, we’ve travelled along much of the…
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GALWAY: A WEEKEND TRIP (Part 1)
A couple of weeks ago The Ban Chéile* and I went to Galway for a three-night weekend in the Ardilaun Hotel. We hadn’t been away for a weekend in ages and high on the agenda was a lot of rest, food and booze. It proved to be just the right antidote to the stressful work life we both have and went a long way toward recharging our batteries. The Ardilaun Hotel is 3km from Galway City itself and set right smack in the middle a number of well-established housing estates. Set back in its own grounds it lives up to its 4-star rating. The room was comfortable if a bit dated and the view from our room was out across a small fountain to a well-kept garden. The best feature of the Ardilaun all told was the…
