Irish Independent - The Hot List 2010 - Mulranny Park Hotel

m^SnmBBBBB^BBBBBBBBBBBBBmBBmmm^ "1^, r -. -^iS&^l -fBHllffBBRBBBB^BBBBB^^inHSli^l^lBB^BB^B^B^B^B^BVHM^B^B^BnI^^V^PVB^_|^HB^aHBlBI^BB BBIB^B!9)BBVB HBBwttTC^iwß'oHßHißßaKßKfiutiailftnHu %V^wgSK/BBBBmmmTßmßnrw *^t "^^""^[^■■P^M^flBWi^B^BS^K^'^^^al^'"' *^wfs StSTHE HOT LIST 20 10Pol 6 Conghaile has trekked the four corners of Ireland this year in search ofthe top hotels, hikes, sights and grub. Here, he picks the best of the bunchBest view: Best pub: find framed receipts from theCoumshingaun, Hargadon's, Sligo 1900s on the wails, too. Like Mor-•jmBBBBBBBBBMKj*. J CoWaterford Irish pubs have spread around the rissey's in Abbeyleix, it combines'Wmm^^MBBBBBBnX tM Writing the 'Secret Ire- world, with barely a city untouched the impact of a museum piece withJSKmBBBBBBBBBmW iTtri' Wmm land' and 'Life Off the by their paddywhackery. It takes all the chatter and craic pubs wereJJfflfflf .JBm Fast Lane' series for an original to restore the faith, made for. The menu (try the localif-' * J^BBJiBaBa^l. .^awjAflßjß "Weekend' magazine this and Hargadon's does exactly that. Lissadell oysters at €9.95) is fromyear, I've had the privi- Dating from 1864, its cosy snugs, the top drawer too.;^«^^^^ H^ K .t^^J^ jm^MBBBBBMhsi^mmm^^^^mBBBBBBBBBm lege of visiting some of dispensary drawers and black flag- Details: 4/5 O'Connell Street. Tel:l|^HB||^^^^^^BBB^^BBBB|j^BBBBBBB Ireland's most sensation- stones are the real deal, and you'll 071 915 3709; hargadons.com.LoopB^B^B^B^B^^^^HP^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BB .xmm^m^m^^^^^^^^^^mbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbmwßwmßxßWB^B^B^B^B^B^Bh B^B^BJB^B^B^B^B^B^ B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^^HvaB^^BjiiRl *^B^B1thlmmmmwfZ^Bßßßrfm wmBBBBm^SmBBBBBBBmCoumshingaun,B^RJ^BB^BB^^aB^B^BBBBBlB^Bflbreath- BBBjj^^WI^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bi^^SB^BJSmBBBBBBBBmwBmBm taking corrie lake (pic- WW 'gj. gjjr .Jg-y —Jtured above) carved intoB^ 3?T _B■_fl_fl_H_tei^_fl_fl_H_fl the Comeragh Moun- ■_____=___^_f_==^^M*^^Mew86*^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^"" away. SheerwUBUBUBUBUBUWUBBBBBBBm^mmmmmmmmmwBest new addition: The canal crosses four counties, and water, humming bees,The Royal Canal one of the choice spots is the 46th panoramic views of Dun- h^h^h^hm^^^h^|^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^hjForhalfacentury,theßoyalCanallay lock at Clondra, where you can pull garvan Bay climbing- B^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bneglected, its bridges crumbling, its in your car or cruiser and enjoy the up and around the lake is 8888888888888888888888towpaths overgrown and its waters playground, humpbacked bridge and like adventuring into 8888888888888888888888stagnant. This year, the amenity re- revamped old mills. Perfect Middle Earth. B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^Bopened after a €36 million restora- pint or a picnic. Coumshingaun has it aU.tion (and dogged lobbying by the Details: Clondra, Co Longford; Details: KilclooneyB^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^BRoyal Canal Amenity Group). waterwaysireland.ie. Wood; coillteoutdoors.ie. BBBB^^^MBaiBHaBBBaia^^^^^^^^^^^^M36 Irish Independent Weekend 11 December 2010

TRAVELfffmmm^mßßßßßßßßmmmmmmmmmtßß I t_L _j|~^Mafc.'// / H- —__kBBflaflulßßL^E L 1 Bflß 4fl ■VflBBa^—VV'^rfflBBBBB! BB Jlttlfe t .Bw~^ !j .—— ... i ifJBBBMBl ' «_Hif fJRJ* pw 888 HH ■MSEq 'fIHBBa Pflßßl IbCTT i^ttßßvßrQflßW BB ffS" I J^ t^F^LuBLaBGbJBaKit^^BV^''VM 1 '?-»—BBbbBB ~? bB ■■■ BbB^BbBbBbb bBBbSBI B_^_H_H_H_H_H_fl BT^BH^I^BBbbBbbBCi^I? J9bbbßJ||B IB? mt i| JBP^BaBWB * WvV^B^^Bafl V W"*4 *"^^_j_S_MflsuflflEi_B *^^^^BHBbB»b«btB»'B'i" *Best City hotel: can't fault the quality. Set behind courtyard strewn with bamboo.bH TbYSllb^bb^b^bMH i*The Gibson, Dublin Il'v—flthe 02, the Gibson is big on rock The Point Village may be a work _| B^B^SSMIb-^^^^B^B^B^bVIJ WIHIs Harry Crosbie's Point Village 'n' roll swagger, with highlights in progress, butthe Gibson Hotel-—PBinspired or insane? Whatever including the pop-art collection, is the finished article — and one u^BBBBBBW^BimBBmmmBm^aboutbringmgabStndnewßig a three-storey atrium and the of Ireland's best design hotels. fl__nliii uKWheel and four-star hotel to a Hemidemisemiquaver Bar, Details: Point Village. Tel: 01-'HRBIiJiPcity gripped by recession, you which wraps around an outdoor 681 5000; gibsonhotel.ie. •'aBest rough diamond: Forget Bunratty and Malahide, Creaky floorboards, dustyLeap Castle, the former seat of the O'Carroll antiques and a chilly spiral stair-Co Tipperary clan is brilliantly odd and authen- case shore up one of the mostThere are no signposts for Leap tic, a hodgepodge of family home, haunted buildings in Ireland.Castle. Even ifyou do find it, the heritage gem and dilapidated pile Our tip? Call the Ryans inRyan family may not be there to dating from the early 1300s (one advance,let you in. If fate is on your side, derelict wing even has a tree Details: Leap, Roscrea. Tel: 086however, you're in for a treat. growing from the walls). 869 0547; €6.11 December 2010 Irish Independent Weekend 37

j--TRAVELBest Country hOUSe: Italianate interiors are full of none of the dust or dilapidation ■MHHMHjj^^^^^^H|Ballyvolane, Co Cork touches such as painted door pan- that can compromise other coun-H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^flRight now, Justin and Jenny els and a mahogany-panelled try houses. If that doesn't hookBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBJGreen's Ballyvolane House is the bathtub; a gander around the you, Ballyvolane's fishing rightsstandard-bearer for country hous- grounds throws up a massive along the River Blackwater will.es in Ireland. Dating from 1727, walled garden, croquet lawn and Details: Fermoy. Tel: 025 36349;everything about it oozes quality, dainty laburnum arch, and there's ballyvolanehouse.ie.mBBBBBBBBBBBBBtf9!mBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBm—-m.in M 1 iiiaMiii iaii nMr iimi^m tM mw '/ «... Mt '••%;**** BBBBBBBBBBBBBBm m mqBBBBBBBBBBmBBBBBBmMEmE&mBmmmwTmBmWfVSBBBBWKki-**: -** 1 ** ff **.■BBBBKjrTBBBfI- rt^^j*.*.. BBBBBBBBB^lfBBBBBBBBBBBBBWbBBBBkMBDBBBBBBBBI__"_MHHyi||3' *BHBBB0BSfv\ v*\ 'W*-\^mfrW!&r->. *m■*. Vlhm *%^*«Vsi^i»- -WiaTaTaTaTaTaV BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBm_B_PfPfrc^frAjW» XfjJ^m^mmwL t" ___■ 8888888888888888888888I^^^^^^^^^^H^Ht^ 1 ivi^ Bx I iß&ni B1 18l •^mBBBBr^^BYr'^^^BBBBBmBM BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBmBest guided tour: the old coal mines, anBBBBBBJBIBBjpKp^rWaiSW.'t MBBBHBMjpPBBBBj Arigna Mining Experi- unimaginably dangerous envi-£|n^ . — "WV>>»-*" ■"*•*~"'""*^ "^IJrilTflS^StifWmMWlllllS ence, Co Roscommon ronment in which miners weremlSkumßSßmaimr.J.j'»i< »'f; jti-r"sxi'*i"^/^ P^W^^3SiB Some tour guides are summer paid by the ton. "There was noBBBBBBBBBBmm^mmmmmmUMlifiiSißmtdi unlffliiiii^JMJittlMßlßMMßßMlßWl jobbers. Others from a slacking here," as my guide,BBBBBBBBBBBJBBJI^HH^^^BHBHj^BB^^^^^^^^^^^^^I At Arigna, on the otherBjjBwgnj^^^^^^^^^^^^l^^B^^^^^BBBBBBBBBBBBBB are led by bona brilliantly personal experience;BB^Bu^^^^B^BB^^BBj^^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^I fide who once made a one delves as deeplytlletheHHHP^HHHHHHH|H|HDBHHHMb^HBMBJVbI the TheBBBBjj|HI^BMBMBBBBBBBBBBBBrHal^^HEBawSM>B tour offers a first-hand insight arignaminingexperience.ie;Best fine dining: Cliff salmon (smoked under a bell- Best heritage pile: Dutch-style, combining elegant driver. Her collection of classicHouse Co Waterford jar on the plate) and Skeagh- Beaulieu House, redbrick rendering with interi- cars, including a Mini Cooper SIn these austere times, fine din- anore duck (with a medley of Co LOUth ors hosting everything from andal96BVauxhallViva,canbeing seems rather a luxury. Factor garden onion textures) are as I don't know which is more portraits of William of Orange to visited in a converted stable outin the food and the talent in the close as it comes to edible the- beguiling: Beaulieu House or its massive antlers dug from a back. A setting for the next Bondkitchen, and Martijn Kajuiter's atre. It's fussy sure, but when glamorous owner. The 16th- Monaghanbog. movie, anyone?tasting menu at the Cliff House flair and flavour combine to hit century mansion is set on the Then there's the owner, Gabriel Details: Drogheda, Co Louth. Tel:Hotel begins to look like seri- the sweet spot, you'll be reduced River Boyne and built in the De Freitas, a former racing 041 983 8557; beaulieu.ie.ous value for money. to a helpless giggle.Kajuiter holds Ireland's only Details: Ardmore. Tel: 024Michelin star outside Dublin, 87800; thecliffhousehotel.com;and courses such as Bantry Bay €85pp.— — 'A'^fij__m4_B_|_HH_Prf^_I_fl-^cjf jjfr :-^Krt«^ii wj^BBBBBBBBBI'\,^ l^jgaial"^,* mwk~M jmJmBwBB\?£immwjMm^mBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB^mgarden 6km natureBBfIBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBjOne the the autograph tree. Step throughBBaVaHaVaVaVaVJaVJaVBVaBVB^B^BBBIBBBBBMBBBBHBIcropped up on Twitter lately is its tent-like foliage and you'll'Positive Ireland' (Spositive find the carved initials of visitors Best drive: Slieve is probably down to its remote- here stretches all the way to theireland), a stream of tweets say- such as Yeats and Shaw gradual- League Peninsula, ness and soggy weather, but the Slieve League cliffs. Plunginging bright things about a coun- ly being reclaimed by a bulging Co Donegal flipsideofavisitisthatyougeta some 600 ft into the Atlantic, it'stry in dark days. bark. And another plus: Coole Donegal Bay has hosted its fair peninsula to yourself. From Done- the west coast at its most elemen-Coole Park is a perfect fit The Parkisfree. share of international cruise ships gal town (the Oxford to Bundo- tal, a slice of God's Country,woods and walled gardens of Details: Gort. Tel: 091 631804; over the years, but remains large- ran's Blackpool) to Fintra Beach Details: discoverireland.ie/Lady Gregory's old estate are cooleparkJe. ly ignored by staycationers. This and Killybegs, the coastal drive northwest.11 December 2010 Irish Independent Weekend 39