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Exclusives

• An Exclusive Interview with Shelia O'Flanagan
• Five great places to stay in Ireland

An Exclusive Interview with Shelia O'Flanagan

• An Exclusive Interview with Shelia O'Flanagan [june-a.pdf] (0.06 MB)

Five great places to stay in Ireland

When I was younger we used to go to Galway, in the west of Ireland, for family holidays. I still feel very close to Galway and I love the fact that there is a vibrant Irishspeaking community (the Gaeltacht) there. Galway is a university city and has become very hip and energetic over the last ten years or so, plus it’s a fabulous place to stay. The sunset over Galway Bay is probably one of the most romantic in the world. The best thing of all is that you can be totally isolated, or right in the middle of the lively city, whichever you prefer. Cork is known as the Rebel County because, back in 1491, they supported Perkin Warbeck, the pretender, during the Wars of the Roses. But they’re still rebels in Cork, they like to do things their own way. Like Galway, Cork city has become very lively and busy but it still manages to retain a small-town feel. But for me, Cork is about the coast, where there are wonderful bays and mountains that sweep down to the water’s edge. Cork is also home to the legendary Blarney Castle where kissing the Blarney Stone is said to give you the gift of the gab. (I kissed it when I was about twenty; maybe I don’t talk a lot, but I’ve written plenty.) If you like wild countryside then Donegal fits the bill perfectly. It’s rugged Ireland at its best but still with some breathtaking beaches; though you walk on them rather than lie out on them. In my early twenties I stayed on a campsite in Donegal with some friends and we spent a real back-to-nature week walking in the hills and cycling everywhere. I recommend checking the brakes on the bikes though. They seemed to be optional and I had a scary few moments as I hurtled down a steep hill and realised that the only way I could stop was to aim for the prickly hedge at the side of the road... Enniskerry is only 25 km south of Dublin, but it’s probably one of the most beautiful places in Ireland. It’s set close to the Wicklow mountains and when they talk about the forty shades of green, this is what they mean. It has its fair share of luxurious hotels and spas too, so you can have the whole pampering experience. My sisters and I try to take a break there every year, just to renew the batteries. Finally, I’m a Dublin girl through and through, and Dublin is my favourite place in the whole of Ireland. It’s small enough to get around relatively easily, and has just so many great places to see and visit. My top tip for a cheap day out is to get the Dart (the commuter train) which runs along the coast from Howth on the north side of the city to Greystones on the south. The south side part of the trip is spectacular as the train curves around Dublin bay and gives some amazing views of the sea and scenery and you can hop off at Blackrock or Dun Laoghaire to combine some retail therapy with good food. I set one of my short story collections, Destinations, on the Dart, and spent ages doing this trip as I researched it. If you want to see some of the locations and settings for my various books check out the gallery on my website: www.sheilaoflanagan.net.

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