TRAVEL
Travel
Notes
Penny McCormick takes a road trip out west
Glenlo Abbey Hotel.
The sitting room.
Deluxe bedroom with view of Lough Corrib.
The Pullman Restaurant.
CHECKING IN: GLENLO ABBEY HOTEL & ESTATE, GALWAY
Take a trip around Inis Mór with Thomas Faherty Tours; www.aranponytrap.com.
T
his summer, Tourism Ireland is encouraging visitors to explore the island
at a gentler pace with its #IrelandUnrushed campaign. A visit to Inis
Mór, the largest of the three Aran Islands, is the definition of this ethos
a chance to wander and wonder. The island can be reached via regular
sailings with Aran Island Ferries, from Rossaveel or Galway City, from
€34. An overnight stay is optional; the Aran Islands Hotel has comfortable, no-frills
sea view cabin rooms, from €190. www.aranislandshotel.com. Aran Islands Glamping
also has pods overlooking the sea at Frenchmans Beach. www.irelandglamping.
ie. Non-negotiable is a tour of the island (I took a gentle, informative carriage ride
with islander Thomas Faherty) taking in its dramatic Dún Aonghasa cliffs, Blue Flag
beaches and historical sites (among them The Seven Churches and Poll na bPéist
wormhole). Yoga followed by a dip at Cill Rónáin Beach and some cycling will work
up an appetite. Stop for a coffee at the Seal Colony Café low tide is the best time
to see the seals feast on crab and lobster rolls from one of the Aran Seafood Café
trucks, run by local fisherman Bertie Donohue and his wife Niamh, or book dinner at
Joe Wattys Bar and Restaurant. www.joewattys.com.
Back on the mainland, 60km away in Leenane, Delphi Lodge in the mountainous
Delphi Valley exudes rustic luxury. Guided walks, fishing and lake excursions, plus
dining on local game and seafood, are all part of its half-board stays, from €345. www.
delphilodge.ie. At Fernwood Farm in Clifden, guests can stay in treehouse domes,
bothies or stilt houses. These stylish perches provide scope
for reliving childhood fantasies and soaking up the stunning
scenery. From €220. www.fernwood.eco. From there, island hop
to Inishbofin (from Cleggan pier) and explore its distinctly
Caribbean white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. Youre
likely to hear some corncrakes there are several pairs on the
Fernwood
island.
Book a room at the family-owned Murrays Doonmore
Farm, Clifden.
Hotel which has just been renovated. Enjoy fresh crab claws while
listening to local musicians who play into the wee hours. www.doonmore.com.
The Beach Days Bar, by the harbour, is a local hub for visiting yachts and ribs and is
a great spot for watching the comings and goings of the islanders, and for great views
of Cromwells Fort. www.thebeach.ie. Put Sauna Bó Finne on your bucket list, where
private saunas on the beach have views of the Twelve Bens and Croagh Patrick. From
€20. www.saunabofinne.com. Dont leave without browsing the Studio Shop, where
artist Lol McCleans seaweed prints and ceramics provide mementos of happy days
well spent. www.artisaninishbofin.ie.
48 July/August 2025 THE GLOSS MAGAZINE
VIBE: Expansive 140-acre lakeside retreat, part of the Irish-owned and managed
MHL Hotel Collection. NEED TO KNOW: The main Manor House dates from
1740 when it was built by the Ffrench family, one of 14 families who make up the
famous Tribes of Galway. ACCOMMODATION: Spacious and peaceful, furnished
with custom-designed carpets, silk-effect wall coverings, luxurious fabrics in a mix of
patterns and textures created by Millimetre Design as part of an ongoing renovation
project. Bathrooms feature Bvlgari toiletries. My Lake View Room overlooked Lough
Corrib, others overlook the walled garden. For self-catering, pet-friendly stays, the
Lodges, a short stroll from the hotel, have fully equipped kitchens, and patio areas
with barbecues available to hire. One-, two-, and three-bedroom lodges are available.
DINING: Breakfast is an unhurried affair in the elegant River Room Restaurant
overlooking the estate, where afternoon tea is also served. Its decorated with antique
chandeliers and crisp white linens. More informal, for lunch and dinner, is Palmers
Bar & Kitchen. The Corrib and Kentfield Rooms can be booked for private events.
AMENITIES: Include a nine-hole championship golf course, with a driving range,
falconry, fishing, estate bicycles and plenty of scope for walks. The cosy 15-seater
Abbey Cinema has two sittings daily. DONT MISS: The Glo Spa & Wellness which
offers Elemis and Seabody treatments. I recommend the Seabody Bliss treatment
a chance to experience a biotech facial with lots of sculpting massage. DO: Relax
in the Ffrench Room, where Glenlos resident pianist plays, or curl up with a book
in the original abbey, part of the hotel. DO: Dine in the historic, refreshed Pullman
Restaurant, featuring two original carriages from the Orient Express, where head
chef Angelo Vagiotis seven-course tasting menu changes regularly and is a delightful
experience from start to finish. TIP: Use your Blue Book vouchers. VERDICT: A
charming combination of warm hospitality, scenic surroundings and top-notch
dining. BOOK: The Pullman Experience, which includes an overnight stay, dinner in
the Pullman Restaurant and breakfast. From €355 per person; www.glenloabbey.ie.
@pennymccormicked
IN GALWAY CITY ...
MEET: Illustrator Áine Keaveney, manager of Plámás coffee shop; @plamasgalway.
POP INTO: Cloon Keen to stock up on its Travel Set of scents, 80; www.cloonkeen.com.
CHECK OUT: Radisson RED hotel in Crown Square; www.radissonhotels.com.
SWEET SUNDAE SCENTS / PACKING TIPS FOR IRISH TRIPS / WINE WITH LUNCH / CHECKS AND STRIPES / BEACH READS / THINGS TO DO MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2025 with THE IRISH TIMES ww w.the gloss.ie Great Irish Holidays Relaxed, simple, sophisticated take the scenic route
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BOOKS Reading Notes Edel Coffey chooses books for the beach T he novel that everyone is getting excited about this summer is NOTES ON INFINITY (Michael Joseph, €16.99), the debut from Austin Taylor. Described as Normal People (Sally Rooney) meets Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (Gabrielle
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DINING Restaurant Notes Ciara McQuillan selects summer holiday stop-offs LANDLINE, PARK HOTEL KENMARE, CO KERRY: THE SCOOP Named after an abstract painting by artist Sean Scully, Landline was designed by Kenmareborn interior designer, Bryan OSullivan (of BOS Studio), whose portfolio includes Clar
VALERIE OSULLIVAN INTERVIEW WITH A MAN Theres nothing I love more than standing in front of 1,000 people in a theatre and telling them about birds. SEÁN RONAYNE Birds of a Feather Seán Ronayne is an ornithologist, author and environmental activist, who, since 2021, has been on a mission to record
INTERVIEW WITH A MAN INTERVIEW WITH A MAN talk about was birds and Id try to mimic other peoples behaviours, but that didnt work either. I felt like a loser, but when I got the diagnosis, I was able to forgive myself and it gave me a lot more confidence. It allowed me to see the positives, like my
WINE La Vie En Rosé Julie Dupouy pairs rosé with summer suppers O ften associated with summer, sunny terraces, and casual apéritifs, rosé wines have for too long carried a reputation for being simple quaffing wines, hardly worthy of a moment of pause for appreciation. Yet behind their many hues
FOOD SCENIC ROUTE Ballyshane House and the resident Irish terriers. Kitty Coles. Kitty Coles takes a road trip along Irelands South East coast to East Cork, where she discovers a culinary community thats innovative and inviting I have just returned from one of my favourite trips in the last f
FOOD FOOD JR RYALLS ALMOND TART (OR TARTLETS) WITH RASPBERRIES lley, Cork. The dessert trolley at Ballymaloe House. The Long Va Myrtle Allen began making these tarts for the Ballymaloe dessert trolley over half a century ago. The base couldnt be easier to prepare; it literally takes one minute t
JASMINE HUGHES TRAVEL GREAT IRISH HOLIDAYS The Irish summer holiday combines simplicity and sophistication we find extraordinary places to stay, eat and explore F Ophelia Keane of Carpa Dining at Inish Beg Estate. or a perfect base from which to explore West Cork, book the recently renovated F
TRAVEL The new Nordic-style cabins at Ballygarry Estate. The terrace outside Hannos Workshop at Mossies B&B. latest addition to the accommodation offering is Hannos Workshop, a selfcatering barn with a New York-style loft (two guests; pets allowed). A new sauna has just opened beside a small pond
TRAVEL Visit Coan Coffee on the Ards Peninsula for cappucino and carrot cake. Annalong, close to the seaside town of Newcastle, with the Mourne Mountains as a backdrop; www.kribbencottages.com. At Strangford Lough Activity Centre, Rory Martin runs Sunrise and Full Moon kayaking experiences and e-b
TRAVEL Fans of the award-winning Misunderstood Heron formerly perched above Killary Fjord and hailed by Lonely Planet as one of the worlds top ten coolest food trucks will be thrilled by its new home at BigStyle Lodge at P Dans, Killadoon, near Louisburgh, which has a terrace with incredible sea
TRAVEL Travel Notes Penny McCormick takes a road trip out west Glenlo Abbey Hotel. The sitting room. Deluxe bedroom with view of Lough Corrib. The Pullman Restaurant. CHECKING IN: GLENLO ABBEY HOTEL & ESTATE, GALWAY Take a trip around Inis Mór with Thomas Faherty Tours; www.aranponytrap.com.
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