The Wicklow Escape, Donard, Co Wicklow is a new venture from founder and hospitality veteran Lisa Wilkinson and executive chef Danni Barry. They are curating two-night, three-day staycation packages from July 14, blending rustic luxury with sumptuous food. On-site facilities include seven deluxe bedrooms, The Kitchen Restaurant, an outdoor kitchen and terrace, a kitchen garden, a wood-fired outdoor hot tub, a forest garden and hiking trails, some of which lead to the West Wicklow Sugar Loaf. Each package at The Wicklow Escape will include cocktails, a three-course dinner at The Fiery, a lunch or picnic, and a five-course with wine pairings at Kitchen Restaurant. On the last day guests are served a leisurely brunch before checking out, from €543 per person sharing; www.thewicklowescape.com
The Irish Silver Museum, Cathedral Square, Waterford opened this week and offers visitors a journey through Irish history from the arrival of the Vikings to Ireland’s entry into the EEC in 1973 via personal objects, made from silver. Eamonn McEneaney, the museum director explains, “Since the Viking period in Ireland silver has been a prized metal and a means of exchange. Most of the objects in the museum feature the initials of their makers and the coat of arms of their owners which allows each beautifully crafted piece to tell its own story, thus giving us a remarkable window into the past.” Highlights include the Waterford kite brooch, a sword granted to the city by Edward IV, silver which belonged to Dean Jonathan Swift and the Cheltenham Gold Cup won by Minella Indo. In addition, Waterford-based goldsmith Paul Sullivan’s workshop is on the ground floor of the museum where visitors can see contemporary pieces of jewellery being created. The Irish Silver Museum is open everyday and tickets are €5 per person; www.waterfordtreasures.com
The allta pop-up will undoubtedly be one of the summer’s chicest al fresco venues. Located in the Boat House Field, on the grounds of Slane Castle, the pop-up features bespoke furniture by Toby Hatchett, Boyne Valley wild flower roof installations, a spacious bar and a fire pit, all with gorgeous river views. Opening from June 26, from Thursday to Sunday, until the end of the summer, there will be a set sharing table menu, complemented with an interesting wine list and specially created cocktails made with foraged ingredients. This is a ticketed series, with tickets at €95 per person. Tables are limited to four, five or six. There are VIP taxi services available, plus a limited selection of local accommodation available on a first come, first served basis; www.alltasummerhouse.ie
For culture vultures travelling to Belfast, don’t miss a major exhibition of the work of Willie Doherty (twice Turner Prize nominee and Northern Ireland’s foremost contemporary artist) which has opened at Ulster Museum. Called “Where” the exhibition offers an overview of Doherty’s career in photography and focuses on the theme of borders, both real and imagined, a subject which has dominated his practice for over four decades. Collectively, the works in the exhibition reveal the numerous complex political, social and psychological implications of borders, both in Northern Ireland and further afield in countries such as Mexico; www.nmni.com
“Everything’s Rosé” returns to Wilde at The Westbury with some of the finest rosé wines from the south of France, in one of the prettiest Instagrammable settings. Try the Flight of the Rosé tasting experience, €30, which includes a pour from a Gérard Bertrand Gris Blanc Rosé, Hampton Water Rosé, created by the Bon Jovi family and exclusive to Wilde, and the certified organic Château La Sauvageonne La Villa Rosé from Gérard Bertrand, a two-time winner of the Best Rosé in the World award by The Drinks Business; www.wilde.ie
Opening at cinemas this is I Never Cry – a Polish Irish co-production directed by Piotr Domalewski which takes realistic look at the difficulties faced by families separated by emigration, set in modern day Poland and Ireland. The main character is Ola (Zofia Stafiej), a rebellious teenager from a small city in Poland, who sets off to Ireland on her own. It will turn out to be the trip of her lifetime, during which she will try to reconnect with her estranged father. Inspired by films such as Manchester By The Sea and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and set-in modern-day Poland and Ireland, I Never Cry is an insight into the life of Polish workers abroad.
Making it easier to explore Dublin (and, crucially, support local businesses) is a new “Days Out Card” from Do Dublin. It has partnered with six of the city’s top attractions (including MoLI, Little Musuem of Dublin and EPIC) to save visitors forty per cent off admission rates. With the new card visitors can plan six days, and cards can be purchased online, starting from €23 for a child’s card to €39 for an adult; a family of four card costs €124; www.dodublin.ie The DoDublin Days Out Card can be redeemed once at each of the six attractions from the date of purchase until March 31, 2022.
Hindsight is a new podcast, launched this week, in which guests will be invited to examine the pivotal moments in their lives through the lens of hindsight. It’s all about honest perspectives though candid exploration. The host is Jenny Wren, who has worked as a Festival Music booker for Body&Soul Festival for over 15 years. She explains:
“We are more than our jobs, our roles, our perceived public personas so these conversations allow guests to simply be human and offer stories or thoughts which may resonate with someone, somewhere.” The first three episodes mark Pride Month and feature LGBTQ+ activist and historian Tonie Walsh, founder of the artist network Harriet JW, and Mairtín Mac and Bhaird (better known as Martin Beanz Warde) a stand-up comedian, writer, theatre actor and social commentator from the Irish Traveller community. An advocate for human rights, fairness, equity, and inclusion, Martin’s conversation reveals how he got into comedy, being born gay and being sorry he didn’t come out sooner; https://play.acast.com
I’ve discovered a new (ethical) Irish brand Oiche Apothecary, founded by sisters Lorna Stewart and Aisling Boyle, who are passionate about reviving the ancient knowledge of our ancestors and using its “magic” in their skincare brand, which takes its name from the Irish word for night. They have launched two sheet masks Midnight Dew and Twilight Dreams which both contain Irish peat packed with organic nutrients, amino acids, antioxidants and vitamins – perfect for brightening, toning and hydrating. The masks are €12 available on www.oiche.ie
Making barbecues easier is the aim of DropChef’s two five course food boxes – available for carnivores and vegetarians alike. They include high-quality produce, fresh vegetables, and a variety of products including Ballymaloe relish, Knockanore cheese, brioche buns, and flavoursome marinades. The Ultimate BBQ Box, available for four people at €47.70 and for six people at €71.55 contains feta and flat-leaf parsley topped bulgur tabbouleh with cucumber and cherry tomato; FX Buckley burgers with brioche buns and a selection of Ballymaloe mayo, pepper relish, and sriracha sauces; tomatoes, caramelised onion and crisp baby gem to accompany; charred chili corn on the cob; honey and lime glazed chicken skewers and an after dinner treat;www.dropchef.com
