Ireland's Hidden Gems

On her recent visit to Ireland, Queen Elizabeth indulged her passion for racehorses with private visits to several Irish Studs including Gilmore where she lunched with the Aga Khan.

She also publicly visited the Irish National Stud to view the legendry Invincible Spirit, who I am told was impeccably behaved as always!

Thirty-thousand Irish citizens so far have signed petitions to get David Norris elected as the next president of Ireland in November of this year.

A most popular candidate the only thing that is likely to stop him is a dodgy electoral system or media prejudice regarding his sexual persuasion? David Norris is gay, so what? While he may be a fan of Georgian architecture, this is no Joycean dandy but a committed politician, an impassioned human rights campaigner, a proud Dubliner and Irishman.

And yes he has Anglo Irish roots but which one of us does’nt? Would it matter if he was part African-American? In fact his Irish roots go back to 6th century Laois on his mother’s side whose family the MacGiollas were servants of the kings of Ossary. A fitting legacy perhaps, for someone who see his new role as a servant of the people and country of Ireland.

Ballyvaughan village is a lovely little village on the road out to Doolin in north Clare. Voted one of the 10 best road trips in the world by Condé Nast Traveller it never disappoints. Picture postcard pretty, it nestles in the heart of the Burren, against a sheer backdrop of mountains all the way out to magnificent Black Head.

Only over the road from where I live it’s where I go for the paper on Saturday mornings or for a wander around the farmers market during the summer, which also includes an excellent craft fair in the Old School every Sunday. Village life centres around the Spar shop which is well stocked with a great deli counter and good wine list. The resident ‘fat cat’ lounges around outside cadging titbits from tourists waiting for the bus to Doolin.

Ballyvaughan though small, has a bit of everything pubs, hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and even an international college of art. There are plenty of gift shops including Quinns (traditional crafts) and Lillimar(more contemporary) with nice jewellery and home items. Ballyvaughan is a kind of sybarite heaven, not least for the locals? A small perfect beach at Bishopsquarter (that’s never packed) the gorgeous Fear Gorta (hungry grass)Cottage Tearooms where believe me you will never go hungry. And all of this in the rampant floral paradise that is the Burren in early summer when alpine flowers such as blue gentians, mountain avens blend with wild orchids and geraniums. A new festival celebrating this unique phenomenon, the Burren in Bloom takes place the whole month of May with plenty of free walks and talks among the flowers.