Articles

Lucy Madden ponders, in her inimitable way, on the inexact science of appropriateness - and its importance in the hospitality business. Photographed outside the High Court at the end of last year, having just lost a much publicised case involving rights of way, the litigant was displaying a daring amount of cleavage...
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BBC’s MasterChef is a phenomenally popular show, with over 7.8 million viewers and now in its seventh series - so the chances are you’re a fan so this could be just the book for you. Featuring over 200 of the best recipes from the amateur, professional and celebrity competitions of 2010...
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Just a couple of minutes’ walk across the bridge and away from the bustle of Galway’s Spanish Arch area, this theatrical restaurant was set up by husband and wife team Michael O’Meara and Sinead Hughes in 2000.
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Our national love affair with chocolate continues apace. Now pretty much synonymous with indulgence at Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day, it seems that any excuse will do - and, in fairness, we have an exceptional choice of very high quality gift ranges to choose from...
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Though St Brigid’s Day (Feb 1st) is considered the start of spring, it’s really still winter outside in the veggie patch. Come February I am always itching to get started with my seed sowing and of course you can get lots of vegetables started in seed trays on a sunny windowsill indoors.
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Abalone are a highly prized shellfish delicacy, now scarce in most countries where they were once plentiful. Known as much for their beautiful iridescent shells as for the delicately flavoured meat, this exotic shellfish is not something one might expect to find in the rugged surroundings of the West of Ireland...
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Lucy Madden ponders the benefits of Self Improvement – and the dangers of Self Promotion....Travelling home by plane to Ireland the other day I noticed that all three passengers in our row, myself included, were reading Self-Help books.
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One of an occasional series on diversification and added value in Irish hospitality – finding new ways for hotels and restaurants to thrive also brings good news for customers.
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Who could fail to be charmed by a book that arrives carefully wrapped in stout brown paper, tied up with white string, labelled with a manilla tag label (like the ones my father used, when sending produce on the overnight train from Cornwall up to Covent Garden) and neatly finished with red sealing wax…?
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This beautiful hotel dates back to the 16th century, and is serenely situated on its own 310 acre wooded island (complete with 18-hole golf course), reached by a private ferry.
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