Ho Ho Ho Santa is hitting the high seas with Stena Line for Christmas!

Ireland’s leading ferry company, Stena Line, is getting a Christmas makeover this year complete with a historic name change to Santa Line – what else! - across its European Network. 

They also celebrated by giving one of their ships in Gothenburg a festive new look for the day and are introducing a fun app which customers can use to win prizes as they journey across the Irish Sea.

What’s more, customers can enjoy great value fares from as little as €89* single for car and driver and the widest choice of routes and sailings on the Irish Sea.  And as there are no baggage restrictions they can bring all the gifts they want in their car.

Airports at Christmas are synonymous with fun-sapping queues, followed by a journey in a confining seat which can be stressful, especially when travelling with kids. Stena customers, however can enjoy a quick check in process, lots of space to relax or explore as well as great onboard entertainment that even Santa himself would love.

The fun continues onboard with delicious dining options, free festive movies and WiFi and other onboard activities. Kids will love our brand new Christmas Treasure Hunt, they simply need to download the ‘Stena Line Treasure Hunt’ app, then find the Christmas gifts onboard before collecting their prize in the onboard shop.

For more information or to book your very own Santa Line trip log onto www.stenaline.ie or https://www.facebook.com/StenaLineUKIE/ or call 01 204 77 77. Follow Stena Line on Twitter @StenaLineIE

Free trip to Britain with Stena Line

OH LA LA…STENA LINE OFFERS IRISH HOLIDAYMAKERS A FREE TRIP TO BRITAIN

STENA Line has put the oh la la into booking a last minute summer getaway to France as Irish holidaymakers who book a great value trip and set sail by car from Rosslare to Cherbourg before August 31 will also snap up a free trip to Britain* at the same time.

Book a return car trip to Cherbourg on Stena Line’s website for travel until August 31 and as well as enjoying the French summer sun you will also be able to enjoy the beauty of Britain for free. Two trips for the price of one will surely float everyone’s boat!

Taking the car to France with Ireland’s leading ferry company provides the perfect gateway to exploring the much loved country which boasts medieval and port cities, tranquil villages, mountains and Mediterranean beaches.

Diane Poole OBE Stena Line’s Head of PR & Communications said: “By taking the car on holiday, people can enjoy the luxury of designing their own bespoke break and can stop off where they want and when they want along the way. France is such a beautiful country with so much culture to take in and delightful food to enjoy, not to mention exquisite wine to sample,” Diane added.

France is one of the most visited countries in the world and diverse in everything from landscape to climate and with your car you will be able to travel the length and breadth of the country sampling the famous culture, sights, fine wine and delightful food.

Why not visit one of France’s most iconic landmarks, Normandy’s Mont Saint-Michel and take in the tidal island’s stunning gothic style Benedictine Abbey, known as the wonder of the west. While Paris is less than four-hour drive from Cherbourg and boasts many of the country’s best known attractions including the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe and not to mention Disneyland Paris which is sure to provide countless hours of fun for the whole family. By taking your car on holiday with you the choice is endless.

Stena Line boasts lots of other great offers for holidaymakers wishing to book a holiday to France including hotel breaks from only €69* per person, per night with hundreds of hotels to pick from. Or why not choose from a wide range of self-catering breaks to France with great value deals starting from only €555* for travel and seven nights’ accommodation for two people. There’s lots of locations to choose from with a wide range of self-catering villages, residences and parks with Center Parcs, Pierre et Vacances and Maeva.

Choose the Stena Line break that suits you. For further information click on www.stenaline.ie or call 01 907 5555.

The Dylan Thomas Centenary Year is the perfect time to visit Wales!

 

The words, ‘Do not go gentle into that good night,’ used to send shivers down my spine and throw me right back to my school days. But I’ll never forget that it was Dylan Thomas who wrote the poem or that it was about the death of his father. I recently set off on an Odyssey to discover more about the man and the myth in South Wales. The town of Swansea, where Dylan was born, has also given us Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey. It is set up for a revival, and the old docks that once were filled with coal ships now offer an eclectic mix of restaurants and bars.

I started at the Dylan Thomas Centre which is a small but accessible museum set in the Old Guild Hall. It holds a host of letters and information about Dylan and his life in Wales, London and where he met his tragic end in the infamous Chelsea Hotel in New York. It is an interesting place to get a picture of the poet’s life and hear his recorded work on the interactive displays. I was especially intrigued by the beautiful illustration of his play for voices, ‘Under Milk Wood’, which was recently re-recorded by famous Welsh stars, including Charlotte Church, Sir Tom and Cerys Matthews.

5 Cwmdonkin Drive is the home where Dylan was born and lived for much of his life. It has been carefully and authentically restored by the Haden’s who make it available for rent on a Bed and Breakfast basis and it would be a wonderful treat to send a fan of the poet here for an overnight break. The Thomas’ Maid was alive until a few years ago and she was able to describe the décor of the house from Dylan’s time in great detail, so it is a genuine trip into the past. Dylan’s tiny bedroom looks as if he stepped outside for a moment. It is complete with images of him and his first girlfriend and authors who inspired him, including our own Joyce and Yeats.

Cwmdonkin Park is close by the house, and it is here that the young Dylan ran in the open spaces and here that recitals will be happening all this year to commemorate the poet – especially during this the centenary of his birth.

Don’t leave Swansea without taking a trip out to the Mumbles – a suburb set at the mouth of the sea where there are a host of beautiful restaurants and bars which Thomas and the people of Swansea went to enjoy their leisure time. I dined in ‘Patricks With Rooms’ and was blown away by the presentation and cuisine which included Laver bread (a substance similar to seaweed and mentioned in Under Milk Wood).

It is impossible to make a pilgrimage to Dylan Thomas country without visiting the small town of Laugharne, pronounced Larne. The scenic route to take from Swansea is via the Gower Peninsula. The Gower is criss-crossed with winding roads and ditches filled with wild-garlic and bluebells. Along the way you can see Llanstefan and the landscape that inspired his poems, such as ‘Fern Hill’. The town of Laugharne has long been credited as the inspiration for Dylan’s ‘Under Milk Wood,’ and if you visit Brown’s Hotel Bar on a Saturday night you may be able to spot a few of the characters who appear to be alive and well and enjoying the local brew at the counter.    

I dined later in The Cors Restaurant, a quirky eatery with delicious cuisine. Set among exquisite gardens, The Cors also offers accommodation and is well worth a visit if in the locality. An interesting pilgrimage linked closely to Dylan’s ‘Poem in October’ traces the route he took on the morning of his thirtieth birthday. Bob Stevens is the creator of this excursion and it is a delightful way to follow the steps that Thomas walked himself. But you mustn't leave laughaurne without visiting the Boathouse where Dylan and his tempestuous wife Caitlin lived towards the end of his life. The actual shed where he worked is reconstructed and set in a magnificent horseshoe cove.

 The Boathouse at the water’s edge is now a visitor's centre and tea rooms and must be seen. Dylan Thomas is laid to rest in the grounds of St Martin’s church – only a short stroll from Brown’s Hotel. His grave is marked by a brightly painted white cross. Even if you are not a fan of poetry the fabulous Bluestone Park Resort is close by and a wonderful base for families who are looking for a fun and adventurous place to stay. It might be nice to combine a visit to Laugharne and bring a little culture into a family holiday.

I returned to Cardiff to catch my flight home with my head full of poetry but there was still so much to see and do. Cardiff Castle is a remarkable museum with some of the finest examples of decor from the Arts and Crafts Victorian movement. Created at a time in the nineteenth century when the owner, The Marquis of Bute, was the richest man in the world. Just outside the castle is the main shopping street and a covered market with quaint shops and boutiques.

Whether you decide to fly into Cardiff or take the ferry from Rosslare, Wales is only a stone’s throw across the pond and well worth a visit this summer.

www.visitwales.com

www.dylanthomasbirthdaywalk.co.uk

www.thecors.co.uk

For information on upcoming events to celebrate the centenary of Dylan Thomas see www.dylanthomas.com

www.bluestonewales.com

All about the elves at Bluestone

We had the most fantastic time in Bluestone Resort in Pembrokeshire a couple of weeks ago when I took a trip to see Kingdom of the Elves for the Irish Mail on Sunday. the weather was cracking with plenty of sunshine and we were able to partake in a host of wonderful family fun including archery, catapulting and high rope tree climbing! It's a self contained park with lots of wonderful shops and restaurants and all the accommodation is sympathetically built in tandem with the natural beauty of the landscape.

We got to see the Elves and swim in the amazing Aqua park. It was lovely for me too as I escaped to the Well Spa which was a real treat with lots of luxury in thermal suite and outdoor whirlpool. The food was cracking and we dined in the Careg Las restaurant among other delights. In fact it was so good we are hoping to return next summer when the weather will be warmer. It is easy to get to from Ireland if you take the Rosslare - Fishguard ferry and the boat trip was a pleasure in itself. Neither of the kids wanted it to end and it was wonderful to avoid the stresses of the airport so I will be taking a Stena Line trip again when I want to go to the UK. To read more about the trip the full article was published on the 8th December in the Irish Mail on Sunday.