From Bath to Cork with Baby Grace

I’m looking forward to this event in Dublin on 25 November.

Because…

(1) It’s a day out for me in Dublin; I love big cities, and have nostalgia for Dublin.

(2) Two people I admire are big on the agenda: Andrew Keen about whom I’ve written this and this and this and  this, and (especially) John Kelly.

(3) It’s been pulled together (’curated’ to use her word) by another person I admire, Annette Clancy.

(4) I get to go out in society and who knows what that’ll lead to.

(5) Maybe John of Dublin, Gingerpixel, Sinead Gleeson, J L Pagano, or even Blank Paige will be there. (I expect Grandad to boycott it, because he wasn’t asked to be a keynote speaker. Twenty Major is probably too tired to be there.) Dermot Moore will be there, and he’s always worth reading.

(6) I’ll get a crash course on the boundaries relevant to the "Arts" and cutting edge minds.  I might learn plenty about how to run a really good event.

I’ll be flying up with RyanAir, and hope to taxi or coach to Dublin Castle.  Unfortunately the event starts irritatingly early, so that I’ll miss a bit.

It’s fully booked now,  so I hope some bloggers will be live and edgily commenting on the proceedings.

If you’re going to be there, please leave an interesting comment to get me in the mood.

I’ve put out a new Google Alert for ‘Hypomania’.  Two people have used that word in my company over the last few months.  I aim to learn about it and found this personal account this morning.

Here’s another, fiercely individual and poignant memoir: it’s the more useful of the two, I think.

when you can have Temple Spa outside Moate, county Westmeath? And your child, Grace, is being looked after by granny & pop.

(For background, see the first two parts of this here, and here.)

There we were in the coffee shop in Shannon Airport:  "Helpless. Angry" (journal note).  The Wiffe came to the rescue. She sent me to buy the Bridgestone 100 Best Places to stay in Ireland 2008.     We first considered four places

Moy House, outside Lahinch, Co Clare

Drumoland Castle, not far from Shannon

Cregans Castle, north of Lahinch, Co Clare

Glin Castle, Co Limerick

and quickly eliminated all but Moy House.  Then I went off to tell RyanAir we wouldn’t be taking up their offer of a flight from Dublin to Barcelona at 1830.  We’d stay in Ireland.

When I got back, the Wiffe presented me with two places I’d never heard of (in parts of the country I’d never lingered in).

The Old Convent, Tipperary

Temple Spa, Westmeath.

She phoned both.  We picked Temple Spa because it was a smidgen cheaper (E390 against E430 for b&b x2 + 1 dinner) and had a highly recommended Spa. Gradually I enjoyed considering what we’d do; gradually let go of the disappointment and anger.  I even bought a newspaper and read it. I engaged with the real world rather than the one that might have been.

In a nutshell, Temple Spa was a knockout. 

Fabulous from beginning to end.  I relaxed, did little but look around me, took a few photographs, wrote more of the characters for my next play, read about Irish writers, ate lovely food, drank loads of water, had one jacuzzi, went to one relaxation class, two memorable walks, and had one memorable conversation.  The Wiffe had several treatments (extra charge and well done she said) and went to some excellent yoga and relaxation classes (no charge).  We got on very well.  Otherwise it was wonderful.

Go there and live it for yourself.

I’ll try to tell the story in pictures…

The way in…

Reception (two receptionists on duty)

 The guided walk with Declan Fagan (proprietor and spirit of the place) 

My favourite photos from the weekend…

and 

and the image I carry inside after a stupendous two days

(How strange I’ve concentrated on the spiritual side of the place rather than it’s excellent food and comfort.  It might mean that I see food and comfort as ephemeral, and the spiritual as substantial?)

PS : There’s a lovely pub, Egan’s and restaurant (The Moate & Bailey) down the road near Moate where we had fine Guinness and great steak on Friday night - so you can get out for a bit of the ordinary world at its best.  

I’ll be going back to Temple Spa as soon as I can.