Get away with yourself

Thankfully, these days, no matter where you go there’s bound to something going on around which you can organise your visit. Or you may merely want to check out the nightlife in a different environment from that which you normally enjoy.

So if you want to start at the top of the map you can choose to savour the various delights of the Belfast Festival at Queens University from October 19, before you head over to Derry for the Banks of The Foyle Festival on October 24.
One of the major events also coming up is the Guinness Jazz Festival in Cork over the October bank holiday weekend. This is always a major attraction, and the plethora on fringe events means you don’t have to be a jazz buff to enjoy the atmosphere and the sideshows. Cork also has many fine restaurants to savour, including Isaacs in MacCurtain Street and Toddies down the road in Kinsale or you could opt to visit for the Fastnet Rally event at Skibbereen.
Time was when people travelled from all over the country to the big cities to experience the colour and excitement of a nightclub. Now, this trend is being reversed, with folks from the cities going to distant towns to enjoy the unique nightlife on offer, and Letterkenny in Co Donegal is one popular destination.
Milan Nightclub has made Letterkenny’s club scene as vibrant as you’d expect in a big city anywhere. The open plan club, split over three levels, offers a fresh funky mix of music every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. This Donegal club is well worth a visit if you want to go somewhere that’s sophisticated in both its style and the coolness of the crowd.
At Milan you can experience the best in up-front house music to a solid r&b and hip hop set with a few tasty anthems thrown in. But it pays to expect the unexpected when the venue hosts Letterkenny’s biggest party every Saturday night, with Donegal’s top DJs plus some surprising twists. Where else would you get performance artists, such as pyromancers on stilts!) accompanying the regular club dancers and their fresh routines. The upstairs Havana Bar is new and has an all-important smoking room. Milan and Havana go “large” every Sunday night with club anthems in the Main Room and house classics in Havana, but let’s not forget the Student specials every Wednesday.
And while you’re in Letterkenny, why not take a spin up to the road and sample the delights of the Weeping Elm at Rathmullen House, a restaurant described as “classical with a modern twist”.
Or if your in more energetic mood drop into the Donegal Adventure Centre in Bundoran and choose for a wide range of activities, including surfing, tower climbing, skateboarding, rope climbing or whatever takes your fancy. And don’t forget they have regular rock gigs in the Chasing Bull in the town’s centre and featuring the cream of Ireland’s new rock talent.
The Opera Festival is another annual event that attracts people from all the world, and in case you think it’s only for bona fide opera buffs, there’s also an extensive range of other events, with Eddi Reader at the re-opened Whites, and Eleanor McEvoy, who starts her “Month of Fridays” gigs at the Arts Centre from 27th October. McEvoy will be fresh back from her UK tour and will be showcasing songs from her superb new album Out There, including the radio hit ‘Non-Smoking Single Female.’ Her gigs will also give fans the chance to check out the highly-regarded new D’lush restaurant at the Centre. But you could also take in visits to such fine eateries as La Dolce Vita, arguably the best-value lunch in the country, one that has earned plaudits from Tom Doorly among others. Or if you fancy a trip out of town, head for the new Karoo coffee shop in Killinick and sample the fresh farm produce in the shop beside it, or pop down to the Mill House in Tacumshane.
A little further down the road you will find Waterford, booming capital of the south east. Running from October 26 to November 5, Waterford Arts Festival features musical turns from David Kitt, Royseven, The Immediate and Boss Volenti. There are also readings by science fiction author David Murphy, a new production of The Salvage Shop by local playwright Jim Nolan and gigs by popular stand-ups Jason Byrne and Neil Delamare. Full details at:www.waterfordartsfestival.com.
One good reason to visit Galway is the made-over Eyre Square, but another is the nearby Skeffington Arms Hotel, located at the heart of Galway, close to the railway terminus and overlooking Eyre Square. “The Skeff” is one of the best-loved meeting places in the city. The hotel is friendly, without being intrusive, and with 23 bedrooms it’s ideal to explore the thriving medieval surroundings.
The highly regarded Skeff Bar actually consists of six bars, including a cocktail bar offering 365 choices. The Skeff’s extensive multi-floored interior and relaxing seating is perfect for a quiet pint or an adventurous cocktail. The Skeff serves food every single day, including breakfast, a carvery lunch, sandwiches, juices, an a-la carte menu in the evening and a tapas menu, enough of a selection to suit a wide range of palates.
Karma is located at the back of the Skeff. Described by Lonely Planet as “Galway’s most sophisticated club”, Karma brings you the modern club experience in a pleasurable setting. You can book a table in The Shadow Lounge at Karma and enjoy service to your table as part of the policy at Karma’s of creating a first-rate clubbing experience for all.
Elsewhere in Galway you can check out the cuisine scene either at Oscars in Upper Dominick Street or in Vina Mara in Middle Street. Or you could do both!
With Sting and Paul McCartney turning to the classics you might fancy heading towards the Baroque Festival in Adare from 24th November, but you just might get waylaid in Limerick en route. No visit to Limerick should exclude Dolan’s Warehouse (one of the best rock venues about). Another place to explore is the Old Quarter Pub, Café and Lodge, conveniently placed close to the main thoroughfare, O’Connell Street, and only twenty minutes from Shannon Airport. A visit to Vudusoul in Patrick Street is a pleasurable experience that mixes style, soul, rock and roll. Music fans can also check out The Boatclub at Limerick Race Course and Bunker 4 in Aubars.
And that’s just a sample of the range of events and the places to go to when the urge takes you to get out of your town. When you feel that urge, don’t ignore it.