24 — Sunday, April 27, 1997 -- North Shore News

By John Goodman
Contributing Writer

johng@nsnews.com

WALK across a raised
Irish bug and your
footprints will remain
visible for years — in
fact it seems nothing
ever gets lost on the
island it just disappears
beneath the surface.
The Irish obsession with
genealogical traces has created
a corpus of cultural fore to
rank with the world’s best.

British Columbia's Kwakuitl, °

Iceland’s skalds, and the griots
of West Africa have also shared
this passion for preserving
tribal truths which manifests
itself’ in various forms of art -
from limericks to epic songs.

Perhaps unique to Ireland
is the extent to which the envi-
ronment plays a role in the
cultura! record. While the land
mass is only slightly larger
than Vancouver Island it has
landmarks that dare back
through millennia. The mas-
sive Neolithic tombs — at
Newgrange pre-date Egypt's
pyramids and the — early
Christian monastic culture
flourished during the so-called
“dark ages” of Europe.
Everywhere one travels in
Ireland there is a story to
accompany the landscape.

A group of country house
owners have formed an orga-
nization to promote their resi-
dences as the ideal way to dis-
cover the magic of the island.
Perhaps best described as
“upscale bed and breakfasts”

north shore news

7 ~ | RAVEL

NAA

a

The Hidden Ireland

Upscale bed and breakfast country houses open their doors to visitors

pees. :
MORNINGTON House was built on the site of an
ancient castle in the Irish midlands. Anne and
Warwick O'Hara (right) have lived in the residence
since the 1960s.

The Hidden Ireland currently
has 36 houses ranging trom
large estates to smaller esrab-
lishments which may have
belonged to the same family
for centunes, They all offer
visitors the chance to experi-
ence the leisurely by-gone era
of country house living.

“For people who are look-
ing for something different

@

"Introducing Penny Lane
as the newest member
of our BCAA Travel Team!’

PENNY

LANE, B.A.
Travel Agent
268-5665

tam thrilled to be working for the #1 agency on the North
Shore. ! bring with me a wealth of knowledge on Ontario &
The Maritimes, I've also traveled extensively through Europe
& the U.K. | look forward to talking to you about planning

your next trip.

Exterior location between
Canada Trust & the Bay

The Hidden Ireland is the per-
fect choice,” says Mornington
House owner Anne O'Hara.
“The relayed atmosphere of
country house living is a con-
trast to) the sameness of
hotels,” adds her husband
Warwick.

Mornington House, sitirat-
ed 70 minutes west of Dublin
in the central lowlands, has
been owned by the O’Hara
family since 1858. The origi-
nal manor was built in 1710
and it was extended in 1896.

There are four double
rooms and one single room,

See more page 25

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T go to Ireland because it is still
possible to pick up existential
Philosophy from the telephone
operator and come away won-
dering what more cfficient sort-
cties da with the time they are so
busy saving. One day I dialled
to get the number for a fishing
fodge named Delphi in County
Mavo. ‘Delphi,’ the operator
mused. ‘Like the oracle.’ He
leafed through: his directory.
‘And when vou go for the fish
in Mavo, they are just as niyste-
vious and elusive’ The lrish
have held on so far to the
knowledge that God didn’t pur
us on this carth solely ta catch
the fish or get the number.”
—- Richard Conriff.
Iveland on fast-forward,
National Gear pine,
Seprembe: 14 +-4

NORTH SHORE
RO “. a
$77.1 million is spent each year on personal air travel
and package tours by the North Shore residents.
To reach this market of globe trotters, place your ads
where the readership is.

...we have relocated
Z| at Eatons Park Royal
Visit us at our brand new location in
Eatons.. 2nd level South entrance
Tel. 926-5555

a)

oyal Caribbean Cruise week April 27 - May 4, 1997.

Ae serneeeere ceewenesacenneneences