I found this house when looking for ‘authentic Irish houses’! It was a little bit out of the way but I am so happy we made the stop off. The house itself is like a home from home, and on the weekend, if you are lucky enough to stay, Holly, the owner’s daughter-in-law, makes dinner for you! The whole family really looked after us, and by that I mean accommodated five crazy kids! We went to Barry one night for live music at Joyce’s Bar, which also has a great bakery during the day, and to the local beach for a swim. The family are so knowledgeable about the area, so can advise on restaurants and local things to do and see.

I dream about a cookery course at Ballymaloe. I would love to do the 12-week course, but with three kids and multiple businesses, now isn’t the time. I thought I could, however, stay at the house and feel like a bit of my itch could be scratched. A few people online told me they thought Ballymaloe hotel was a “posh house hotel” but that was not my experience. I felt like it was really cosy. We loved spending time by the pool with the kids, and breakfast there was one of the best I have ever had, all locally sourced produce from Ballymaloe Cookery School. We did the dining experience one night with the kids, that was a mistake. I should have ordered the babysitting service and had dinner with just the adults! We did go to the cookery school which is 10 minutes away by car. They have an excellent shop and coffee van serving beautiful pastries. I was so lucky that they gave us all a tour of the gardens and let us eat with the cookery school students for lunch!

We stayed at a beautiful thatched cottage in Doolin, called Storytellers Cottage near the Cliffs of Moher. The views were incredible and took this opportunity to live like a real local.

A proper local pub on Omey. We stopped for a crab sandwich, a Guinness and a packet of Tayto, which felt like a pretty perfect Irish lunch.

A tiny seafood restaurant in Cork that we loved. The menu changes depending on what has come in that day, so everything feels really fresh. It is small, so it is worth planning ahead rather than turning up with a hungry family in tow!

A little cottage in the countryside that we found while exploring. It feels very much like someone’s home rather than a restaurant, which I loved. We had dinner here and it was one of those places where you settle in and don’t want to leave.

Hugo’s in Lahinch is a must for their epic sausage rolls and a takeaway coffee. There’s a playground right by the water, so we could sit with our coffees while the kids played and watch the surfers coming in. Pretty perfect.

We found the best little snug on the left at O’Dowd's. We sat in there with chowder and chips and a Guinness. It was exactly what I wanted from a pub in Roundstone.

We stopped at Sullivan’s in Oughterard to get things for a picnic and ended up leaving with far more than we needed. The sausage rolls were brilliant, as were the buckwheat chocolate cookies and broccoli salad. They also have a great bakery, beautiful cheeses and the best milk loaf and brioche. I could have happily stayed here stocking up for the rest of the trip.

Coyles is good for a takeaway coffee and some really good bread. We stopped in for coffee and picked up a loaf to take with us.

Just off the coast of Glengarriff in West Cork lies Garinish Island (Ilnacullin), a small, other-worldly haven famous for its Italian Gardens. Designed in the early 20th century by landscape architect Harold Peto, the gardens are laid out in perfect symmetry with terraces, pools, and classical statues, framed by views over Bantry Bay. Wandering through, you’ll find walled gardens, exotic planting, and even a Martello Tower. It was amazing that these gardens were here and we all loved exploring, and left feeling very inspired! We also lucked out arriving on the first Wednesday of the month, where entry is free.

Off the wild Atlantic coast of Ireland lie the mystical Blasket Islands, a place where time seems to stand still. Once home to a thriving community of storytellers and fishermen, the islands are now uninhabited, yet alive with history and legend. As you step ashore, you’ll find sweeping cliffs, seals basking on the rocks, and echoes of an old way of life preserved in the ruins of stone cottages. A visit here isn’t just a trip, it’s a journey back in time, to Ireland’s untamed edge. This needs to be booked directly with the Tourism board. There are four cottages each with two bedrooms, a living area, a dining/kitchenette with four gas hobs, a sink, kitchen utensils, two bathrooms, and two fuel-burning stoves (with one complimentary fire bucket). There is no electricity on the island. We stayed for one night, with the ferry picking us in Dingle.

A short boat trip to the Aran islands from Doolin is super easy. We chose the closest island Innisheer as I wanted to go and find Maura and get a knit, mission accomplished, here. The weather was so good. We took a horse and cart around the island, had lunch at a cafe, sat on the beach and swam, making it back in time on the afternoon ferry!

A 2 hour and 45 minute drive from Doolin and we were in Roundstone. I ended up here because of Annie Mac. She had talked about Roundstone on a podcast and it sounded so magical. When researching, I found out about Fernwood, a family company that has incredible locations in and around Roundstone. We stayed at The Quay House which was right on the water, it couldn’t have been more perfect in terms of location and it was such a well equipped house! Damien took us on the best boat trip, complete with local lobster lunch.

I did a house swap in Cleggan with a friend. It was the perfect place to live like a local, explore Clifden and get the ferry to Inishboffin.

A short ferry from Cleggan and you are in Inishboffin! We took our bikes and cycles round the island. We had lunch at Inishwallah, then relaxed on the East End beach.

We went to the seaweed baths in Doolin, run by Eoin, and the kids loved it too. You can control the temperature of your own bath, or share one if you’re with the family. Sitting in a hot seaweed bath looking out at the sea is a pretty lovely way to spend an hour.