I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED an emergency landing in a field but I imagine it wouldn't be dissimilar from landing at Knock Airport. For the awkwardly titled Ireland West Airport Knock is in the heart of the Mayo countryside.
Passing through the tiny airport takes just a few minutes but pause by the bronze bust at the entrance and you realise Knock is a little different. Were it not for Monsignor James Horan, "a simple parish priest", the airport would not exist and acces
s to this fascinating part of Ireland would be much trickier. Msgr Horan had a vision of this "foggy, boggy site" as an international airport and battled for funding from the Irish government. In doing so the priest helped facilitate the endless stream of pilgrims who travel to Knock – one of the holiest sites in Ireland.
I left the airport formerly known as Horan International for the Mount Falcon Hotel and another man's vision. Ultred Knox built the Mount Falcon in 1876 for his betrothed, Nina Gore. Knox spared no expense, enlisting the talents of renowned architect James Franklin Fuller to woo his bride with baronial splendour. In the 1930s the house was purchased by Major and Constance Aldridge, who ran it as a shooting and fishing lodge. The hotel has retained the country elegance of its past and still holds fishing rights to the River Moy, one of the best salmon fisheries in Europe.
A sweeping drive is the best introduction to a country hotel and the Mount Falcon has a lovely aspect. Mature gardens and expansive lawns lend a genteel air to the spot. The new owners of the Mount Falcon have painstakingly restored the original part of the house and the reception area is impressive, with its imposing staircase and ornately tiled floor.
My bedroom was wonderfully proportioned, with high ceilings and a vast bathroom. Original sash windows with wooden shutters, a sleigh bed and a claw-footed roll-top bath had me sighing with pleasure, perhaps as Vivien Leigh would have done – the actress stayed at the Mount Falcon in the Aldridges' day. Snuggled in my towelling robe, I could quite easily have lounged around my room for the duration of the weekend.
The food on offer at the hotel did manage to lure me from my bathrobe, though. The restaurant at the Mount Falcon is run by chef Philippe Farineau under the banner of "Irish produce, French heart". This is not just lip service, as I found when I met the chef, who married an Irishwoman and is raising a young family in the area. His dedication and passion for local produce and seasonal fare was evident. As Philippe described the endless task of sourcing local, high-quality ingredients I wondered how he actually found time to devise and cook his menus.
Breakfast neatly sidesteps traditional Irish stodge. I particularly enjoyed the Eggs Princess – scrambled eggs served with beautiful Clare organic smoked salmon. For dinner I chose ravioli of Atlantic salmon, and the prawn consommé, which was garnished with delicate garlic flowers. Earlier I had strolled through the wooded estate where the tang of the wild garlic filled the air, so it was a lovely touch. The evening menu is bursting with Irish produce – prawns from Galway, Clew Bay scallops, lamb from Ballina. I chose the local black sole, which was served on copper dishes the chef had brought from France – and which were duly scraped clean.
Determined to see some of the surrounding countryside I decided to try another local speciality. The seaweed baths in Enniscrone have changed little since they were opened in 1912 by the Kilcullen family who still run the business. My bathing room contained an old-fashioned cedarwood steam cabinet and a giant porcelain tub. The girl who showed me to the room explained that I should steam before bathing, to open up my pores. Enclosed in the coffin-like steam closet with my head poking out the top, I yanked the lever, releasing an angry burst of steam from the vents at my feet.
Super-heated water filled the closet and I was filled with panic. With my head uselessly outside the closet I couldn't find the lever and flung open the wooden door to escape, thus filling the room with even more steam. After taking a few moments to compose myself I gingerly climbed back into the cabinet. This time, I clung to the lever and discovered that by releasing it a little at a time, I could establish a comfortable level of steaming rather than the lobster-in-a-pot sensation.
With pores wide open I stumbled toward the tub, where a mass of dark green seaweed lay coiled. Lowering myself into the warm seawater, a little squeal escaped my lips as the seaweed curled around my body. I expected it to be slimy but the dark green tendrils were silky soft. As I floated weightlessly, the sound of waves filtered through the window from Killala Bay – much more relaxing than the "Pan pipe moods" of a modern beauty salon. I even grew accustomed to the interesting smell of the seaweed.
Bracing myself for the next stage, I stood in the tub and unleashed freezing seawater from a huge showerhead above. This closes the pores and also stopped me breathing for a few seconds. Afterwards my skin tingled deliciously and I was surprised by just how drained and dehydrated I felt – as if I had swum for miles. The baths are a world away from sanitised beauty treatments. The Atlantic provides all the ingredients for this spa experience and my skin felt drenched in its nutrients. There are no freshwater showers in the baths so you leave with the sharp aroma of the seaweed still on your skin.
On my return flight to Glasgow I was delayed on the runway for an hour as the only fire crew had been called away to a road accident. I have been on my share of flights where a few moments of delay result in an explosion of tutting, sighing and moaning. On this occasion, everyone just accepted the situation, chatted and relaxed. Munching on a packet of Tayto crisps, I wondered if this was due to the Irish temperament or the result of a weekend in Mayo, where nothing is a bother and smiling is easier than wearing a frown.
Factfile
How to get there Flights to Ireland West Airport Knock depart from Glasgow with BMI baby. Return flights start from around £35. www.bmibaby.com
There is a "development fee" of l10 on departure from Knock, from which children under the age of 12 are exempt.
Where to stayMount Falcon Country House Hotel bed & breakfast rates start from l165 for a superior room. Special packages are available from l210 for a two-night stay. Self-catering accommodation is also on offer. Tel: 00353 (0)96 74472, visit www.mountfalcon.com
And there's moreKilcullen Seaweed Baths, Enniscrone, Co Sligo. Open June-Sept, hot seaweed & steam bath, l24, www.kilcullenseaweedbaths.com
Scotsman Reader Holidays offers holidays to Ireland. Tel: 0131-620 8400, www.holidays.scotsman.com
The full article contains 1192 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
