Things to do, places to see this summer.
Inside track
Never leave anything to chance when putting your pets in kennels during your holiday. While it is best to trust word of mouth, we have seen some very sub-standard properties. Ask to see everywhere, not just the front kennels, as the less adequate ones can be at the back. If you are leaving your cat in a cattery check that it is secure, as they are escape artists. But they should still be able to hide within their space, as cats are also secretive. If you have fish, be sure to leave the tank out of direct sunlight.
Angela McCarthy
Cool for kids
ISPCAENRG is a new adventure centre in Rathcoole, off the N7 in west Co Dublin. Divided into four areas - experiments, nature, galaxy and rainforest - it aims to add an educational dimension to children's play; features include a "dinosaur dig pit" for budding archaeologists and an "alligator pit" for young Indiana Joneses. The centre also offers dance, football, a laser game and a climbing wall. It's open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day; admission is €8 for 90 minutes. Call 01-4019033.
Louise Holden
Watch out
Watching for whales from a headland takes a clear, calm day and lots of patience as you search the sea with binoculars for hours. The south coast has had some spectacular sightings of fin whales - some of the biggest, with a tall, cone-shaped blow when they surface - but the commonest inshore whales in summer are the minke, just 10 metres long. You can also watch for harbour porpoises and several sorts of dolphin, including the sociable bottlenose. The website www.iwdg.ie has the latest sightings.
Michael Viney
Stars and gripes
Richard Lewis, fashion designer
Best holiday: It was probably my first trip to Greece, in the mid-1970s. We took a ferry to Antiparos and found a tiny village near a beautifully blue bay. There was a small square where everybody would go in the evenings to talk and drink. We returned every year for 15 years.
Worst holiday: Once we took a package to Magaluf, in Majorca. It was appalling. The worst thing was a crowd of loud, drunk middle-aged Irish women. When they were around we spoke Spanish and pretended to be from another country. I don't think anybody in the apartments knew we were Irish.
in conversation with Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
Off the shelf
Familiar Strangers: New & Selected Poems 1960-2004 by Brendan Kennelly, Bloodaxe, £25 in UK
The sheer volume of poems in this book gives a unique panoramic view of Kennelly's progression. After reading this I entered a world of language, communication and voices: a constant flux of articulation. The mundane, the extraordinary, the comical, the serious, the beautiful and the vile: are all themes. An excellent read and a must-have for any poetry fan.
Adam Rudden, Hughes & Hughes
Get out
Where to go, what to see: For entertainment listings, see The Ticket, every Friday in The Irish Times, or go to www.ireland.com/ theticket
For other events see the What's On column in the main paper every Thursday and the Saturday magazine
