SIMON TIERNEYfinds ways to live well with less cash
Romance
FlowersDirect.ie(tel: 01 5253743) is an online flower shop which offers delivery (from €7.95) throughout Ireland and worldwide.
They have some beautiful flowers available, with most bouquets in the €35-€45 price range. They are offering 10 free bouquets from their Kisses collection, which includes lilies, roses and carnations (worth €53.45), to the first 10 readers to email customer.service@flowersdirect.ie
Outdoors Ireland (Ballinderreen Lodge, Ballinderreen, Kilcolgan, Galway, tel: 086 8604563) run Killarney Lakes Sunset Kayak trips. Beginning at the 15th century Ross Castle, you will paddle past rustling islands and sleepy swans and return by moonlight. There are four free couples’ passes (worth €50/person) available to the first people to email info@outdoorsireland.com with the subject line “Sunset Kayaking”.
Romance inevitably brings us to the movies. An unusual place for a date could be to visit one of Ireland’s many film locations. Watch the movie beforehand and then discover the actual place where a scene was shot.
Here are some ideas: Dingle Peninsula (Ryan’s Daughter), Thomastown, Co Kilkenny (Circle of Friends), Glissaun Beach, Connemara, Co Galway (Tristan and Isolde), Ballinesker Beach, Co Wexford (Saving Private Ryan).
Just Dance ( justdance.ie, tel: 01 8273040) runs a six-week course covering everything from the foxtrot and waltz to salsa and tango in their seven venues across Dublin. There are four free places (normally €65) available on their next courses, starting in mid-August, for the first people to email info@justdance.ie, quoting "Just Dance Offer".
Kinetix Dance ( kinetixdance.ie, tel: 086 6638037) provides lessons in many disciplines, from ballroom to hip hop. They also help couples prepare for their first dance at their wedding. There is a free one-hour private lesson (worth €70) available to the first three people to email info@kinetixdance.ie, quoting "Kinetix Dance Offer" in the subject line.
How about witnessing one of Ireland’s most romantic views? Views are an arbitrary business of course, but here are a few ideas: Ben Bulben (Co Sligo); the River Barrow from Graignamanagh (Co Kilkenny); the Slieve League Cliffs (Co Donegal).
Good spots for popping the question, perhaps . . .
