In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Co Wicklow Gardens Festival, Tinakilly Country House is presenting a herb lunch at noon on Saturday July 10th. Head chef John Moloney will give an in-depth tour of Tinakilly's herb gardens, which supply the kitchens. Following the tour, guests will be treated to a classical herb lunch in the dining room. The cost is £18.50 per person and booking is essential (0404-69274). If you cannot make the lunch, Tinakilly has a selection of summer short breaks to entice visitors to the Garden of Ireland.
Topflight, the leading Irish ski company, has been on the acquisition trail again, buying the Cork-based Funski operation, which was the second-largest Irish operator. Topflight will now have flights from Cork to Andorra for the ski season. The preview brochure for next season - featuring Austria, Italy and Andorra - is now available, and is packed with lots of special offers for groups and families. You can get a copy from your local travel agent.
Did you spend the holidays of your youth in the Isle of Man, and now feel a hankering to go back and relive those days? Manx Air has great value fares to the Isle of Man, and best of all you can bring someone with you. Just £89 will buy you two seats between July 5th and September 24th. The minimum stay is a Saturday night, and the flight must be booked before July 4th. You can book with your local travel agent or call Manx Airlines (01-2601588).
More millennium ideas: Consort Hotels Group has a large selection of properties all over the UK and many are doing specials for the millennium weekend. You can choose from champagne dinners, ceilis in Scotland, cream teas in Dartmoor, gallons of bucks fizz, treasure hunts in Sussex, wine-tasting on the Isle of Wight and an eight-course dinner in Lake Windermere. The prices start at £200 for a three-night package. You can get a brochure from 0044-1904-695495 or see its website, www.consorthotels.com
Live like a native in a traditional Irish cottage and find your roots in counties Cork, Tipperary or Limerick. Rent an Irish Cottage has some availability from this week until mid-July for cottages in Bantry, Durrus, Nenagh, Puckane, and Kilfinane. Accommodation is for four to six people, and prices start at £250. Good value for a late break in high season (061-411109).
Going to London during the summer and looking for somewhere different to stay? The Kensington Hotel in West Kensington is three minutes from Shepherd's Bush underground station. The Kensington was formerly the BBC Studios and has been transformed into a stylish modern hotel. The rooms are all decorated in strong colours with a predominance of black ash woodwork. The Kensington also houses a spa, where you can avail of some of the latest health and fitness treatments. A special summer rate of £82.50 single or double is available until September 5th. Reservations can be made with your local travel agent or direct with the hotel (00-44-171-6741000).