Dawson Travel has great deals for the football season with some prices down 30 per cent on last year. Prices for Manchester United games from €169 and Chelsea from €279, including hotel accommodation and match tickets. Packages also available for La Liga from €265 for two nights. Tel: 01-6618900 or dawson-travel.com.
EXPLORE THE hidden Canary Islands on a walking holiday to El Hierro. Shane Gray has been leading trips for many years and has four in October and November. Make your way to Tenerife where you will be collected and brought to El Hierro. The price for the week is from €425pps and includes accommodation and guided walks. Spring walks available to La Gomera and La Palma. Tel: 086-6049836 or shane-gray.com.
THE ITALIAN Grand Prix is on next week and the Travel Department still has a few seats left at €499 for three nights BB, flights, coach transfers each day and entrance tickets for Saturday and Sunday. See , thetraveldepartment.ie or phone 01-6371600.
WINTER SUN holidays are now on sale and Sunworld has Gran Canaria from €369, Tenerife from €499 and Madeira from €559. Lanzarote from Cork and Shannon from €399. Egypt is from €849 all-inclusive. Tel: 0818-200111 or sunworld.ie.
THE POPE is coming to Glasgow and you can see him with Joe Walsh Tours. Travel from Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Belfast to Glasgow for an overnight on September 16th to attend the papal mass from €274pps. Tel: 01-2410800.
CATHAY PACIFIC has launched a new Irish online booking site for travel on its network to the Far East and Australia. Fares from Dublin, Cork and Shannon to Hong Kong from €649, Shanghai from €709 and Melbourne from €949, cathaypacific.ie.
ENJOY AUTUMN in the Burren at Drumcreehy Guest House, Ballyvaughan. During September and October a two-night stay with dinner, wine and a guided walk in the Burren costs €130pps. See also textile and knitting workshops in October. Tel: 065-7077377 or drumcreehyhouse.com.
SEE THE autumn colours in Kerry on a three-day break to Parknasilla Resort. Wine and cheese plate will be awaiting your arrival along with dinner two nights, a guided walk with picnic lunch and a massage or facial from €345pps. Tel: 064-6675600 or parknasillahotel.ie.
OYSTER SEASON is coming and there are two festivals in Galway – the Clarenbridge (September 10th-12th) and the Galway (September 23rd-27th). Stay in the Meyrick Hotel on Eyre Square for two nights and enjoy a half dozen oysters, pint of Guinness and dinner one evening from €210pps. Tel: 091-564041 or hotelmeyrick.ie.
TREAT GRANNY and Grandad to a few days away in Kerry, staying in Muckross Park Hotel. All next week, to mark Grandparents Day on September 12th, the hotel has two-night packages with dinner one evening in GB Shaw’s, a trip by jaunting car with a picnic and a massage for €300pps. Tel: 064-6623400 or muckrosspark.com.
BRING THE children to Dublin for a posh stay in the Fitzwilliam Hotel, on St Stephen’s Green, feed the ducks and then have the family portrait taken in the Edmund Ross Studios in Grafton Street. All for €340 for a special night away. Tel: 01-4787000 or fitzwilliam-hoteldublin.com.