It looks like we’ll be staycationing – at home... in our own house

ANOTHER week, another news leak although anyone who has worked in media will know that a story only leaks when someone wants it leaked. Rather than coming out and just telling us what’s happening, the government appear to have taken a more covert approach to the whole thing and decided to drip feed us nuggets of information through various media outlets without making an official announcement.

So it looks like no international travel any time soon and no reopening of the hospitality sector until mid summer. What other good news could they possibly have for us I wonder? I don’t know which bit I was more upset about. Actually I do. It was the thoughts of not being able to go out for a meal or go to a pub for a drink or stay in a hotel that hit me hardest.

I can survive without the torture of travelling with Ryanair to sunnier climes for the time being.

It would be lovely to lie by the pool and drink a cocktail but I can live without it. Not being able to socialise is what’s killing me.

But I decided to try and stop being a Negative Nancy and focus on what we can do. ‘Let’s book a staycation,’ I said. ‘So that we can have something to look forward to.’ I’ll be honest. I’m not a huge fan of staycations. Too many bad memories of staying in crappy hotels in rain drenched Irish towns when the kids were small and we all stayed in the same room. You’d put them to bed at 8 pm and be afraid to breathe in case you woke them up!

But look, beggars can’t be choosers and given the current global situation the only chance of a holiday I’ll get this year is a staycation. Himself insisted on taking the reins, afraid that left to my own devices I’d book somewhere really expensive, which I absolutely would. Feck it if I have to stay in Ireland I’m making sure I’m doing it in style.

He decided The Wild Atlantic Way would be the right place to head. Apparently the rest of the country did too! Not a hotel to be got in the whole of County Clare or Galway, that met our criteria – ie. Not a dump (me) and not going to cost us a few internal organs (him).

He showed me one place which cost €850 for three nights and had nylon bedspreads on the beds and a sacred heart statue in the foyer. ‘No way.’ ‘What about a yurt in Galway?’ ‘Not happening.’

‘OK would you stay in a chalet on Achill?’ he shows me a picture of a shed with a bed. I don’t even reply.

It looks like we’ll be staycationing alright – at home. In our own house. I might even see if I can rent out the garden shed! Make a few bob for the holiday I’m taking to St. Lucia when this is all over!

HE DECIDED THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY WOULD BE THE RIGHT PLACE TO HEAD. APPARENTLY THE REST OF THE COUNTRY DID TOO!