HERE’S NOWILDER getaway than a trip to Ireland. Arrive in Dublin and head south, a mesmerising coastal route that takes you through the real Ireland all the way throughWexford andWaterford to Cork.

Deserted beaches, placid lakes and gurgling rivers, often with a hazymountain backdrop, are the setting for superb fishing, great golf courses, the freshest of seafood and friendly pubs with live music and, of course, plenty of Guinness.

Or you can head across the country to join theWild AtlanticWay on the west coast. Or, leaving the car at home, take a city break in the refined yet lively streets thatmakeDublin such a major destination.

Ulysses is the way to go, a giant among ferries, carrying 2,000 people between Holyhead in North Wales and Dublin, a world of entertainment with restaurants, a two- screen cinema, soft- play zone and free wi- fi. Named after the iconic novel by James Joyce, there’s a wealth of literary elements