Fota Wildlife Park Cork – family pass and VIP family experience review

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April 28, 2019April 28, 2019 | thetwodarlings

Last year one of the first big purchases I made with money I earned myself was the yearly pass for Fota Wildlife Park here in Cork. So many of my friends have it and even though its about a half hour drive from the house I just knew it was something we would get a huge amount of use out of. And I was so right, I would estimate we have been about 20 times in the past year and honestly there has never been a time where I have suggested going to Fota and the girls have been anything less than ecstatic. And it’s been a joy to watch Lucy change over the last year going from a ‘baby’ that stayed in the buggy the vast majority of the way round to a little lady that literally walks or runs the whole route now and grows more and more fascinated by the animals every time we visit. And the park has changed loads since we started going, there have been new animals introduced and new babies born so it really is a new experience every time we go. Continue reading →

Holidays in England – tips on travel and where to stay in the South West

January 4, 2019 | thetwodarlings

We have been holidaying in England for years now mainly because that is where my inlaws live so it makes sense we visit there so the girls will get time with that side of the family. All that aside however it is a wonderful place to visit – you might think sure how is it any different to Ireland it’s so close but yes it is, the picturesque old villages, the beautiful coastal paths and the traditional pub lunch are among some of the differences I love. Last time we holidayed in Cornwall I got SO many questions about getting there, it is a bit of a trek but obviously far easier to get to than say France for a camping holiday (where we have been once with the girls and I wrote about it here and will again but not at the moment when the smallest lady is just so small, renting a house in the south of England is far more appealing than a mobile home at the moment).

The advice here on travel would apply to any trip to England if you are travelling by boat then then by road!
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An easy and unusual DIY idea for getting lots of memories up on the wall

January 23, 2018January 24, 2018 | thetwodarlings

I find with the house inspiration comes in fits and bursts, I am either brimming with ideas or have none whatsoever. The girls started off in separate rooms but it’s a joy to see them so close that they decided themselves they wanted to share a room. We had bought triple bunks for both of their rooms and so I decorated accordingly but over Christmas they decided they just wanted two single beds in their rooms so that they could look at each other when they chatted, so adorable. Therefore I was left with rather ridiculous looking gaps on the walls where the bunk bed had been as I had hung pictures above the bunks in the assumption they’d be in place for years to come. Continue reading →

Ultimate guide to Tayto Park with young children

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July 2, 2017July 2, 2017 | thetwodarlings

When I was first contacted about going to Tayto Park, I turned down the offer with the explanation that I thought my five and three year old were too young for it. I had for some reason a notion that it was all rollercoasters and things more suited for teenagers through to adults. Well how wrong was I! When I looked into it more and spoke to friends who had visited it I was assured there was more than enough to keep my two ladies happy for hours. Continue reading →

Discovering Cork – Fitzgerald’s Park

May 24, 2017May 25, 2017 | thetwodarlings

Ages ago now I had a post on my Facebook page where lots of other Mum’s suggested places to hit for with kids around Cork. Suggestions came for near and far, from model railways to beaches, parks to playgrounds. My aim this summer is to discover them all. When the big lady started school I think I had underestimated the commitment involved in a child going to primary school and really felt I hadn’t made the best of our free time last summer. Granted I was akin to a sweaty whale Continue reading →

Eurocamp La Pointe St. Gilles Campsite Review

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June 19, 2016June 21, 2016 | thetwodarlings

And so it’s back to reality after a wonderful holiday away. Our first week easy spent in England with my parents in law and after that we hit for Brittany, taking a fair chance as it’s climate, much like it’s countryside, is like Ireland, damp and green. After all the travelling we had done we wanted to pick somewhere that wasn’t going to result in a long drive with the ladies so we chose Sunelia L’Escale St. Gilles or La Pointe St. Gilles in Benodet Southern Brittany that was less than a two hour drive from Roscoff. Continue reading →

A weekend in Paris

March 16, 2016 | thetwodarlings

Ah Paris, one of my favourite cities in the world. Apart from the pure beauty of the surroundings I find it a really nice city to be in. The metro is easy to use, no one is ever rushing or pushing you our of the way. Really the French don’t bother too much with tourists which is the way I like things. I’ve been to Paris now about ten times and each time I discover something new even if I revisit the same spot over and over. My sister currently lives there so I’ve been taking full advantage of that and visiting her and her boyfriend as much as I can. And it’s brilliant to visit this way as I get to see another, perhaps less touristy, version of Paris even if we did spend the whole day doing touristy things! Continue reading →

Hotel Westport – the perfect family getaway

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March 3, 2016March 3, 2016 | thetwodarlings

One of the real pleasures of being off at the moment is being able to take the lovely Eithne from Hotel Westport up on an offer of a couple of nights away last minute. It’s nice to be able to break up the weeks from time to time especially when the big lady is just in playschool. Easy to find close to the heart of the town, we landed in Hotel Westport and upon the big lady’s incessant request hit straight for the pool. She absolutely adores swimming and I haven’t managed to fit Continue reading →

Leahy’s Open Farm

February 9, 2016 | thetwodarlings

Given that we both met while working in Agriculture and it’s still a large part of life living in the country, a trip to an Open Farm is always going to appeal to us. So when the Catriona invited us down to visit Leahy’s Open Farm in Dongourney just outside Middleton, Co. Cork we LEPT at the chance. It’s somewhere we had heard lots about as it’s a really popular place with families all around Cork and further afield. Never ones to let a little wind and rain deter us we headed down the first weekend in February to check it out.
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5 tips for travelling with small ones

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March 5, 2015December 15, 2015 | thetwodarlings

Over the past (almost) three years we’ve done a fair amount of travel with kids, one then two babies. Neither of our families live within an easy reach of us in Cork – one set in Sligo and the other set in Somerset. So over the years I guess we’ve devised a few tricks on how to make the journeys all the more enjoyable.

Be Organized – simple right but by being organised I don’t mean having all the right bits and pieces you need I mean knowing where they are. There is literally nothing more frustrating than being on a plane or in a car and not having easy access to wipes, soothers, books, snacks. The way I’ve come about being organised is having separate bags/holders for all the different accouterments required. This way I know the small pink drawstring bag has bibs and muslin cloths or the flowery bag has small toys and teethers. And we’re all calm! Continue reading →

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