‘IF ONLY we had the weather, you’d never leave’ is a familiar refrain in Ireland. It crossed my mind when, in March, I had to swap sun-kissed Enniscrone for Plovdiv where snow was falling ahead of Ireland’s Nations League play-off against Bulgaria that I was due to cover. Granted, the clear skies may not be guaranteed, or even typical, for the west of Ireland particularly for that time of year, but it showcased this much-loved seaside resort in all of its glory. Its golden beach, almost 5km in length, is the jewel in its crown and we arrived from Dublin just in time to see the sunset. No filters required for the teenage daughter’s photo. Our room in the Ocean Sands Hotel afforded us a fine view over Killala Bay but it was only a hop, skip and a jump before we had the sand under our feet. Naturally, both boys needed a change of footwear before dinner as they came off worse in a game of chicken with the tide. But we were in the Ocean Bar and Restaurant in time to see the last bit of daylight disappear with the hotel also offering a more formal dining experience in its Dune Restaurant. In the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity and the hotel’s owners made good use of its enforced closure during the Covid-19 pandemic by embarking on an extensive refurbishment. It was money well invested with our large family room comfortably accommodating our group of five. It is both large enough to host - as it did whilst we were there - weddings and a dinner for the local GAA club and small enough to ensure there was a personal touch. And, so, when our middle child turned 12 on our second day, they had thoughtfully left a birthday cake for him in our room. He had taken advantage of the day by piggy-backing on his mother’s morning golf lesson on the stunning links course with 27 holes over 400 acres within walking distance of the hotel. As well as being given putting tips overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, they were regaled with tales of visits from celebs such as Bill Murray by the course’s general manager Keith O’Neill. SURPRISE SIGHT Not a golfer, I went for a wander with the other two from one end of the town to the other, taking in the incongruous sight of a Boeing 767 lying in a field with a train carriage. A Google search jogged my memory that the plane had arrived via a two-day journey up the coast on a barge from Shannon with the intention of using it as the centrepiece of a glamping village. That plan did not quite come to fruition but it certainly provides a talking point and presumably bewilderment for some visitors. At the far end of town, there was an indoor craft market in the old church which is on every Saturday. We regrouped at the Offshore Coffee & More container just behind the dunes for a delicious acai bowl and coffee, further lining our stomachs for our biggest exertion of the day - the Kiltimagh Velorail. RAILWAY TO GO The railway line through the Mayo town was closed in the 1970s and had fallen into disrepair. But, in 2023, it welcomed passengers back on railbikes. It is a great repurposing of an amenity which was lying idle and, for €40 for the railbike which seated all five of us, you get an affordable leisurely meander through the countryside on a 9km roundtrip route. It was the first day of the 2025 season when we were there but it already had an impressive number of bookings. Just make sure to freewheel when the opportunity presents, though, because remember you have to go back up that slope you benefitted from on your outward trip on your return. After all that hard work, it was time for a pint. We had one in Gilroy’s after the 40-minute drive back, and the following day tried the Pilot Bar and also watched a match in McNulty’s. We did not quite make it to Hopkins but sure that provides solid grounds for a return visit. HIGH-QUALITY FOOD There were no quibbles with dining in the same place two nights in a row with ample variety of high-quality food available on both the adult and child menus with Tricia ensuring we were well looked after with manager Jennifer also dropping by for a chat. We were a little early in the year for the full range of outdoor activities that Enniscrone has to offer to be available but Tonnta Adventure can provide surfing, hiking, biking as well as team-building exercises. Another reason to go back. In the absence of those, we got to explore what one might do if your energy levels were not quite up to the above. So I treated myself to a full body massage in the hotel’s Ocean Spa whilst my wife opted for a seaweed bath, for which Enniscrone is renowned. FUN FOR ALL AGES For the younger members of our crew, a trip to the WaterPoint Aqua Park was a fine alternative. There, they got to try out the climbing wall, obstacle course and slide in the playroom before decamping to the pool where the slide, kids pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi ensure that all ages are well catered for. Bulgaria was beckoning for me so I headed home early whilst the remainder stayed on for another idyllic evening.