My Holidays

Tara Breathnach - Actor

What’s your earliest holiday memory?

Staying in a caravan in the grounds of the Downhill Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo. I remember the rain, getting really wet while going down a slide. It was a classic Irish family holiday.

What was your worst holiday?

Going through an airport can bring a bad start to a holiday – even if you have a lovely time there is the hassle of flying back. For example, I got back to Spiddal the other night at 2am from Germany, after being diverted from Liverpool to Manchester because of fog. I should have been back by 8pm, but instead I didn’t get back home until 2am.

What was your best holiday?

A couple of years ago, myself and two friends went to Venice and had a great time together. We stayed in a lovely little hotel with frescoes on the wall. It was so beautiful, even walking around in the rain as we’d stop for hot chocolate. We also went to the notoriously expensive Caffè Florian in St Mark’s Square for the most expensive latte of my life.

If budget or work were not a restriction, what would be your dream holiday?

I will always have a soft spot for Italy. My first time there was to Florence aged 16. I loved the art and architecture.

It was a time when my brain clicked and I went on to art college which later led me to drama. My dream holiday would involve going to Florence by train and doing a long adventure overland.

If you had your pick, whom would you bring on holiday with you?

It depends on the destination. If I’ve lots of cultural things to do, I’ll bring my girlfriends because they’d be up for exploring. For a more lazy holiday, it’s the love of my life. And there’s certain places I’d go with my mother, but other places where we’d be killing each other.

What’s your favourite place in Ireland?

It might sound cheesy, but it’s where I am right now in Spiddal, Co Galway. A few miles down the coast road, it’s the most beautiful place in the world. On one side you’ve sea and on the other side mountains with wild heather, a constant breeze and freshness.

Your recommended holiday reading?

I like good reads such as Joseph O’Connor’s Ghost Light which was divine. You can’t beat a really good writer like Joseph O’Connor, Colum McCann or Colm Tóibín.

Where will you go to next?

When I wrap with Ros na Rún, I plan to do a yoga weekend in the Burren.

* Tara Breathnach plays Tina O'Dowd in Ros na Rúnon TG4.

* In conversation with GENEVIEVE CARBERY