On today’s bonus Destination Special we’re heading to Ireland, one of my favourite places in the world. Ireland has this special kind of magic. It asks you to slow down, to dig beneath the surface, to chat to the people behind the bar and to take your time - to walk, to wander, to just sit and soak it all up.

Joining me is someone who knows the country inside and out - the brilliant comedian and actor, Ardal O’Hanlon. You’ll know Ardal, of course, from TV's Father Ted, where he stole the show as the endlessly lovable Father Dougal - and from the extremely popular BBC series Death in Paradise, where he swapped windswept clifftops for tropical crime-solving in the Caribbean. He’s also an incredible writer, stand-up, and most recently, travel presenter, in The Emerald Isles, his BBC series which explored Ireland’s lesser-known islands, uncovering their culture, music, and wild beauty.

In this episode, Ardal shares the places in Ireland that have stayed with him, from childhood summers in Galway and Donegal to his all time favourite destination, a lunar landscape in County Clare, and my favourite part of the episode, his hidden gems, which really bring to life some of the wild islands off the mainland that he visited while making his TV series - a lot to add to your bucket list. We talk about the joy of slowness, the quirks of island life, and his new tour - Not Himself - which he’ll be taking across the UK and Ireland soon.

So whether you’re planning a trip to Ireland, dreaming about one, or you’re just here for the stories - settle in and enjoy!

Destination Recap:

• Crockwell, Galway, Co. Galway
• Connemara National Park, Co. Galway
• Magheragallan Beach, Gweedore, Co. Donegal
• Errigal Mountain, Co. Donegal
• The Burren, Co. Clare
• Skellig Michael, Co. Kerry
• Great Blasket, Co. Kerry
• Tory Island, Co. Donegal
• Rathlin, Co. Antrim
• Sligo, Co. Sligo
• Saltee Islands, Co. Wexford

Visit Ireland.com for more inspiration planning your trip.

Ardal is heading back on tour this autumn with his brand new stand-up show, Not Himself. You can find all the tour dates and ticket info at ardalohandlon.com.

Thanks so much for listening today. I’ll be back with a brand new season - Season 15 - in a couple of weeks! In the meantime, come and follow me on Instagram - I’m @hollyrubenstein - and you’ll also find me on TikTok.

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Today’s guest is a titan of political journalism - someone whose calm, incisive reporting helped us make sense of the madness during one of the most dramatic chapters in American political history. It’s Jon Sopel, the former BBC North America Editor, who spent eight rollercoaster years covering the United States, through Trump, through Covid, through history being made in real time.He’s interviewed presidents, grilled press secretaries, and yes - even been shouted at by Donald Trump himself.

Now, Jon’s back on home turf - though the country he’s returned to isn’t quite the Britain he left behind. In his brilliant new book Strangeland, Jon turns his razor-sharp eye on post-Brexit Britain, peeling back the layers of a nation that feels unfamiliar even to someone who grew up here. It’s part political memoir, part social commentary, and entirely unputdownable.

These days, you’ll know Jon as one-third of the brilliant trio behind The News Agents, one of the UK’s most popular news podcasts, which he co-hosts with Emily Maitlis and Lewis Goodall. It’s completely redefined how many people consume the news - and it’s an absolute must-listen if you don’t already.

In this episode, we dive into the shifting political landscapes of both the UK and the US and of course, we set off on Jon’s Travel Diaries - from his long stint in Washington D.C. to the sun-drenched Riviera, the energy of Rio, and the beauty of Sydney.

Holly’s Destination Recap:

• Puente Romano Hotel, Marbella, Spain

Jon’s Destination Recap:

• New York City, USA
• French Riviera, France
• St Paul de Vence, France
• La Colombe D’or, St Paul de Vence, France
• Paris, France
• Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris, France
• Jardin du Ranelagh, Paris, France
• Andia (formerly Restaurant La Gare), Paris, France
• Afghanistan
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Tokyo, Japan
• Sydney, Australia
• Noosa, Queensland, Australia
• Blackberry Farm, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, USA
• Maine, USA
• Nantucket, Massachusetts, USA
• Shelter Island, New York, USA
• Costa Rica
• The Galapagos
• Rwanda

Strangeland: Is This Britain’s New Normal? By Jon Sopel is out in paperback on 29th May (Penguin £10.99).

With thanks to my sponsors -

UPPAbaby -The new UPPAbaby Minu V3 is available to pre order at all UK stockists nationwide now.

Airbnb - Visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool.

Saily - Download the SAILY app and use our code TRAVELDIARIES at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.

Thanks so much for listening If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok.

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This week’s guest is someone who many of us will feel we already know. A calm and trusted presence in our living rooms each evening, she’s one of the most familiar faces in British broadcasting - BBC News presenter, correspondent, and author, Reeta Chakrabarti.

Raised in Birmingham, Reeta spent part of her teenage years in Calcutta, India - an experience that would later shape her global perspective both as a journalist and a writer.

Her career has taken her all over the world, from covering the war in Ukraine from Lviv, to reporting on the 70th anniversary of Indian and Pakistani independence and most recently, covering the Pope's funeral from Rome. She began her career behind the scenes in radio before making the leap to become a correspondent, and finally landing in the iconic BBC News presenting chair - at the age of 49, no less. Proof that there’s no one path to success and it’s never too late to pivot.

Her travel diaries today take us from Italy to Chile, Greece to India and much more.

Destination Recap:

Holly -

• Cothelstone Manor, Somerset, England

Reeta -

• Calcutta, India
• Rome, Italy
• St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy
• Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome, Italy
• Lahore, Pakistan
• Santiago, Chile
• Valparaiso, Chile
• France
• Lviv, Ukraine
• Paris, France
• Taj Mahal, Agra, India
• Amorgos, Greece
• Brazil
• Argentina

Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti, published by HarperFiction, out in hardback, ebook and audio on 8th May

*COMPETITION*

For your chance to win a 3 night all inclusive stay at LUXME hotel on the Greek island of Kos, head to my Instagram @hollyrubenstein. The winner will be announced on May 20th, T&Cs apply!

With thanks to my sponsors today -

Citalia - Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists. Let the Italy Experts craft the perfect holiday for you and experience Italy like a Citalian.

Airbnb - Visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool.

Saily - Download the SAILY app and use our code TRAVELDIARIES at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase

Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.