'Afternoon tea was lovely, but it was the company that made the day special'

Aileen, my daughter-in-law, thought we girls should do something nice over the Easter break. My other daughter-in-law, Elaine, is a busy mum with her two little boys, Peter and Alan. Likewise, Julie, my daughter, has feisty six-year-old Ricky and Aileen has little Katie.

Then there’s me with good days, bad days and middling days.

Arrangements were made. Aileen checked with me the evening before, a simple text “all OK with granny”. I thought about it and knew that my form wasn’t great.

We had to journey to Adare and the energy just wasn’t there. No issue, Aileen said, she’d put it off a week. The Easter break with away dates and play dates made Aileen’s task difficult. “You and I will go anyway,” she said. The appointed day dawned sunny and bright, a feat in itself following all the rainy, showery days we’d had.

Aileen picked me up early so that we’d enjoy the gardens before our appointed time for afternoon tea at 1pm. I was in great form and so glad that I’d been honest the week before about not feeling well.

We drove through the beautiful archway of Adare Manor shortly before 12pm, having given our names to the gentleman in the bowler hat, the pomp setting the scene nicely and making us a little giddy. An insight into how the other half live and all that.

Giddy with delight

We both had waxed jackets that bore a suitable name “to cut a shape” as my dad used to say. We’d got them for Christmas. We wandered the manicured gardens. Pink dwarf Bellinis were everywhere, cutting shapes too. We happened upon two gardeners digging them out from ornate pedestal urns.

We asked why. “To refresh them of course.” We could take them if we wanted. How I wished for a cardboard box but my attire didn’t match the job in hand. Aileen would probably have disowned me.

I had reason to be giddy with delight again when I spotted my niece, Aoife coming to join us. The girls had hatched the surprise

We strolled back through the Easter adorned archway, impressed at every turn. Men were brushing, spraying the greens, rolling the greens. Eight machines within sight. I was convinced the greens were carpets such was the delicate colour of the velvet grass. Shocking my daughter-in-law again, I had to stray from the path to feel if it was real grass or not. It was. The river and mini falls added sound enough to soothe the spirit.

Once in the reception area and drawing room, we relaxed. I had reason to be giddy with delight again when I spotted my niece, Aoife coming to join us. The girls had hatched the surprise. We were shown to the Minstrels’ Gallery where we met our hostess, Timara.

She was the makings of our afternoon with her expert knowledge and guidance. The gallery was formerly the library of the Dunraven family. It’s just slightly smaller than the library in Trinity College.

Timara guided us through our afternoon tea, starting with black teas that go with savoury fare. White teas go with scones and exotic teas go with sweet bites. We had palate cleansers and more giddy giggles and goodie boxes going home.

Timara delights

Despite the pomp, what mattered was the two beautiful ladies with me. We snapped pictures and laughed heartily as one can only do in Aileen and Aoife’s company. We truly forgot the cares of our world and allowed ourselves be immersed in the care and chat of Timara.

Truthfully, €85 seemed pricey, but that was for four and a half hours spent wandering exquisite elaborate gardens and experiencing the old-world architecture that makes Adare Manor the cosy, sophisticated space that it is.

Thanks to the current owner, JP McManus, the Ryder Cup backdrops will look spectacular when Ireland hosts the event in 2027. I look forward to seeing where we walked on TV.

It will be a celebration of Ireland.