Where is your favourite destination and why?
Ireland. I’ve been going since year dot. We went to Wexford, where my family are from. Both my parents come from working-class families, so we’d hire caravans by the beach. We’d spend days at the gorgeous beaches at Carne and Curracloe in the south-east. It was a glorious time of banana sandwiches and chocolate biscuits.
When was the last time you were there, and who were you with?
I was recently back filming the second series of Dermot’s Taste of Ireland with my brilliant crew. Our trip took us from the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland and into the Wild Atlantic Way. We travelled through the Glens of Antrim before hitting Derry and continuing into Donegal, which is truly wild. We snaked our way down the west, finishing in Sligo. As a seafood obsessive, a highlight was taking a tractor out into Sligo Bay at low tide to harvest oysters and then cooking them over coals. It was marvellous.
Where do you like to stay?
In Wexford, I’ve never actually paid for accommodation! But when I’m in Dublin, you simply can’t go wrong with the three classics: the Merrion, the Westbury and the Shelbourne.
What has been your favourite meal?
In terms of unique experiences, harvesting and cooking our own oysters in Sligo is definitely up there. We shucked a couple in the estuary before heading to the Sligo Oyster Experience to cook them over fire. They also make their own bread and the beer we had was local, so it was a proper farm-to-fork experience. I just love eating outside and cooking over the coals, it’s wonderful, provided the weather cooperates.
What would you do if you only had 24 hours there?
I’d go down to Wexford to see my mum and dad. We’d go swimming in the sea in Kilmore and then hit the Saltee Sauna right on the beach, which is gorgeous. Afterwards, we’d have to go to my parents’ local, Mary Barry’s Bar. It’s a fish pub restaurant and the food there is unreal.
Three favourite restaurants?
In no particular order, Mary Barry’s in Wexford is definitely up there. In Belfast, there’s a restaurant called The Waterman and Matt the Thresher in Dublin is a pub-restaurant I always make a beeline for. I also can’t not mention Lir in Coleraine. We filmed there with owners Stevie and Rebekah McCarry for the new series and it was probably the best meal we had — delicious top-to-tail fish.
What is the one unmissable thing you recommend doing?
I’d suggest taking a car from Belfast and driving north. It’s the Causeway Coastal Route I did for Taste of Ireland and it really is an unforgettable experience.
Is there a hidden gem you are willing to share?
Staying on the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland, I’d urge people to visit Ballycastle. It’s a stunning little beach town full of independent shops and a great bakery called Ursa Minor Bakehouse. You can then make your way down to the Wild Atlantic Way to visit the gorgeous Slieve League cliffs in County Donegal. Donegal itself is a great place. As you have to travel there intentionally, it retains a very special character, in its food and its people. Down in Wexford, one of my favourite swimming spots is Baginbun Head. It’s set in a gorgeous cove, it’s never too busy and the water is turquoise.
Where do you let your hair down?
I think the great thing about Ireland is you find fun wherever you go, you know?
Who do you call to have a good time?
I’ll tell you who is just the most wonderful company — chef and restaurateur Richard Corrigan. The most unbelievably hospitable man and such a great host. I must mention the Richard of Northern Ireland, chef Paula McIntyre, and restaurateur Anthony Gray too, he’s an absolute riot.
Favourite shops?
Any farm shop I can find. I also found a great menswear clothing shop called The Bureau in the Cathedral Quarter, Belfast when we were there recently — the clothes were amazing.
I spent quite some time in the Friend at Hand whiskey emporium in Belfast; the service in there was so good.
Your favourite beauty spot?
Bannow, near the Hook Peninsula in the south of Ireland, is gorgeous. Also, Curracloe Beach, a Blue Flag beach in County Wexford where Saving Private Ryan was filmed. It’s 11km long, so it never feels that busy.
Your packing essential?
Swimmers, any time of year.
The one thing you would bring home as a souvenir?
White pudding. My travels in Ireland are largely a quest to find the best white pudding. It’s denser than black pudding, spiced with white pepper and full of oatmeal. When you visit places such as the English Market in Cork, with so many stores doing different types, it’s just absolute heaven.
A song that reminds you of the place?
A Song for Ireland by Phil Colclough — with Mary Black or Luke Kelly (The Dubliners) singing it. It never fails to tear me apart.
Your dress code?
It’s Ireland, so you have to bring layers. I’d recommend fleeces, Aran knit jumpers and a good pair of sturdy boots — and never underestimate the power of a good coat.
Building you would like to live in?
Pretty much all of Dublin city centre; I love the Georgian architecture. And then south of Dublin, in beautiful coastal areas like Dalkey and Killiney, there are some stunning houses. As a massive sea person, it’s a bucket-list item for me to live right on the coast.
Favourite memory?
Coming in on the ferry and seeing the lighthouse at Tuskar Point. It’s the first bit of Ireland you see as you arrive in Rosslare and the last bit as you leave. My dad grew up on Tuskar View, a street where you could see the lighthouse, so it has always been a significant landmark for us. That memory of first seeing Tuskar was always so special.
The second series of Dermot’s Taste of Ireland is returning to ITV1 and ITVX on May 2
