Toys for the boys on Father’s Day
JUST in case you haven’t been in a shop for weeks and missed the signs and greeting cards, this Sunday is Father’s Day when we honour that special man who has been taxi-driver, banker, counsellor and consoler, babysitter, DIY expert and all-round emergency go-to person.
Whether you call him dad, grand-dad, uncle, godfather or foster father, and whether he’s a gardener or adventurer we have some gifts suggestions to suit him and your pocket.
For the sartorially immaculate man with an eye for design, Filip Vanas Design offers cuff-links in geometric styles using vivid colours and contrasting materials such as silver, anodized aluminium and epoxy resin (€95 from www.giveirishcraft.com). Sporty dad can monitor everything from his day-to-day physical activity to his calorific intake, plus his weight gain and loss with the Flex™ wrist band (from Currys €99) With meteor showers and shooting stars aplenty these days, get dad a telescope so he can enjoy the celestial fireworks (by Paul Costelloe at Dunnes Stores €100). Encourage dad to be ever more helpful with the latest DIY gadget from Black & Decker. It’s a heat gun for those fiddly little jobs (€57 at B&Q and Woodies).
Appropriately named the Obsessive Chef, this chopping board maps out how to get your veg all the same size. Perfect for the mathematically-minded foodie dad who when the recipe says to dice will not julienne (€22 from Designist). For fun dad who has never outgrown his toys, try this radio-controlled Ferrari (€48 at www.giftsdirect.ie). Make sure dad the gardener keeps his seeds and bulbs dry and in the dark with this trio of tins (approximately €23 from M&S). Help get dad fit with a few games of keepy-uppy before the World Cup and his marathon television viewing can begin (Adidas Brazuca ball €20 at Elverys).
Make sure granddad gets a well-deserved mug of tea in between those DIY jobs and fixing toys (mug €7 at Dunnes Stores). Is the garden now safe from night-time frosts? Try an outdoor thermometer to make absolutely sure dad’s seedlings are protected (€12 from garden centres nationwide). Have a look at the irresistible t-shirt collection from Hairy Baby (from €15 at www.hairybaby.com). DIY dad will always need a tape measure, especially for those jobs you’re lining up for him (€11.20 at www.dotcomgiftshop.com).
Here are a few thoughts to get the imagination working and the bank balance trembling.
What about a new motor for dad with a sporty look, feel and features, but sufficiently compact for city driving and parking? Check out the Audi A1 Sportback S line (from €27,000)
Spoil him with a premium penthouse package in the stylish surrounds of the 5 star Fitzwilliam Hotel, Dublin.
Almost 2,000 square feet of unashamed opulence and a 24 hour butler service. The package has lots of treats, including a Surprise Gentleman’s Late Supper, a round of bespoke whiskey cocktails and Irelands’ most expensive coffee, Blue Jamaican Coffee.
Cobbler William Clegg will come to the hotel to fit for a custom pair of made-to-order brogues, individually tailored gentleman’s massage, a private breakfast and a car valet for all. The cost based on two people is from €3,700. www.fitzwilliamhotel.com
For the ultimate in wrist wear, it has to be Rolex’s 18ct gold Submariner watch which works under water to a depth of 1,000ft. You just need the depth of your pockets to match as it costs €16,950 (from Keane’s Jewellers)
Dress dad up in a lumberjack shirt and despatch him on a life-changing trip of wilderness activities in the Yukon Territory of north-west Canada (from €2,500 at www.windowsonthewild.com).
Or maybe he’d prefer llama trekking in Wyoming near Yellowstone National Park (from €1,600 plus flights at www.landerllama.com).
