Fiona Coghlan: 'You’ve heard of Jamaica and Barbados, but not Turks and Caicos'
Fiona Coghlan
A Grand Slam-winning rugby captain, PE and maths teacher, TV pundit and LauraLynn ambassador, Fiona Coghlan has spent much of her life on the move – whether it was training camps, tours, or chasing fresh mountain air on the slopes of Italy.
But some of her most unforgettable travel memories come from childhood summers in Kerry and surprise trips that brought paradise a little closer than expected.
As a young kid, it was probably Ireland – the southwest, around Kerry. Derrynane, Caherdaniel – we’d rent a house down there for numerous summers, even at Easter too.
It’s funny looking back, there wasn’t a huge amount to do, but you were always busy.
Whether that was down the beach, playing with other families, or going up to the pub – Freddie’s was one of them, the Blind Piper was the other, or even just getting up to the shop. You just created fun out of nothing.
South Africa, predominantly around Cape Town.
It was actually a rugby tour with a Barbarians-type team called the Nomads – I ended up going with a lot of people I’d played against for years.
It was just a fabulous country. My grandfather was born in South Africa.
The people were fabulous – even in the townships. We saw Table Mountain, went out to Robben Island, did all the touristy things.
Obviously, there’s a lot of hardship there, but everyone we met was so welcoming.
You got a real sense they were delighted you were there to visit their country.
Turks and Caicos – I’d never even heard of it.
I was invited to their rugby dinner, where I did a bit of coaching. It was the most paradise island I’ve ever been on – white sand, blue seas, just unbelievable.
But then there’s this tiny island with a big Irish expat community, which I didn’t expect at all.
You’ve heard of Jamaica and Barbados, but not Turks and Caicos – it was a real surprise.
I love Paris. I have a good friend who lives there, and I just think the architecture is phenomenal.
I love the little cafés, the wine bars.
It’s easy to get around, and every time I go, I see something new.
I was there for the Olympics, and the venues were just stunning. It’s a phenomenal city.
Bali. I was coming home from Australia and had a sunset dinner – fresh fish straight off the boat, cooked right on the beach.
It was all done with primitive utensils and basic cooking equipment, but what they could drum up was just mouth-watering.
I couldn’t even tell you what type of fish it was – but it was beautiful.
Hotel Royal Victoria in Varenna, just on Lake Como.
The setting is stunning, right on the lake and you’ve got access straight down to the water.
The architecture is beautiful. The town itself is lovely too, full of little places to wander.
It’s not the type of hotel you’re in and out of – it’s one you lounge around in, sit out by the lake.
I wouldn’t normally be a ‘hotel person’, but that one was special.
Ski. Every year we go. My first skiing trip was in Transition Year, and I absolutely loved it.
Then I was playing rugby, so I couldn’t ski for a number of years.
But once I retired, I’ve gone every year since. We always go back to the same spot, Valmalenco in Italy, north of Milan, near Lake Como.
It’s just easy slopes. Our little fella was three and nine months at Christmas, and we put him on skis.
I just love it; we’re always first up on the lift when it’s just been pisted.
It’s fresh, crisp, you’re active, out in the air, and you’ve got agri-tourism spots all over the mountain where you get stunning mountain food. Après-ski is good too!
There’s nothing planned, but New Zealand is one that’s always been on the list – I never got to go for rugby.
I’ve been to Australia, and everyone tells me I’d love New Zealand even more. I’d love to see Fiji too. And South America.
The list is endless, really – but it’s those further-away ones I think of as ‘bucket list’ rather than anything around Europe.
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