IT’S AN ill wind that doesn’t blow someone some good. Even the volcanic ash has benefited some people – the mâitre d’hotel at Rick Stein’s seafood restaurant in Padstow was beaming from ear to ear when I was there recently.

TERMS like 'superior quality' can seem just like more brochure-speak to the jaded property hunter, but in the case of this house at Abbeyside, Dungarvan, the term shows restraint.