CELEBRITY HAVEN

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30 APRIL 2004
Not a few big names have found that Ireland makes the ideal place to escape the pressures of public attention. Indeed the laid-back atmosphere of the country's hills and valleys have become something of a sanctuary for Tinseltown refugees.

It's not unusual to spot local lad Daniel Day-Lewis cruising around Dublin on his motorcycle, while capital-born U2 frontman Bono can often be spotted enjoying a quiet pint of Guinness in the Globe bar on South Great George's Street.

Julia Roberts, meanwhile, was so smitten with Ireland she decided to spend her honeymoon there. And visitors to the historic city shouldn't be surprised if they happen upon one of its famous residents, which include Samantha Mumba, Ronan Keating and Colin Farrell.

Leo Burdocks chip shop, alongside Dublin Castle, is of such renown that Tom Cruise and Sandra Bullock have both been spotted there queuing for their supper. And just a few miles to the north you'll find Luttrellstown Castle, the spectacular setting against which David and Victoria Beckham made their vows in 1999.

Other celebs enjoy a more permanent presence. Veteran rocker Sting owns a house in Connemara, while former US President Bill Clinton recently bought a bolthole in County Kildare. And Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons waxes positively lyrical about his adopted home: "All I can say is when I reached West Cork, I knew I was home," he says. "It lies in my heart even when I'm away from it. And it waits for me to return like a faithful lover."

For more information contact www.theislandofmemories.co.uk