THEY say that good weather makes a holiday one to remember. Bang goes that theory.

Extreme weather conditions consisting of 70mph winds, hail storms and relentless rain pounded down on the small town of Sligo for the duration of my three-night stay.

But that wasn’t going to ruin my first ever visit to the west of Ireland.

Neither was a long-delayed return flight or the threat of Iceland’s infamous volcano wreaking further chaos on proceedings.

Instead, from the minute we were welcomed at the Radisson Blu Hotel, to the last-gasp dash to the airport after consuming a few too many Guinness’ the night before, it turned out to be a break that will be etched in my memory for years to come.

Dublin was the only part of Ireland I had previously visited, and the Sligo locals were quick to tell me it was about time I visited ‘proper Ireland’.

I expected a quiet, traditional setting with little night life, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the town burst into life after 11pm.

Initially it was hard to leave the luxurious hotel that offers guests everything from fine dining to relaxing spa treatments.

The suitably-named Classiebawn Restaurant gave diners the chance to view Sligo Bay, located by the picturesque Rosses Point.

And the food on offer at the lavish eatery was among the best I have ever tasted.

Breakfast was particularly impressive as the buffet included English favourites, as well as meats and cheeses, fresh fruit, homemade pastries, Irish bread, juices, coffee and teas.

Also the dinner menu didn’t disappoint as the large selection of international cuisines gives you the chance to try something new each night.

The rooms (we stayed in business class) were immaculate and some of the added extras were a nice touch.

A newspaper each morning, your own bath robe and slippers, and complimentary drinks are not exactly mind-blowing, but they all help add to the comforting experience.

A couple of rounds of golf were on the itinerary and the weather looked promising until we arrived at County Sligo Golf Club.

Inside the clubhouse there are hundreds of pictures of famous players who have visited the Championship course.

Rory Mcllroy is a prominent figure having won the 2005 and 2006 West Ireland Championship at the club before becoming a worldwide hero when he became the 2011 Open champion.

Ten years of experience has taught me that links golf is tough enough without gale force winds and hail storms.

But we plodded on and got through day one unscathed.

One benefit of the tough conditions was that my bag got progressively lighter throughout the day as I kept losing balls.