Sir Jack Leslie - A true eccentric

Still moving and shaking around the globe at 93 My most memorable holiday was... a three-month, round-the-world-trip back in 1957. I just took a wad of travellers' cheques, a little suitcase and went off from place to place. Back then you could walk into any hotel, anywhere, without being booked-in. I started in Rome, where I was living, and flew to Tehran and took a taxi up to the Caspian Sea. Tehran was quiet then and you could travel around anywhere. And from there I went to Karachi, where I walked into the hotel and there were about 10 waiters in turbans standing in a line welcoming you in. I remember there were camels everywhere. From there I went on to Delhi, where there were enormous crowds and women all dressed in their lovely saris. I saw the Taj Mahal by moonlight. After that I went to Rangoon, which was fascinating. I remember the warm rain. You could visit the great temples, such as the Shwedagon, all gold with a diamond weathervane at the top. I travelled on to Bangkok. Back then there were only about three hotels along the river, all up on posts. Then I took this funny little airplane and landed in Cambodia, where there was an elephant grazing in the garden on our hotel. From there I went on to Australia and stayed with cousins, then went to Samoa, Fiji and Hawaii, where you could smell the pineapples as soon as you landed. The Polynesians were delightful people, very good looking and charming. I arrived after that in San Francisco and, after visiting friends boarded the train to New York. It really was a wonderful adventure. My favourite place in Ireland is... the wilder parts of Co Mayo. It has wonderful sandy beaches and the mountains coming down to the sea, and quite often there's not another single person. And then, of course, there's here, Glaslough, Co Monaghan, with the ever-changing reflections on the lake and the enormous big tree. My childhood holiday memories are... of taking the seven-day sailing trip from America to Liverpool on the Cedric, a White Star Line steamship, when I was three years old. I was with my mother and sister. I remember walking around the deck and the sirens going off when they passed another ship. It used to make me jump. Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenaline junkie? I like exploring old cathedrals in France, the Palladian villas in Italy and the old churches in England. In France, I used to go around Bourges, Reims and Amiens. About 10 years ago I decided I would go to my first disco. So I jumped on the village bus and went to The Oasis in Monaghan and never found so many friendly people in my life -- although they would steal my cap! About two years after, I went to Manumission in Ibiza and had a wonderful time. My ideal travel companion would be... well, I have always travelled alone so I could be absolutely free. You can go where you like, when you like, and you're not tied to anyone. My worst travel experience... years ago, travelling through France on a train. During the night I wanted to go the lavatory and I couldn't find the latch to get out of the cabin so I pulled a lever above my head and the whole train slowly stopped. Of course, the officials came up and I had to pay a 300 francs fine. My favourite hotel is... I liked the old Cavendish Hotel in London, a very old house run entirely by Rosa Lewis, a very beautiful woman. Royalty would stay there who would want to remain unknown. She would never ask questions. She lived on entirely on champagne and sandwiches. She charged enormous sums to rich people and sometimes she'd let poor people stay there for free. It was a fascinating old house. It was stupidly pulled down about 25 years ago and they built a new hotel. My dream holiday would include... visiting places around Europe -- there is just so much to see. I'd go around Barcelona, Naples and Syracuse in Sicily. They're all the places I love and I'd be quite content to go around them all again. My best meal was... the food in Claridges Hotel in London is probably the best I've had. I had beef that was so soft it just melted in your mouth. The thing I hate most about travelling is... huge airports. If you make a muddle and go to the wrong place you've to walk miles. I get through a long flight by... well, when I'm flying and get up to about 25,000 feet, I hear choirs, rather like Gregorian chant. It really is extraordinary. I'm next off to... for the past 35 years, I've been restoring an old monastery, the Badia di San Sebastiano di Alatri in Italy, and every summer I go for a month. It's 1,500 years old. Top three places I want to visit... I've never been to China and would love to see the Yangtze River and the wonderful scenery. I've never been to Japan -- Kyoto is supposed to be lovely. And I'd love to see Seville. But I always love to go back to Rome, Florence, Naples and Pisa -- that's a lovely old city. Rome is busier now; you have to queue to get into the Vatican. That never happened in my day. Sir Jack Leslie has written a book, Never a Dull Moment, which chronicles his many adventures over his 91 years. He now lives in Castle Leslie, Monaghan. www.castleleslie.com Castle Leslie is set amongst 1,000 acres of breathtaking scenery. For over 300 years it has been the family home of the eccentric Leslie family and has over successive generations been host to many celebrities such as Sir John Betjeman, WB Yeats, Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney. In the hands of the Leslie family since the 1660s, every corner of the 1000-acre estate has a quirky story to tell. [caption id="attachment_2434" align="aligncenter" width="294" caption="Sir Jack Leslie discovering clubbing in his eighties"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_2435" align="aligncenter" width="294" caption="Sir Jack on his maiden voyage, on the steamship Cedric, with his mum and sister"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_2436" align="aligncenter" width="294" caption="Sir Jack during his time in Rome"][/caption] Two members of the Leslie family are still very much involved in the estate. Sir John "Jack" Leslie, age 93 still lives in the castle, joining guests for dinner, playing piano in the drawing room and he even goes clubbing every week at the Forum nightclub. You can see him at breakfast in his red velvet robe and slippers, or walking around the estate in a jaunty feathered cap. His memoirs are available to read in the library and are fascinating! Sir Jack Leslie has written a book, Never a Dull Moment, which chronicles his many adventures over his 91 years Castle Leslie hit the headlines in 2002 when Sir Paul McCartney married Heather Mills in the family church located on the estate, followed by a wedding banquet for 300 guests prepared by then executive chef, Noel McMeel. This secret was inadvertently divulged to the media by Sir John Leslie, who notoriously remarked on live television "it's on Tuesday, but it's a secret". Sammy Leslie, Sir John's niece is really the catalyst for turning the estate into the 5-star luxury hotel it is today. Starting by offering afternoon tea to fund repairs, she has led the restoration of the estate room by room, maintaining the integrity, humour and legacy of her ancestors. The Castle was designed in the Scottish Baronial style by Charles Lanyon and W.H. Lynn in 1870 AD for Sir John Leslie, 1st Baronet MP. It is situated on the site of an earlier castle and, therefore, never had any particular defensive purpose. The Red Room in this beautiful castle is said to be haunted by Norman Leslie who was killed during the first world war. Apparently his mother Lady Marjorie was sleeping in this room one night and awoke to see his ghost standing near the foot of her bed apparently looking through some letters. After a while this apparition of her dead son turned to her, smiled and then faded away. There have been many other strange happenings reported in this fascinating castle such as bells ringing of their own accord and strange figures wandering down corridors.