# Our 2004 Ireland tour...



## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

I guess it all started with a conversation resulting from one or two too many drinks late one night - a bit like agreeing to drive down to Spain, through France and Germany about six years ago.









Hello! ALison and Paul at Giants Causeway - top of Northern Ireland 

We have been 'meaning' to go and visit Ireland for a good number of years now and just happen to keep putting it off. I suppose I also felt an element of shame given that with a surname like Riley and never having stepped foot on the soil that my ancestors must have danced a jig on gave us the final shove that we needed to pack our bags.

Originally we were going to make the trip on our 1303 cabriolet and travel from one B and B to another however the offer of the Neptune Blue camper came up in January this year and we decided to give camper ownership a go. We are so glad we made that decision as we aren't really B and B/Hotel kind of people anyway and the freedom a camper offers gave us a much better and flexible way of seeing Ireland.

I have written much about preparing the van for the visit but its sufficient to say here that after building a kitchen complete with a fridge, pumped water and a cooker, fitting alloy wheels and generally bringing the van up to scratch it was a huge disappointment when just a few days before we were due to set off the garage rang to tell me that rather than a quick tune up and a re-setting of the timing the engine it needing breaking down and two new cylinder heads fitting. With just a couple of working days to go I had to accept that we might end up going in the cabrio (hardly a real hardship I know but we had spent a lot of time getting the van ready for the big trip).

We even contemplated taking the engine out of the 1302 and swapping all the bits over just to get the camper mobile but couldn't help but think that we would end up doing the job twice over once the 1302 engine was returned to the car.

Luckily the garage pulled through at the last minute and eighteen hours before the ferry crossing the camper was declared fit to make the journey, was loaded up and rolled onto the ferry.

At long last and after so many near hiccups we were well and truly on our way. The trip from Liverpool to Dublin was over six hours long so plenty of time to relax and make final plans about where we wanted to visit during our stay. We had plotted out a route with a couple of 'get-outs' in case our travels were taking us longer than we thought - which they did!

The basic route was Dublin/Waterford/Cork/Limerick/Galway/Sligo and then onto Belfast with a trip up to the North to meet with the NBOC who planned a 'Coast Run' from Coleraine to Giants Causeway and then onto Ballycastle. This fitted in great with our plans, as we were able to leave Ballycastle and then drop back down to Dublin for the trip home.

Our first port of call was just a few miles down the road to Dun Logaire allowing us to return by train to Dublin the next day for a look around the city. Our first night was spent in the harbour car park for a cost of two Euros at the suggestion of the Harbour Master who explained that loads of people camped in there from time to time - they didn't that night so we enjoyed the very pleasant looking harbour all to ourselves. Dublin arguably needs more than a day to do it justice but given that we could return one day on a cheap flight from Liverpool and that we had transport to take us around the rest of the island we decided to cut and run and make our way further south. We did visit the Guinness Storehouse and enjoyed a tour of Ireland's most famous brewery

We drifted in to Tramore for our first proper campsite of the trip and time to clean up after our nights 'wild camping' in the harbour. Fish and chips on the harbour and an early night!

We set off to nearby Waterford (resisting the crystal tour - glass is for windscreens in my opinion) the next morning with the intention of finding a lay by or similar later and stumbled across a lovely harbour town called Dungarvon which we stopped to buy a few provisions and have a wander around. We decided that we would stay nearby so that we could have a proper look around the next day.

In the months leading up to our trip I had this 'idea' that it would be great at some point to stop somewhere, just pull the curtains round and wake up with a lovely sea view the next morning. A cooked breakie would be nice whilst taking in the scenery.

We found all of that after spotting a Lough (which I immediately decided was the 'place' for me) and wondering how we might get down to it. We were never going to get to this by following the main road so I took the first turn left and then by either luck or pure skill decided that the 'fishing area' sign was probably a good indicator given that fishermen need somewhere to park up whilst they waste all day holding a sick and string into the water in the vain hope that they might find a fish stupid enough to bite the worm/fly/bread on the end of the hook. Bingo! This was the spot for us. We parked just feet from the edge of the beach only a few more feet from the waters edge. We barbequed and then kept a fire going using driftwood from the beach until the sun went down. How romantic.

Telly reception was good enough to catch Jim Davidson's new series on BBC one - I know that's crass of me but hey - I'm on holiday and can do what I want.

Breakfast was served (by me ladies!) the next morning as we woke to the waves lapping in alongside the van.









Cork - no yanks in sight 

At this point I knew we were onto a winner. After our stay at the very near perfect Dungarvon we travelled on towards Cork and found a lovely campsite near Blarney Castle which was in fact so nice we stayed put for two nights - mainly because we wished to look around Cork, in particular the famous Cork Gaol and later the even more famous Blarney Castle.

It was a funny day really which proved that we must have fallen into the 'Irish' way of doing things and had adapted to Irish Mean Time. We waited for an hour and a half for the bus as we had left the camper set up at the campsite rather than take it into busy Cork. We even managed the 2 miles up and down the hill on top of the walking around Cork. It was actually our anniversary and our intention was to take in a nice restaurant to celebrate - however by the time we got back the prospect of another trip up and down the hill forced us to retreat to the 'Chippy' for a something a little more casual whilst perched on the grassy knoll.

The trip to Blarney castle provided us with much mirth as a coach load of 'yanks' pulled in almost at the same time. All fully paid up members of McDonalds Double-sized Ass Club and no doubt all been on the 'How to be an irritating tourist in ANY country' course before they left the US I did wonder who could object to George Bushes impending visit when this pile of misfits were being escorted about Eire in a DAF coach was beyond me.

My 'quote of the holiday' came from one Idaho Village Idiot who asked "Can we get a move on guys - we've got a cathedral to visit today as well". I wanted to remind him that the cathedral had been there over 750 years and was unlikely to disappear before he did. Plans to knock it down and build another Burger King, although a popular concept on his trip, had yet to be passed by Cork County Council.

We wound our way through the country lanes and after eeking out two fairly unsatisfactory looking possibilities did find a disused (not in a grubby way - in an old fashioned and charming way) quay near Pallaskenry. There were a few locals ambling about sitting looking out at the sea - as the Irish seem to do quite a lot - and its got to be tried too, however like them I am beginning to waffle so I'll get back to the point. See, two weeks in the country and I'm using ten words when two will do.

A couple of local people came over to chat asking about where we were from and how olds the camper and we determined at long last that no on e was likely to take exception to us staying the night and one chap seemed almost taken back by the suggestion that it was anything but normal. I explained that in England you were more than likely to get moved on by the police but there was no fear of that here.

He did explain to us just why there were no old cars to be seen in the South which is due to the fact that until about three or four years ago it was not necessary for a car to have an MOT and as a result people ran all manner of death-traps held to gether with nothing more than string and sellotape. When the MOT test finally came in many were so bad and well beyond repair that people simply scrapped them rather than pay to have them fixed. Up to this point we had only seen a couple of old-timers and these were presumably cars that were kept up by their owners and the new test was not so much of a problem.

Alison had been troubled by toothache for a few days now and for her to complain about anything like that is most unusual so I knew she must be in pain. The tooth in question has given her problems in the past so I took her into Limerick and rather take her to a nice teashop or a museum I took her to have a tooth removed. It could not have been easier. We went to the Tourist information centre to ask what the procedure for tourists was, where the dentist was and were we covered by insurance. A short walk found us at the dentist Dr Phil McCrackin (sorry that is a terrible joke) and less than one hour later Alison was minus a back tooth and ninety euros.

Back in the van we decided to head straight towards Galway as it had now been chucking it down with rain for eight hours, our camping chairs and my trousers were soaking (as I had left the sunroof open for fresh air) and we might as well keep on the move rather that walk around and get wet.

Given that Al had a tooth ripped from her head and we were wet, catching the rear quarter of the van on a drop-side Ford truck was not the best way to finish the day but that's how it wound up. Enough about that as its even more depressing than the missing tooth. Needless to say I wasn't pleased but I certainly wasn't going to let it spoil my holiday so I took Mr O'Learys details for the oncoming insurance claim and sallied forth. It rained so much we didn't bother going out that night and stayed looked away in the van playing Scrabble at the campsite in Spiddal.

Next morning showed no letting up on the rain front and we decided to head straight up to Belfast rather than carry on further North as our dawdling in Cork had lost us a couple of days - that was fine with us as we liked it so much there and this holiday was about finding places that we liked rather than just piling miles on the van.

We set off and stopped at Kilbeggan were there's a fascinating old distillery which was used up until 1958 and was restored by the locals some years ago. We stopped briefly hpwever another two hours saw us arriving in Downpatrick at the bottom of Strangford Lough. All these areas are intriguing to me as it is round here that Van Morrision sings about in 'Coney Island' and to visit the Lough area and in particular Ardglass, Killeley and the like are kind of magical (yeah - I'm crackers!)

For those of you whose geography, like mine, lacks somewhat then you are now in Northern Ireland where petrol is back to 82 pence a litre, you can smoke in a pub and number plates are yellow just like England!









Later that year when we nipped back in the car!

It was time to treat Alison to the anniversary meal that she never got so we found a pub that looked promising and walked through the unassuming door of same pub to find ourselves in a posh looking restaurant. We however didn't feel dressed well l enough so turned around to go around to the other side of the building wishing to opt for a bar snack or steak in there. We soon got talking to the locals and they confirmed that our already spied lay by down the road, tucked away behind the trees was fine for the night.

We ordered our food and the staff suggested that we might be more comfortable in the lounge. Fair enough we thought - this room was the vault and we were likely to be interrupted by the local darts or snooker team. "Where is the lounge" I asked with the reply "just through here" pointed a local however I could see no door. I decided to wait until our waitress announced that our meal was ready before panicking about the lounge location.

It was announced that the food was ready and we were ushered behind the 'vault' bar, passed the till, through the lounge bar, down a couple of steps past another till and into the posh restaurant we had avoided in the first instance! We had our first 'sit down at the table meal' since our arrival that night and lovely it was. We snuck back to the lay-by, refusing an offer to park the van up in the pub car park (or another pub down the road if you prefer) for another successful free nights camping.

We travelled to Strangford Lough the next day . The castle at Strangford is a small one but still worth a look and gives an opportunity to view the Lough from the other side. We set off in search of a campsite which we found at Ballywhiskin which essentially is crap as no tourers ever use it, they therefore never clean the toilets or the shower and explain that the water comes out of the brown "because it doesn't get used very often" Oh good - that explains it then.









Nice sign - thats all!

We headed to Belfast the next day - not intending to stay in the city but I just fancied a cruise around it. That lasted about half an hour - its just a big city to be and I wanted to get to Carrickfergus another location sung about not only by Van the Man but a string of Irish songsters as long as your arm. A huge castle awaits at Carrickfergus as does the Carrickfergus Co-op where we can perhaps get Alison transferred to (she works at the Pharmacy in Poynton Co-op)









On the front at Carrickfergus - before this day only ever a dream

I engaged in one of the most bizarre conversations of the trip ( and there was a few of them) on the old Quay talking to an old guy whose dog clearly had one of the most disastrous cases of diorrehha known to man or beast. I was clearly the only person who noticed this as he didn't bat an eyelid as the mutt crapped at least three times - each one getting more like rusty water - around us. Afraid I might get trapped on the quay as the tide of ****e prevented me returning to the van I politely reminded him that his wife had been waving at him for the past ten minutes - presumably off to the Carrickfergus Co-op to get some Kaolin and Morphine for the dogs dickie gut!

He did tell us to try (aptly, Port Muck) - not the newly acquired name of Carrickfergus Quay, but a beautiful spot about 15 miles away and it is truly the place that time forgot. We couldn't stay there as there was a huge 'No camping' sign. All hints to the local fishermen and harbour master fell of deaf ears - I checked my shoes for a possible cause of offensive odour - but it mustn't have been our lucky day for once. We did stop for a glance at the papers, a glass or Irish cider and a few olives before setting off back towards Belfast to set up camp near to the Airport. We were picking up the children who were flying over from Liverpool to meet up with us in time for the North Coast run with the Northern Beetle Owners Club who we had made contact with before our trip via the Internet.

Although we found a nice car park near Antrim we decided that it seemed a bit lively for camping with one or two Nova-boys and bikers showing off so opted for the municipal run campsite next door for a princely £9. Showers, bogs, use of the leisure centre were all included. Jim Davidson was on the telly again, I could see the harbour and all was right with the world.

The children were bang on time at the airport and we set off up towards Coleraine to meet our Irish friends. Our campsite had been booked and in true Irish manner although being called O'Sheas (or similar) was actually signposted something entirely different causing us to drive in and then out again, asking at the local shops and being directed right back to the same place. It was indeed the correct place!

Just As the first NBOC member arrived it started to lash it down and did so for about half an hour. I had just put the BBQ table out ready to set up for the night and had visions of me frying/boiling everything that we had bought. I was wrong as it stopped raining and was then lovely all evening.

We were made very welcome by all the NBOC guys and spent until 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning making sure that the local brew didn't 'go off'. A drunken visiting teenager from Holland must have thought he had died and gone to heaven when he got back from the pub to find his tent surround by all manner of old VWs. He sat with us for a while announcing that he had an old VW "with the rusting". Seems it was a 1302S - so I was in good company. My last ditch attempt to get to bed was foiled by Tony from Stoke who was working in Ireland on the pipeline from Carrickfergus to Portrush - nothing to do with the dog on the quay I hope.

A leisurely start to Sunday morning nursing hangovers meant a mid-day run to the local Safeway car park to meet up with some more folk making their way up from Ballymena so that we could start our trip along the coast road up to Giants Causeway.

The local BBC (Northern Ireland) were following our progress for a brief film report to follow the news in the week. I was chosen for one of the interviews as we had ventured so far. Natural born 'media whore'!

The 25 strong convoy of vans, buggies and Beetles was quite a sight - even in the North old cars are scarce albeit not as bad as the south.

The causeway itself is amazing with thousands of rock columns poking out of the sea - the result of a volcanic eruption millions of years ago - a natural sculpture as it were. We then followed the coast road to the port at Ballycastle for a final line up on the docks and a final photo opportunity.

At this point we had to say our goodbyes to NBOC as we had to get back down to Dublin for the ferry the next morning and really wanted to get as close to the port as we could. Our final night in Ireland was a cramped one as we stopped on the harbour with no room for the children's tent so 'six foot' Chris folded himself up in the front cab of the camper whilst Kirsty, Alison and myself slept 'top to tail' style on the bed. Very, very cosy.

So 1254 miles after a very rocky start we made it around Ireland virtually in one piece having seen some wonderful sights. I have promised to return and catch some of the bits that we missed and to return to a couple of favourites. I'll let you know!


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Thanks for posting this. It looks a great place to visit, and accounts like yours only reinforces that desire.

Gerald


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## aido (May 17, 2005)

*post subject*

Paul& Alison;
Great report on your holiday, Sadly lots of things are changing here its getting more difficult to find anyone who speaks english anymore, the Country seems to be full of Eastern Europeans.........aido


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

We have been back to Ireland four times since my scribbles - once in our camper, again in a car and hotel-ed it - because we left the car there, went back in the TT and last time flew there and back for a quick weekend...

Your comment about East Europoens noted as the first person we spoke to in Dublin last time was a 'pole' 40 miles outside the city.

Its the same in Edinburgh at the moment - shame really


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

Was it really four years ago! Eeek 

We are back over in two weeks time - this time we are going over in the T4  Ring of Kerry


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