Ireland Tour 2010
May 2010
Having toured the southern half of Ireland in 2009 with John, Brendan and Ireland 1, which was brilliant, Lesley and I thought it only reasonable to tour the northern half of Ireland with the same team. We decided to take the ferry from Holyhead this time straight into Dublin where the first nights stay was at the Jury’s Inn Hotel. We stayed AT the Travelodge at Holyhead, which is basic but clean with several eating places close by. I managed to mislay my bike key just prior to joining the ferry and held up about 20 Hairy Bikers as I was at the front of the queue with lines of cars either side.
We had a very calm crossing and two hours later landed in Dublin where Steve Tromans from England XIII led us to the Hotel using his satnav. We had a very scenic tour to the Hotel being told to make illegal turns. We unpacked and parked the bikes around the corner in Dublin Castle HQ of the Garda traffic division, meeting old and new friends alike during the evenings’ activities. Dag a friend from Norway 1 arranged for about 25 of us to eat at a converted Church in the centre of Dublin, the restaurant of course was called the Church. It had a large oval bar in the centre of the church with table and chairs all around, where the alter would have been was where the local musicians sat to entertain us, a gallery which went right around the church was the main restaurant, outside a large decked area with table and chairs, very good food at reasonable price.
Day one Monday, started with a good Irish breakfast and all of our baggage placed in a support vehicle to meet up with us at our next Hotel, this happened throughout the Tour with also a support breakdown vehicle following on which could be called up in case of an emergency to transport you and the bike to the next Hotel so you were not stuck on the side of the road. We had the normal brief by Brendan stood on his wall dividing the 116 riders and pillions into manageable groups with a ride captain to lead the way. The Pack came from Germany V, Belgium IX, England XIII, Scotland 1, Norway 1, Belgium IX, Austria IV, England II, Austria III, Utah IV, GMC, Virginia II, PSNI, California VII, Germany XVIII, Wales 1, Germany XI, Germany VII, Germany XII, France V, Ireland 1, England XIV and Cmpn Tours, these are not Blue knights but a French Police Motorcycle Club, who looked after Ireland 1 members when they visited France.
Lesley and I decided to join up with our friends Ronnie and Carmen, Luc and Nelly, and Pieter and Valerie all from Belgium IX, with Dag from Norway 1 joining us from time to time. We made our way along the north east coast of Ireland via Carlingford and Strangford Loughs, some visiting Stormont Castle built in 1928 for £1,250,000 the seat of the Northern Ireland parliament others the Guinness storehouse during the day. We stopped off at a little bar at warren point, where all the TV coverage of the past troubles in Ireland come flooding back with the Flags flying from all the lamp posts painted kerbs, red white and blue, sides of buildings painted to portray ones allegiances, also the fortified police stations along the way. It seemed strange as we travelled along, sometimes we had English road signs, the next minute Irish depending on what side of the boarder you were flitting in and out of and of course the currency changed from Euros to GB Pounds and back again. Some of the party visited the Garda Museum whilst I couldn’t refuse the offer of homemade cake and sandwiches at Kenny’s Place. Kenny a police officer invites Blue Knights form all over the world to stay at his beautiful house overlooking a bay with golden sands at the bottom of his garden, which his friend says he doesn’t appreciate as he built a garage and parked his fishing boat in the back garden blocking the views. Kenny’s wife and mum (who live next door) put on a magnificent display for us of pizza, sandwiches biscuits tea coffee soft drinks etc, but the best was Kenny’s mums chocolate cake, it was to die for, so I had a few slices so as not to offend of course. After we had our fill and a Photo session to record the fact we headed off, joining up with the other half of the group just before our nights stay at the Ramada Hotel on the outskirts of Belfast.
On the Tuesday we set of on the acclaimed A2 coast Road, I saw it on a documentary on the TV and have always wanted to travel along it and now I had my chance with its magnificent coastal views and coast hugging road. We stopped off on route to take some photos of Carrickfurgus Castle built in 1180 and was in continuous use until 1928 defending Belfast Lough. Then on to the famous Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge which hangs 25mn(80ft) above the sea and wobbles a lot as you go across the 20m (65ft) chasm, this is where Matt from England XII popped the question to Becky, she accepted of course (If she didn’t would he have thrown her over the bridge??? We’ll never know) Then on to The Giants Causeway, an estimated 37,000 basalt columns which generally measures 30cm (12in) across. This is where the Giant Finn MacCool laid it down to reach the lady he loved who lived on the Island of Staffa, it’s a long old walk down, but caught the bus back up for 1 Euro. We then went to the old Bushmills Distillery, (well you have to don’t you) dating from 1608, where I bought myself a nice bottle of Black Bush. Then onto Joey Dunlop’s Bar, and the Memorial put up to him and his brother Robert Dunlop both famous TT Racers. After a drink in the bar and the purchase of a Joey Dunlop cap, as the Germans and Belgium’s seemed to have bought out the whole stock of T-Shirts between them, We took a leisurely ride through stunning countryside to catch the Greencastle to Magilligan Ferry where I looked around the 1812 Martello Tower built to protect the peninsular where we met up with the rest of the tour to board the ferry then on to our Hotel the Carlton Redcastle situated on the banks of Lough Foyle complete with its own Golf Course. In the evening we had a semi formal dinner with a few announcements followed by Traditional Irish Musical entertainment from a local who played a variety of instruments and sang, accompanied at times by a Blue Knight from England 11 on his guitar.
On Wednesday we decided to travel around the stunning Inishowen Peninsular some 100 miles on mostly roads you could only describe as Farm tracks, only six feet across at most with stone walls either side two feet of gravel and potholes either side of the raised grass centre section, made interesting riding especially when you met other vehicles coming towards you, but saying that the views were stunning. We visited Inishowen head with its Lighthouse and beautiful bay, then on to the most northerly point of Ireland Malin Head having gone across The Gap of Mamore 820ft above sea level offering panoramic views across Inishowen. We stopped at the most Northely Pub at Malin Head but alas it was shut, so we headed down to the west coast and on to Derry (Londonderry) as it was a beautiful walled city. In need of refreshment we went into a fantastic multicultural Bar called SANDINOS Café Bar, served beers from all over the world, a haunt for foreign students. A Maori gentleman sat in one corner of the bar drawing fantastic Maori/Celtic designs, which he commissioned as artwork or for tattoos. We then visited what we thought to be a Cathedral but turned out to be Derry Guildhall, built in 1887 for £19000. The chandeliers cost £1800 each and there are five of them. We were invited it by a really nice security guard who took us around and explained the history and how it was partially destroyed by an IED during the conflict. It contains Magnificent Stain glass windows and a Huge Organ built in 1914 at a cost of £897 and has 3,132 pipes which take up the whole end of the main hall some 101ft by 50ft. A quick walk around the city walls then back to the hotel.
On Thursday we headed on to Donegal across north western Atlantic route amongst stunning scenery a culmination of countryside, hills, mountains and vales, it was hard at times to concentrate on the riding the scenery was so stunning, riding through the Derryveagh Mountains. It was at a view pint up a mountain, with a sloping lay-by; we decided to stop and take photos, whilst doing so my bike decided to join us and rolled back down the slope and fell on its side damaging the wing mirror and brake lever, with a few minor scratches. Luckily the standard fitted roll bars took most of the impact, and the bike was still rideable. I noticed afterwards I had parked on a large patch of deisel and what with the slope diesel and high winds it all added up to accident waiting to happen, oh and of course I forgot to leave the bike in gear, my fault. We then travelled on through Killybegs to the Slieve League, which is reputed to be the Highest Cliff face in the whole of Europe, with its sheer cliffs tinged with red ochre and amber and tower some 598m (1,972 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean not a place for the faint hearted or those suffering from vertigo. The sheep were amazing clinging to the shear edges of the cliffs, feeding with the very young lambs in tow, which you feared for their lives every time they moved. Then on to our hotel The Mill Park Hotel where the local press turned up for an interview and a photo shoot of the bikes and riders. He took so long to set it all up and the rain started that half the tour decided that we would watch from the bar with a nice pint of Guinness or Smethwick’s a really good Irish Ale, recommended if you are not a Guinness fan.
Friday we set off to Galway via Lough Conn, Westport, through the Partry Mountains, along the Connemara National Park, Kylemore and Clifden, we stopped off at Clancy’s Bar at Glenfarne where 
John and his wife Assumpta, (She reminded me of the TV programme Ballykissangel) supplied free refreshments to the tour party, a really nice gesture and very welcomed. It was again another day of stunning scenery and fantastic riding on some roads that were made to test your riding skills to the limit. We stopped for lunch at my place, Muddy Burns Bar and Restaurant, where they served FOOD ALL DAY, (well they would in a place called MUDDY’s), and no I didn’t burn the bar and restaurant, it’s a malicious rumour. The Raddison Blue Hotel situated close to the centre of the City was a magnificent venue, with stunning views, well from our room anyway. In the evening we decided to go into the City for a meal and sample the delights of Galway. We found Quays Street which contained several eateries many specialising in sea food, but we opted for an Italian in the Trattoria Magnetti which I can recommend. Then on to a Pub with Irish singers, playing a variety of instruments, to be followed (stood in a boat in the bar) by Pat O’Neil who sang traditional Irish Songs. Pat was a member of the Outlaws Motorcycle Gang and another Member arrived on his H-D with him. Pieter ended up being his roadie helping bring in his amps etc, also taking some photos, whilst wearing his Blue Knights colours. Ronnie asked if he could have a photo with Pat O’Neil and his friend to which they agreed, so Ronnie stood in between them for the photo. Ronnie explained afterwards that he only had thirteen weeks before he retired, and that he was going to pin the photo on his bosses door on his last day saying this was how to go undercover, as his boss, who was undercover, and trying to gain info on outlaw motorcycle clubs, (without too much success).
Saturday we decided to go on to the Cliffs of Moher, so we rode along the coast road through a strange area of Ireland called The BURREN, which consists of a vast plateau of Limestone, situated in the northwest of County Clare. It has its own climate which allows many species of Alpine plants to grow there quite happily in the large cracks and fishers of the plateau. At the Cliffs’ of Moher we were greeted with sea mist and at first unable to see the cliffs that rise some 200m (650ft) above the Atlantic Ocean, extending some 8 km (5miles). The cliffs are made up of black shale and sandstone a favourite nesting place for guillemots and other sea birds nests. The mist soon lifted and we had magnificent views of the cliffs and surrounding areas. Coaches full of tourists flooded into the Visitors centre, many had left without seeing the cliffs due to the mist, and they don’t know what they missed. After climbing all over the cliffs, a favourite spot for the suicide jumpers, the Samaritans have they telephone number plastered everywhere, we decided to move on as the sun was now shining. We found a lovely little pub in a village I think called Kilfenora, really oldie worldly with large photo frames depicting the people and events in the village over hundreds of years. Lesley had a guided tour of the pub complete with its history from the Landlord while I ate toasted sarnies and drank a pint of shandy made with Irish brown lemonade, which amused our Belgian friends with us; Carmen was introduced to Cider with a Guinness top, which she really enjoyed. Back on to the Hotel for the formal Dinner evening with everyone dressed in their finest. Photos taken of the tour were displayed on a large screen in the room as we ate, reminding us of events we had already forgotten as so much had gone on during the weeks tour.
Sunday up early and pack the bike for the final journey across Ireland from Galway to Dublin’s ferry Port of Dun Laoghaire some 234 kilometres. The Irish had built a nice new motorway since our last visit in 2009, which made for pleasant steady riding, apart from the two Toll Points, 2 Euros and 1 euro tolls. Having got in a little early due to motorway all the way apart from two roads from the ferry port, we past it by and followed the coast to a lovely Bay where we stopped and stretched our legs watching the locals swimming in the sea. Just as we were about to ride onto the ferry Steve, Leone, Matt and Becky arrived, they had stopped for a drink on the way and Steve’s satnav true to form had taken them through Dublin and roadwork’s so only made it by the skin of their teeth. Good calm crossing to Holyhead where we departed through Wales stopping at an OK Dinner just outside of Hereford for Dinner, real nice food and you can have as many drinks top ups as you can drink my sort of place. I decided to take the scenic route through Monmouth and the Forest of Dean, arriving home tired and weary at 2130, but glad that I had done the tour. John, Brendan and the boys, (and Girls) form Ireland 1 did a magnificent job and our heartfelt thanks go out to them for the excellent service they provided. If you get the chance to do a Blue Knights tour of Ireland I would thoroughly recommend it. The total milage for our trip was a staggering 1,620 miles.