Ireland

Barely got my breath back from the return from Nepal and we were off to Ireland for the "Norton" meet at the Beara peninsula in the deep South West. I opted for the T3 in the hope of hassle free riding, that proved half right! Alex and I left on Wednesday, good run to Cairnryan and a good boat trip to Belfast, we stayed the night with our friend Bernadette in Newry. Her sister and brother in law were also there and a grand night was had by all with genuine Irish hospitality to the fore. Thursday we set off and headed across country avoiding main roads where possible and ended up just South of Limerick in Adare which is a pretty tourist town. Friday we ran down to Kilmackilogue and our place of stay for the weekend. Normally we have a run over the Healey pass on the Saturday but there were 3000 cyclists with that idea. Fiona had to work so flew to Dublin and hired a car arriving at Kilmac at 1am, the bar as always was still open! We had a run into Kenmare on Saturday and enjoyed chilling out having lunch and watching some "queer shapit" folk finishing the cycle race. A great weekend organised by Martin Connachy, great to see everyone again and full marks to John Martin for making the trip over from Texas. Much drinking and hilarity all weekend and Sunday sad to leave to head for Dublin, we took the main road with Fi following in the hire car, my perfect running Guzzi on Friday had turned all temperamental and Italian on me on Sunday so I was glad to get into Dublin without incident. Sunday night and Dublin was still buzzing, a few pints in the Temple area and then we were joined by an old racing pal of mines Richie Gavin who stays in Dublin, we hadn't seen each other since the early 90's when we were both aspiring Isle of Man competitors, plenty craic and great to see Richie again. Fi left for her flight on Monday whilst Alex and I rode back to Belfast in heavy rain, the rain followed us but did let up for the last 25 miles, I arrived home wt, cold but happy to have made it without mechanical incident, good company, good craic, what more can you ask for?

Guzzi still clean

Tony, Bernies brother in law try's Alex's bike for size

Lunch stop, warm & Sunny

Lunch stop Friday, still warm but not so sunny. Bert will be interested in the truck!

Leaden Sky's

But Martin is cheery enough

Saturday sun

Our home for the weekend

Nice spot

Pretty

Men in Lycra. Not so pretty

Fi meets Minnie and Micky

Kenmare

Kenmare

Cool fishing boat

Tasty Escorts were at the hotel when we got back

Luke on his Condor V twin

Unusual

A brace of Nortons, old and new

Hugh enjoying a beer and a moan no doubt

Guiness and food, braw

Luke on good form

Nice part of the world

Classic road racer Mark Connoly with one of his sons

Helen, our host for the weekend

Fi try's the Vinnie for size

Fi Martin and Andrea pose with the Vincent

Dublin so it has to be a pub

Alex and Fi at the bar

Then we went here

With Richie, we were both a bit thinner and had blacker hair the last time we met!

Dublin by twilight