I'm taking some poetic licence here. I'm ignoring the border between Eire and Northern Ireland. A border that had caused so much political turmoil, but which in reality doesn't exist. When you drive from one to another the only change is that the road signs are in English and Gaelic in the south.
We spent very little time in Belfast. Enough time to see the Falls Road art commemorating "The Troubles". Enough time for a coffee. A quick drive around. I'd not been here before - our 1969 hitch-hiking trip had been in the middle of the troubles and we had avoided it. But time on this trip is of the essence, so off to Dublin we went.
Dublin was on the hitch-hiking itinerary. I remember we were stood up by a couple of Irish boys we'd met on the west coast who seemed keen to see us again. Not so, as it turned out. Then I spent 4 days here with my daughter in 2005. We went and saw the fascinating Newgrange neolithic tomb. Although, to be accurate, I think it was more fascinating to me than to my daughter. On this trip we went out to Glendalough. This is a ruined settlement and abbey from the time of St Kevin. Apparently the community was fiercely Catholic, but there was little communication with Rome, and so the priests didn't know that the Vatican had decided that all priests were to live celibate lives. They didn't find out for about 300 years! It was beautiful and the graveyard was full of those beautiful celtic crosses.
From Dublin we went south, through Kilkenny and to Waterford. Naturally we went to the Waterford crystal showroom. Amazing glass at amazing prices, although apparently it's now made in Eastern Europe. We wandered around and concentrated on not sneezing, or tripping ot waving our arms about. Quick way to max out the credit card.....
Before we knew it we were heading for another ferry, and off into Wales.
