Cead Mile Failte !

I’d had a good nights sleep on the Oscar Wilde, a gentle swell, and purr from the engines keeping me snoozing till dawn.. I’d got up, been showered and changed before finding out it was still only 7-10 a.m. ! Ah well, it was fine,although cloudy outside, with no land in sight !

I continued catching up on my emails etc, before treating myself to ‘waiter service’ Breakfast in the restaurant, and sat munching for almost my allotted hour !, great value for      $14-55 !!

Now I’m ready for Ireland… but is it ready for me ?

and

Where to go…I suppose I’ll have to get a map !!- well I thought about it, and realised that the one I’ve already got should be sufficient, whilst I can get some ‘freebies’ from Tourist information…can’t I ?

I drove off the boat shortly before 12 noon ( Irish time !), and initially drove up towards and through Wexford, then along the coast, taking some minor road to Arthurstown…where the road ended !- I could have got a ferry across to Waterford…but didn’t and returned back inland, and continued  traversing along the southern coast, heading westwards… through and into Waterford, which was extremely busy, perhaps the rain that had welcomed ! me to Ireland, had encouraged everyone to the shops…I had hoped to stop at the Waterford crystal factory, which was right in the centre, and so busy…I didn’t bother…

then further along the coast road, and looking down on the coastal inlets , and whilst getting tired I’d deviated down a real rural road, and come upon some signs ‘Michael Collins Birthplace’… realising who he was ( a leader of the IRA, in the Easter Rising in 1916,eventually assassinated by his own…) I thought I should go and have a look, which I did..to find the remains of his birth house, and also the house where he was brought up, and burnt down by the British Army, in the War..  not really much to see though… whilst there I chatted to a local farmer (who had just returned from a holiday in England and Scotland !) he recommended a nearby campsite at Timoleague, near Clonakilty – Sykes Farm , which I headed for and booked in for the night at a reasonable $20 ! and I settled down for an early night (in the rain )

So, I’ll wish you all an Irish ‘Good Night’ !