This page is about the week we spent in Ireland in May 2007.

 We had booked with the Seasons Holidays group and had paid this year fee to go away at any time. We decided that we would like to visit Ireland and booked at the Knocktopher Abbey resort. It was very nice, but in the end found to not be as disabled friendly as we needed and we will not go back to that one.

 However, the trip went as follows. First of all we booked on the 2.45 am Ferry from Pembroke to Rosslare. That gave us a full day in Ireland on the Saturday but did mean a long days travel to get there as we had to leave home at 10.30 pm on Friday to get to Pembroke.

 We got to Rosslare at 06.30 on Saturday morning with about an hours drive to the resort. There was no rush as we could not book in until at least 10.30. So a nice slow steady drive to see where we had ended up.

 The first impressions when you get to somewhere you have not been are always the best ones, and my first impression of South East Ireland was of a prosperous thriving very beautiful country. I would be told later on that there was a lot of poverty in Ireland, but that sunny Saturday morning looking at the lovely homes and the new building going on it certainly did not look like it.

 Ireland has always been thought of as a beautiful country and it certainly is. Wherever you drive there is stunning scenery to look at. Green is the colour of Ireland and you can see why as there are hundreds of different shades of the colour over the land.

 You would expect to find some bad tempered people wherever you go and Ireland should be no different yes? With all its troubles of the years, the must be some bad tempered people you would think. However we did not meet one, as the whole nation seemed to be made of kind generous people that would go out of their way to help, and were always friendly and pleasant.

The roads of Ireland do let them down though. There are good roads in Ireland but not enough of them. There are not many Motorways, (Freeways) but they are slowly building more. From a tourist’s point of view, it is not too bad as you get to drive through some stunning countryside and there is generally no rush. But if I was driving one of the huge lorry’s that have to negotiate these narrow roads I would have a different view I think. And some of the roads are simply atrocious, badly maintained and potholed. Ireland, if you do not want to spend a fortune on huge Motorways that is your choice but at least maintain the ones you have.

The first day of course was spent getting to our resort and settling in. On the way we passed a sign for a horse show not far from the place that we were going to. So that seemed a good way to spend that afternoon with a pleasant afternoon out. The horse show was in Thomatown Jumping results and we went along to have a look. There was no fee to go in, it was just go on in and have a look around’ and it was a very pleasant afternoon, I took a lot ofOn the Sunday we had been told that there was a music festival in Kilkenny about 12 miles away. I was expecting bands in the streets, but it turned out they were all in pubs and not until later in the day. We did not feel like staying so had a look around this small pretty town and went on. We ended up back at the horse show to see some more of the jumping.

 On Monday we went to the Waterford Crystal factory in Waterford. This of course is a ‘must do’ if you are ever in this part. The weather had started to turn a bit rainy by then, so the journey was in the end just going to be to the Factory and nothing else. I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. The beauty of the products is fascinating and the tour that we paid to go on was worth every penny. There were coach loads of American visitors there as they love it. It was a bank holiday weekend so the factory was not going at full strength, just a few workers to show us what happens. But you could see that the place would be buzzing on a normal day. photos, and have put in an album here, with all the other albums at the bottom of this page.

On Tuesday we drove to Tipperary over to the west. I had underestimated the time it would take to drive there as it was a fair way. But it was a lovely drive, and Tipperary itself is a lovely small town. Nothing special and similar to many others, but the drive is worth it through some stunning scenery. In the evening we had an ‘Irish Night’ planned at our resort. This was a four course meal, and a band playing real Irish music all night. It was a very good night and the few photos that I took can be viewed by clicking on the photo album.

On the Wednesday we went to Dublin. I had arranged to meet a pen pal there that I had been writing to for several years. Before we went, a girl at the resort said that I should never try to drive in to Dublin. She advised me to stop at the Red Cow and get a tram in. I thought ‘is she mad’? The cow will shit on the car and trams have died out 50 years ago. However when we got there it all became clear. The Red Cow is a parking space for about 700 cars and you then get on a modern state of the art tram called the Luas. As someone who has been in public transport for most of my working life I found this brilliant.

 Dublin is a lovely city and well worth the visit. Extremely busy and obviously a thriving place. There are a lot of beggars though on most corners. Mostly immigrants by the look of them, and I was told that it was common to see them. We met a pen pal that I have been writing to for several years, and it was great to finally meet and say hello. Cheryl it was great to meet after all these years. I took just a few photos there, and to see them click album.

On Thursday we went to Altamont Gardens near Tullow in County Carlow. A lovely restored gardens and very beautiful to look at. The only problem was that the walk down to the lake is down hill, and trying to push the wheelchair back up the steep slope nearly broke me. However there is no charge to go in, and the place is well worth a visit.

On Friday we had decided to go to the races. I had spotted the advert on the way here and they were in Wexford not far from Rosslare. Well on that day the rain had decided to come down in earnest and was really pouring down. But in the afternoon it eased down so we decided to go. By the time we got there it had been raining on and off quite badly, and when I asked what time the race started I was told 5.30 pm! Well I was not going to wait that long and we thought that as the weather was getting worse and the forecast was for more, we would try to get home early. So we contacted the ferry company and the said no problem for a £10 charge we can change the booking. So it was a quick pack of the cases and back to Rosslare for the 9.00 pm ferry. We got back home at about 3.00 am the next day, knackered!

Altimont gardens Ireland

Dublin May 2007

Waterford Crystal

Thomastown horse show