Mullingar Fleadh 2023 by Cosmo

So today we’re going to let you know all about our time at the huge Mullingar Fleadh (pronounced flar….rhymes with car). Fleadh Cheoil translates to Festival of Music. Every summer, a host town on the island of Ireland welcomes musicians, dancers and performers from across the globe for a rip-roaring traditional music celebration. At Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the world’s largest annual festival of Irish music, you can expect street performers, intimate concerts, big-name acts and over 150 competitions showcasing the very best of traditional music talent. This was the second year at Mullingar & the IWAI ran an event called Float to the Fleadh in conjunction w with it. It is one of the reasons we chose to cruise The Royal canal this year as next year it will be at Wexford so not on the inland waterways.

So we departed our moorings in Thomastown & headed up in a small convoy of boats to Mullingar. There were 5 convoys coming altogether 4 from the Shannon directions & our one from the Dublin direction making a fleet of over 30 boats moored in Mullingar harbour. You’d never get that many boats normally moving all year on the canal so this was quite a spectacle for people to see.

We got a bankside mooring so we could get off easy. Mum went for a wander round the town before the main fleadh started & checked out all the shop windows which are decorated up specially. The fleadh runs for 8 days encompassing 2 weekends.

Once the fleadh started there was music everywhere in ticketed venues, in pubs, on stage at the big gig rig & impromptu performances on every street corner. It’s amazing to see all ages of musicians & dancers having a go. We were, however, very relieved mum’s tin whistle didn’t make an appearance! Mum had tickets to see 4 different bands during the fleadh.

It was incredibly well organised with over 500 volunteers doing various roles from litter picking to being a street ambassador to running information centres & much more. Mum had applied quite a while ago to be a volunteer & she had 5 shifts during the fleadh. He shifts went from manning the volunteers kitchen to putting out hundreds of chairs in venues to manning the car parks to accompanying wheelchair visitors around Mullingar to selling wristbands & manning the door during the competitions.

We even got a visit from Leo Varadkar who has served as Taoiseach since December 2022 in Ireland. he came specially to the visitor centre as the very first fleadh was held in a room here in 1951. Incredible that it’s grown from a room to a whole town!

The IWAI also had a program of events for the boaters although due to her volunteering mum couldn’t make many of them. Each afternoon there was a Band on a Boat performance with a different band each time & we sometimes managed to catch that. We had a great time each afternoon barking along to the bands!

The fleadh was also a great time for catching up with old friends & making new friends. Mum spent time with Steve& Christine who were moored beside us, met the infamous Ray Beare before he jetted off to France & also surprised Annie May at her fabulous mosaics exhibition.

On the final afternoon mum enjoyed a bit of chill out time in the hot tubs with Una, Eilbhe & Susie followed by a final BBQ evening where we received our marvellous Float to the Fleadh plaque made of Mullingar Pewter.

Now you’d think after all that mum would have a rest. oh no she’d only one & booked herself on some foam colour run 5K. I mean mum NEVER runs what on earth was going on!! Well apart from the time she nearly died running up a dual carriageway chasing us but we won’t mention that as we’re still not forgiven!! Anyway so as the boats were all departing mum moved us over the other side for a bit of electric & off she set for her colour run. Well it transpires it was a family event & you could walk or even crawl the course is you so wished. Mum had a fabulous time & returned looking very multicoloured despite having had half a shower in Toddy.

That evening she trotted out with her bright blue hair for drinks & food with some of the remaining boaters. The next day was our turn to depart & we bade farewell to Mullingar Harbour & cruised to Coolnahay. we had new neighbours here or should it be eeyorebours!!

That evening mum returned to Mullingar as there was a big party on for the volunteers & she returned later in Toddy.

Tuesday we cruised down the 10 locks with 3 other boats to Ballynacargy where we planned to stay for a few days. After one final night in yet another pub we bade farewell to the other boats as they moved onwards & we stayed for a few days. Mum cycled back for Toddy so we’re all reunited ready for our next leg of our journey.

For those of you who know here it’ll come as no surprise to know mum made it into the local papers during the fleadh too.

Toddy back in action as we head north by Daquiri

We got Toddy back from the garage & awaited our MOT re-test date with bated breath. It was different here as the welding was left as bare metal so the test centre can see its been done then it goes back to the garage for sealing. this time we had to up towards Belfast for the re-test as it was only centre we could get in within our 21 days timeframe. We spent the first night on the way at Lough Ross. Although a nice spot the weather was abysmal incessant rain.

The next day we headed north & spent the day in Newcastle. It was actually mums birthday so her being her treated herself to a trip on the big wheel there so she could get aerial shots of Toddy. Thank God she didn’t take us. Newcastle is a lovely seaside town though yet again we were dodging the rain showers. Mum was happy though as she managed to find an open air swimming pool for a swim.

For the evening mum had booked a newly opened campsite which promised spectacular views & we weren’t disappointed. Called The travellers Rest at Castlewellan we even got treated to a rainbow.

Finally the dreaded MOT day dawned & we headed off to the test centre. There was much relief when Toddy passed mum was very happy again. We’d planned if he passed to make a few days out of our break but if he hadn’t we’d have had to go straight home. So with a spring in our driving we headed northwards up the coast. We stopped for walkies at Carrickfergus which had a great aire section for campers in the car park. We didn’t use this as we were all sorted having just been on a campsite. We had nice walkies past the marina & castle. Carrickfergus Marina is situated on the north shore of Belfast Lough overlooked by the town’s medieval 12th century Norman Castle. There’s also the Radar Tower; an abandoned shipping control tower looks like a satellite perched at the end of a pier.  Unlike many other castles of this era, Carrickfergus Castle sits in excellent condition. In fact, despite being besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French, and playing an important military role until 1928, it’s one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland and the only preserved castle of its age open to the public. 

It was a big busy car park here so we chose not to stay overnight but instead headed out to Whitehead which was a perfect spot. A great location with pretty coloured houses & a great coastal walk that mum did between the rain showers. She deemed it too far for us & is probably right! We got both a beautiful sunset & sunrise here.

The next day dawned even more wet & miserable. We planned to drive up the coast & stop along the way but we just drove straight to our end destination of Ballycastle. By some miracle it actually brightened up. Ballycastle was packed & we shoehorned Toddy into a carpark. Mum went on a wander to get her bearings & came back proud as punch having booked herself into the seaweed baths there. Mum Started her experience in a steam cabinet for approximately 5-10 minutes to open her pores to aid absorption of the many minerals and vitamins of the seaweed then immersed herself in a seaweed bath and relaxed while enjoying the North Coast views as it had a one way window while in the bath. Mum ssid it was funny watching people walk past luckily they couldn’t see mum!

After her pampering session she watched the Rathlin ferry come in as she’d booked that for the next day. Then she managed to move Toddy to a better car park for us right by the park by the beach. Ballycastle had just been nominated as one of the best beaches in NI so it was a great spot for the night before mum caught her ferry.

So the morning dawned & off she went on her ferry trip on a mission to see puffins. They breed in May/June & were still around in July so her visit was well timed. The ferry to Rathlin Island travels just six miles across the Sea of Moyle. This island is six miles long, one mile wide, “L” shaped and home to a slowly increasing population of around 140 people. The waters of Rathlin have many tales lying beneath the surface: a popular place for wreck divers, Rathlin Island has over 40 shipwrecks dotted around its coast. Three of the most famous; the HMS Drake, SS Lugano and HMS Brisk, were sunk during World War I, with the HMS Drake having the title of a listed monument to that war. The ferry took about 40 mins & on arrival mum jumped on Bert’s puffin bus up to the RSPB Seabird Centre. It was quite a long way down (mum was mindful she’d need to come back up) but well worth it as mum saw loads of puffins. Unfortunately no photos as you could only see them through binoculars. Mum also got to visit the quirky upside down lighthouse there too with the light at the bottom of the tower. After her visit mum caught the fast ferry back & came in looking rather bedraggled!

Once back after quick walkies we headed off to another car park at Portaneevy that mum had her eye on. She’d grabbed some tea from Moran’s in Ballycastle as it was billed as one of the best chippers. Fortuitously for us she’d bought extra sausages which we monitored very closely!! It had an amazing view there & we had an extra surprise when a convoy of classic cars turned up on their way to a golf dinner.

Next day she was off on another of her hair brained adventures & again we were glad we weren’t taken with her. We visited the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge where we’d been before during covid but the bridge was closed Luckily this time it was open so she was chomping at the bit to cross it. The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge has woven its way between Carrick Island and the County Antrim mainland for over 250 years. Swaying 30 metres above the ocean might not seem like the most relaxing way to undertake this 20-metre journey, but things have come a long way. Back in the 1970s, the crossing comprised just one handrail and a handful of gapped wooden planks. Today, although there’s a subtle shake to this sturdy bridge – just enough to thrill you – you’re in far safer hands. Mum absolutely loved it & the rain held off.

In the afternoon we had a quick visit to The Dark Hedges from the Game of Thrones then found a perfect pub car park for our last night as mum had run out of food.

All too soon our little break was over & we headed back to a very wet Golden Boyz. We spent the next couple of days moving the boat & mum cycling back for Toddy in what is now being billed as the wettest July for 82 years in Ireland! Mum felt like she was permanently soaked as the cruising was hard going as there was so much weed in the canal so she also spent a lot of time down her weed hatch. Anyway we made it to Thomastown which was our destination so we were in position to join a convoy of boats going to to Mullingar fleadh the next week.

June’s Jollys by Cosmo (Castleknock to Enfield & many more places!!)

Whilst the boat was moored safely at Confey we sneaked in another weekend well more like 5 days away in Toddy. Mum wanted to go up & visit Nuala & so did we if truth be told so we headed off in the Sligo direction. As we’re not getting into the busier season for campervans we are now sometimes booking ahead in case places are full. Our first stop was the lovely Willowbrook Glamping which was also a campsite for tents & campervans. It was a fabulous site with 3 yurts with hot tubs & lots of land for walkies around the lake. Mum was able to do all the chores of filling up with water & emptying the toilet.

Next we headed up the coast at Aughris & we’d heard great feedback about The Beach Bar there & campervans can park there. We went up fairly early as this one you couldn’t book you juts took pot luck plus there were storms forecast for the afternoon. We got a great spot & the site was as perhaps the name gave a clue right by the beach so we had great walkies. It felt like we were on a tropical island nestled amongst the palm trees. And it definitely felt like it when the weather forecast was correct as we had a hugs storm with thunder & lightning & monsoon rain. The campsite temporarily became one big puddle! Mum went across to the pub in the evening & it was only when she got there & saw all the candles that she realised all the power had gone which was shame as it was one of the few times we’d had electric hook up to Toddy.

The next day mum went off for walkies without us! There was a coastal circuit through the abandoned village of Aughris with spectacular coastal view. It proved a wise move not taking us as partway round there were signs saying no dogs although there was nothing about that restriction on any of the info so a lucky move.

Aughris Village is understood to have been established here in the early part of the 19^th century. From  1841 to 1851 the population decreased from 269 to 207 due to the Famine and emigration. By 1861 the population had increased to 812 but had decreased again to 400 by 1871 due to mass emigration. In 1901 the residents included 3 blacksmiths, 2 dressmakers, 2 publicans, 3 teachers, 2 tailors, 2 shopkeepers, a carpenter, a bootmaker,  a washerwoman and a plasterer. The remains of some of the houses are still visible. The last resident of the village was Sissy Martin, originally from the US, who died in 1993. After a visit to Aughris in 1973 a reporter for the Evening Press published an article  titled ‘The Town That Died.’ Today however, one of the houses has been restored and the hope is that life will continue to return to this area in the future.

Next we headed up closer towards Mullaghmore, On the way we saw signs for Rosses Point which we’d heard was really nice so we stopped there for a quick look. It was very busy as there was a shanty festival on. We saw the well known sculpture Waiting On Shore commemorating women awaiting their husbands returning from sea & also a golden retriever who was very excited about his boat trip as he kept jumping in & out of the tied up boat at The RNLI station! You’d never get us in one!!

Our final stop for the night was the stunning Lissadell Beach. We were able to park up on a grassed area right by the beach. It was a hot afternoon so Daquiri burrowed himself in the sand dunes. We had a cooing paddle even mum came in with us & ten a peaceful evening with a fabulous sunset.

Mum had some work calls the next morning then we were off up to visit Nuala at Mullaghmore. Nuala had told us before that we had to come & visit during the summer as there were spectacular views & Mullaghmore did not disappoint. After they’d finished chatting we headed up & parked with a few other campers along the road at Mullaghmore. After dinner we were treated to one of the most spectacular sunsets we’ve seen since arriving in Ireland & we’ve seen some pretty amazing ones.

We had a quiet night by the road & visited Nuala again the next morning before starting to wind our way home. We found another cracking spot by Dring Lake on the way home. The weather turned a bit wet that afternoon but the lake looked like glass. The next morning it was brighter & mum even went wild swimming in the lake before we headed home.

We reluctantly headed home suspecting this could be our last trip in Toddy for a while as his MOT was due soon. Mum has re-registered Toddy in Northern Ireland so she can get the MOT done over here. It’s quite a different system to the UK all done at government testing centres rather than garages & you have to book online. Despite us booking 4 months prior we only managed to get an appointment on the day the MOT was due.

On returning to Golden Boyz after a bit of van shuffling & farewell drinks with some of the Confey crowd the next day we moved onwards to Kilcock. This time we got a cracking spot right at the end of the jetty put of the way of the canoe polo. It was like having our own private little garden & the weather was pretty pleasant so mum finally got the other gunwhale painted with antislip & repainted one side’s red rail which desperately needed doing. It’s not often we get a bank mooring that makes painting possible. Golden Boyz looks very smart on one side now lol

At this mooring we’re right next to a train station so mum being mum was off doing stuff. She had a free day when it was Dublin Pride & as she’d never been to a Pride parade & the Dublin Paddy’s day one was so good she was off. It proved to be a fantastic colourful fun parade one a very very hot day for Ireland!

Next weekend was dreaded MOT day so mum took Toddy up to Enniskillen to the MOT test centre. However first mum had been advised to have him washed underneath so she called into one of the many garages in the area offering MOT washes. I’m so glad mum left us at home as apparently she had to drive him onto these really steep ramps which was very scarey. It felt like Toddy was practically vertical. Mum kept her foot on the brakes the whole time as well as having the handbrake on it was that steep. Toddy was washed underneath but then it was got worse as the car wash guy told mum to reverse off & then turn round & reverse back onto the ramps. Mum actually thought he was joking when he first said it. If going on forwards was scarey reversing on was terrifying. Mum’s seatbelt was doing its job as otherwise mum would have slid out of her seat! So glad we weren’t in the back hanging on for dear life. Cosmo would never have gone in the van again!! With Toddy all clean mum drove to the MOT centre. It was very slick you were given a lane to get in & mum got out the van while it went through various testing phases in a kind of little conveyor belt system.

Unfortunately the slick system didn’t change the end result as Toddy failed his MOT needing a lot of welding done in 8 different places. Mum was relieved that he didn’t fail on anything else but she has already had masses of work done on him. So mum came home with a very long face but the great garage we have in Dublin took him in straightaway. We have 21 days to put him in for re-test or we end up waiting months again. Unfortunately the garage has found the underneath was worse than thought as there were more holes that had just been hidden under fibreglass fixes. Anyway Toddy is getting lots of tlc & the garage is still aiming to repair him in time for a re-test that we’re booked in for in 8 days so keep fingers & paws crossed for us folks. Toddy has certainly become a very expensive purchase but we do have lots of fun in him. Just a shame he’s spent so many weeks in garages since buying him. Mum is thinking of moving the MOT to a winter date so we don’t lose him in the middle of summer again.

With Toddy away we’re grounded from campervan adventures. Mum moved the boat to Enfield as its the last mooring near to a train station for going to collect him when he’s fixed so we’re waiting here for that now. It’s a pretty spot & near shops so a good place to be.

Up North to see George & we visit our first Dog Cafe by Daquiri

Well after we returned from being cowboys mum had a few days working but then we were off again in Toddy this time heading northwards. Mum was very excited as she had tickets to see George Ezra in Belfast. So we set off a day before as mum had researched a nice spot at Clogherhead where she could see seals again. She went prepared this time with binoculars & we saw lots of seals hanging out round the fishing boats. they’re not daft are they? They’re those little black dots in the photo honest!! It was a gorgeous evening & a great spot

Next day we set off towards Belfast but as we had the whole day to get there mum had booked something she’d wanted to do since it opened; The Game of Thrones Studio Tour. It’s a bit south of Dublin as it’s where some of the indoor scenes were actually filmed. You get to see the sets, costumes & effects & even get your face put up on The Wall of Faces. Mum thoroughly enjoyed it.

Upon leaving there we headed up to Sea Park at Holywood on the outskirts of Dublin for our parkup. It was a great view across the bay & nice walkies up the beach.

From here mum caught the train into Belfast & back for her George Ezra concert.

The next day we started our journey back looking for a different coastal park up on the way back. Mum had put Carlingford into Google maps & before we realised it we were boarding a ferry to cross the lough which was very exciting.

It popped us out a bit south of Carlingford so mum was frantically searching for a new parkup on Park4night during the 20 minute crossing. Luckily she found yet another great one at The Blue Anchor pub. She needed somewhere to eat this time as she had no food left!

From here we headed home the next day. Mum was busy then unpacking the van & moving it onwards onto our next spot as she planned to move Golden Boyz. So the boat was moved up to Confey & we were very pleased to see Eilbhe & Zooky up there who we’d been with in Dublin.

In fact we all went out on a splendid day out firstly we went for a paddle on the beach.

Then get this we went to an amazing dog cafe where we were allowed up on the sofas & they brought us chicken out to eat! There was even a bed in there that doggies can go on. It was mega we didn’t want to go home!!

Cowboys & Heroes by Cosmo

So whilst we’ve been in Dublin you may have noticed Toddy has been Missing In Action. Mum managed to arrange that he went into a garage in Dublin to start tackling a long list of things that need doing on him. The nice guys at Abacus Autos although they were fairly booked up said they’d keep him for the month & start tackling some of the list between their other jobs. One Motorhome repair centre we rang had a waitlist of over 50 vehicles! So one of mum’s first jobs on coming out of Dublin was to collect him & unfortunately pay the bill! Anyway he’s back with his heaters all fixed so we don’t need to freeze this winter, a new power steering rack, a new timing belt & a new starter motor. Next hurdle is the MOT next month. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

So of course no sooner was he back than we were off on Toddy adventures. Earlier in the year mum had bought tickets to the Cowboys & heroes festival up at Drumcoura City; the western ranch we’d visited when moored up at Ballinamore last year. This was one of the few festivals that mum has found that allows doggies on the campsite. We set off Thursday to park nearby so we could arrive early Friday in the hope we’d get a doggie friendly spot. What mum didn’t expect when she booked was that it would be scorching hot all weekend & she would be fretting about us in the van. So Thursday evening was spent at a favourite boat mooring at Keshcarrigan.

The next morning mum drove to the supermarket to stock up on food. This would be our first time properly testing our fridge on gas & it worked a treat & mum enjoyed a daily cornetto from her tiny freezer. It might not be that exciting for some but we haven’t had a freezer for 11 years so mum was very happy. Mum’s planning worked as when we turned up we were one of the first few vans to arrive & we got a superb spot not just by the lake but mum practically parked us in the hedge to try & get us some shade. It worked perfectly as the van went into shade at about 3pm each day so had cooled considerably by the evening when mum went out. She stayed with us in the day so we were able to have all the doors & windows open but curtains closed & it was ok for us thank goodness. It was a glorious spot right by the lake so we could have dips in there to cool off.

Cowboys and Heroes is Ireland’s No.1 award winning Country Music and Americana Festival Drumcoura City, Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim. Mum was particularly looking forward to seeing The Tumbling Paddies playing,

She had a great time watching all the bands & also the Western Horse Riding demo & even had a go at a bit of line dancing.

We met some lovely motorhome owners & had a wonderful weekend in the sunshine.

On Monday it was billed as family day so we decided to leave & drive partway home. Mum found us a cool shady parkup right alongside the river Boyne in Navan. She even found a disused lock to look at.

So that’s it we’re festival doggies now! Yee ha!!!!

Duracell’s Bunny Twin Part 2 by Cosmo (Dublin)

Oops yet again we’re behind with our blog. No surprise the amount of stuff mum gets up to. Anyway here is the photo blog of the second half of our stay in Dublin.

Now it had to happen mum had that much stuff booked that something would go astray! This day she had booked & was looking forward to an e-bike tour around Howth at 2pm intending to catch the DART there at about 12. Unfortunately she got a call at 11am asking if she was on her way to which she replied not yet. It was then she discovered her bike tour was 11m to 2pm not starting at 2pm!! So she’d missed it but very kindly the company offered her a free boat trip instead which turned out to be rather different!! So mum headed out of her DART trip & had a wander round the gorgeous village of Howth before her boat trip with Ireland Eye Ferries. Now her fortuitous surprise was when she turned up the captain said they had a Canadian film crew onboard filming for a TV travel series. Now although mum didn’t recognise the presenter he is very well known in Canada. So mum spent the trip in the company of Guillame Lambert! & will possibly be starring in the show with snippets of her in the background. It was fabulous fun & mum got to see seals again

Next on the agenda mum went all cultural with a tour of Trinity College plus a visit to the Old Library & the Book of Kells. Then the evening was a theatre trip to see the stage version of Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Luckily at Bord Gais theatre so just across the basin.

The next day she was grounded slightly as she had a few hours work to do but she still managed a meal out at the Mongolian BBQ restaurant & a bridges tour run by IWAI followed by rinks in the Cobblestone pub.

Following that it was a trip to Kilmainham Gaol. Tickets have to be booked well in advance for this & mum had booked hers before she even arrived in Dublin. It’s a fascinating & somewhat sombre tour hearing about some of the inmates & in particular events from the Easter Rising.

On her way home mum had a wander through The Irish National War Memorial Gardens. Then in complete contrast she went to see the hilarious Menopause The Musical 2 in the evening.

Next mum had booked something that is normally not really her thing at all but she’d heard that many people raving about it that he succumbed & she was glad she did. So off she trotted to the Van Gogh Experience which was probably the hardest attraction to find tucked up the side of Lidl supermarket. Now although art isn’t mum’s thing this was an immersive experience which was absolutely incredible & mum even got to experience her first Virtual Reality headset.

It was then a quick dash back as tonight was the start of the pinnacle event of the whole Dublin Rally; the very exciting Liffey cruise. This only happens if the tides work in our favour & its a unique experience to cruise through the centre of Dublin up the River Liffey. On the Friday evening we literally just dropped down the sea lock onto the River Liffey & moored right below the Three Arena so we were in position to set off the following morning. We had an all girl power crew well apart from me & Daquiri obviously!!

It was then an early night so we were alert for the following morning. Our crew member the fabulous Holly arrived & we untied & were off. The taller boats had to go through first as the tide was incoming ie rising so they needed maximum clearance under the bridges. We were 4th so that once through the bridges we’d take the lead so we could moor up first so we could get off the boat. We passed under many of the iconic Dublin bridges including Ha’Penny Bridge. Holly was at the tiller leaving mum free to take a million photos. Once we were at Heuston station Golden Boyz executed an overtake manoeuvre & became leader of the pack! That also meant we were closely following the safety boat testing the depth. We grounded a couple of times & had to wait for a bit more tide to refloat us.

Eventually after an exciting cruise we arrived at Islandsbridge where we all moored up against each other for a few hours. Here we had to wait for the tide to finish rising & start dropping for our return journey. We could get off onto the island for a little walkies. Once safe to do so we reversed our journey & returned back up the sea lock to our mooring at Charlotte Quay. What a bucket list experience to take part in. Big thanks to IWAI Dublin & especially our safety boat crews for making it happen.

After all that excitement we had a chilled out day the net day but mum caught the marvellous Sing a Song of Docklands performance in the evening.

We were now into our final week in Dublin of the four time had certainly flown. The highlight of this week was The Escape Boat which we’d been pretty much moored next to. It was a very clever concept where you had to save the boat from sinking.

Mum also managed to squeeze in a day out on the DART taking the coastal route south of Dublin hopping off at a few seaside stops including an interesting visit to the Maritime Museum at Dun Laoghaire.

Soon the day dawned when we had to sadly depart Dublin as we reversed our journey down the sea lock & back up the Royal canal to Castleknock. We dropped down the sea lock the night before & did the reverse journey back in one long day with the help of all the Waterways Ireland staff again operating all the locks for us.

What a super & amazing month we’ve had. Finally getting to take part in the 37th IWAI Dublin Rally in our 4th summer over here after a couple of cancelled years due to covid. An experience we’ll remember forever.

Duracell Bunny’s Twin by Daquiri (Dublin)

Mum was aptly described at the Rally Reception as the Duracell Bunny’s twin & she has been living up to her name. For this blog we thought we’d share primarily a photo blog with links where we can to all the places mum has visited & activities she’s done. Some of activities don’t ave direct websites but mum uses Viator & Get Your Guide apps to find & book them.

Stroll into town passing Sweny’s (Famous in James Joyce’s Ulysses) & Merrion Square with Oscar Wilde Statue for the Viking Splash Tour

Dinner in The Hairy Lemon famous from The Commitments film followed by theatre production of Shawshank Redemption at The Gaiety Theatre

River Liffey Boat Tour passing the French Navy!!

Jeanie Johnston Tour – one of the famine ships. Miraculously everyone survived on this ship.

Mum was helping bring one of the grand Canal boats in before disaster struck & one of the locks broke meaning all the other boats coming in from the Grand Canal were effectively stuck!

Trip on the DART along the coast then walk from Sandycove to Dalkey via Forty Foot & a few fabulous swimming areas

Dinner at the very posh Indian restaurant Rasam that Nigella Lawson likes!

Then the true Duracell bunny came out as mum went kayaking with seals

Lunch at Gallaghers Boxty House followed by a Street Art Tour of Dublin

Trip on the Old Liffey Ferry out through Dublin Port to Poolbeg Power station & we even saw a rainbow

Rooftop Cocktails at Marker Hotel

Wheely Boat – open access trip boat by Blackwater Community Barge

Phizzfest – Music onboard Jennys boat & a fascinating walk & tour of the history of the Royal canal

Rally BBQ at Poolbeg Yacht Club

Brunch at Brewdog with views of Grand Canal Dock & the River Liffey

Night time lights at Charlotte Quay – amazing being moored in Dublin city

So as you can see mum has been very busy. We’ve had a few play dates too in our special off lead park.

We’re now half way through our time in Dublin & mum still has plenty planned.

The good news though is… remember the boats that were stuck…. well Waterways Ireland moved heaven & earth & got the lock fixed so they’re now on their way & should be with us tomorrow hurray!!!

Drumroll…. Finally We’re on the Dublin Rally by Daquiri (Castleknock to Dublin)

For those who have been following our blogs a while you may recall when we first came over to Ireland our first event was to be the Dublin Rally. We went to a planning meeting for it 2 days after we were craned in at Sallins. Sadly all events were curtailed just 2 weeks later at the start of the pandemic. So today was massive for us as we set off finally on the 37th Dublin Rally.

To explain the Dublin rally & many other events are organised by IWAI (Inland Waterways Association Ireland). IWAI is a voluntary body of waterways’ enthusiasts, founded in 1954. It was formed to promote and encourage the use and development of Ireland’s navigable waterways. It has several branches who organise different events in their area & this one is organised by the Dublin branch. Note IWAI are different to WI (Waterways Ireland) Waterways Ireland is one of six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the British-Irish Agreement of 1998.    It is the cross-border navigational authority responsible for the management, maintenance, development and promotion of over 1000 km of inland navigable waterways, principally for recreational purposes.

The Dublin Rally for us is a 4 week long event. You can enter Dublin city centre from either the Grand canal or the Royal canal & you can exit by either. Some people come in pn one & out on the other doing a cruising loop getting a special award called the Green & Silver Award. As we did a lot of the Grand canal numerous times during lockdowns we’re coming in & going out on the Royal canal. The route via the Royal is a little bit more technical as firstly there is a rail bridge that has to be lifted specially for us & this is only done 6 times a year plus the Royal canal comes in on the opposite side of the tidal River Liffey so the passage involves 2 sea locks & a short traverse across the River Liffey. The way the rally works is the boats from the Royal come in one weekend then the boats from the Grand come in the next weekend. We have 3 weeks together with a fabulous programme of events organised for us. Then the boats leaving on the Royal leave with the boats on the Grand leaving the weekend after. At least that was how it was supposed to be but things didn’t quite go to plan!!

So early on the morning of 29th April my crew of Wendy & Nuala embarked & we were off down the first of the 12 canal locks into Dublin in a convoy of 7 boats. This was the double lock at Castleknock.

Out rote along the Royal is shown below.

Waterways Ireland provided an amazing team of staff who did all the locks for us so it was a very smooth operation with them ensuring water levels were maintained with so many boats making the passage at once. As you can see we drew quite a crowd of gongoozlers.

Our first excitement was crossing the M50 aqueduct.

Then we proceeded in our convoy down to lock 4 where we all moored up for the night & we finally got cockaleggies. The wine was opened & a late lunch of sausages butties was had & yay we got sausages too. In fact we did rather well as a couple of fellow boaters John & Shauna have a little doggie called Teddy & he sent us some treats along. We like Teddy!!

Of course mum & Auntie Wendy later went to the pub too!

We were up early again the next day as this was the bigger exciting day of the two. Again off in our convoy firstly down the four canal locks.

The journey gradually got more urban & we passed right underneath Croke Park. Croke Park is a Gaelic games stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, it is referred to as Croker by GAA fans and locals. It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association.

Those of you with a really good memory will remember mum did a skyline tour of Croke Park during covid when she’d fractured her elbow tripping over her mooring rope!

The next excitement came as we passed the lifting rail bridge; Newcomen Bridge or as its commonly known Effin Bridge!

We arrived in Spencer Dock at about 11.30am where we moored up to await the tide so we could get out onto the Liffey. It gave us time for cockaleggies & mum, Wendy & John time to get a rope off the prop.

At about 1 pm the first 4 boats including us proceeded into the first sea lock & the level was dropped so we could exit our onto the big River Liffey.

We exited by the iconic Samuel Becket Bridge & turned left heading towards Dublin Port & the Irish sea!!!

Thankfully mum turned right before we went out to sea & we were raised in the next sea lock at the entrance to Grand Canal Docks. Grand Canal Dock, also known as Silicon Docks, is a hub of modern condos and office towers on the redeveloped River Liffey waterfront. Well-dressed Dubliners head to concerts at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and drink cocktails on the terraces of upscale bars. Canal history is outlined in high-tech displays at the floating Waterways Ireland Visitor Centre.

From here it was a short cruise to our wonderful berths on Charlotte Quay. We’d done it Dublin Rally finally conquered.

So just to show you where we are on the maps. We are the blue dots below. How exciting to have 4 weeks in Dublin.

Now the icing on the cake happened the next day. Mum had been concerned (as she always is) about us being in a city. Just up the jetty there are a few trees with little tufts of grass for cockaleggies but mum had seen a park on the map only about ten minutes walk away. So on the first day we toddle off up there. Well you never guess whet they only flipping have a doggie off lead hour in the morning & another one in the evening & there’s always other dogs in there for us to play with & steal balls from in my case, Oh we are 2 very happy golden retrievers now.

So a huge thank you to Waterways Ireland, IWAI Dublin, all our boat convoy pals, our crew Wendy & Nuala but especially the main man Jim O’Riordan from IWAI Dublin who kept us all in line… Heres a happy mum below achieving her dream.

Continuing the Royal Journey by Daquiri (Mullingar to Castleknock)

We arrived home around lunchtime exhausted so we had a nice rest. When I say we I mean just me & Cosmo as mum had to unpack, do the shopping, fill the boat with water & catch up on work emails!

The next day we had a wonderful surprise when Mark on the boat next to ours & our pal the goldendoodle Bear returned as there was a second goldendoodle called Teddy who we found out was his brother. 2 sets of twin boys what could be better, We were ecstatic 4 goldies running around Mullingar harbour together. Lots of barking & ball chasing was done!

The next day we did a lot more playing & mum & Mark took Toddy back to the garage again as his new windscreen is leaking!

Sadly we then had to set off as we’re on a mission to get up the Royal canal to the 12th lock at Castleknock ready to join in the IWAI Dublin rally later this month. We had our lovely crew of three booked for the locks on Easter Sunday so we cruised nearer to our meet point. On the way there’s a lift bridge which WI have to lift but luckily it was deemed we’d be able to get under it. We moored at it for the night then set off under it the next day. As you can see we did fit.

We arrived nice & early to meet our crew of Nuala, Cian & Oisin so moored up at Mary Lynch’s pub which is now closed. Our crew soon had us down the 8 locks & onto a fabulous mooring right outside Nanny Quinns pub.

We had a couple of good nights & meals in Nanny Quinns as Nuala had booked the wonderful apartment there. She was also left in charge of the after pub drinks arrangements lol

We had a lovely few days there as it was a great grassy spot for us & mum could catch up on work after Easter. We were then on a long level stretch so could progress under our own steam along the Royal canal for a while. Our first hop took us past the Hill of Down & we moored at Longwood for the night.

Next we progressed further aiming for Enfield as we needed to be near a train station to collect Toddy. Passing Fureys at Moy Valley we made it to the lovely harbour at Enfield but we had terrible trouble mooring. The harbour & tap were taken up by a permanently moored boat & we tried all along the bank with mum leaping off & throwing pins & hammer & planks off but she just couldn’t get us in close. Eventually she decided the best bet was to reverse to a small jetty which although we were way too long for it we should at least get the bow in as it was an official jetty. Wrong!! Again we were way out. By now mum had had enough so she just moored it with the bow 5 feet from the jetty & the stern right in the middle of the canal & we just hoped a wide boat didn’t need to get past. It’s a shame as Enfield harbour was such a perfect spot in so many ways.

Anyway mum picked Toddy up & went for a day out up to Salt Cave Paradise which she’d been wanting to go to for a while. It was a nice day so she got a stroll in along the beach & called in at Marine Parts on the way back to get a few things for the boat.

After Enfield the locks started again with 2 double locks down to Kilcock so we got assistance from Waterways Ireland. We were surprised to see a massive long jetty there but only a couple of short spots at the end with bollards for boats to tie to. So much room for the canoe polo but barely any for the boats travelling the canal. It was a lovely kept jetty & finally an easy spot for us to get on & off after the horrors of walking long planks at Enfield.

Sadly our joy was short lived as the next day we got a call from Waterways Ireland telling us we had to move for a canoe polo match. We now didn’t really have anywhere to go as we’d been warned not to moor in Maynooth harbour over a weekend because we’d get antisocial behaviour plus it’s against railings so mum didn’t think we’d be able to get off. So we arranged to go down a couple of locks & stayed on the lock landing for a couple of days. Maybe we’ll get chance to look round Kilcock on the way back instead.

After the weekend we set off on the final section of our journey down to Castleknock. This time we picked up new crew of Aine & Laura at Maynooth & cruised past Toddy as mum had parked him there the day before.

We just had one lock to do today & then we stopped at Confey for lunch & to fill up with water as there’s no tap at Castleknock. We then progressed through a beautiful part of The Royal Canal called the Deep Sinking. The Deep Sinking itself is a cutting through the limestone quarry which was blasted and dug through at great expense. At certain points through the Deep Sinking the towpath can rise up between 8 and 9 metres above the canal. A perilous danger for the horses pulling the barges below.

With the towpaths being so high the best way to see the Deep Sinking is by boat & there’s a marvellous trip boat that runs trips through it by the fabulous Jenny Wren. Royal Canal Boat Trips

So we arrived at Castleknock a couple of days before our Dublin Rally so in good time. Mum caught the train back to pick up Toddy & he has gone into a different garage for a month while we are in Dublin to start work on the long lost of things that aren’t working in him but most importantly the heaters so he’ll be ready for winter adventures. He’s also due his MOT soon so he’s been reregistered in Northern Ireland & booked in for that so we’re also getting a few bits done that have been advisories in the past hoping that he won’t fail. Interestingly the lady on the phone told us he’d been registered in NI before in 2002 so he’s obviously been over here a few times now.

We are almost at the end of our Royal canal journey now just the final stretch as part of the Dublin rally left to do; Castleknock to Grand Canal Dock. There is a wonderful series of videos by Dick Warner that you might enjoy watching which are much more knowledgeable than we are about the anal. Royal Canal Video series.

We visit the Isle of Man by Cosmo

We departed the UK by ferry again but we were surprised when we got off that we weren’t back in Ireland but were in the Isle of Man! Mum had worked out it only cost £18 more to stop here on a 5 day special than it did to take the ferry straight back to Ireland. She’d never been so it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss. Although the ferries run all year Belfast to UK the ferries don’t start running to Dublin until early April so mum had timed it so we’d then be able to catch the first ferry back to Dublin.

We arrived early evening & as we weren’t sure about how acceptable wild camping was mum had found a great campsite that wasn’t expensive so we went all posh this week with water & electric. Our campsite was at Cronk Aashen farm which although it was across the other side of the island took less than 30 minutes to get to. It was very quiet as we were pretty much still out of season but we had a lovely grassed area right by Toddy & a lovely view.

In a contrast to last week in Lancashire our first day dawned bright & sunny. So mum was off on a great mission to find beach walkies for us. We actually did rather well on walkies over here. Our first beach wasn’t far away at Glen Wyllin. We had a great sniff & run around well maybe not so much running we’re getting on a bit now!

Next mum was off to have a look round Peel & luckily got a parking spot on an end right near the castle. We were quite happy to snooze in the van. Peel is the island’s main fishing port and Peel Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Sodor and Man. Peel is sometimes referred to as the “rose red city”, due to the red sandstone used to build the castle and other important buildings. As it is in the west, it is also called the “sunset city”. Peel is the third largest town in the island after Douglas and Ramsey, Mum was also very happy as she met up with a lady, Helen who she’d had contact with on a Facebook group who also had a camper so they went our for drinks & dinner. In fact mum met a few lovely lady campervan owners so she was very happy. We were much more excited about the Manx smoked bacon that mum bought as she doesn’t like kippers!

The next day we headed north via more lovely beaches but we were most impressed at the most northerly point The Point of Ayre. Yet again we were lucky with the weather.

The Point of Ayre is the northernmost point of the Isle of Man. Point of Ayre lighthouse, the oldest  lighthouse on the Isle of Man, is located here. There is also a smaller light called The Winkie so we had a walkie to the Winkie!! It is the closest point on the Isle of Man to  Great Britain being 16 miles (26 km) south of  Burrow Head in Scotland. Here mum met anther lovely lad in her van Vik. We did our best to be sociable & say hello by jumping up at the van!

We drove home via Ramsey as mum has spotted a gelaterie there she wanted to visit!

The next day mum exchanged Toddy’s wheels for steam transport & she went off from Douglas on a quick steam train trip to Port Erin.

On the way back mum ended up having to make numerous phonecalls to vets to try & get us booked in for our horrible worming tablets on the way home. It seemed none of the vets were at all geared up for this saying we’d have to go on a waitlist to register. We ended up speaking to the government department & even they didn’t seem to know what we needed to do! Good old Brexit!! Although the nice lady did find out & ring us back to confirm exactly what mum was trying to sort. Eventually mum spoke to an equine vet who knew exactly what we needed so an appointment was booked. We were a tad worried we’d come back with saddles on.

Next we met up with another lady Tina who mum had contacted on Facebook again. Tina had planned a lovey afternoon & camp out with us & she had 2 furpals too; Tilly & Doona. We camped out at a perfect remote spot but it was accessed by a very narrow bumpy road right along an edge. We were clinging on with our claws as we though Toddy might topple over but luckily we made it to our beautiful spot at Scarlett. A fabulous evening was had over a chilli & a couple of bottles of wine. Plus Helen came & joined us & brought Maltesers!!

The next day we explored the south of the island after bidding farewell to Tina. Unfortunately the weather started to turn a bit but we can’t complain we’d had a good run for April. We headed first for Calf Sound with its spectacular view of Calf of Man. Calf of Man is a 2.50-square-kilometre island, off the southwest coast of the Isle of Man. It is separated from the Isle of Man by a narrow stretch of water called the Calf Sound. In 2006 Manx National Heritage employed the charity Manx Wildlife Trust as the Calf Warden Service Provider, but it retains ownership. The island has been a bird observatory since 1959 and welcomes visits from volunteers and ornithologists. Calf of Man is home to a breeding population of Manx shearwaters, a seabird which derives its name from its presence in Manx waters. Unfortunately we were too early in the season for the boat trips but we had a lovely walkie instead.

On the way back we stopped at the small olde worlde village of Cregneash that we’d driven through for a quick look round. Cregneash (Creneash) is a living illustration of a farming and crofting community in the 19th and early 20th century.

Our next stop was possibly our most idyllic spot we found at the tiny Niarbyl Bay. Niarbyl, meaning “the tail” in Manx for the way it extends into the Irish Sea, is a rocky promontory on the southwest coast of the Isle of Man between Port Erin and Peel. There were quaint thatched cottages, which were featured in the film Waking Ned.

After a long day we headed back to the campsite where mum chilled with a homemade curry & her DVD series. Oh & the obligatory glass of wine!

All too soon it was our final full day on the island & unfortunately our worst weather day which wasn’t good as mum wanted to do the mountain railway. She decided being her she’d still do it for the experience so we set off to Laxey. Laxey is a village on the east coast of the Isle of Man. Its name derives from the Old Norse Laxa meaning ‘Salmon River’. Its key distinguishing features are its three working vintage railways and the largest working waterwheel in the world.

First on mum’s agenda was the Snaefell Mountain railway. we were too early in the season for the horse drawn railway. Mum got a great view of the Laxey Wheel out of the window but then everything became very cloudy. The train station staff kept her entertained though!

Once down mum walked up to & then up the marvellous Laxey Wheel again in the pouring rain. We were nice & dry in Toddy! The Great Laxey Wheel is the Isle of Man’s most iconic landmark and the largest working water wheel in the world.  At 72 feet 6 inches in diameter, this extraordinary feat of Victorian engineering has brought tourists flocking to the picturesque village of Laxey for almost 170 years. 

After all her exertion mum was looking for somewhere to eat but not much was open but good old Google found a very mum appropritate spot as she discovered the Victory cafe. We had a devil of a job getting up there as it was really foggy so mum could barley see but she persevered & it was well worth it. Victory Cafe is based in a crazy ex Cold War Rotor Radar Station overlooking the 31st Milestone of the TT Racecourse serving homemade British style canteen food. The cafe is also based just by the Bungalow on the Snaefell Mountain Railway. Mum got warm with a lovely pie & mash & lashngs of gravy. Note none made it back to us!

Of course the Isle of Man is most famous for the TT race. We for obvious reasons avoided that season. Many campsites just open for the TT. The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world as many competitors have died.

On our last night we had an early night as we had to be up at 4am to drive across & check in on the 7am ferry back to Ireland. It has been an amazing visit & so easy (& cheap when you’re doing that crossing anyway) so I think we may well visit the Isle of Man again. Of course all the fabulous beach walkies may sway us as well.