Ferry to Ireland - 6/9/23

Itinerary for our Ireland Trip:

Friday 9th June 0630 Gladstone Library -> Holyhead (Car 1 hour 40 minutes) 0830 Holyhead ferry terminal check-in 0900 Holyhead -> Dublin (Ferry 3 hours 15 minutes) 1215 Dublin -> Cuas Crom Harbour (Car 4 hours 30 minutes) --- Stay 7 nights --- Kimego House - An Irish Cottage with panoramic sea views Friday 16th June Cuas Crom Harbour -> Wexford (Car 4 hours 30 minutes) --- Stay 1 night --- Clayton-White Hotel Saturday 17th June 0700 Rosslare ferry terminal check-in 0730 Rosslare -> Fishguard (Ferry 3 hours 30 minutes) 1100 Fishguard --- Stay 1 night --- TBC Sunday 18th June Fishguard-> Batheaston (Car 3 hours 30 minutes)

 Travel Day!
6:00 AM

• Pack the car
• Drop off the room keys to the night porter
• Collect the "breakfast to go"
• Leave the Gladstone Library and head off to Holyhead, Wales to catch the Stena Line Ferry

8:00 AM

• Arrive at Ferry docks and prepare to board the ferry to cross the Irish Sea to Dublin harbour

9:00 AM

• We board the ferry and it leaves on time at 9:00 AM
• We scramble to find a seating area for four and search out some coffee
• The ferry ride is 2 1/2 hours and a tad noisy with kids running around the halls and a dozen friends having a few beers and some loud laughs, but overall, it was an enjoyable crossing

11:30 AM

• We disembark the ferry and go thru customs and navigate our way to a spot half way to our destination - overall, this leg of the trip will total 5 hours - mostly on motorways.
• Our first stop for some lunch and Cortados is Kildare
• We find a very modern shopping complex laid out like a "village" with pedestrian only courtyards and alleys, lined with high value shops like, Prada, Lindt, White Linen, and various innovative eateries. This model of shopping mall is being replicated in cities around the globe and from what we have seen it is successful

The strangest thing we see today is a "Barack Obama Plaza and gas station".
Located in County Tiperary, apparently, he traces half his family roots back to Ireland! Who knew?

2:00 PM

• Back on the road to complete our journey where our roadways steadily shrink from hi-speed "M" roads that allow 70 mph speeds and three lanes down to "B" roads that are more like a single track path that require frequent switchbacks and allow for speeds "less than" 25 mph.

8:00 PM

• We finally arrive at our destination, the village of Castlequin, and our B&B, Kimengo House, overlooking Cooncrome Harbour and the Atlantic Ocean
• But first we stock up on some fresh fruit and veg for our dinner this evening and breakfast the next morning