Day trip to Ireland for £0.02 (four cents)

[cessna152towser]

Some months ago a friend gave me the heads up that if I got my internet booking in quick I could join him and his son in September on a day trip to Ireland when we could get penny fares in both directions with Ryanair. No extras for charges, taxes, etc., just a penny each way (two cents), though any luggage would have to be paid separately. This is where the Freelander sporran comes in handy as I was able to wear everything I needed for the day, with the big sporran holding camera, mobile phone, money, passport etc., thus avoiding an extra charge for baggage. For the same reason I decided to wait till after the trip before installing a kilt pin in my new County Armagh kilt, as a kilt pin, being potentially sharp, would have had to be checked in.

We passed over Liverpool, lower left of picture where we can identify the Albert docks and the Liver Building. Across the Mersey in upper right of view is Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula.

It was a very clear day for flying and here we can pick out the beach and seaside resort of Llandudno, on the left side of the Great Orme peninsula. Great Orme Head rises to 600 feet and is accessible to holidaymakers by cable car or tramway.
More to follow shortly.

[cessna152towser]

Further along the coast the Menai Strait divides the Welsh mainland from the island of Anglesey.

It was only a forty minute flight from Newcastle to Dublin and soon the airport bus was taking me along O'Connell Street in Dublin.

I caught a train from Dublin; this photo was taken passing through Drogheda which looks an interesting place with an old castle, several church spires and a tidal river with docks.

Uncle Andy, still driving at the age of 90, met me off the train at Portadown.

Aunty Vi prepared a lunch for me

This photo was taken in their garden; appropriate that the new County Armagh kilt should visit County Armagh on its first outing.

Portadown town centre.

St. Marks Church, Portadown
More to follow shortly.

[cessna152towser]

A final view of Portadown, taken outside the railway station.

I had written some slack into my schedule in case of transport delays and since everything ran to plan I arrived back in Dublin in good time for a couple of hours of sightseeing; this is the statue at the end of O'Connell Street nearest the River Liffey.

Wishing not to repeat the Dublin views posted by McClef last week this is another view upriver on the Liffey.

Crossing the Liffey on a footbridge.

Temple Bar is a quaint area of Dublin with old buildings and cobbled streets.

Temple Bar has become very touristy in recent years.

Another view of Temple Bar Square.
More to follow in a few minutes.

[ccga3359]

Wonderful pics Alex. Too bad you missed Trefor by his much.

[cessna152towser]

There are some fine government buildings in Dublin.

I think this government office in O'Connell Street is the one McClef posted a picture of last week.

Nearby is St. Mary's Cathedral, which has a similar Greek style facade.

Another fine church in Dublin

Concluding with the seminar shot at Dublin Airport after meeting up for the flight home. During the day, my friend Bill and his son Danny had been to Dun Laoghaire to visit their family while I had been to Portadown to visit mine.
Bill was impressed by the County Armagh tartan, and as an Irishman living in Scotland he says he will need to get a kilt in the tartan of his native County Wexford.

[BEEDEE]

What a deal! Was this a special promotion for a new route? Glad you got the Co Armarg in time for the trip.

Brian

[McMurdo]

Great pictures Alex.
It's fitting that your County Armagh kilt could go home as it were straight away. I know what you mean about the freelander holding enough for an entire day. On the weekend I even had an extra shirt in my sporran.

[ChromeScholar]

Very cool.

[TimC]

Hey Alex,

Great shots! Sorry we couldn't meet up with you when we went to Robertson's..but that just means we have to go back for another visit!

-Tim

[McClef]

That was one action packed day Alex!

Great to think that Dublin has seen two XMarkers in the space of a week!