Leaving Greencastle, we drove through Letterkenny and on to Bundoran on the Donegal coast. From there into Enniskillen at the Bellick border point - no border of course today, but one can speculate what would happen and how lives would be effected if anyone tried to reinstate a physical border complete with Customs Posts and Passport Control. There are literally hundreds of roads between the two countries and not all of them could be monitored, so would the roads just be blown up, as in the past, to stop traffic using them?
We exited Northern Ireland into Co Cavan, and came across one of the places where the ADRIC were based , Castle Saunderson, which is now a ruin
And from there to Kells where we checked in at the Boys old friend The Headfort Arms. There was time for me to get a new watch battery at the friendly Mr Doyle's , followed by dinner at the Headfort Arms
Next morning a 07.45 start, and an hour's run to Dublin Airport and our flight to Alicante
Castle Saunderson
I have a full write up of the ADRIC time at Castle Saunderson. Today, following a major fire, the house stands in ruins. The whole house and grounds are now owned by Scouting Ireland, who have built a vast scout camp in the grounds about a kilometre away from the house. The house appears to be doomed to crumble away
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Headfort Arms, Kells
We stayed again at the Headfort Arms in Kells because it is convenient for an early start from Dublin Airport - time to eat their excellent breakfast which starts at 7.30, and get quickly on the road. Though I would say that the hotel's estimate on their web site of 40 minutes to Dublin Airport is on the optimistic side. It is perhaps doable in 40 minutes at 3am, but one needs to allow at least an hour during the day
I note that they have now 4 stars. The rooms are well done, though we did find ours too hot, and reception said that the room temperature could not be altered. So we slept with the window open to keep sufficiently cool. And the staff are exceptionally good
Dinner in their restaurant was great. Though I did have a problem with a weak and watery Irish Coffee, but, to be fair, the receptionist did get me another. I will be kind to management and not post a photo of the original weak coffee
In spite of the odd hiccough, this is a really nice place to stay
The Boys were devastated to learn that she whom they thought was Mrs Duff, was not in fact Mrs Duff, but Therese of "Therese's Cafe" fame. Named after Therese Allen, the hotel's accounts manager and 'face of the Headfort Arms' .
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A walk round Kells
Happily this was the one day in the the year that the sun was shining in Kells. So a quick spin round Kells to find a coffee shop, which was easier said than done, as there were not many open. A rather strange waitress served us in the Book Market, but their scones were good
Mr Doyle put a new battery into my watch, which many shops are reluctant to do, as it is an unusual watch
Then round the church yard and back to the Headfort Arms
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After fighting our way through rush hour traffic approaching Dublin, we (just) got to Dublin Airport in time, checked in the car and flew back to Alicante. But not without a 2 hour delay sitting on the tarmac - the Ryanair pilot appeared to have filed the wrong flight plan, and after waiting to an hour to take off, the aircraft had to return to the stand for him to file a new one, then another hour to take off. Such are the delights of flying on Ryanair
