Emerald Isle

Dear Wheelspin
My name’s, oops!, not a good start, but I’m a van, I think!! My name is Skylark and I am a 1971 Bay Window Campervan, transformed by Martin Walter into a VW Dormobile.
I feel obliged to write as my owner used Wheelspin to advertise for my two fold away chairs, which somehow I lost. Promptly after the ad my two long lost chairs were found, this meant I was now fit and ready for that 5 week jaunt round Ireland which my owner had prepared .
29th July had approached and I was awoken at about 5.30 am and duly loaded with all forms of paraphernalia: skateboard, football, basketball, fridge, awning, 2 adults, 2 kids, all manner of baby gear, babywalker etc etc, clothes, shoes, hot weather gear etc. 7.15 am set off for A406 > M4 > Fishguard > Wales. 260 miles no problems and only one stop, "not bad for an old boy". We’re at the ferryport and my starter motor decided to play up – 10 mins later I still can’t start and my owner is starting to abuse me now, verbally and physically with the steering lock. Eventually I started with minutes to go before boarding.
Ireland, Co Kilkenny arrived about 9.00pm (not bad for an old fella). Had a good rest in Kilkenny for a few days, then I was back and forth between Kilkenny and Tipperary for a while seeing relatives, Nothing much happened apart from the windscreen wiper fell off one day whilst chucking down on top of me. This was due to, as my owner put it " They don’t make things like they used to" –(new wiper blades).
Set off on the 2nd week in August towards Cork Kanturk to see more relatives, but this was a brief stop as we were leaving for Killarney. This was a great place to stop and set up camp, the views were excellent so we stayed here for 6 days and saw loads of beautiful scenery, like the Gap of Dunloe (see above), Kerry National Park, Black Valley, Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula and a few beaches which you can drive on. Anyway, this area of Ireland S/W is recommended for absolute picture postcard driving.
After Kilkenny we headed for a place called Doolin, which is where you can get the ferry across to the Aran Islands. When we arrived, again it was raining cats and dogs so we couldn’t set up camp and what with myself (Skylark) fully loaded with all sorts of equipment (Crap) we tried getting a B&B for the night. No joy there, they wouldn’t take the lads, Conor and Thomas. By this time the kids are hungry and it’s getting late so the last resort was the hostel. It was the first time a family had tried to book into this hostel, and we were very much welcomed by everyone. The kids loved it, Conor (who’s 5) helped out in reception and loved all the different nationalities and languages. Anyhow, again we set out and about round Doolin and went to see the cliffs of Moher and many other sites within the area.
Knock was our next destination. On the way we stopped off at Bunratty Castle for a walk around the folk village there (good day). Knock in our sights, again a picture postcard drive up the west coast and stopped in a new campsite which was situated beside the holy shrine (massive place). Our time spent in Knock was mainly relaxing. After 2 weeks on the road we decided to head back to Kilkenny, we went via Mayo and visited a place called Cong, this is where they made the classic film with John Wayne, the Quite Man. Once again, outstanding beauty. Five hour drive back to Kilkenny and back to normality for a while and a real bed. The best week and a bit, we went up to Dublin and stayed with relatives for 4 days and drove through the Wicklow mountains, very windy up there but easily compensated with views for miles. There were sheep roaming around freely as well, so we had to be careful there! We didn’t go on any minor roads all the way back to Kilkenny, which was good. The last few days we spent saying our goodbyes and doing what became a regular journey to Tipperary to Sue’s parents.
We left Callan, Co Kilkenny, on 6th September – 7.00am, England bound. About 2 miles from Rosslare we were getting very low on jungle juice (petrol) so we pulled into a petrol station, got the juice, " you can practically see the boat from the petrol station". Skylarks starter decided to play up, can’t believe this, the starter played up at Pembroke on the way out (Ireland) and now it is playing up on the way home!! No steering lock required this time, there were 4 burly British lads waiting to use the pump, so they gave us a push. Had to keep running (ticking over) until we got on the ferry, just in case! Arrived at Pembroke Wales and no problems with starting, so straight to the M4 and London was a mere couple of hundred miles. Well its smoky old London and its 8.00pm, not bad for an old fella.
In total we covered 31/2 thousand miles in the 51/2 weeks that we were away. A great family holiday was had and Skylark is truly a member of this family.
Michael, Susan, Conor and

Thomas O’Leary