Emerald Isle

Been a bit busy of late so, a bit later than planned, here are some pictures of my recent trip to Ireland.

Badge and Sticker

The MZ Riders Club (NI) have held a rally at the outdoor centre on Lough Melvin in Garrison for as long as I can remember. This year was their 25th anniversary, there was even a cake!

 

(Photo courtesy of Sandy's facebook page)

Once in Northern Ireland, the run to Garrison from Larne is fairly straightforward, but as the sun had came out of hiding for a change I headed the MZ Skorpion west and took the longer, more scenic Antrim coastal road rather than head there by a more direct route.

I also made a slight detour to have a look at the Dunlop Memorial Garden in Ballymoney.  
 

Archway between two parts of the garden

I haven't been in a couple of years and wanted to see the newer addition dedicated to Joey Dunlop's younger brother Robert (more of which in a later post).

Eventually, if you head far enough west along the coast road you leave Northern Ireland entirely and enter the Republic of Ireland in Co. Donegal for the next part of the journey.

Welcome to the Republic of Ireland

Someone has put GAA jerseys on these guys

There's no point in wishing these folk a "Good Morning"

Welcome to Donegal

Border Station. Pick a pump for the currency in your pocket

Early morning on Lough Melvin back in NI

It's a hard life

Some old politics

All too soon the weekend is over and it’s time to come home, this time by a more direct route. On the way to the ferry I had one minor problem when the hose to the radiator split at one end. This was quickly fixed and the rest of the journey passed off without incident. Not bad for a 20 year-old bike.

Welcome back to Northern Ireland

Cookstown Courthouse (it's for sale, if you're interested)

'Flegs' (current politics)

Some schoolboy humour

Waiting on the ferry in Port of Larne on the way home