So i had 2 weeks off from work and i had nothing to do - the weather was amazing and i thought f**k it - il go a drive seeing as the car was just finished. I planned nothing and just hit the road on Tuesday afternoon at 12 o clock 23rd June 2015. I live in Co Donegal I set off up through Barnesmore Gap just outside Donegal town My Aunt lives between Donegal and Sligo and she always says when i pass to call in for coffee so that was the first stop - The view from her house The drive up to her house was pretty cool too The windmills just outside of Ballyshannon I play guitar and the reason i do is because of Donegal Born guitarist Rory Gallagher so i had to call to his hometown of Ballyshannon Bundoran Co Donegal Comin up to Ben Bulben Co Sligo Hit Claremorris Co Mayo for the night and ended up staying with some like minded people On the Wed morning i headed into Westport Co Mayo And then headed out towards the coast of Mayo past Croagh Patrick
From the coast of Co Mayo i headed on down into Co Galway towards the mountains - Ben Gorm From here i headed out towards Letterfrack Co Galway and the Gaeltacht area in Connemara Maam Cross - Co Galway
At this stage it was about 4 in the evening and i hit Oranmore South Galway - i was in need of refueling I went into the shop and got a coffee and when i came out i met a guy off of Drift Ireland - he liked the car and we were just chatting away - he had an s15. i told him i had planned to stay that night in Limerick City with a friend of mine but he wasnt finished work til 11 so i had about 7 hours to kill. He told me to kill the evening i HAD TO go into Co Clare and do the coastline of it - so i did I think this is Ballyvaughan Co Clare but i could be wrong The Burren and The Corkscrew Co Clare LaHinch Co Clare Willie Clancy statue Milltown Malby Co Clare I got the Ferry then (just in time) from Kilimer to Tarbert Just off the ferry in Tarbert Headed towards Limerick through Foynes - pulled in here on the side of the road and must have sat for about 2 hours chatting to a fella out walking his dog - never got his name but he told me all about the great scenery and driving roads still ahead of me - - - Updated - - - I stayed in Limerick that night with a friend of mine from up home in Donegal - we hit the pub for a few quiet ones - a Lock-In later and we ended up drinking til 4am After a fry the next morning i hit the road again heading south - i took the route the guy with the dog told me about - heading for Newcastle West I was aiming to hit Molls Gap coming out of Kilarney but lord knows what road i took but i ended up in Kilgarvan Co Kerry (i think)
Ended up in Kenmare Co Limerick without going over Molls Gap At this stage it was getting on in the evening and i wanted to hit Cork that night so i rang a friend of mine from Cork and asked her was Molls Gap worth going to see because it meant id be going back to Kilarney to come back down to Cork again - she reckoned i HAD TO see Molls Gap - glad she convinced me because it was class Got some videos of driving through it so il try get them uploaded onto youtube and put them up after I got to Cork about 8 o clock that night - wanted to see Rory Gallaghers (the guitarist from Donegal) Grave out in Ballincolig Plus we dont have Eddie Rockets in the north so i had to get some of that - serious food Left Cork on the Friday Morning and headed East towards Waterford Came into Youghal Co Cork - another place that had me sitting on the roadside for about an hour Kept the Heel to the Steel and got as far as Waterford in No time So the first half of the week was all about the scenery but now it was CAR TIME Flip from JUICEBOX got onto me and told me to drop by so he could show me some cool cars and get a feature of my own car Juicebox Feature Time - - - Updated - - - After taking me to see lots of cool garages with lots of cool cars in them that arent out and about on the internet - i hit the road towards Co Carlow Met up with Declan Byrne so he could show me his Track ready Silvia s14 - cracking set up machine Stayed in a cracking wee B&B in Carlow which gave me a cool Room Number
On the Saturday Morning i headed in towards Dublin - "Lil Katie" on the 180 kept me company the whole way I met up with Snowy in Dublin and he finally took me to a place iv been hearing about for ages - Aussie BBQ - He Reckoned i wouldnt finish it He was wrong - - - Updated - - - That night i headed out for some dori dori action with some "Local Celebrities" lol After that we headed home and started on the drink The Morning after the night before On the Sunday Morning i headed in to meet this man - He Loves his Nissan ………... ………….As much as these guys loved mine lol Before i headed home he wanted to feature my car for the Low Life - much appreciated Tonto After a long week - near 1500kms in total and in around 150 euros worth of petrol - lots of food drink and amazing people, scenery and cars it was time to head home - Big thanks to Everyone who made it the best week i could have ever imagined Sky gave me a final treat on the way home on the sunday night
Haveta say when you see Ireland like this, it really is a beautiful country!! Fair play to ya for doing it, been meaning to do something like this for years... If ever I get the act together, I'll give ya a shout and could meet ya in Donegal for a few snaps and scoops!!
Best pic thread in a while. Thanks for taking the time to share, the country side looks alot like Scotland and the west coast. I'll be coming over one day to visit.
Properly inspiring that, makes me want to take a few days off and just blast about the country in no particular direction. Great pictures!
Awesome scenery! Making me want to go on a driving trip to Ireland! Also makes me feel bad for living in Norfolk, its so flat here!!!
Awh definately man - give me a shout and il sort a night out and a get together of a few cars for ya My next trip is over to scotland - if team minty fresh feel up to takin on an honourary member for a weekend id love to join yous . if you ever come over here let me know, id be more than happy to get a few cars together - few beers and il show you round all the scenery of the north west. The invite is out there now - up to yous to accept best thing youll ever do - plus you have a lot more places to go than i had -as i said my next trip will be defo over to the UK Get the car fired up lad and get to the ferry - start off up here and il tell you where to go
cheers man - im still friends with Sophie on FB since that time i was guna buy her 15 so il get onto her about heading over - id say reallisticly its guna be next year as i wont have enough time to take off work this year but its definately going to happen. yous are south of scotland yeah??? be a nice place to start off and get educated on where to go - i want to take the 180 up Bealach na Ba (not sure if thats spelt right) lol
Applecross touge run is highly worthy, despite the road surfaces, thats on the west coast. Minty.Fresh are based in the north east of Scotland. I think Soph and I might be in Japan or New Zealand next year but fire her a message, and we can get Pete and Jites etc to meet up with ya