Circuit of Ireland by bicycle

A few of the many photos I took cycling round Ireland. You can get off your bike anywhere and point a camera.

Route | Some photos | Logbook | Bike Problems | Poems | Weather | Kit | Hostels

DUBLIN - "Halfpenny Bridge" over the River Liffey.	SHILLELAGH - where the Irish cosh comes from.
MIZZEN HEAD - The end of the road on one of the "Fingers of Kerry".	SHEEP's HEAD - The main road just peters out, and stops in someone's back yard.
DURSEY HEAD - I met the old man who helped bury these young airmen.	SLEA HEAD - Wreckage of the Ranga container ship, which lost power in a storm 11 Mar 1982. All the crew were rescued.
TRALEE - I thought I might get shot when I took this photo.	KNAPPAGH - Ireland's holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, on the horizon. The track to the top is made by thousands of pilgrims, sometimes crawling.
NEWPORT - "Fr Manus Sweeney, captured in Achill, condemned priest brought to Newport, executed on Fair Day 8 Jun 1789 in Market Square."	SLIGO - A nice old shop front.
BALLYSHANNON - The grave of William Allingham who wrote "The Fairies", the first poem I learned at 5.	SLIEVE LEAGUE - A 2,000 ft sea cliff,one of the great sights of Ireland when the cloud is high.
TEELIN - I was told that peaty stream water turns fish red! That's a painting on the door, not a man.	TRA-NA-ROSANN - I last stayed at this lovely hostel in 1961.
LONDONDERRY - Catholic graffiti.	GIANT's CAUSEWAY - Huge crystals of basalt rock by the sea.
NEWGRANGE - Neolithic carving 6,000 years old carved by the first farmers in Ireland.	My bike after 1560 miles cycling in 28 days. I lived out of panniers for 4 weeks, travelling light.

Youth Hostels in Ireland

Arthurstown YH. The hostel was basic	Cape Clear YH. Hostel on a wild island, sound of waves keeps you awake.
Dunquin YH. Nice Hostel.	Ball Hill YH. Overlooking Donegal Bay
Carrick YH. Closed because the warden died aged 103	Crohy Head YH. Lovely hostel in very primitive part of Ireland
Tra-na-Rosann YH. Rather less spacious than it looks on the outside.	White Park Bay YH. Nice hostel but annoying warden and bad weather.
Newcastle YH. Hostel on right, next to modern church. Slieve Donard towers above the town.	Omeath YH. Narrow road runs between hostel and dormitories.
Mountjoy Street YH, Dublin. Mountjoy Square is the "An Oige" HQ.

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