AIR: Around Ireland Rally

Post by **Kevin** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:52 pm

Well this one has been confirmed
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/modules.php?op=m ... sid=irish2
The last mention of it I can find seems to be 27th July - 3rd August 2001 and thats on the local website that doesnt seem to be fully updated.

Post by **iandromiskin** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:29 pm

Personally, but then I am biased as I live near here, you should arrange if possible to meet up and begin from here, apart from the fact its near most of the ferry terminals, the Fingal show is one of the biggest and best in Ireland as it has everything vintage, not just cars. And especially as it'll be the centre point for all the Irish Morris Minors too, so it'd be one big Morris Minor party !!

At least that way you could plan a route starting from Dublin and make your way around the country.

P.S. I'll try and find out for sure if the Bandon thing is on or off.

Post by **alex_holden** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 12:40 pm

OK, here are some thoughts on dates:

Not late May or early June (Minors On Tour 24th May and JOGLE 10th June).
Not late June (UK National 21st June).
Not late July or early August[1] (LEO 3rd August).

Other dates I personally can't do it (for non-Moggy-related reasons) include:
21-24th March
28-29th June
22-25th August
5th-7th September
14th-16th November

If we want to do it in the summer, we're left with early July, however I feel that might still be a bit close to LEO if some people (myself included) fancy doing both. Other things on the MMOC calendar for early-mid July are:
6th - South Wales branch.
12th - Dorset branch rally.
13th - Home Counties rally.

How would people feel about doing the rally either fairly early in the year (April), or late (September)? Personally I think this could be preferable to doing it at the peak of the tourist season in sweltering heat and paying peak rate ferry fares.

I'm expecting the trip itself to take about a week including the ferry crossings, so add on another day or two if you live in England to get to the port (exactly which port is something else I need to decide on).

Opinions please.

[1] This rules out combining AIR with the All Ireland National (26th July - 4th August) or Bandon Revisited (1st August).

Post by **DAVIDMCCULLOUGH** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:47 pm

Theres plenty to do and see both North and South of Ireland. The Irish sea is the most expensive ferry crossing in UK. Birkenhead to Belfast is an all day or overnight crossing and costs between about £80 day sailing os £250 nite sailing which includes cabins, evening meal and breakfast!

We are going to book our ferry crossing for the 60th tomorrow and have got a specail deal through a company called travel solutions based in Belfast for a car and 2 people its £250 return for 2 night crossing and £290 for a car and 3 people. There phone number is 02890455030, email www.travel-solutions.co.uk. Worth a call to give you some options!!

Other ports are Dublin and Larne

The biggest rally in Ireland is the Kilbroney show based in Rostrevor in Co. Down at the foot of the Mourne mountains. Its on Saturday 6th September. Check out www.aovc.co.uk for a list of all local events ran by the assocation of old vehicle clubs, the Northern Ireland branch of the mmoc is one the most active clubs.

Northern Ireland regional rally is held next year on 16th August in the outskirts of Belfast.

Keep on posting the plans and we could maybe meet up when you come over!!

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:24 am

The Kilbroney show sounds interesting as I wanted to include the Mourne mountains anyway. Anyone else fancy going in early September? (I wonder how long it'll be before chickenjohn appears to point out that date clashes with the Kent Hop? ;))

16th August is probably too close to the LEO, unfortunately.

I don't suppose anyone happens to know which is the cheapest and/or shortest crossing if we don't care which ports we use? Roughly how many hours does a day crossing take?

Post by **iandromiskin** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:14 am

The Kilbroney show is one of the best, if not the best, show in Ireland. Not only is it usually full of cars, but its a really lovely setting too, especially if the weathers kind (not like this year). There is usually a few of the IMMOC cars there and quite a few brilliant examples from the Northern Society too. It would be really great to get so many Minors together at this show, especially given 60th, and it would really stand out.

Post by **lynda** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:12 pm

I would be interested as long as I can still afford the petrol

September's best for me.

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:14 pm

lynda wrote:I would be interested as long as I can still afford the petrol

Excellent! I believe southern Ireland is still only paying the equivalent of about 86 pence per litre.

Post by **DAVIDMCCULLOUGH** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:40 am

The day sailing leaves Birkenhead at about 10am and docks in Belfast about 6pm, you get your lunch included in the price. Its a long crossing, but there is a bar and cinema on board!! Night sailing leaves at 10pm and arrives 6am, you get 3 course meal, 4 birth cabin and breakfast. I prefer the night crossing as you go to bed and once you wake up your slept up and ready to motor!!

The Kilbroney Rally is based in Rostrevor in County Down, thats about 50 miles from Belfast and right on the border. The scenery is amazing in those parts. There is a proper council run campsite and lots of other accmodation in the area, although lots of people book this up quickly mainly on Friday night.

Post by **Kevin** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:21 am

The Irish sea is the most expensive ferry crossing in UK.

I thought that was the Isle of Wight ferry based on the cost per mile.

Post by **Orkney** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:27 am

Think actually that its here by the mile alledgedly the most expensive water to cross in europe, its what people say anyhow

Post by **lynda** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:31 pm

If you save up your Tesco clubcard vouchers you can use them to pay for the ferry to Ireland

That'd make it a bit cheaper!

Post by **alex_holden** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:37 pm

lynda wrote:I would be interested as long as I can still afford the petrol

It's just occurred to me - are you thinking of coming in the panda car? That would be fun.

Post by **lynda** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:44 pm

alex_holden wrote: It's just occurred to me - are you thinking of coming in the panda car? That would be fun.

Did you want a police escort for the car convoy?

No blue lights I think... just to be on the safe side.

Post by **Kevincolley** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:28 am

hey just reading thru this, i think the roses run is at the end of september, i think it would b a gr8 run to go on tho, i think the shortest crossing is hollyhead 2 dublin but im not sure? keep me posted on this

be able 2 se if the mog wants 2 go over the puddle

Post by **alex_holden** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:08 pm

I'm planning to propose doing it in September, but before setting the date in stone I need to check with my boss (after returning to work on the 2nd) that I can get the time off.

Post by **grahamt7** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 4:00 pm

Alex,

Still very interested in this. I'll need some time off then anyway. Ideally, from Saturday - Saturday for me, and at the beginning of September.

Graham.

Post by **alex_holden** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:41 am

OK, I've fixed a date.

I'm planning to take a ferry over to Ireland on Saturday the 30th of August, travel around Ireland for a week, attend the Kilbroney show on Saturday the 6th of September, and catch a ferry back to GB on Sunday the 7th.

I'd like to do something approximating a full circle, arriving and leaving at the same ferry port. Because we're going home the day after the show at Rostrevor in County Down, it looks like either Belfast (40 miles away) or Larne (50 miles) are the most convenient ferry terminals. According to the Collins road map I have in front of me, Belfast apparently has ferries to Liverpool (8 1/2 hours) or Heysham (4 hours). Larne apparently has a ferry to Fleetwood (8 hours). I don't know about the rest of you but those ports are all pretty convenient for me. I need to look into ferry times and prices now. Actually, even Dublin isn't too far to consider (looks like about 75 miles), and there are ferries to Liverpool (3 3/4 hours) and Holyhead (1 3/4 hours - 3 3/4 hours) from there.

The reason it's took so long for me to fix a date is that I've been trying for weeks to get the time definitely booked off work. I'm still not technically in the holiday calendar but the person in charge of it has assured me verbally that I can definitely have those days.

Any comments gratefully accepted.

Post by **Kevincolley** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:55 am

umm will have to think more on this put me in as a may be

Post by **alex_holden** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:58 am

Kevincolley wrote:umm will have to think more on this put me in as a may be

Cool.