OK so Covid has left us free to meet up again. 

We had a lovely Christmas Brunch meet up at Stradbally Fayre and the most common question was 'are we having a Patricks Day meet up?'

So I popped up a Facebook page suggesting 11 or 18 or 25 March.

Anyway 11 March does not work for those going to Alicante...

That leaves us 18 or 25 March as possible dates. 

Stradbally Fayre is suggested, meet for 9am depart 11am for ride on route to be determined with a stop or two.

Edit 27th January: Facebook link and sign up. https://www.facebook.com/events/707678734077926/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A%2229%22%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3A%22plan_user_associated%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&notif_id=1674797855864985&notif_t=plan_user_associated&ref=notif

Edit 23rd March: Route options thanks to 88 Will.
We have a couple of suggestions for routes on Saturday. We need to avoid motorways to enable all members to participate.
Option #1:
Run from Stradbally to Dunbrody Famine ship, New Ross via Thomastown for coffee and breakout. 80kms
Option #2:
Run to Carlow and back up to Abbeyleix via R430 (Spink/Swan) and breakout. 70 kms
Option #3:
Stradbally to Kilkenny and back to Portlaoise services for coffee (via Abbeyleix) breakout onto M8/old roads as necessary. 102kms
Vote below please

Hi Olaf,
both days work for me. I wonder if the 25th would be better/quieter?

25th would also suit me better

Highly unlikely. I'm interviewing for jobs ATM. If I get offered the one I really want, I have to go to England for a three week training course about then.

Apart from comments here I have a few others also suggesting 25th.

Maybe we just go for 25th and put it up on the fb page too?

Looking forward to it already.

luck you , the event in birmingham has been cancelled AGAIN (4th year) strange how now they are building on the old irish centre ? student accomadation when the rebuild was rejected when the old centre submited , the new irish  centre is in billsley . birmingham council Ars******

firstle wrote:luck you , the event in birmingham has been cancelled AGAIN (4th year) strange how now they are building on the old irish centre ? student accomadation when the rebuild was rejected when the old centre submited , the new irish  centre is in billsley . birmingham council Ars******

Stena line and Irish Ferries do a cheap return ticket from Holyhead to Dublin, about £105. 

You can get a sailing from Holyhead at 2:15am or 2:40am and one back at 20:30 or 20:55.

Our meeting point is about 90 minutes from the ferry. Google will tell you about 70 minutes, 100km [63 miles] so plenty of time. 

Why don't you come over for the day? You will be very welcome and you won't be the first to have come like that.

Its motorway all the way from the port [€3 toll for the tunnel] [M11 M50 M7 exit Junction 16] and only the last 10km/6 miles is off the motorway.

24 hour petrol station in the port and lots on M7 especially on the first part and also at Junction 14. Exit for Stradbally is Junction 16. One beside our meeting place at Stradbally Fayre too. North Wales is a bit sketchy for petrol late at night so I would have a full tank going on the ferry back.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:Stena line and Irish Ferries do a cheap return ticket from Holyhead to Dublin, about £105.

Be aware that's a same-day return. Otherwise it's £138 cheapest with no protection on the ticket if it all goes titsup. However, in my experience Irish Ferries at least are very helpful. They have moved my sailings on request when I have turned up early (a day early once!) with no charge and on one occasion, agreed with my assessment made some five days in advance of the sailing that a pretty violent storm would hit the UK and Ireland and nothing would be crossing the Irish Sea for a couple of days. Despite having no protection on the ticket they refunded anyway. I suspect that being an ex-diver and being able to talk to the help line supervisor about sea states and storm forecasts may have helped with that one.

Dai wrote:

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:Stena line and Irish Ferries do a cheap return ticket from Holyhead to Dublin, about £105.

Be aware that's a same-day return. Otherwise it's £138 cheapest with no protection on the ticket if it all goes titsup. However, in my experience Irish Ferries at least are very helpful. They have moved my sailings on request when I have turned up early (a day early once!) with no charge and on one occasion, agreed with my assessment made some five days in advance of the sailing that a pretty violent storm would hit the UK and Ireland and nothing would be crossing the Irish Sea for a couple of days. Despite having no protection on the ticket they refunded anyway. I suspect that being an ex-diver and being able to talk to the help line supervisor about sea states and storm forecasts may have helped with that one.

They are short stay return, I think 30 hours so you can stay overnight. Maybe Dublin route is different because we dont get Day Return tickets like from Larne or Belfast.

Stena offer £109 return out on Friday return Monday various sailing times.Looks a good deal

moriarti wrote:Stena offer £109 return out on Friday return Monday various sailing times.Looks a good deal

So are you coming too?

Bring a tent and I know a nice camping place https://www.norevalleypark.com/

On going health problems prevent me from attending. You guys have a good time and i will watch from the side-lines ,hopefully i will be well enough to ride by midsummer.

i know the trip well , i have a home in cork but working so will pass this time