WOW, what a weekend we have just had!
We have not long finished licking our lips after a well deserved Chinese as a treat to finish off a few great days, well there was no time to cook so a take away in the current economic climate was well justified, ahem!
Wexford County Council decided to make Saturday 25th, Wexford Day allowing free access to many, many if not all of the counties attractions all for free to anyone who donned Wexford colours, what a great idea and huge Bualadh bos to them for doing this.
Our Saturday began with a big breakfast before we set off with a plan to visit 3 places.The standard picnic was foil wrapped and carrier bagged and loaded up with a wardrobe of jumpers and raincoats....in June....! It was wet and windy and quite miserable really as we left the house, so the plan to visit The Heritage Park was set aside in favour of driving more south to The Hook Lighthouse, good call Liz.I have had a long family association over the years with the Hook and Slade etc and I find it a great place to come back to, in fact the best time to visit is on a wild and windy winters day when you have to drive through 4 to 5 feet of foam created by the waves crashing against the roadside rocks to get to the lighthouse.
In all these years we have never been up the lighthouse but this month Nathan has been up twice as he had his school tour there last week.If I go into detail about this history soaked place that dates back to 1201 you wont go and visit, so I wont. Go and see it it is well worth a visit and the view from the top is just spectacular and gives a different camera view to what we are used to!
After a quick picnic we headed for Ducannon Fort. I have worked in Duncannon 1 day a month for the last near 13 years and passed by the Fort without even considering going in, not because I wasn't interested in its history but that I was always rushing to be somewhere else.
As you drive in the main gate and turn right for the wooden draw bridge an uncertainty comes over you whether to drive over it or not until the BIG SIGN that says max 4 tonnes puts the mind at ease and on you go, mind you not before you do the whole " I know my car and its weight" thing when really we haven't a breeze about this stuff!!
Greeted again, as we were in The Hook, by the girl in reception with a huge "welcome Wexford family" ( the jerseys gave it away) we met our guide a very young man perhaps on summer holidays from secondary school but well informed and at times in his rush to get the information out he stumbled a bit but forgiven he was all the same. As with The Hook go and see it and listen about history on our doorstep that is overlooked. Here's a quote " blessed be the hands that laid them, cursed be the hands that remove them"! Off you go now.
By now the sun was beating down as we drove away from Duncannon only to stop and look at the kite surfers on the strand of which there was as many lying on their backs "training" as there were out at sea. I did remark how it looked like Ocean Beach in SF which set off enough memories of good times with great people in my head to take us the long journey to The Heritage Park.
Maura Bell, the ever smiling and wise cracking manager greeted us and assigned Ronan as our guide. Ronan has been working in the park since it opened in 1986 so who better to lead us around. His job was made a bit difficult by the bored very young children who were screeching ( not ours!!!!) above his level as he passionately delivered his knowledge of this park and indeed Irish heritage.Some parts were under reconstuction and as a result anyone who visits is given a free pass to come back again when all works are completed, score!! As before, get yer ass there and check it out.For me it seemed to rekindle some of what we learn in primary school about our past and where we come from. Ronan had my full attention and a hand shake promise that we will return!!
It was closing time as we were leaving and Maura was still smiling and made a point of making a fuss of the kids by giving them certificates, posters and fridge magnets and thanking them especially for coming!! Well done Maura.
A ham and lettuce roll doesn't keep you going too long so home we headed to put on the spuds at 7.30!!!! an unprecedented time to start cooking in our house so you can imagine how knarly the kids were!! Bellies full so bed was easy to get the tired troopers into with the promise of another great day tomorrow.
Saturday 8am: Flanagan's for the ingrediants for the full Irish.6 breakfasts, 6 showers a quick run for the 2 dogs who looked at me as a stranger by now and we were off again.
Croke Park, what a place.I feel I have to confess now as I did to Jack Goldsmith after following him the whole way to Dublin and to The John Cussack Pub after he passed us out on the way up.Quite simply I am the worst directional driver in the world and I had no idea how to get to Croke Park, the first plan was to park in the Red Cow Luas car park and get to Connolly Station, but when Jack overtook us I put the boot down and followed him.40km's later I sent him a text hoping he was, in fact, going to croker!!! which he was, thankfully.Back to the confession, the last time ( and possibly the first time ) I was in Croke Park I was a bit tipsy to say the least and Garth Brooks was playing!!!.
Today Wexford were playing against Carlow in the senior football semi final. Liz won two adult tickets for the Hogan Stand so we bought 3 more for the Davin Stand which was all that was left for Jordan, Nathan and me, Aaron put on the jersey for the photo only as he stayed at home with his grandparents/friends for the day.From our cheap seats we were still close enough to wave and smile at Lauryn and Liz.So, Wexford were 1/10 while Carlow were 7/1 this puzzled me some because with Wexford such a short price the support for them in the park was very poor, Carlow however had tremendous vocal support??? Liz explained that Carlow had got to this stage by some miracle hence the support. Bad show Wexford fans!! We didn't stay for the Dublin/Kildare match which Dublin won and now face Wexford in the final on the 10th of July, SCREEN SUMMER STREET PARTY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Liz and Lauryn entered the stands at tunnel 329 and us at 323, but we all went through 329 to sit for a moment and have our photo taken. I hung back a bit as they all went up the steps to see the delight and amazment on the kids faces as the full glory of Croke Park caught their eyes, priceless!
Nathan was shouting "come on Ireland" constantly and I was bleating from the side of my mouth WEXFORD, but I gave up when the kids in front took it upon themselves to correct him at every wrong shout to which Nathan replied "I know, I know". Jordan watched and enjoyed the game asking discreet questions about the game play. Lauryn was swealtering and becoming very bored until the second half when there was more action. Full time score was 4-12 to 10 points in Wexfords favour.
Match over we headed back to the car and with my guide, Jack, nowhere to be found I had to bluff my way from Amiens Street home which I did as home is where I find myself writing this post a long time after I started whith a rumbling belly and the after taste of Chinese food long since gone and everyone in bed hopefully with a few good memories of a weekend in June 2011 when WEXFORD was the the theme of our weekend.
CUM ON DE YELLA BELLIES!!
Dave.
