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Ireland Heritage Tour

For 2016 we have an 1100 tour to Southern Ireland.
On Day 6 of our Ireland tour we visited the famous Gordon Bennett Racing Circuit.

 
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Day 6 - 26 Aug 16.

Our final day and our tour host treated us to an extra 30 minutes in bed with a 9.30am start which for some was much needed after a night in the bar!

The morning began with a photo shoot of the 3 white 2 doors with Joseph Kearney having joined us from Limerick in his white 2 door Morris. Tim Robinson in his white 2 door Morris and Rob McKerney in his white 2 door Austin. A spectacular sight they made and we could have done an impromptu wedding!

We also said our goodbyes to Malcolm and Norah in their Riley Elf which had set the pace for the majority of the week. Malcolm and Norah recently joined the Club to undertake the Ireland Heritage Tour and purchase a Riley Kestrel.

The first stop of the day was at the Athy Heritage Centre which forms part of the famous Gordon Bennett Racing Circuit. We were treated to a 20 minutes video showing the original footage of the 1903 race which was the precursor to the formula one Grand Prix.

With the afternoon to ourselves all team 1100 members undertook a plethora of activities with the most notable perhaps being Members David, Rob, Rachel, Stefan and Gemma who seized upon an opportunity to have afternoon tea which a Count and Countess! Finding themselves in an Athy shop in which there was a shop keeper who had obviously kissed the Blarney stone many times, five of Team 1100 were sent on an adventure by the shop keeper in hunt of a Celtic Cross and a German Count; it really did seem like an Enid Blyton story!

A seven mile drive off the beaten track had the intrepid five in the remains of an old abbey, believed to have been established by Saint Colmcille, and staring at the 7m high Moon Holy Cross. Dating back to the 7th century it is the oldest and most intact Celtic cross in Ireland. Also at the Cross just happened to be Count Carl von Matuschka and also fresh from kissing the Blarney Stone Team 1100 soon found themselves engaged in conversation, touring the Count’s English Garden, Recreation Garden and Walled Garden. Two brave members of Team 1100 even ventured inside and to the top of the Count’s adjacent Tower House before all were given a tour of the Count’s 19th century palladium house before meeting Princess Jenny and the Count’s Mother-in-law for tea, coffee and cakes!

Some special guests appeared at our 1960s themed evening with Paul McCartney, Cher, Gina from Heartbeat and Elvis to mention a few! Team 1100 certainly threw themselves into the spirit of the evening with some spectacular 1960s costumes. Ireland members John and Kathleen Friel have also joined us for the evening to enjoy the fun and will be escorting us to their collection of ADO16s in the morning. Suffice to say a superb evening was had by all. Hic!