Comments on: Caravaning in Nth Ireland and Eire http://materialsman.com/2009/03/caravaning-in-nth-ireland-and-eire/ Construction materials and bird watching anecdotes Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:22:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ian http://materialsman.com/2009/03/caravaning-in-nth-ireland-and-eire/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Ian Sat, 02 May 2009 17:18:03 +0000 http://materialsman.com/2009/03/caravaning-in-nth-ireland-and-eire/#comment-166 Aye, nearly right, it was Londonderry not Belfast, and there was a huge orange march going on. I had seen orange marches before in Glasgow but Neil growing up in Perth had never witnessed one. Well he never saw that one but did later in a small town where I drove through and could not get parked went round through the main street again when I noticed all the cars had people in them and were facing to the street, it clicked, a march. We parked outside the town and had a short walk back to exactly get the start of the march. Even the kids faces were serious, I have a solemn face, but boy it is something else to see a mass (oops) of such faces. Serious business marching in Ireland. Oh and it wasn't hitch hikers, the comment was if you get lost up the bogside? think it was bogside, you will lose you van. And he wasn't kidding! And the Pikeys, well the people I met were travelling people, although established in the yard I entered, I explained my problem which was the regulator and gas bottles in Eire where different from the UK. He went to look for a regulator as he had a gas bottle, while he was gone I took his place helping a young lad offload a trailer. Neil is right, the fella refused money for the bottle and regulator, an act of kindness. Aye, nearly right, it was Londonderry not Belfast, and there was a huge orange march going on. I had seen orange marches before in Glasgow but Neil growing up in Perth had never witnessed one. Well he never saw that one but did later in a small town where I drove through and could not get parked went round through the main street again when I noticed all the cars had people in them and were facing to the street, it clicked, a march. We parked outside the town and had a short walk back to exactly get the start of the march. Even the kids faces were serious, I have a solemn face, but boy it is something else to see a mass (oops) of such faces. Serious business marching in Ireland. Oh and it wasn’t hitch hikers, the comment was if you get lost up the bogside? think it was bogside, you will lose you van. And he wasn’t kidding!
And the Pikeys, well the people I met were travelling people, although established in the yard I entered, I explained my problem which was the regulator and gas bottles in Eire where different from the UK. He went to look for a regulator as he had a gas bottle, while he was gone I took his place helping a young lad offload a trailer. Neil is right, the fella refused money for the bottle and regulator, an act of kindness.

]]> By: ThePath http://materialsman.com/2009/03/caravaning-in-nth-ireland-and-eire/comment-page-1/#comment-164 ThePath Fri, 01 May 2009 22:55:56 +0000 http://materialsman.com/2009/03/caravaning-in-nth-ireland-and-eire/#comment-164 Ahh memories.....actualy I have surprisingly little of them regards this trip. Must have been good! However you have missed 2 very poignant circumstances. The first thing I remember was stoppping or trying to in Belfast. We asked a friendly gun toting soldier were it would be prudent to park and take in the sights. He said something to the effect of 'I wouldnt if I were you, just keep driving and get the hell out of the city.....and dont stop for any hitch hikers coz you'll lose yer van!' We took heed and departed tout suite. The hitch hikers were indeed present but were deprived of hijacking the old Merc. Secondly you have failed to mention the pikeys. Aye.....proper fecking pikeys in a proper fecking campsite. Im sure we stopped and asked a local where best to obtain some gas for the van (Dad insists he simply saw the bottles at their gate). Either way we pulled up right outside their gate. Dad jumped out and started to wlk in......I wasnt looking at him though I had already spied the people, the place, the surroundings, the watchful, keen eyes etc. They wore drab, well worn cloths, that had obviously seen more work than washes!! Basically they looked rough ready and capable of burying a few Scottish tourists, acquiring a new home fur de chief poikey! Well maybe my imagination was running slightly fast but they were proper travelling pikey folk. However Dad seemed non the wiser and sauntered in their yard. Immediately helping a young lad load some stuff on the back of a wagon. They immediately warmed to Dad and saw he was a worker and willing ti help a stranger.......so they did too! My Dad asked for gas and gas we recieved....for nowt. Thats right, those dirty, van stealing pikeys were kind enough to give us free gas and advice. Moral of the story? Book....cover? Ahh memories…..actualy I have surprisingly little of them regards this trip. Must have been good!

However you have missed 2 very poignant circumstances. The first thing I remember was stoppping or trying to in Belfast. We asked a friendly gun toting soldier were it would be prudent to park and take in the sights. He said something to the effect of ‘I wouldnt if I were you, just keep driving and get the hell out of the city…..and dont stop for any hitch hikers coz you’ll lose yer van!’

We took heed and departed tout suite. The hitch hikers were indeed present but were deprived of hijacking the old Merc.

Secondly you have failed to mention the pikeys. Aye…..proper fecking pikeys in a proper fecking campsite. Im sure we stopped and asked a local where best to obtain some gas for the van (Dad insists he simply saw the bottles at their gate). Either way we pulled up right outside their gate. Dad jumped out and started to wlk in……I wasnt looking at him though I had already spied the people, the place, the surroundings, the watchful, keen eyes etc. They wore drab, well worn cloths, that had obviously seen more work than washes!!

Basically they looked rough ready and capable of burying a few Scottish tourists, acquiring a new home fur de chief poikey!

Well maybe my imagination was running slightly fast but they were proper travelling pikey folk.

However Dad seemed non the wiser and sauntered in their yard. Immediately helping a young lad load some stuff on the back of a wagon. They immediately warmed to Dad and saw he was a worker and willing ti help a stranger…….so they did too! My Dad asked for gas and gas we recieved….for nowt.

Thats right, those dirty, van stealing pikeys were kind enough to give us free gas and advice.

Moral of the story? Book….cover?

]]> By: Tasha http://materialsman.com/2009/03/caravaning-in-nth-ireland-and-eire/comment-page-1/#comment-137 Tasha Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:08:38 +0000 http://materialsman.com/2009/03/caravaning-in-nth-ireland-and-eire/#comment-137 I must admit that this story brought a smile to my face although I know someone else who ended up in Campbeltown Harbour by accident. Him Indoors (Chris) was an engineer for RJ's when they did the new pier/berth in the arbour and had his chainboy in a small boat in the harbour checking out some of the concrete works done the day before close to the water line. Unfortunately for the chainboy whilst he was doing this work, the large RNLI boat left the harbour at full speed (must have been on an emergency call) and produced a very substantial wake. All of this resulted in the chainboy exiting the small boat head first into the harbour with Chris eventually fishing him out, lifejacket and all, after he had stopped laughing of course! It is definitely not the sort of water to willingly be throwing-self into. I must admit that this story brought a smile to my face although I know someone else who ended up in Campbeltown Harbour by accident. Him Indoors (Chris) was an engineer for RJ’s when they did the new pier/berth in the arbour and had his chainboy in a small boat in the harbour checking out some of the concrete works done the day before close to the water line.

Unfortunately for the chainboy whilst he was doing this work, the large RNLI boat left the harbour at full speed (must have been on an emergency call) and produced a very substantial wake. All of this resulted in the chainboy exiting the small boat head first into the harbour with Chris eventually fishing him out, lifejacket and all, after he had stopped laughing of course! It is definitely not the sort of water to willingly be throwing-self into.

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