Ireland - 5 December 2007 to 21 April 2008 (GR1)

Dia Dhuit (Hello) again! A land of rolling green hills, stone aged tombs and medieval castles that the word Ireland conjures, appears to have burst from the fog and rain of its battered history. Everywhere is evidence of the Celtic Tigers sky rocketing economy. Difficult to now imagine the first Celtic warriors arriving here around 300BC and St Patrick around the 5 th Century AD. Reflecting on the subsequent raids by the Vikings and Anglo-Norman forces, we are happy to be in Ireland that has largely resolved the Catholic oppression that got serious in the 1500's and only really sizzled out a few years ago.

Our first challenge was negotiating Dublin 's many one ways at night, but Jo-Anne's map reading was impeccable and we arrived at our 5 star B&B, Kilronan House with only one wrong turn! With free wifi, heated rooms and showers we were in paradise. The next day, after a great breakfast, was for business- my orientation for the next 4 months at Locumotion (a medical placement agency). Still clinging to our travel mindset, we drove north to Ashbourne (my GP placement town) and spent the night in the car park of our favourite chain store, Lidl. The next day we followed up on advertised accommodation and visited estate agents. We eventually sourced a 2 bedroomed terraced home about 25km North of Ashbourne, in Navan. Despite Ireland 's centuries of conquest, famine and emigration, we had regular experiences of the Irish friendly disposition and sense of humour. A great start to our stay. After a happy weekend reunion with GR3 in Athy, we were off to Monaghan for a week of work after months of travel. We stayed at a typical 70's B&B called Hildene House with a friendly Teresa as our landlady. The kids spent most of their time completing their syllabus for the year while I acclimatised to a 9 to 6 routine. Before we knew it the week was over and we were on the road again exploring troubled Northern Ireland .

Back to the land of the Queen, we travelled North to Londonderry and along the famous rolling countryside to Portrush where we spent the night in Tipperdee along the beachfront. The next day delivered unsurpassed natural and man-made dramas. Firstly we sighted Dunluce Castle brooding, their stones remembering long gone nights of feasting and treachery. The famous Causeway Coastal route along the North part of the Island and along the Eastern seafront to Carrickfergus was just gorgeous- ony interrupted by a 2 hour hike to Giants Causeway. This UNESCO heritage site lies within an area of outstanding natural beauty on the north Antrim coast- it's an astonishing complex of about 40000 hexagonal basalt columns closely packed as if to form stepping stones out to the sea towards Scotland . Formed 60 million years ago by the cooling and shrinking of molten lava but popular mythology attributes their creation to an Irish giant called Finn Mac Cool, who built the pathway to battle his Scottish rival, Benandonner.

Our final night in Tipperdee for 2007 was spent in the car park at the foot of Carrickfergus Castle . After surviving another cold night we were in Belfast with its Victorian architecture and had our first taste of a guinness draught on tap and a traditional Irish stew in the famed 1885 Crown Liquor Saloon. The so called troubles of the 1970's came to life driving along Catholic Falls Road and Protestant Shankill Road. Political and religious passions of the time are still displayed by the impressive murals in these previous battlefronts.

Needing some creature comforts we then headed south along the coast to Navan and our first night in our cosy 2 bedroomed apartment in Johnstown- our home base for the next 3 ½ months. Reorganising Tipperdee, planning the next leg and working will be on the itinerary until the end of March 2008, with the long awaited reunion with our parents from Christmas for a month.

So as the Irish say in Gaelic- Slan Leat!