MGAs go to the Emerald Isle

Once upon a time a young Englishman with an MGA heard an Irish folk song that touched his heart with its romantic lyrics and haunting guitar. That young man was me and the song was Sligo Fair by Jonathon Kelly. I vowed then that one day I would visit Sligo in the north-west of the Emerald Isle but I never imagined I would do it in that same MGA.

Fast forward forty years and I not only discovered that Mary, the wife of nearby MGA owner Mike Maze had family in Sligo but also that Mike was prepared to organise an MGA tour of the area. We chose 2013 for our trip as the MG Car Club Centre were running an event in that we could take in along the way. Ulster was an ancient nine-county province of Ireland, six of which now comprise Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, and three are part of the Republic of Ireland.

And quite a way it would be as the Mazes and I live in south-east England, about as far away as you can get in Britain from north-west Ireland. We would have to cross England and Wales, take a ferry across the Irish Sea to Dublin, drive up the east coast of the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland and then traverse westward to Sligo. Furthermore, to make the return journey different we planned to take a ferry back across the Irish Sea to Scotland and then drive the length of England home. Four other MGAs signed up for the trip, as did Australian MGA owners Gary and Anita Lock in an MG6 hire car. Game on !

My only preparation was to change the oil, fit new air-filter elements and, in deference to Irish weather, replace the soft-top. What could possibly go wrong ?! The sun shone as we drove across England and on to Caernarfon in Wales via the scenic Llanberis Pass. Our only problem was the hotel that Mike had chosen had no guest parking, but he swiftly negotiated our access to the secure staff parking area. My MGA was misfiring slightly as we queued for the ferry to Dublin so I declined a seaman’s request to drive up a steep ramp to an upper deck for the voyage. As the car had not missed a beat in recent months, I suspected the new air filter elements had enriched the mixture and, sure enough, the spark plugs were very sooty when we checked them after driving off the ferry. I quickly removed the air-filters whilst son Tom changed the plugs and the engine didn’t miss a beat thereafter.

Sooty spark plug changing Roger by Spelga Reservoir in Mourne Mountains

Most small boys love sports cars and Irish lads are no different, as we discovered as we fuelled up near Dublin. Two youngsters cycled up to admire our cars and one asked if he could sit in the driver’s seat. His face was a picture of happiness as he revved the engine and watched the tachometer needle dance around dial. Tom and I detoured to take in the Mourne Mountains and the Ards Peninsula in Ulster, being impressed to learn of an 8 th Century tidal water mill at the site of the Nendrum Monastery on the banks of Strangford Lough. Thirteen hundred years later a modern tidal turbine now generates electricity at the mouth of this same sea lough. The next day we signed on for the start of the MGCC Ulster Tour. Here we joined a mix of MGs ranging from two lovely 1930s J2s, through MGBs and Midgets to the Lock’s 2013 MG6 and, of course, MGAs, three of which would join us for the whole tour. The route first took us over the misty Sperrin Mountains past the almost 5000 year old Neolithic Beaghmore stone circles then on to our base near the Antrim Coast. Despite the light traffic, we soon learned not to assume that the road ahead was clear. On a number of occasions we rounded a bend to find the road filled with sheep or riders on horseback.

Start of MG Car Club Ulster Centre Tour Pretty pre-WW2 MG J2

The second day’s itinerary started with a visit to the famous Bushmills distillery, where we sampled the Irish Whisky despite it being before lunch! Then on we drove to the scenic Giants Causeway, where millennia ago cooling lava formed multi-sided columns of rock that have since been eroded to look like a paved walkway into the sea. Next we tested our nerves on the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge that Ulster fisherman historically used to reach a small island where they could hoist their boats in and out of the North Atlantic Ocean. Shortly afterwards a spectacular low-level sea mist rolled in to the foot of the cliffs, making it look exactly like the ocean had frozen into an ice-shelf. This mostly sunny day finished with us driving flowering fuschia-hedged lanes and taking in a water-splash where the road and a stream occupy the same space in the Ballypatrick Forest Drive.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge on the Antrim Coast

MGA above North Atlantic sea mist MGA exiting Ballypatrick watersplash

Ours car were rested the following morning as we took a guided walk around the ancient city walls of Derry. The shapely Peace Bridge over the River Foyle might be an expression of hope but it was both sad and moving to look down upon the suburbs of this Northern Ireland city, which still express unionist versus republican sectarian tension. The protestant enclave is bedecked with the British colours of red, white and blue whilst in the nearby Bogside the catholic republicans defiantly fly the orange, white and green Irish tri- colour and have painted ‘IRA’ on building roofs. I was warned not to drive my MGA in such a republican area as its Union flag sticker might be viewed as provocative.

Irish rain hit us in the afternoon, the only heavy rain of our trip, just as we arrived at the restored hill-top stone ring-fort of , one of the royal sites of Gaelic Ireland. We braved the weather to scale the 16 feet high ramparts, getting soaked in the process, but of the views we saw nothing. Not to worry, we had the new MGA soft-top to keep us dry so up it went. Two problems; 1) I had not fitted the optional seal under the header rail so at any speed we had a mini-waterfall from the top of the windshield and 2) the lip on the new top was longer than original, which caused the wiper blades to get stuck at the top of the sweep. I quickly switched them off but a strong smell of electrical burning alerted me to the wiper motor still trying to achieve the park position! So we had the choice of either keeping slightly less wet with the top up or getting soaked but being able to see where were going with it down. Oh, the fun of old cars.

MGs on the Foyle Ferry Malin Head – Most northerly point of Ireland

We then had to decide if we were to complete the afternoon’s route to the most northerly tip of Ireland in the wet or head straight back to a nice warm and dry hotel. Well, MGA owners aren’t put off by being cold and wet are they? So off we went to Malin Head. There, we knew we had reached ‘the end of Ireland’ as someone had thoughtfully painted a white line across the end of the road marked ‘FINISH’, as well as ‘START’ for those commencing end-to-end journeys there. We were conscious that this headland would have been the last sighting of Ireland for the countless men, women and children who emigrated to America in the 18 th and 19 th centuries. Happily, the rain soon stopped and our day’s drive ended via a scenic ferry crossing across the River Foyle.

Our last day on the Ulster tour took us along the famous beech tree-lined ‘Dark Hedges’ section of the Bregagh Road and on to to visit the new Titanic Exhibition on the dock where the famous White Star Line ship was constructed. We noticed how subdued visitors became in the gallery portraying the sinking but it was good to see that the ship’s famous shipbuilder Harland and Wolf are still in business on an adjacent dockside. The Ulster event ended with an excellent evening hog-roast, hosted by MGCC Ulster Chairman Mike Armstrong and his family. Not only did the rain hold off but it seemed particularly appropriate that our drinks were served in his garage, where we were surrounded by MG parts ranging from pre-WW2 chassis to MGA parts and accessories.

Midget drives the ‘Dark Hedges’ road MGA by Harland & Wolf shipyard

And so ended our MGCC Ulster tour, where our five MGAs were joined by the sixth car that would complete the group for our trip to Sligo and the wild west of Donegal.

Next, our six MGAs and one MG6 had an important location to visit in the area before we set off for Sligo in the Republic of Ireland, the other part of the Emerald Isle.

Ulsterman Mervyn Gillespie, one of our group, remembered his uncle’s Belfast garage being used for scrutineering of the race cars competing in the 1955 Tourist Trophy race and as the EX182 Le Mans MGAs had competed in this event at the Dundrod circuit, Mervyn was keen to take us there. It is still used for the motorcycle Ulster Grand Prix, which we managed to watch on local TV a few nights before. We were amazed to see the bikes exceeding 180mph on the narrow winding country roads that make up the circuit, without a safety barrier or run-off area to be seen. Almost as scary, we learned that back in 1955 the leading Jaguar and Mercedes were exceeding 140mph in places but the fatalities in that year’s race prompted the subsequent ending of car events on the circuit.

The sun came out as we arrived at the Dundrod start/finish straight and lined up our MGAs to wait for a break in the traffic. Why ? Well, Mervyn wanted to us to attempt a grid line-up and mock race start, which would require us to use both sides of the two-way road. Fortunately, it being a quiet Sunday morning, we soon got our opportunity and were able to fill the grid with our MGAs before setting off to lap the circuit, albeit reverting to single-file at the first sign of oncoming traffic. Appropriately, Mervyn led the way. All great fun, and photos were taken to prove it !

We then commenced Mike Maze’s tour, with his MGA leading the way to our next stop at . This is a pretty town with a long and varied main street, tragically made famous by an Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb that killed eleven people at a Remembrance Day ceremony in 1987. More recently, the town hosted the 2013 G8 summit where Russian President Putin famously disagreed with President Obama on the subject of Syria. Our route then took us due west, pausing for lunch at Florence Court, original home of the Earls of Enniskillen before crossing into the Republic of Ireland. Never one to miss a viewpoint, we diverted to view the pretty Glencar lake and waterfall shortly before arriving at the coastal town of Sligo. A forty-year ambition achieved at last.

Son Tom and MGA by Glencar Lake Co. Sligo MGA arrives at Sligo town

Mary Maze had specified a full day of activities in her family’s home county of Sligo, combining history, culture, walks ranging from the leisurely to the exhausting and ending up with an evening in a traditional Irish pub.

We started with a breath of sea air whilst stretching our legs with a walk to Rosses Point. There was a fine statue here of a woman with outstretched arms, called ‘Waiting on Shore’, symbolising women whose menfolk have been lost at sea. I felt it could equally well represent mothers whose sons had emigrated to America, perhaps never to return. Another impressive sculpture on our Sligo itinerary included one of Constance Gore Booth, the Irish suffragette who, despite being jailed for republican sympathies, became the first female MP to be elected to the British parliament. Our educational tour then continued with a coffee- stop near the grave of Irish poet Y B Yeates in Drumcliff churchyard, clearly a well-visited site if the number of tour buses was anything to go by, and then on around Lough Gill to the picturesque ruins of Creevelea Abbey. It was largely destroyed by Oliver Cromwell in 1650 at the time of the English Revolution.

Sligo ‘Waiting on Shore’ statue MGs at Creevelea Abbey

After a welcome seaside lunch at the beachside town of Strandhill, I was surprised to see my name in the Roadbook instructions for the afternoon. It stated that I had asked if we could undertake the half-mile climb up the 1000ft landmark Knocknarea that is capped by the Neolithic passage tomb known as Queen Maeve’s Cairn. I confess I had failed to notice the altitude when I spotted the site on a map of the area but, having been name-checked, I just had to climb it. Most of us did so and the views from the top were well worth the effort. Here we had the only instance in Ireland of locals not respecting our MGAs as on our return to the parking lot some kids were opening the tonneau cover on one of the cars, obviously looking for items to steal. Fortunately, seeing us, they quickly left and nothing was lost.

We then had yet another scenic drive back to Sligo town where Mike and Mary had kindly arranged transportation for an evening’s traditional Irish musical entertainment at a pub. Here, quite a bit of Irish Guinness was consumed and Mervyn couldn’t resist demonstrating his dancing prowess to locals and tourists alike. He afterwards insisted that he was drunk on the atmosphere, not the Guinness !

The following day we changed counties from Sligo to Donegal and, such is the meandering border of the Irish Republic, found ourselves a few yards back in Northern Ireland for a tour of the famous Belleek Pottery. Here we witnessed women crafting intricate ceramic items ranging from kitchenware to jewellery prior to their glazing and firing to produce the finished items that are exported all over the world. Yet another excellent lunch was enjoyed in the town of Donegal where some shopping was also undertaken and then we headed to the North Atlantic coast.

Belleek pottery in the making ….. and finished, price £1950.00 Our Roadbook warned us that this was Gaelic speaking Ireland and the roadsigns would not include English placenames. However, having driven in countries not even using our alphabet, we were not at all fazed by this prospect and enjoyed the drive to view Slieve League, at c.1000ft the second highest sea-cliffs in Ireland. I was conscious that the coast of Ireland had some absolutely stunning beaches with white to golden sands and clear blue water, yet they were little used. It was on this subject that the most memorable ‘quote’ of the tour for me occurred. At nearby Malin Bay yet another family wanted to take photos of themselves by our MGA and I commented that the beach would be lovely if only the sea was warmer and the Dad replied “Oh it’s just fine,…..up to the ankles”! The day ended at a welcoming hotel in Glenties where the innkeeper had no less than seven lovely daughters and our fellow MGA-ers did their best to match my son Tom with the pretty young waitress.

Irish family let loose in our MGA One of the few classics seen in Ireland, unrestored

We stayed inland the following morning, to take in the picturesque Glenveagh National Park, which has a 19 th century castellated mansion (mock castle) and early swimming pool beside a beautiful lake. Its last private owner was American art enthusiast Henry P. McIlhenny of Philadelphia who kept part of his collection there where he also entertained the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable and Greta Garbo Unfortunately, we did not see any of the golden eagles recently reintroduced to the area. Our afternoon’ drive took us along Donegal’s famous Atlantic Drive around the Rosguill Peninsula and then across to the Fanad Peninsula by way of the new Harry Blaney ‘bridge to nowhere’, so nicknamed due to its justification allegedly being ‘pork barrel’ politics rather than traffic need. We then drove to the tip of Fanad Head, where the sun came out for us to stretch our legs and photograph the picturesque lighthouse there before heading to the night’s hotel.

Our last day of the tour took us back to Northern Ireland for a visit to the Ulster American Folk Park. Founded by descendants of the US Mellon banking family on Mellon ancestral farmland, it combines a museum explaining the significance of emigration of Ulster people to America in the 18 th and 19 th centuries with an outdoor area of mostly original reconstructed period properties of the time, from both sides of the Atlantic. Notable exhibits include the Mellon family homestead still standing on its original site, a reconstructed Ulster street with period shop-fronts, a reproduction dock and emigrant sailing ship interior, an American port scene with a replica of the first Mellon Bank, a log cabin and a replica of the first Mellon house in Pennsylvania. As a schoolboy fan of western films, I was also fascinated by the genuine Conestoga ‘prairie schooner’ in the museum.

Reconstructed West Virginia House Conestoga ‘Prairie Schooner’

And so our visit to the Emerald Isle came to an end and the following morning the six MGA crews departed in different directions, two back to Dublin for a ferry to Liverpool and Tom and I and three other crews crossing the Irish Sea to Scotland. We drove as far as England that same day and finally arrived home the following afternoon.

Total mileage for our MGA: 2109 miles.

Total problems for six MGAs during two weeks touring; some mis-firing on three cars, some fuel seepage on two cars, a worn wiper blade on two cars and my untested new soft-top.

Total number of tow-trucks required: None.

Roger Martin

13 th October 2013