A trip down memory lane...

[Craig196]

Ed. that pic looks like Dunsop Bridge to me.... BUT there are a few that look similar in that area...

it's the one just literally just outside of Dunsop Bridge I believe, on the way to/from the Inn at Whitewell. Trophy territory

 

[photo_ed]

Ed. that pic looks like Dunsop Bridge to me.... BUT there are a few that look similar in that area...

Well spotted Dave, it’s indeed very near Dunsop Bridge, on the stretch inbetween there and the Inn at Whitewell.

 

[photo_ed]

it's the one just literally just outside of Dunsop Bridge I believe, on the way to/from the Inn at Whitewell. Trophy territory

Sorry for replicating what you'd already posted Craig, I'd got all excited by Dave's post that I replied without scrolling down to read the other subsequent replies!

 

[Titan]

I’ve driven the ‘Gap of Dunloe’ years ago Ed, when Spectating at the Killarney International Rally. It’s a pass up to the Famous ’Molls Gap‘ Rally Stage. It was more or less a dirt track in places with Mountain Sheep roaming over it. It is over 20yrs since I was last on it and it was rough then, I’d hate to think what condition the ‘road‘ is in now!

Some nice retro motors pictured above too

To my shame,I have never been.

Here is Molls Gap as shown by two unbelievable drivers,both taken far far too soon.

Craig Breen

Colin McRae

Both driving it as intended,in a Mk2 Escort.

I can only imagine what it would be like to tackle a road like that in a Trophy,certainly get the blood pumping I bet!!

 

[photo_ed]

I’ve driven the ‘Gap of Dunloe’ years ago Ed, when Spectating at the Killarney International Rally. It’s a pass up to the Famous ’Molls Gap‘ Rally Stage. It was more or less a dirt track in places with Mountain Sheep roaming over it. It is over 20yrs since I was last on it and it was rough then, I’d hate to think what condition the ‘road‘ is in now!

Some nice retro motors pictured above too

It was a heady 33 years ago now since I went over 'The Gap' in the 205 GTi, and I've got cracking old tale to recount about it too... which when I find the relevant pics I'm going to hopefully post up on here. The day earlier we'd done Moll's Gap (at a fair old rate of knots too if my memory serves.. ) , and it was an evening conversation in a bar which lead to the Dunloe adventure the following day! Great times!

My favourite road / experience down in that local area though was the road over from Kenmare to Glengarrif, not only a spectacular sinuous ribbon of tricky tarmac but; THAT VIEW of Bantry Bay as you crest the top and head through those tunnels, it still raises goosebumps to this day. I really want to revisit it, either in the Trophy or our old Mini, one day..

 

[photo_ed]

To my shame,I have never been.

Here is Molls Gap as shown by two unbelievable drivers,both taken far far too soon.

Craig Breen

Colin McRae

Both driving it as intended,in a Mk2 Escort.

I can only imagine what it would be like to tackle a road like that in a Trophy,certainly get the blood pumping I bet!!

Great vids Francis! To keep with the theme there, here's that lovely fella Breen tackling it in a Metro 6R4 (you've probably seen it, but I'll post it here for those who haven't, it's a favourite of mine!).

 

[Titan]

You might even have been listening to a bit of Insomnia at the time as well Ed....

 

[Titan]

Great vids Francis! To keep with the theme there, here's that lovely fella Breen tackling it in a Metro 6R4 (you've probably seen it, but I'll post it here for those who haven't, it's a favourite of mine!).

I've never seen him in that car before Ed,just unreal

 

[photo_ed]

I've never seen him in that car before Ed,just unreal

That's some commitment there isn't it, in those damp/wet conditions too... An absolute masterclass.

 

[Titan]

Driver,co-driver and machine working in unison,right up to the maximum limits

 

[photo_ed]

All this chit-chat and vids of great Irish roads & scenery have me fantasising about some sort of Trophy's to Ireland Tour... How bloody brilliant would that be?

 

[Ajracer]

All this chit-chat and vids of great Irish roads & scenery have me fantasising about some sort of Trophy's to Ireland Tour... How bloody brilliant would that be?

Could be an alternative to Wales in the Hope it’s not bloody raining!

 

[photo_ed]

Could be an alternative to Wales in the Hope it’s not bloody raining!

Given the attitudes now in the UK, including Wales, to any sort of brisk driving allied to the new extensive 20mph zones rolled out there this last year, I can't help but start to look further afield for some old-school excitement..

 

[photo_ed]

Dug out a couple more delights from the back catalogue this evening.

First up it's Trophy #069 again on another holiday in Ireland, I'm guessing Spring 2006 for this one judging by the sunlight on the drive and cleanliness of the wheel nuts, the car must have still been fairly new.



Then, jumping onwards a year or two to 2007/8ish, here's a snap of my Dad's Megane 230 R26 which he must have taken as I don't recall taking it, and what's that behind? It's Trophy #069 again, peeking round the corner.



And finally, just for a chuckle, and rewinding back a good few years - here's a young me (v.early 20's) fettling away under the bonnet of my Porsche 924 with Dad looking on, I still have that breaker bar and interesting to see I was already addicted to using full rolls of kitchen roll under the bonnet. Lurking bottom left is my old Mini Cooper S 1310 ...quick car with a lovely fuel filler cap.

 

[Titan]

Great photos there Ed.

I have a feeling the coolness of the Irish car fleet went up quite significantly,
whenever you and your family made your trips across the sea.

Having both your Dad's R26 and your Trophy, would have been quite the cross
country convoy I'd imagine.

I think that silver colour just adds a nice bit of extra coolness to the R26 as well.
Love to see more of your Mini, sounds like a proper little flyer.

 

[photo_ed]

Great photos there Ed.

I have a feeling the coolness of the Irish car fleet went up quite significantly,
whenever you and your family made your trips across the sea.

Having both your Dad's R26 and your Trophy, would have been quite the cross
country convoy I'd imagine.

I think that silver colour just adds a nice bit of extra coolness to the R26 as well.
Love to see more of your Mini, sounds like a proper little flyer.

Ah, cheers Francis.

Haha! We'd got a bit more sensible by the time we were in the Clio's and the Megane. The loopy drives across Ireland had been a few years earlier in the Civic Type R's, and before that the Peugeot 306 Rallye with my daft blue Mini trying to keep up (found a pic of that in Donegal tonight, so I'll post that up sometime). The Mini in the pic above I sadly don't have many pics of, they were all stored on an iMac which sadly got stolen from one of my business premises in the mid 2000's, I was gutted at the time as I lost loads of old pics which I'd neglected to back up!

 

[Titan]

Ah, cheers Francis.

Haha! We'd got a bit more sensible by the time we were in the Clio's and the Megane. The loopy drives across Ireland had been a few years earlier in the Civic Type R's, and before that the Peugeot 306 Rallye with my daft blue Mini trying to keep up (found a pic of that in Donegal tonight, so I'll post that up sometime). The Mini in the pic above I sadly don't have many pics of, they were all stored on an iMac which sadly got stolen from one of my business premises in the mid 2000's, I was gutted at the time as I lost loads of old pics which I'd neglected to back up!

Whenever you get your finger out and get that book of your car life written, I'll definitely be buying a copy

Rallye's, Type-R's, more MIni's.....and that's probably only scratching the surface.

 

[NickReilly063]

Amazing times Ed - looking back at the scraps / near misses we all must have had I think we are all really lucky to be able to talk about them today - Sign me up for a copy too