So I've decided to give the car a day of rest today, the reasons for which will become clear later, so I will give you a brief guided tour of Roundstone which has been my home for the past few days.
It all started in here, Kings Bar, mid afternoon, with what was going to be a couple of quick pints before I found some dinner. The Leinster Rugby game was on, the bar packed, I was stood towards the back of the pub, within minutes am chatting to one of the locals, he immediately reminded me of "Pig Finn" (played by James Nesbit) in one of my favourite films "Waking Ned"
After covering the basics topics, such as beer, rugby etc, we got onto the subject of which bars I should drink in when I move onto my next destination, Clifden. "Make sure you go to Tom Kings, don't go to the other Kings pub in Clifton, they serve food in their, they'll be no craic in the other one, so make sure it's Tom Kings, you got that....it will be full of nutters like me F'in & Jeff'in n having the craic, you got that now Tom Kings, not the other Kings bar, just Tom's"....
I was pretty clear on the instruction, but made a note on my phone just in case.
After the match, a quick bite to eat, then over to Shamrocks, I sat on the bench on the left hand side, with the exception of the odd bathrooms break n trips to the bar, that's were I remained until 2am, when the pub closed......
I was joined on my bench my a number of wonderful people over those 5 n a half hours, sorry to those who's name's I can't remember, my memory for names is dreadful.
First to arrive was "crazy cycle man" he'd left Dublin in rush hour on Friday to spend nearly 6 hours in the car to get here, to then cycle 140KM on Saturday, then go home on Sunday. We talked about the news, Trump (he always seem to get a mention) the weather, the occasional foray into Brexit, but mainly he told me cycling stories !
Next to join the party were Audrey & Sandra, got these names no problem, as they introduced themselves I was like "My nan's name was Audrey and my mom has a sister called Sandra", clearly name association works well for me ! These two were fantastic fun, had me in stitches of laughter, gave me a few useful pointers on life, surviving in Ireland, how the female mind works....all sorts of useful insights, just great great craic, (including a strange & mischievous face time call with Audrey's dad) ! Thanks for your company...
Second from last to arrive were a, not long married, couple from Galway, they clearly didn't share names with any of my relatives, sorry can't remember your names..... They told me they had recently visited Birmingham, went to Crufts, I asked where they stayed as I live close to the NEC where Crufts take place, after of few seconds of trying to find the name of the hotel in the back of their memory bank, they guy says "I think it was called something like Hogwarts".....I said "you don't mean Hogarth's do you?"..... "That's it Hogarth's"...... this place is about 750 yards from my house ! from their on in we were like long lost relatives, they have offered to show me the proper pubs of Galway when I return, not the tourist haunts I apparently found when I was there.....I see we swapped numbers, as I've not got the names, I have saved you in my contacts as "The Lovely Couple from Galway"
The final seat at the table was taken by this chap (name regrettably unknown)
What a very interesting character ! After the usual pleasantries he started off with "I won't tell you my entire life story, as it will take too long, but let me just tell you this"..... an interesting and often tragic chapter of his life would then unfold, as the chapter drew to a close, we would all raise a drink and then he'd say "I won't tell you my entire life story, as it will take too long, but let me just tell you this" and this process repeated it's self several more times.
I have to take my hat off to this fella, life has thrown him more that his fair share of rough luck, but he's one of the most chirpy and optimistic people I've met ! fair play to ya !
And so they day (well early morning drew to a close)...... zzzzzzz