This came from a suggestion from Tom Foley and I thought that some might find it interesting to start a thread and update it from time to time. Let's everyone see a bit of each others country.
The idea is to travel to 24 different points of interest around Ireland and take a photograph of said item of interest and include your bike.
There's no prizes, just a certificate to say that you've done it with special commendations for the better photographic efforts.
For more detailed info look at Irish Photo Rally
After all, we have all gone for a run for lesser reasons than this.
Here are my first two photos. Covered 200 miles today on terrific bendy roads with excellent weather.
What more could you ask for?
The more observant of you will notice that the fairing is back on. Fed up being cold!
Sorry Will, keeping those handlebar risers after all.





Belturbet railway station. Closed in 1959 and restored by a local group.



Only in Ireland!
This unusual monument is called the 'Border Buster' and is on the North/South border in what used to be known as 'bandit country'.
You didn't hang around here 20 odd years ago.
The British Army used to dig up or block the back, or unapproved, roads between the North and South to try and prevent terrorists from easy movement.
Local farmers then had to drive 10-15 miles to attend to their livestock even if they were only a few fields away.
Many of the locals used to get together and reopen these back roads using machinery such as this.
After peace broke out, this digger lay in a ditch for about 10 years until some locals decided to set it up as a reminder of those times.
Today, its just a lovely, quiet spot on the road.

I love the photo...and the stories behind it!

Keep 'em coming!

Great John. I seen the Block buster in person. I would be interested in doing some of the rally too. I read about it last year and thought it was a great way to get an impromptue destination for a spin.

Let me know if you can plan far enough in advance for future spins.

88

Hi Will. Plan on doing a couple of overnighters during the summer to take in the further away spots.
I'll let you know when I'm going and we could meet up.

Hi Will. Plan on doing a couple of overnighters during the summer to take in the further away spots.
I'll let you know when I'm going and we could meet up.

Great pics, looks like you got better weather than us down here.
That Buster appears to be a JCB 807 , what a great idea to turn it into a monument to bad times.

Excellent idea and great pics.

Pity even a monument as significant as that JCB has to have the cabin enclosed like that.
Someone should get up there and graffiti some windows on it. Hide that ugly white stuff.

Wonder what I could get? We have nothing like that round here.
Opera house. A bridge. First landing spot of Jimbo and crew in Aus

Surely there is an old pub somewhere? Lord Nelson maybe.

I really like the idea about posting pictures of each country.

If I had read this post earlier, I would have taken pictures too. In fact, today we ended up going for lunch (and a nice cold Ale) at Paddys Pub in Wolfville.

Paddys pub is producing its own brew, and what a treat!

You see, we got part of your country at our door step.

Glad some like the idea.
Already planning my next day out to get a couple more.
If anyone else wanted to do something similar, I think the only criteria should be that it must include their K.
A little background info would be good too.

John

Definitely a great idea......there are some very interesting photos.

There is a memorial to the [1986?] Air India plane crash at Ahakista in West Cork.....its in a very picturesque location....but you probably know it already....

I am glad to see the emperor I mean K has his clothes I mean fairing on again. Naked does not really suit....

Yes Olaf, now I'm getting near your age and feeling that soft Irish weather more. Wife says I have to stop acting the young fella.
I'll be calling in for a cuppa when I'm down your direction to take a few more photos.

Comberjohn wrote:Yes Olaf, now I'm getting near your age and feeling that soft Irish weather more. Wife says I have to stop acting the young fella.
I'll be calling in for a cuppa when I'm down your direction to take a few more photos.

Good to see you took up the idea ComberJohn. I have taken a few from the deep south here and hope to make the ABR rally up your way on 10-12 May and travel on through the North,w&w permitting.

Well As I was out there a few weeks ago and took this photo I thought to add it on here...

Taken at Howth Harbour a few weeks ago on a lovely spring evening.
On the west pier looking north towards the mouth of the harbour with Ireland's Eye in the background.

Rod

Out and about yesterday.
Beaut of a day for riding.
Picked up a couple of shots for Photo Rally
First up ...Stroan Fountain, Thomastown


Gatelodge at Lyons estate


and a few more besides

bcnu
Rod

Today was a beautifull Sunday and I had to decide if I wanted to finish putting the chair on the road or drive the solo K100 with my friends. Well, the choice was riding.
I met 5 friends and we took a ride to Tatamagouche
As Canada is a multicultural society, we apply the same principle when riding with friends. Today was 2 BMWs, 2 Harleys, one Honda and one Suzuki.
We are all good friends for years, and yes even if we are picking on each others bikes, we like riding together.
The ride was just a warm up ride as we covered only 350kms in the day.
We stopped for lunch at Big Al's pub for a quick meal and this is when I discovered down the road a very different B&B.
Canadians are very attached to trains as this was part of the condition to sign a constitution to create what the country is now. The train had to be able to deserve communities from coast to coast (We forgot about the third one because this is the Artic Ocean; We normally say from coast to coast to coast (3 oceans bordering Canada).
To come back to this different B&B....
Because of economics, the train doesn't desserve this community anymore and somebody bought the old railway station to convert it into a B&B.
You eat in the dining car and sleep in the Caboose. Check their Web site

Here is few pictures of the ride:





Here are your bedrooms at the B&B


And closer to the railway station is the dinning car:


I Like the color of the green car as it matches the color of the bike

CF

Cool.
For train lovers everywhere, what a clever idea.

Weather looks pretty good too ;-)

What kind of miles would you cover on a day like that ?

R

DeRodster wrote:
Weather looks pretty good too ;-)

What kind of miles would you cover on a day like that ?

R

We saw a couple of patches of snow, but spring finally arrived. 15⁰ yesterday.
A Sunday ride varies between 300 and 500kms. It just depends if we leave early. Yesterday I took the highway to come back but normally the majority of the rides are on secondary roads. If you average 70 km/h, you are doing well.

CF

Got a few more snaps for my Irish Photo Rally. <a href=[/img][/img]" />"

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St Aiden's Well, near Limavady overlooking the Foyle Estuary.

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Murlough bay bothy near Ballycastle.


And the track that leads down to it.

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Lady’s rest, Glenfarne demesne forest - Lough MacNean shore

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Tully customs hut near Pettigo, Donegal. Was used in the 1920's not long after Ireland was partitioned.

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Not a lot of company up there.

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Lady’s finger, Boyne estuary, Mornington.

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Fore Priory, Longford, West Meath.

Still amazes me the way I think nothing of getting on this bike, that's 30 years old, bought for £380, and driving to these places in the middle of nowhere.

John,
If we still had some smilies, I'd do a thumbs up, raise a glass of red and a cheers!!!

Great pics, thanks,
Paul.

Great photo's John,

That track down to Murlough Bay Bothy is very exciting to drive.
I couldnt get as far as the gate coz there were a few bikes there so i stopped a few yards short on the rise and turned there.
Wonderful spot.

Rod

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Lady’s finger, Boyne estuary, Mornington.



Still amazes me the way I think nothing of getting on this bike, that's 30 years old, bought for £380, and driving to these places in the middle of nowhere.[/quote] Yes it is a great event ComberJohn, I'm wondering why you stripped the "clothes" off the bike for the Ladies Finger??.........I will be going to the West for Sligo etc. in the next few weeks and will post dates on here if you or anyone else want to meet somewhere.

Yes, wouldn't have liked to have tackled that track in the wet.
The forest trail to Lady's Rest is long and quite hairy with lots of grass in the middle. Go off one side of the track and end up in the loch. Go off the other side and end up upside down in the shuck!
Some of the single track roads up to the Tully customs hut were interesting too.
The photo rally takes you to some really interesting places that you would never think of.

Every time I take the fairing off its gets cold and wet. So you'll all be relieved to hear that the fairing is back on again!
Thinking of changing my forum name to 'The Weatherman'
Tom, I was thinking of heading in the direction of Sligo myself in the next week or two. Daughter is due to have a baby anytime soon, so not sure yet.
Let me know when you are going and we can maybe meet up at the Beach Bar.

Comberjohn wrote:Every time I take the fairing off its gets cold and wet. So you'll all be relieved to hear that the fairing is back on again!
Thinking of changing my forum name to 'The Weatherman'
Tom, I was thinking of heading in the direction of Sligo myself in the next week or two. Daughter is due to have a baby anytime soon, so not sure yet.
Let me know when you are going and we can maybe meet up at the Beach Bar.

Comberjohn wrote:Tully customs hut near Pettigo, Donegal. Was used in the 1920's not long after Ireland was partitioned.

"Anything to Declare?".......Yes! I declare that's the tiniest customs post I've ever seen!

@ Comberjohn just catching up on the thread - dunno how I missed it! If you're going to Sligo PM me - I'll tag along if at all possible.

88

some great pics cj ....
keep em coming mate ....^5s (high fives )

Picked up a couple more photos for the rally today. About half way there now. The rest are going to involve more miles and maybe an overnight or two. Today's run was 297 miles. A mere bagatelle for my K.
What a day for a run like this! Temperatures in the high 20's. Perfect motorcycling weather.

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Lyons house gateway or lodge, 6 Km NW of Rathcoole, west of Dublin.

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Not part of the rally but this is Sally Gap in the Wicklow mountains on the way to the next photo.

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Shay Elliot memorial. Shay Elliott was the first Irish cyclist to make a mark as a professional rider in continental Europe.

Just found out that there's a bit of a competition to complete the rally first when the 24 new points are announced each February.
Here is one enthusiastic English rider at the Shay Elliott memorial who came over to complete all of the photos in one trip last February.
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Looking good There John. Still love that bike esp the colour and naked version (Although I totally understand the need to keep the fairing!) New screen on the RT fairing??

Will

Aw come on, Will. Me, spend money on a screen.
That's the one that came with it. I find it a much better job than the one with the laminar lip that was on the LT.

Comberjohn wrote:Picked up a couple more photos for the rally today. About half way there now. The rest are going to involve more miles and maybe an overnight or two. Today's run was 297 miles. A mere bagatelle for my K.
What a day for a run like this! Temperatures in the high 20's. Perfect motorcycling weather.

" />
Lyons house gateway or lodge, 6 Km NW of Rathcoole, west of Dublin.

" />
Not part of the rally but this is Sally Gap in the Wicklow mountains on the way to the next photo.

" />
Shay Elliot memorial. Shay Elliott was the first Irish cyclist to make a mark as a professional rider in continental Europe.

Just found out that there's a bit of a competition to complete the rally first when the 24 new points are announced each February.
Here is one enthusiastic English rider at the Shay Elliott memorial who came over to complete all of the photos in one trip last February.
" />

You are getting there. My older cousin Patsy Wall was also a very successful cyclist in Ireland and on the Continent in the 60's and I met Shay Elliot when I was a lad. It was strange taking a photo of his memorial. The owner of the ditched GeSsie certainly racks up the miles as we spent an evening with him at the '11 weekend and the only one that somehow managed to attend the dinner in an immaculate three piece suit, shirt, and tie You meet all kinds on motorcycles. Will post firm dates for Sligo next week

awesome pics of Ireland. I went right round last year, Torr head in the nth to Cork in the sth. The westcoast is fantastic, bushmills etc, Belfast Titanic museum, a rip but amazing. Love the Irish,beautiful wordies too.
Beautiful planet when seen from the seat of a K. I was on a boxer, will be back
rick

Great photos on this thread.

Here is some video shot from the K last Sunday, sorry about the quality but I have problems with the camera mount AND a bad bad net connection. The cornering technique at 1:15 is a little different to you guys with wheels!!

Heading down to take a photo of the Bog Man statue at Pollagh near Tullamore tomorrow (Saturday).
If anyone is in that area tomorrow and fancies meeting up for coffee or a bite of lunch, let me know.
PM me before 9 in the morning.

Ah Comberjohn that is a nice run and do I wish I could go. It sure is not far from Stradbally either.....

Anyway the good news is that I sourced a K [RT this time] and the necessary € materialised yesterday so all going well I should be correctly attired this time next week. The bad news is that I am up to my neck in work and have not taken a day out since the June bank holiday so need time out to collect it....and there is another week left in it.

Soon as I can some photos will appear...

mawhera wrote:awesome pics of Ireland. I went right round last year, Torr head in the nth to Cork in the sth. The westcoast is fantastic, bushmills etc, Belfast Titanic museum, a rip but amazing. Love the Irish,beautiful wordies too.
Beautiful planet when seen from the seat of a K. I was on a boxer, will be back
rick

Comberjohn organised an Irish Eccentrics outing last year, took us to Torr Head too. So, when will you be back?

Maybe we should look at a round Ireland trip next summer?????? We are well represented around the country.....GMcQ & Comberjohn, Sgmayhew, Ringfad, 88KE, Trapper, Bjorn, 92KK, Corkboy, Hover K100, Avenger GT, that list brings us clockwise starting at Comberjohn and around to Limerick, we also have some in Galway, Sligo and more......