washing up to date. Maureen drives the four of us to Wexford where the town centre has some lovely unspoilt traditional pubs and a French restaurant, La Tire Bouchon" (The Corkscrew), where we enjoy a great farewell meal. There is heavy rain most of the evening and night but by the time we set off in the morning this has reduced to a wet Irish mist (Sean calls it "soft weather"). We are soaked for the first two hours, then the wind blows the wet away and we stop for brunch at a little garage. The lady says she is sorry she has not much left to offer us and then proceeds to fit 4 sausages and 3 rashers of bacon in a roll for each of us! The lanes are now very potholed but traffic free. Dramatic hills and lots of bright yellow gorse are a back drop to black and white cows gazing at us curiously. There are picturesque ruins of stone towers, but also lots of unfinished new houses, stalled by the demise of the Celtic Tiger. Inistioge is a cracking little village on the river, with a big stone church and 4 pubs around the village green. We choose the smallest, O'Donnells, painted bright pink. Inside is very dark but we eventually make out the bar, lots of really old Guinness posters and the owner, the spit of the retired drunk priest from "Father Ted". We are made very welcome and then crack on alongside the river, reaching Killkenny around 6pm. We are staying with Niamh, the daughter of our friend Mike from Westport. She, hubby Noel and their 4 girls make us so welcome as does doggy Archie, who we promise to take for a walk tomorrow.
Tour miles to date: 266
Location:Rosslare to Kilkenny
