An Irish family reunion in the seaside town of Tramore
Waking up after a busy day in Cardiff, we started our trip across the sea to Ireland. Along with the rest of Michael’s family, we were set to converge on the small seaside town of Tramore for what would likely be the last family reunion with Nanna, the family matriarch.
Cardiff to Fishguard to Rosslare
Researching our trip, we were excited to see that you could take a train direct from Cardiff station to the Fishguard ferry. Trains in Melbourne don’t connect to ferries or flights. It was a smooth transition from train to boat, and a lovely smooth ride across to Rosslare.
Welcome to Ireland
We arrived at Fishguard ferry port knowing we needed to catch a bus onto Waterford. For anyone planning this trip, note that while it is an international harbour, it does not have an ATM. And the Irish bus system doesn’t take English pounds.
So, it was a quick run up the hill for Michael (I’m still recovering from an ankle strain) to get some Euro from the local town. And a faster run downhill to make it back for the bus. A snigger from the bus driver as we climbed on indicated we weren’t the first to have to do this. I get the sense that he probably would have waited for us anyway.
Transferring buses at Waterford, we cruised into Tramore and met the extended family at the camping ground. Ten minutes later, we were all off to the local for a Smithy and a Guiness.
The family reunion
Saturday included an Irish breakfast followed by the family reunion in the afternoon. Continuing on through the evening, it was a night of singing, dancing, eating and being merry. It was great to see some of Michael’s family that I’ll probably never see again.
A trip down memory lane
On Sunday, we continued the family reunion with a trip to Michael’s Nanna’s home town, Waterford. The most important stop was the house that his Nanna was born in. It must have been a shock to the home owners and their neighbours when about 40 of us gathered out the front of their house. Pictured below is Michael and I, along with his Nanna and her best friend.
Waterford
Up next, a walking tour of Waterford. It’s not a hugely exciting town, with the clock tower the most recognisable sight. Although it doesn’t feel like it, the town was actually the second largest city in Ireland during the medieval period. It’s now more famous for its crystal, with Waterford Crystal a legacy of the glass-making industry dating from 1783.
A short walk from the clock tower is the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity on Barronstrand Street, the oldest post-Reformation Catholic cathedral in Ireland. We nearly walked past the entrance as it looked like a town hall. Once we made it inside, we found ourselves in a serene room filled with the dulcet sounds of a practicing organist.
We then stopped for lunch at an awesome little Irish pub, complete with the “money wall” and a nice little Irish poem. Michael and I enjoyed our first pint bottle, based on the recommendation of the owners of the pub in Tramore that we had eaten breakfast in. We had tried the same beer the night before but in a can. We established that drinking straight from the pint bottle is by far the best option.
On the way back to the cards, we found this little bear. After a little research, it looks like this is the mascot for the Waterford county hurling team who managed to win the Munster Senior Championship in 2010. Go the Déise men.
Around Tramore
The day finished with a drive around the sights and sounds of Tramore. First up was the Tin Man, or the Metal Man. Michael has heard his Nanna talk about the Tin Man for years, but we weren’t really sure what to expect. It is a large cast-mental figure on top of one of three pillars. Lloyds of London built it in 1823 to warn seafarers away from dangerous shallow waters.
Many myths surround the Tin Man. One is that if a woman can hop barefoot around the base 3 times, she will be married within a year. Unfortunately (fortunately), it is now blocked off so we couldn’t try it out.
Next up, Guillamene swimming cove. Once a men only cove, the sign remains as a ‘relic of times past’. The boys braved the just-past-double-degrees temperatures and jumped in for a swim. I took a look out and very quickly decided not to jump in. It was positively freezing.
We stopped in at the fair on the way back to the pub. I love an English fair. Even when it’s freezing and blowing a gale, even when your partner makes you go on a ride that stirs up your tummy. I made up for the ride by beating Michael in a game of mini golf, and topped it off with some candy floss and slurpies. We wrapped up our weekend in Tramore by watching the Football (Soccer) World Cup. This is the second World Cup in a row that I have spent travelling, with the last one in Nepal.
