Update

It's been a few days and we just now have internet access. We're spending a very short night at the National Scout Campsite near Crawforsburn, outside Belfast, Ireland.

First, it's late 12:50 PM and if I make any spelling or grammer errors, maybe you'll understand. Second, so far I've taken over 800 photos and there is no way I can upload all of them, put ones of family or all Kwahadi Dancers in, so I try to find photos that show us, what we're doing and going.

That's my discalmer as far as trying to show all.

We left Galway and headed for Dungarvan, a mere 130 miles. However the highways are not four lane, folks drive on both sides, often they're not wide enough for two vehicles to meet and pass, so one has to give way to the other (which they do very well), they have lots of "roundabouts - a circle where you enter, and either go 1/4,1/2 or 3/4 around to the road you want and did I tell you the roads are NARROW?

A 130 mile is an outing! Do not figure what we would normally drive 130 miles in Texas or the USA as a standard. Add an hour or two and you might be closer.

The people we have met, have been wonderful, outstanding, happy to see us, anxious to learn about our program, American Scouting and how it's compares to theirs, full of energy, and treated us like royality. We can not say enough or thank them enough for our receptions.

We had to pass up on the Blarney Castle as we had to recover two ladies bags, Janet being one of them.







Where we stayed at Mount Melleary was a school at one time and in 1976 the Scouts of Ireland took it over on an long term lease. We had BEDS and showers!
The food was good and our hosts were, well great just doesn't cover it.
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Our host was the most wonderful Brain Mulvihill. He was full of life, funny, a talker, wanted to show us more than we had time for. I sort of got in the dog house with Charles,as I became a "hurd breaker" - you know like being a part of a hurd and needing to stay together. Well, Brian asked me if I wanted to see the monistary and he said, "It'd be a shame to be this close and not see it", plus he was the host and I am a photographer.

The photographer and being a polite scout I couldn't say no. I left with him and took a few dozen photos.



In the morning we boarded up and headed for Dublin One hundred and thirty-five miles later, not sure of how long in minutes and hours, we arrived.



What a city, it's a port and water was such a pleasant sight for our eyes. Oh, did I mention it's rained EVERY day to some degree or the other? But a body of water, now that's different.

We've seen so many beaautiful sights, places and things, that there is no way I can tell you about all of them, except to say. I think most of us would agree we'll like to come back and visit, tour and take more time to enjoy the
beauty of Ireland it's people.

I'm going to try and upload quite a few photos and let them do the talking for me.

After our performance at their Scout Hut we left foe Riverdance.

We were running a little late and they held the show for us. That was very good of them and we greatly appreciated it.

WOW...what a show!

It's a must if you haven't seen it.

I've seen it twice, once when it came to Amarillo and not in Dublin. Hands down Dublin is best. The theater is awesome and it makes their show even more powerful.

Today we left and headed north to Belfast, 140 miles. We stopped to see Bru' na Ba, eat lunch their after buying the makings on the way, slight delay due to traffic and next thing you know it took us 6 hours.

Our host is Dr. David Hutchinson, the first response Charles had about 2 years ago when he put out an inquiry on the internet about this tour.

The Belfast Opera House is so beautiful, old, massive, very colorful, and we had the most room to dress yet. That's a big deal, believe me.

We're at camp, all tucked in (cept me) getting a few hours of sleep before we get up at 4 AM (it's 1:30 AM now, think I'll skip sleep tonight or should I say today, till later),we to leave be at the Belfast Stranraer Ferry by 6:30 AM to cross the Irish Sea to Troon, Scotland at 7:30 AM. It's a two hour trip.
Sleep time!

Enough, time to try and upload photos.

Hope you enjoy, keep checking our blog, they tell us more places, to get internet, lay ahead.

However, I was told...no problem, internet access is everywhere. I don't know where everywhere is, but I know where it hasn't been.

Amarillo and area, we're suppose to have a interview with KVII Monday afternoon and we hope it'll be via Skype so they can show it.

John Madden