The Lucky Shamrock. Naas and Day one

In which Sid and Doris find live music and are given new regularity puzzles.

True to the S&D ethos nothing will do but to visit the fort at Fishguard. Originally built to see off Napoleonic invaders it was repurposed with Lewis guns and search lights to protect the harbour from marauding German sea planes. In June 1941 the St Patrick mail ship from Rosslare was attacked and sunk. Some small irony that Fishguard is now in decline as Great Britain has left the EU. You never know who your friends are going to be.

The ferry makes land without such incident and next stop is Naas. (Say: Nace.) To welcome Teal the ancient tractor fanciers of Wales and Ireland are having their own road rally and party.

Lawlers is an enormous hotel in a small place that has been overrun by punters from Punchestown racecourse and the town is en fete. The car park is full but there is a tiny place for Teal.

Maybe every Sunday is music night. Chatted up by locals at dinner the recommendation is to visit Haden’s next door. The band plays a mix of local trad and rock standards. It is not every night you get to hear an Irish-tuned bouzouki.

On Monday it is up to Johnstown for scrutineering and the first afternoon of competition. It is a holiday weekend and on our way to the hotel we find a gang of Minis waiting to go join a classic car static show in town. So we joined them for a few minutes so we could all get pictures and talk nonsense about the 1,100 specials, the 850 van, the Clubman estate.

From the off there are regularities defined by such landmarks as ‘rusty gate on left’ which Doris counts us down to. ‘Passing the gate in eight seconds, seven, six…’ And warnings ‘You’re one second fast.’  Then the trip says turn right and it is down a grass track to a control. The marshals suggest removing the number plate, but too late. It is already moulded to the sumpguard. We are running too low and the farm track test is taken at less than full beans.

Teal is in Class X  and on this system will clean all the tests. But the competition for fewest seconds lost on regularities is fierce. At the end of day one Doris (and team) have seven seconds of penalty and are third overall, tied with megastar Andy Ballantyne. So far….

And the last picture shows ‘Teal the Alvis’ with his Red Triangle and hare bonnet mascot. Chah, but Sid and Doris are in their elephant.