Join the first CPUK 'overseas' weekend in many a long year! Take a ferry from your most convenient port on Friday 24th August (make your own booking) and we'll meet up in the evening at the hotel in Kilkenny. On Saturday, there will be time to explore the mediaeval city and visit the Castle before driving around the beautiful local countryside and having dinner together in the evening. On Sunday, we'll be joining a local classic car show before making our way back to the UK on Bank Holiday Monday. Our base will be the Aspect Hotel Kilkenny. Quote 'Club Peugeot' when making your booking direct with the hotel to access the special CPUK price of EUR 235 for 3 nights B&B (double or twin room). Twelve rooms have been reserved, so act now!
My trip to Ireland got off to a grey start at a rather austere Gladstone Dock in Liverpool waiting for the ferry to Dublin. For this event I was able to “fall out of bed” to the ferry terminal for the eight hour crossing. By the time I arrived in Dublin it was raining, a lot! The 504 Cabriolet was behaving impeccably through the rain and the Dublin rush hour traffic and I was soon on the motorway motoring towards Kilkenny. Two hours later I pulled onto the forecourt of Peugeot dealer Morrissey Brothers, Kilkenny where I parked next to members Rob Exell, Brian Johnson, Richard Barker and Alastair Inglis. Organiser` Cyril Jacob fantastic collection of 70`s and 80`s cars were also there alongside Kevin Morrissey` collection and finally a number of other cars from all over Ireland. After a good night’s sleep we all met up on Saturday morning at the dealership we left in convoy for our display on the lawns of Kilkenny Castle. The weather was great and the setting was fantastic. We were joined by even more cars including an exquisite 1933 301 Roadster which was a real treat to see. The crowds loved the array of Peugeot cars lined up for them to see on their visit and plenty of excited kids were anxious to get their photos taken sitting in the cars. I even managed a visit into Kilkenny which is a really lovely place to see.On Saturday evening we had a lovely meal and a good old “sing song” in a pub in the centre of Kilkenny. At the end of the evening we were all transported back to our hotel in two of Cyril` wonderful 505 saloons. A perfect end to a perfect day. On the Sunday we attended the Kilkenny Classic Car show with a special area reserved for all our cars. We were also joined by two Panhard models, a marque owned by the PSA group until as recently as 2005.The line up was indeed impressive and drew admiring crowds and comments all day. The show attracted around 400 classic cars of all makes along with classic motor bikes, bicycles, autojumble, marching bands, a live stage, a kids play area and homemade food! The weather again was good all day and the show was held in a very relaxed atmosphere. We met some old friends of CPUK as well as making some new ones and I think I speak for everyone that attended when I say what a great day it was. A final meal in the hotel on Sunday evening with the other CPUK members staying there was followed on the very wet trip back to Dublin on Monday morning. I am not the best sailor and was not looking forward to the forecast rough crossing back to Liverpool but actually it was not bad at all only spoiled by a delay of an hour having to wait for a broken-down ship to be removed from the Mersey Estuary. The 504 was parked up outside my house at about 1245am on Tuesday morning having been a real treat to drive throughout the four days. A very big thanks must go to Cyril Jacobs (and his wife Hilda)for his brilliant organising of the event, John Fitzgerald, Kevin Morrissey of Morrissey Motors, the Kilkenny Car Club for the invite and of course to everyone we met for their legendary Irish hospitality. We will be back!
