Train!

This is so exciting. I’m taking an Irish train for the first time. A proper express service. I have been on the DART before, but that doesn’t really count. Just being a commuter-type train.

There’s no rush. My appointment in Portlaoise is only at 14:00. I rise a little before nine and drop downstairs for breakfast. Being very unimaginative when it comes to breakfast choices, I go for the traditional Irish again. Should keep me going until after lunchtime.

My train isn’t until 13:00. Leaving me a little time to stock up on stuff to eat later.

After a short cab ride, I’m at Heuston station. A rather impressive stone edifice in a classical style. Inside, it reminds me a bit of Manchester Piccadilly. With a large concourse filled with shops in front of the platforms.

I’m quite early, leaving me time to poke around the shops a little. And pick up food and drink for the train: an egg and bacon sandwich, Taytos cheese and onion and a bottle of cola.

Soon after leaving, we’re out in the countryside. Which is surprisingly green. Well, not really. Surprising, I mean. It has been raining off and on the whole time I’ve been here. And Ireland sort of has a reputation for being, er, green.

The train rattles along at a decent pace and in 40 minutes we’re in Portlaoise. Which has another attractive stone station building. The library, where I’m headed, is just a short walk away down Main Street.

I knew that the library must be new, as it’s still under construction on streetview. It’s rather nice: airy and bright. I’m led up to the local studies room, where they already have the Perry brewing records laid out for me.

Now the fun starts. There are only ten books, which means that I can take my time. Well, not rush too crazily. I have around three hours, my train being booked for a bit after 17:00.

I sit down to do the snapping today. I stood yesterday and by the end my back was aching like crazy. Over the course of two hours, I take just shy of 500 photos. About one every 15 seconds.

I like the Perry’s records. They’re compact, easy to read and include pretty much all the information I need. Ingredients, mashing and boil details, and a fermentation record. They’re some of the easiest to process.

Cherry’s, which I photographed yesterday, records are a bit frustrating, not giving boil times and having only a partial fermentation record, finishing at what looks like cleansing.

Cairnes’ are in what I call “Scottish format”. Where there are several records spread horizontally across two pages. The upside, is that I capture multiple brews with a pair of photographs. The downside, is that they’re rather cramped and some of the writing rather small. And, in the case of Cairnes, the beer type is annoyingly on the second page.

While I’m snapping away, a couple of groups of schoolkids wander in, apparently doing some sort of local history project. It doesn’t bother me. I’m totally focussed when doing this stuff.

By 16:00, I’ve snapped all that needs snapping. Great. I’ve time for a pint before getting on the train. I noticed a suitable looking pub on the way in: Kavanaghs.

There are half a dozen or so other customers, mostly clumped around the bar. I order a pint of Guinness. The other punters are mostly drinking Lager. Other than a two who are getting stuck into Smithwicks.

A couple of TVs are showing racing. One horses, the other dogs. It reminds me very much of lunchtime in some pubs in Leeds back in the 1970s and 1980s. The Guinness isn’t bad. Drinkable, if a little low-powered on flavour.

I’ve only time for the one. Before trailing back to the station. It’s raining again. But the half-hearted type of rain that hydrates rather than soaks. I’m used to this sort of stuff. We get plenty of it in Amsterdam.

My train is on time. Which is just as well, as I’ve an early evening appointment. The legroom is much better than on most modern UK express trains. And the windows match the seating layout.

Back in Heuston, I’ve no time to lose. As I’ve an early evening appointment. I nip back to my hotel, pick up my USB drive and books to flog, then head off again. To Underdog, where I’ll be giving a talk tonight.

I get there a little after 19:00. Which isn’t too bad going. I immediately bump into John Duffy. Who recommends a super-strong, barrel-aged Stout. Well, that should get me in the mood.

The talk compares the beers of an Irish brewery (Cairnes) with those of an English brewery (Rose of Malton) and a Scottish brewery (Usher). There are lots of questions as I trundle along. Which I rather like. As it offers me plenty of opportunity to digress.

When the talk is done, it’s time for some talking. I chat with various people, before ending up with Lisa Grimm and John Duffy. It’s good to see both of them again. Though I end up staying rather longer than I’d intended. It’s past midnight by the time I jump into a cab.

I’ve an early start tomorrow. I go to bed almost as soon as I get back to my room. Pausing only to briefly reacquaint myself with Mr. Whisky.




Kavanaghs
28 Main St,
Portlaoise,
Co. Laois,
R32 EP2K.
http://www.kavanaghsportlaoise.com/


Underdog
199 King St N,
Rotunda,
Dublin 1,
D07 PR5X.