We spent our final hours in Sainte-Mère-Église shopping for souvenirs before catching the ferry in Cherbourg, ahead of journey back along the length of Ireland to the church hall.
Eager to sample some authentic French pastries, a few of the boys and leaders rose early on Monday morning. The iconic church of Sainte-Mère-Église bathed in golden sunlight as we walked to Maison Anquetil patisserie.
The peaceful town square was the perfect backdrop to eat our selection of croissants and pain au chocolates. A stark contrast to the bustling marketplace we encountered on our first day in Sainte-Mere-Eglise.
With our bellies filled with buttery goodness, we returned to camp as the rest of the group ate their breakfast of porridge and boiled eggs. After which we loaded our tents and belongings into the minibus one final time, and bid farewell to the campsite.
Shopping
We parked in town, and set off on foot to buy gifts for loved ones and personal mementos to remind us of our time in Normandy. Perusing the shops dotted around the town square was a welcome break from the busyness of the past few days. With our souvenirs in hand we returned to the minibus and drove north to Cherbourg.
Unable to resist, we stopped at Decathlon along the way to explore their camping gear. Our visit to the nearby hypermarket chain Auchan was cut short when we were notified that our ferry check in time was earlier than expected. The queue of traffic at passport control reassured us that we weren’t the only travellers caught off guard.
Salamanca
We boarded the Salamanca, which departed Cherbourg just after 3pm. Inside, we settled into the familiar surroundings of the public seating area. We played card games to pass the time, and had the pleasure of meeting Pierre Le Bear, Brittany Ferries friendly mascot. After dinner, we returned to our previous seating spot and listened to the live musicians on stage. With an early start looming we eventually retired to our cabins to get some sleep.
We woke at 5am on Wednesday, to a ship wide alarm call informing passengers we would arrive in Rosslare in one hour. Wiping sleep from our eyes, we packed up our belongings and met together in the public seating area until we could return to the minibus.
The salty sea air greeted us as we drove down the ramp into port to begin our journey north. To break up the long drive, we took a slight detour as we approached the town of Drogheda to visit the location of the Battle of the Boyne.
Battle of the Boyne
We parked at the entrance of the Visitor’s Center in the Oldbridge Estate, and sat in the minibus to watch a video summarising the battle.
This decisive clash was fought in 1690 between the forces of Protestant William III and Catholic James II. Victory for William helped secure his place as King of England, protecting Protestantism in Ireland and influencing the religious and political landscape of modern Europe.
With the history fresh in our minds, we exited the minibus for a few group photos before returning to the northbound lanes of the M1 again.
We stopped once more before reaching Ahoghill, to get lunch in the foodcourt at Applegreens, Templepatrick.
Brookside
We arrived at the church carpark and got to work unloading and cleaning the minibus, ready for Jonathan and William to drive back to the hire company. Meanwhile the boys and other leaders set up the tents to air them out, and packed the camping equipment away to await its next excursion.
Our whistle stop tour of Normandy had came to end, but we were left with many memories, and a more tangible appreciation for what was achieved on the northern coastline of France in June 1944.
Thanks
Many thanks to the boys, leaders and parents who all played their part in such a successful trip.
A special thank you to Oscar Harper Motors for all their assistance and flexibility when hiring the minibus.
We would also like to thank Mid & East Antrim Borough Council for their generous £500 contribution to the trip through their Community Grants Scheme.