I had an ulterior motive for going to Ireland. It wasn't just for the diving, it was for the Guinness, the Murphy's, the pubs and the craic - the Irish word for going out and having a good time. A tour of the west coast would also allow me to try out the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee, on loan from Daimler-Chrysler, but I had time to spare to avoid any dangerous mixing of drinking, driving and diving!

There is lots of good diving in Ireland and I wanted to fit as much into one trip as possible. My destinations, Baltimore, the Skelligs and Kilkee, lay in three counties. I also diverted to Dublin to check out its diving scene - more of that in a later issue.

making the most of the late sun with a "quick" pint after diving

GETTING THEREFerries from Swansea to Cork, Pembroke or Fishguard to Rosslare, and Holyhead to Dublin. Another option is to fly to Cork, Shannon or Dublin and hire a car. John Liddiard travelled with Swansea Cork Ferries, 01792 456116, www.swansea-cork.ie. Fares for a car with driver and up to four passengers range from £109-£189 each way, depending on season. A standard four-berth cabin is £56. Substantial discounts are available if you book tickets through a dive centre CURRENCY:One Irish pound is worth about 80p. Ireland is moving to the euro and both currencies are accepted.