So it came to pass that at the conclusion of TT week I had the choice of getting on the ferry back to Liverpool or taking the other ferry which was Ireland-bound.
I had no reason to go back to England and every reason to hit the shores of the land my father's great-great relatives had grown up in.
So, being Irish, I walked up the ferry's gangway and about three hours later stepped ashore ... at Liverpool.
Hopeless.
Since then my visits to the old country, and tours of the Guinness and Murphy's breweries, have consisted of using a television set rather than a travel agency.
Now, while travel shows are not really etched strongly into any "must-watch" list of genres, they can be both illuminating and entertaining if carried out with an imagination ... and with a slightly-left-field philosophy.
Which Father Dougal McGuire possesses, to be sure.
As does the lad who so brilliantly portrayed Father Ted's hapless priestly side-kick, Ardal O'Hanlon.
Now there's a fine Irish name.
I've caught pieces from a couple of the outings he has taken within the appropriately titled Ireland With Ardal O'Hanlon which has been screening on Choice TV on Monday evenings, and they have been fascinating.
I mean, Ireland is a grand and fascinating place (so they tell me) so there has been plenty of fodder for the creative crew and Ardal to play with.
Of course his introductory outing was to look at Ireland's religious background and yes, those wonderful memories of Father Ted emerged, especially when he visited the grand old house it was filmed in.
I could almost hear Father Jack saying ... well, we'll leave that out oi 'tink.
Ardal is a genial and gentle host, with a fine wit and a fine way with words, which emerged during an interview where he explained why the series was made ... to show the enormous difference between two countries and cultures despite their close proximity.
"You can go back in time and you can find reasons," he said.
"We didn't really have the Industrial Revolution and we didn't have the Reformation, most of all we didn't have the Romans.
"I think they said, 'we've gone far enough', so we remained predominantly a Celtic country ... but we've got running water now, so we've caught up."
Oh, and by d'way, there's another slice of Ireland set to be unrolled the night before on Prime.
● Ireland With Ardal O'Hanlon, Choice at 7.30pm Monday: A look around Ireland.
● Ireland with Simon Reeve, Prime at 7.30pm Sunday: A look around Ireland but not with Ardal O'Hanlon.
ON THE BOX
● Antiques Roadshow, Prime at 7.30pm Saturday: I happened upon the closing scenes of last Saturday's show and was staggered to see two sets of the late 500cc world motorcycle champion Barry Sheene's leathers being assessed.
They were valued at more than $20,000,crikey. I used to have one of his T-shirts, wonder what that would have been worth today?
In this edition there is a unique local touch as one of the items brought forward is described as a jade pendant which was dug up in a garden in England.
It is identified as a hei tiki, about 300 years old. So how did it get there? is the question pondered by host Ronnie Archer-Morgan.
● You Can't Ask That, Maori TV at 9pm Monday: Some time back, when some absurd new reality show surfaced, I touched upon the notion that there surely could not be any more script ideas left out there for this so often overworked concept they call ''reality''.
But nope, seems the surface may have only been scratched if this newcomer is anything to go by.
Basically, it is a ''reality'' series in which Australian people are asked "inappropriate or uncomfortable" questions.
Really? Like what? Like asking some proud Queenslander if he has a secret stash of Fosters or VB in the back shed?
Or if they still bring the Rolf Harris album out on occasions?
Or if they'd let Virat Kohli in the house if he turned up lost one night and asked to use the phone?