There are days that feel like a quick errand. Then there are days that turn into full-on road trips with multiple stops, chance encounters, happy meals, and a boot filled with treasure. Wednesday was one of those days.
It all started at 3:30pm sharp. I collected Luke and Rose from Sherpa, their after-school group, a little earlier than usual. They were buzzing to get going, though at that point they didn’t know the itinerary was as packed as a LEGO instruction booklet. We had not one, not two, but three pickups (it would become five before the night was out) arranged across counties: Navan in Meath, Virginia in Cavan, and Carrickmacross in Monaghan. The evening was about to turn into a logistical ballet, with chicken nuggets, crates, and plenty of fuel in between.
First Stop: Crates and Cravings
Before we hit the LEGO trail, I needed some storage. B&Q Liffey Valley was the first stop, where they were running a 4-for-3 deal on crates. That’s basically 25% off if you squint hard enough. Of course, I managed to forget my TradePoint membership, which would have been another discount. Typical. Still, crates secured, we carried on.
Next, we popped into The Range at Liffey Valley. If you’ve ever been, you’ll know how the seasonal aisles take over. Right now, it’s a mash-up of Halloween and Christmas, with spooky animatronics alongside twinkling lights. Luke and Rose were as impressed as I was, though I think they were already eyeing up the real treat: McDonald’s in the same retail park.
Sure enough, the next request was chicken nugget Happy Meals. Easy win. Each came with a Playmobil Alpaca toy, which was met with delight. We were killing time, anyway, because the first pickup in Navan wasn’t until 6:30pm, and at least I was on the far side of the m50 traffic nightmare between junctions 7 & 9. McDonald’s became our waiting room, complete with Roblox videos for Luke and “A for Adley” YouTube episodes for Rose.
The Message From Declan
While nuggets were disappearing, I got a message from Declan. If you’re in the LEGO community around Dublin, you might know him. He’s a regular supplier, reliable, and his prices are always solid. He’s even earned a spot on the Redmond’s Forge “Wall of Fame” of great sellers. This time, he had four bags of minifigures plus accessories, €40 all in. Was I interested? Hell yes. Better still, he was in Blanchardstown and available at 6pm. Perfect timing before Navan.
The haul had just grown from three pickups to five as another Navan seller had agreed to sell LEGO City and it was available tonight.
Deal One: Blanchardstown
Declan was, as always, quick and straightforward. Handed over the bags, we exchanged a few words, introduced our kids to each-other, and the deal was done. Into the car they went, another piece of the puzzle added. With that, we hit the M3 towards Navan.
Deal Two: Navan LEGO City Stash
The second stop was in Navan, where a seller had listed a hefty haul on Facebook Marketplace: mostly LEGO City, with two Creator sets thrown in. €170 was the price, and I had arranged to meet at 6:45. The pickup went smoothly, the boxes filling up those new crates from B&Q nicely. Two deals in the bag already, and the evening was young.
Deal Three: Vikings Delay
Meanwhile, I had been in touch with another Navan seller, let’s call him Andy, as that is his name, who had the LEGO Vikings 7019 set, a set that doesn’t show up every day. I pinged him to let him know I was on my way, but Andy was stuck in traffic near the Mater Hospital. Cue some Dublin humour: it’s called the Mater, because when you go in sick, they ask “what’s the matter with you.” Very funny when you’re stuck in traffic. Its actual full name is the Mater Misericordiae (Mother of Mercy) – but in more humour is referred to as the Mater Misery.
No problem. I topped up the diesel, grabbed a tea, and circled back once he had reached Navan. Around 7:10pm, I pulled up to his place. He invited me in, and we ended up chatting for fifteen minutes about sets, deals, and the strange little world of LEGO collectors. Meanwhile, Luke and Rose were perfectly happy in the car with their Amazon Fire tablets, lost in their digital universes.
By the time I left Andy’s, the boot was feeling nicely full. Three pickups done.
Deal Four: The Monaghan Detour
Next was supposed to be Virginia, but plans changed. Traffic was backed up due to a wake in Monaghan. Not just any wake, I have never seen anything like it. Cars parked for miles, the queue snaking down a long drive and around corners, people arriving from everywhere to pay their respects. More than a few quipped that neither the Queen nor the Pope got such a turnout. It was humbling to witness, even from the road.
Because of the people’s availability, I switched the order: Carrickmacross in Monaghan first, Virginia afterwards. We rolled up around 8:40pm instead of 8pm. Deal done, and back on the road.
Deal Five: Virginia Manuals
The last pickup was a little different. A few weeks ago in Navan, at Costa, I had scored a bundle of sets. The seller had mentioned she still had the instruction manuals, and if I was ever in the area, I could grab them. Tonight, as it turned out, I was. Through Bailieborough to Virginia we went, arriving around 9:40pm. Manuals collected, another piece of the LEGO puzzle complete.
Homeward Bound
By 9:50pm, the final leg began. The car was heavy with crates, boxes, manuals, and bags of minifigures. Luke and Rose, long since tired, had drifted off to sleep in the back as we went onto the M50 and were nearly home. I pulled into the driveway at 10:50pm, the kind of satisfied tiredness settling in that only comes after a full day of chasing bricks.
Reflections on the Road
People often ask why collectors go to such lengths. Why spend an entire evening zig-zagging across counties, rearranging plans on the fly, and juggling kids, crates, and Happy Meals? The answer is simple: passion, community, and the thrill of the hunt.
Every seller is a story. Declan with his reliable minifigures. Andy delayed in traffic, with a fantastic collection, welcoming me into his home to talk sets. The seller in Virginia who remembered to hold onto manuals just in case. These are the threads that stitch the LEGO collecting community together. The sets themselves are fantastic, of course, but the memories attached to finding them are what really make the collection special.
For Luke and Rose, the adventure is different. For them, it’s Happy Meals, YouTube videos, and the occasional peek at whatever Dad is piling into the car. They’re part of the story, too, growing up with these little adventures as background noise to their own lives. One day they’ll look back and remember all the odd stops and late drives, and maybe they’ll understand why a Wednesday afternoon turned into a 10:50pm return home.
The Haul
So what did the day’s work produce?
- 4 bags of minifigures + accessories (€40).
- LEGO City haul + 2 Creator sets (€170).
- LEGO Vikings 7019 set (€120).
- Carrickmacross pickup, details still to sort through, (€100).
- Instruction manuals from Virginia.
And, of course, two Playmobil Alpacas from McDonald’s.
Not a bad Wednesday.
Conclusion
The great midweek LEGO haul was part shopping trip, part road trip, and part family adventure. It had everything: bargains, delays, humour, and even a brush with the scale of human grief at a wake that brought a whole community together. Life is like that sometimes: bricks and memories stacked side by side.
By the end of the night, I was tired but content. The crates were full, the kids were asleep, and the boot of the car held not just LEGO, but the story of a day well spent.
