x=usr(1536)

I am sorry to hear that; your recollections pretty much match mine.  Having said that, I do remember seeing the outward sprawl start in the '90s: depending on travel, how I was going to / coming back from University, or one of the family businesses (vehicle import / export to / from Ireland) meant that I was in or through there anywhere from two to ten times a year.  Only seeing the changes every so often really made them stand out to me.

Think my last trip through was in about 2007 or so.  Didn't really have time to stop as it was straight from the train to the boat with barely a breath in-between, but may have to plan a trip via Holyhead next time we're in that part of the world as my wife has never been to any part of Wales.

I used to get on the ferry semi-regularly with my mother to help her get as much duty free as possible before the EU stopped it. That was when the ferry stopped off at Dun Laoghaire. We'd walk around for an hour or so before heading back. Only been to Dublin once and that was in 1981 when I went on a school trip. Been meaning to go back for years. Wife's maiden name was O'Grady because of her grandad and she's never been over.

I was furious when they dumped the Dun Laoghaire crossing.  We lived South of Co. Dublin, and having to drive all the way in to get to the ferry added anywhere from another 30 minutes to an hour-plus depending on traffic.

And yes, the duty-free was a huge attraction   Cheap foot traffic passenger tickets were excellent for that.  If I was taking the train to University for some reason, I'd stock up with booze on the boat to avoid paying British Rail drinks trolley prices!