Hi Gerard,
I hope you can get your irish credential as its a really handy pocket sized booklet.
But even if you don't you may still get your St James Gate stamp - just go and explain to the ladies at reception (just inside the big white gate) and ask them to put your 1st stamp on a little piece of paper which you can then stick to whichever credential you get, either the Irish one or the one you pick up in spain.
Across the road and a little to the right from the brewery gate there is a sign up on a derelict georgian building marking the site (approx) of the old St James Gate. And we used this as our 'starting point' for both the CF this year, and when walking from Santiago to Fisterra last May, which was fun.
Wrap up well for Alto del Perdon-the wind was so strong in early April that we nearly had the heads blown off us!
Gerard, if you can, perhaps you might keep us updated on your wintery Camino?
Nell