HI rog747, remembered your advice and tried but AC wouldn't do that, said they had to be checked right through YCD/YVR/YYZ/DUB or checked to YVR then again to YYZ etc and there was no time in connecting to do that.. One of the bags just arrived back here to our home, it came from Dublin via Manchester so the other one which is the important one is pretty likely to be somewhere in Dublin too. It was shambolic when we arrived with baggage on the wrong belts and strewn all over the floor, bikes, buggies, surfboards etc.
If I could find someone at Dublin could locate the bag, I would happily pay them a reward!