The last couple of days of my Irish Adventure were spent in Northern Ireland. The first place I visited was Derry. We started the city tour by looking at the murals from the time of “the troubles,” when Northern Ireland was a war zone due to the bombings and fighting with the IRA. Northern Ireland was created in 1921 since many of the inhabitants were descendants of British colonists that were loyal to the union. There was a significant Catholic population that wanted to be part of Ireland. The fighting between the two sides lead to decades of violence and thousands of casualties. The 1998 Good Friday Agreement was a major step in the peace process. There have been incidences but the peace has lasted.
The local guide was a charming older gentleman that had so much pride for the town, and loved showing us around. We got off the bus to walk on the old, medieval walls of the town. The canon are still on display in the same place they have been for hundreds of years, ready to defend the city. We passed a beautiful church, St. Augustine Church, where the cherry blossoms were blooming. Northern Ireland used to be a war zone, and I remember watching all the terrible things going on there when I was growing up; so it was great to see the effects of peace. The statue commemorating peace was a beautiful and meaningful site to see.
Our first stop was the ruins of Dunluce Castle for some photography. Dunluce was built in the 13th century by the first 2nd Earl of Ulster. Legend has it, that they kitchen fell into the sea, so the wife of the owner would not live there any longer. I believe that is just a tale since you can still see it if you go into the interior, which might not be a safe thing to do. The castle was abandoned long ago, and is accessible only by bridge. It was very windy so I took my photos through tears, and the ones that I am in, my hair looks like Medusa’s. It’s a beautiful area to hike through, and there’s something romantic about castle ruins…
The highlight of the day was the visit was to Giant’s Causeway, which is made up of hexagonal rocks that look like a stairway that were formed by volcanic activity long ago. The causeway is located on the coast of Northern Ireland in County Antrim. Legend has it that the giant Finn McCool was running away from another giant in Scotland, and made the causeway to escape. The area looks like nothing I have ever seen before, and I heard from the Scotts that their side is just as beautiful.
It was pretty cold and windy, so there’s more crazy hair photos. I did take the bus down to the area with the hexagonal rock, but I think it’s a nice walk, and then you can take the bus up. It goes up and down pretty often. I rode the bus back up walked down for a little then came back up. I did take the hike that takes you above for some great aerial shots of the landscape. Giant’s Causeway is amazing…I can see why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is an amazing place, and I was pleased that our tour took us to the site. It was one of the reasons I chose the tour; I really wanted to see Giant’s Causeway up close.
Next we drove to Belfast to visit the Titanic Memorial, which I only recommend if you are into the legendary ship/movie. The Titanic is important to Belfast since it was built there. The museum even has a ride that takes you through the shipyard. I enjoyed seeing the clothes the passengers wore, and recreations of the rooms, along with the investigation after the ship had sunk. The museum is popular and has multiple levels you can explore. I couldn’t believe how many people were there. If you enjoy history and the infamous ship, you’ll like the museum. And try some beer from Northern Ireland there: I had the Belfast Black.
Our driver at least took us around town and showed us some sites around Belfast. It would have been nice to stay longer there since there’s a lot of history. I found the murals fascinating like I did in Derry, which documented the violence committed by the IRA, and other events during the time of “the troubles.” Also, take a look at the Beacon of Hope statue; there’s a nice view by the bridge there. Plus, I enjoy seeing symbols of peace, and we all need some hope…
Lastly, we stopped in a small town to have dinner at the Clyde Inn where the owner sang and taught us some Irish dances. The food was alright since it was traditional Irish fare like lamb stew, but the entertainment was fun. I’m not a fan of meat and potatoes; I prefer Middle Eastern and Asian food. In the evening, we got back to Dublin where the tour originally started. Most people took an extra day there to see more sites, but we had to leave for our flight early in the morning. The next day my friend and I flew out of Dublin to head to Glasgow where our next tour would begin.
Ireland was amazing and magical…the landscape is beautiful. The people were warm and friendly. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a country with nicer people. The Irish Adventure tour had many flaws as I’ve explained through the various posts. However, my friend and I made the best of it, and still had a great time. We saw and did so much in seven days. And I like that all the excursions, along with most of our meals, were included. There’s nothing worse than paying all this money for a tour then having to pay for optional excursions when you get there. The people on the tour were all nice and always on time, so we got to see more since we never had to wait for anyone. The group was small since we went during off season, so that helped as well. I definitely recommend that you visit Ireland; it’s an amazing place! Next up will be my series on Scotland. Like my Facebook page: Wayfaring Gals for updates, as well as my Instagram (I’m Wayfaring Gal. Thank you for reading!
