Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is a land of contrasts. There are modern, bustling cities surrounded by pretty villages and beautiful scenery. The country has a rich history. Many immigrants left the Derry/Londenderry area for America in the 1700’s and 1800’s.
Yet, much of the history was highlighted by conflict, and although the “troubles” are now ended, there is still a lingering memory that may never be fully erased. You may hear of occasional incidents, but these are in very concentrated areas far away from the tourist areas, so do not let that deter you from a visit. Here are some highlights:
Exhibit in Titanic Museum, Belfast
One good reason would be to visit the fantastic new Titanic Museum at the Belfast shipyard. This 21st century high tech museum is very close to where the ship was built and from where it sailed on it’s ill-fated voyage. There are several floors of interesting exhibits, including several life size holographic scenes and even a shipyard ride showing how the ship was built. Looking out the large windows, you see views of the surrounding shipyard, a constant are constantly reminded that you are in a still active shipyard. At the end of the tour, you will have the opportunity to try out some of the recipes actually used aboard the titanic in the cafeteria.
Mount Stewart near Belfast
Another great spot is a Mount Stewart, home of the Marquess of Londonderry, just few miles away from Belfast. This is a fabulous 18th century country house including a 98 acre garden reflecting the rich history of the Stewart family who played a leading role in British social and political life. Today it is run by The National Trust, who assure that the house and gardens are preserved in the proper manner.
A Visit to Beautiful Florence Court
Florence Court is an 18th century country house built by the Cole family and home of the Earls of Enniskillen until the mid-20th century. Although smaller than many of the houses of its time, there is no mistaking the Palladium underpinnings of the home, highlighted...
Visit to Historic Enniskillen Castle
Historic Enniskillen Castle is really two trips in one. The first part is all about the Gaelic Maguires and the castle, itself, which is over 600 years old. The other is about the military history of the local regiments that came from Enniskillen and features many...
Fun visit to Marble Arch Caves
We spent most of the day at the Marble Arch Caves today and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The exhibition area prior to entering the caves details the story of how they were formed and also how they were found and explored. The caves themselves had a fun boat ride and...
Dollakis – Interesting Greek restaurant in Enniskillen
We had just arrived in Enniskillen and were looking for someplace for dinner. Using our TripAdvisor app, we found Dollakis Greek Restaurant and decided to try it. We were offered their Meze menu, which included a big variety of selections. It was one of those 1 from...
The Ulster American Folk Park
We had planned to visit the Ulster-American Folk Park, near Omagh, Northern Ireland, and spend some time in their genealogy centre checking on Irish roots, but when we arrived, on a Sunday, we learned the centre is closed on Sundays. However, our disappointment was...
