Round Ireland with a Sinead (Part One)

Boyne Valley-Bru Na Boinne
Mellifont Abbey built by French monks to temper the Irish monks wildness. Battle of the Boyne William of Orange defeating King James the most famous Protestant v Catholic battle and one celebrated by a large mural just off the Shankill Rd in West Belfast. Newgrange the winter solstice lights the Stone Age passage tomb. Knowth housing the largest passage to the central chamber.

Carlingford
Set on the Cooley Pennisula. Adventure racing in and around the Tay Way. Sleeping with views across Carlingford Lough with the Mourne Mountains rising in the distance.

Newry
Border town in Northern Ireland best to pass through unless taking advantage of favourable exchange rates.

Belfast
Great craic in the pubs, Kellys Cellars with it Republican feel and brilliant sessions or the Crown Liquor Salon with its snugs and ornate mosaic tiles. One of our best nights in Belfast was being locked into a nameless bar off the main street and listening to the best session we have heard in the Island of Ireland.

City Hall full of marble and sitting on the Mayors Throne in the Council Chamber.

West Belfast taking a Black Cab or following the Lonely Planet walking tour. The murals were brilliant and the enormous wall that divides the Falls and Shankill Road a pertinent reminder to the hatred that must still remain.

Enniskillen
Sampling a tremendous Ulster fry in our B and B overlooking Lough Erne

Antrim Coast
Carrick a Rede rope bridge closed due to bad weather, looks good in the photos though.Giants Causeway slightly underwhelmed but I think this was due to the gale force winds and lashing rain. Perhaps viewing the heaxagonal rocks on a clear day with the views across to Scotland would change my mind. Bushmills the oldest distillery in Ireland given a license to distill in 1608. Purveyors of my favourite whiskey Black Bush triple distilled in sherry cask to give a darker appearance and richer taste. The small towns along the coast and inland coloured in red white and blue or green white and orange don't leave much imagination as to what religion rules the roost.

Derry
Interesting couple of days in a quite run down city. Stayed in Bogside site of the famous "You are now entering free Derry mural" and the subsequent murals completed by the Bogside Artists. Sobering place to visit given the recent history. We managed to be in town when the people of Derry were attempting to break the record for the most Santa's congregated in one place. Over 10,000 marched on Ireland's only intact city walls.