News from Ireland

As promised the first report from Ireland. All went well until London Gatwick with British Airways but a one hour delay for easyJet. No apology and a crowded flight with a turn around time for the late aircraft in London which was frighteming.
We were told that the flight was completely full but I managed to get a seat with no one beside me as the seat had disappeared. It really felt like the rumours of Aerflot Russinas airlines in the 70"s. We could not land at Belfast International on account of a thunderstorm and had to circle for an extra 30 minutes before landing. Then it was off to stay with friends for the night at Carrickfergus. The thunderstorm had passed and it was strange to have day light at around 10:00 p.m. even in August. This morning was the first dry morning since the beginning of the month according to our friends so made use of the good weather to drive from Carickfergus to friends in Ballymena. The green of nature on the route was really impressive as the copious amounts of rain had really helped the flowers and the grass.

Off to Ireland today - stay posted

Lunch time today I am off to the Emerald Isle for 10 days, staying in and around the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland. Weather reported to be awful but what can a man do? Anyway I will be reporting on a daily basis in this blog on my wanderings, etc. so if you have any questions about travellig in Northern Ireland post them now. If I have not got the answer I will make sure I get it there "from the horse's mouth" so as to speak.
In parenthesis - in spite of the low cost airlines, I got a great deal. Easyjet wanted Euro 154 for a single trip to London Gatwick from Thessaloniki, Greece. On the British Airways site I was amazed to find a fare of Euro 80 for the same trip on the same day. And guess what? British Airways even offered be a business class upgrade for Euro 100. Normal single fare to Gatwick with them today is Euro 892. Whoppee! I'll be writing to you soon.

Belfast via the US to Enniskillen

Yes, it does sound like a strange itinerary and only one an Irishman could think up but this morning we leave Belfast - follow the signs for the MI and then the M4 to Omagh and later to Enniskillen. The total journey takes us right across Northern ireland from East to West beneath Lough Neath and this trip covers about 85 miles - most of it by highway.
We are not doing this because there is nothing further to see in and around Belfast. There is nothing further from the truth but I assume that time is pressing and we want to be selective in what we see and where we stop. This trip will take us first of all to the Ulster American Folk Park ending up in Enniskillen and the two Loch Ernes by the evening in beautiful country Fermanagh. The map below gives you an idea of the trip - Belfast stopover just outside Omagh - final destination Enniskillen. Arriving in Omagh off the M4 keep your eyes opened for directions to the Ulster American Folk Park which is just outside the town on the main route from Omagh to Strabane. In the summer the opening times of the Park are as follows:
July to September 2009
Monday - Saturday 10.30am - 6.00pm
Sunday 11.00am - 7.00pm


Admission prices to the museum you will find here.
The museum also lists the time you need to see everything:
* Emigrants Gallery, 30 mins
* Temporary Exhibition, 30 mins
* Old World Area, 1 hour
* Ship & Dockside gallery, 30 mins link
* New World Area, 1 hour
I would really recommend taking this time. It gives you a great impression of the US immigrant Irish trail from the starvation and poverty of the potato famine, the incredible journey by boat across the North Atlantic to Ellis Island and the makings of a new life in what they called the New World. The outdoor museum has a fine collection of houses, craft shops, from both sides of the Atlantic and you really feel drawn into the whole immigrant experience. My own ancestors made this jouney themselves in 1909 - exactly one hundred years ago - which probably makes this whole experience much more personal for me.

Belfast - plenty to offer

I would suggest if you have spent the morning on the Bus Tour then it is well worth the time to spend the afternoon doing a little shopping. The main shopping areas in Belfast you can conquer by foot as they are off both sides of Royal Avenue which is the main street running up to the City Hall and was your point of departure in the morning on the bus tour.

A good start - particularly if the weather is not good - is the Castle Shopping Centre just at the bottom of Royal Avenue. This is a multi-storey shopping mall with shops for every taste and every pocket. There is also a food floor where you have a great choice of inexpensive meals and snacks.You will not find anything particularly Irish though here. If that is what you are looking for then cross Royal Avenue and at the corner of Ann Street you will see an Irish shop - you cannot miss it on account of the green colour. Here you can find Irish linen, Aran pullovers, it also had Waterford Crystal last year but since they went into administration, I cannot vouch that you will still find that now. Of course there is every conceivable Guinness object - glasses, t-shirts, golf balls, you name it we have it.
One shop I really love is Sawer's Delicatessen which has just about everything exotic in food that you can imagine. Since I grew up in Northern Ireland at a time when there was scarcely a restaurant to be found in the city - seriously - I could spend hours in this shop. it is located just at the top of Lombard Streeet (number 9) Walk up Royal avenue towards the City Hall and at the top of Royal Avenue turn right and turn right again at the first street you find. From there it is some 25 meters until you find Lombard Street and you will see Sawers about 10 yards in front of you. You can't miss it because of the magnificent outdoor display of fruit and vegetables. Enjoy!