Why would you do that?
After having volunteered at the Corrymeela centre in 2011 and 2013 for periods of three months, an opportunity came about to return in fall 2015 (Sept. to early Dec.). After the details were in place - visa secured, flights booked and more - I was then ready to share my excitement with family and friends. When telling one person that I would be returning to this place with in Northern Ireland with an unusual name, their question caught me off guard - "Why would you want to do that?" After some reflection, my response was something to the effect that Corrymeela is a place where I always feel welcomed, at home, and it is a place where I can make a positive difference.
A wee bit about Corrymeela
The organization began in 1965 with its early focus on the tensions that were stirring between people of different political, religious and ideological persuasions in Northern Ireland. Corrymeela began before the period known as The Troubles and today it continues to promote tolerance and understanding among people of differing backgrounds and beliefs. In brief, Corrymeela offers space for individuals and groups to explore and analyze the underlying dynamics of conflict, scapegoating and violence that are present in many parts of the world today including Northern Ireland. At its residential centre near the town of Ballycastle on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, Corrymeela hosts more than 11,000 people annually as well as having a "lived community" of staff, volunteers and interns. In addition to hosting groups at the centre near Ballycastle, program staff travel in Northern Ireland to work with schools and community groups. Central to the ethos of Corrymeela is a deep commitment to welcome and hospitality.
According to the Corrymeela website, its name is often translated from the original Irish as “Hill of Harmony” or “Hill of Sweetness.” However, there is another and more probable translation that comes from the name of a neighbouring town - Corrymellagh in the parish of Culfeightrin. Culfeightrin means in Irish “The Corner of the Stranger” and Corrymellagh means “The Lumpy Crossing Place.” For most people who have spent any time there, "lumpy crossing place" seems appropriate.
What was I doing there?
Compared to 2011 and 2013, last fall I took on a new role with my responsibilities falling into these broad areas: 1) pastoral care/support for the younger volunteers; 2) supporting and being engaged with welcome and hospitality activities; 3) helping with daily worship/reflections; 4) using my communications skills with a few projects being led by others. I lived on site in a residence with several young adults, where we shared time, space, meals, games, conversations and much laughter.
What was it like being back?
The long standing tradition of spirit of welcome and hospitality was evident as soon as I walked into the public arrivals area at Belfast city airport where I was greeted by three people from Corrymeela. It always warms my heart to think about the affection expressed at times like these. In responding to a Facebook post a few days after being back, a friend's comment was "Welcome home!" In a word, it was "fantastic" to be back.
While the full three months there seemed to pass quickly, that was especially the case during the first month. In addition to taking on my responsibilities, it was a time for reconnecting with friends, attending many meetings, learning, getting to know people for the first time and settling into the rhythm of the place again.
When
talking with people at home about my Corrymeela experience, sometimes I'm asked if I
found it difficult to live with so many young adults. While there certainly are ups and downs in an intentional community such as this, I
found it to be a very positive experience. It probably helps that I have been involved with
mentoring and encouraging young adults for many years - I am rarely
surprised with most types of situations and craziness that is sometimes encountered.
Without a doubt, there were challenging situations, but I felt comfortable in
hanging out with the younger volunteers - serious and light conversations, watching a
movie, going for a walk, having a cup of tea, and more.
Ballycastle & Local Culture
Another important aspect of being back was walking into the town of Ballycastle to check on what changes had taken place since I was last there in early 2013 and stopping at the Thyme & Co. Cafe for a coffee and chat with the owners. One big change was the re-opening of a large hotel on the waterfront, but my favourite change was the opening of Ursa Minor bakery & cafe. Operated by a wonderful young couple, it is a cozy place for a fine coffee and good eats in downtown Ballycastle. On many days off over the three months there, both Ursa Minor and Thyme & Co. were favourite stops! The couple who operate Thyme & Co. are welcoming and our conversations picked up where they ended more than two years earlier.Similarly, the young couple who operate Ursa Minor was warm and very hospitable.
Growing up on a farm in eastern Canada and spending plenty of time in small towns, I find it so easy to settle into Ballycastle life. People are friendly and most of the services one needs are available. It sits on edge of a significant farming area and I enjoy seeing things like farmers driving their tractors down main street. The shops and stores are locally owned and operated with helpful staff. One doesn't experience the hard selling tactics of many stores in larger centres and sometimes it seems like the people in these places are just as happy for conversation as they are to sell something.
The haircut
There are numerous opportunities in Northern Ireland to experience the local culture in unique ways. I had one of those opportunities one day in downtown Ballycastle and made my first stop at one of the local barbershops for a haircut. When opening the door to the barbershop, I quickly observed that the place was virtually filled. However, I took the last available seat and started to read the book I'd brought along as I anticipated there might be a bit of a wait. There were 7 people in line for a haircut head of me. Not much reading was done, however, because the banter between the barber and clients was far too entertaining to be distracted by a book.
It didn't take long to realize the wait would be considerably shorter than anticipated as the barber whipped through haircuts much quicker than I thought possible. It sort of made me wonder if I might have selected the wrong barbershop. The barber was highly entertaining and kept the banter going at all times with one or more people. At one point, he got one of the young lads to show all of us a a couple of impressive yoga/strength moves. Then, he asked a couple other school boys if they ever talked about cowboys and specifically asked if they had heard of John Wayne or The Lone Ranger and his "wee" friend Tonto. Cowboys was not top of mind for those lads. Then, it was my turn for a haircut and I faced non-stop questions and comments about Canada. It was great fun or, as the Irish say, "craic."
Language, expressions and other local flavour
Among the truly interesting and fun things about many places where I travel are the unique local expressions. Northern Ireland has lots of character when it comes to expressions and words. When I go for a walk, for example, and meet people some will simply say "hello" while others will say "how ya doing." The latter greeting really is the long form of saying "hello." While being friendly, the greeting is not an invitation for others to actually tell them how they are doing. I learned to simply say hello. On another occasion, one of my colleagues called me a "dote" so I had to Google that and I learned it is a word of endearment or fondness!!
Unique local experiences occur quite frequently and one of these was when was carrying out my hospitality responsibilities one day. When looking at the phone panel system in reception, I noticed a note attached to the panel that said "Seamus (sheep farmer)" and included his phone number. A bit later the same day, a call to Seamus was necessary as three of his sheep had escaped from their field across the road and were enjoying their freedom outside the fence including a snack of the lush grass at Corrymeela.
Evolving Food-Beverage Culture
One notable shift in local culture over the past few years is on the food and beverage front. A coffee culture has arrived and most especially at places like Lost and Found in the town of Coleraine (about an hour from Ballycastle by bus). Not only do they have excellent coffee, they serve a lot of bakery items from Ursa Minor (mentioned above). The atmosphere is conducive for conversation or being on your own to read or people watch. It is a favourite place for Corrymeela folks. When returning from Belfast, I regularly took the longer route through Coleraine, so I could spend some time at Lost and Found.
More than a year ago, I took advantage of an opportunity to become a member of cooperative craft brewer called Boundary Brewing through a small investment. My principal motivation was to support some friends involved with getting this enterprise off the ground hoping that it would do well. After just over a year of production, Boundary is doing well and in fact had another opportunity to invest last fall when it needed to increase production to meet demand. A critically important aspect of that early success, of course, has been the fine beers they brew. Boundary's distribution network is expanding and maybe one day it will be available in Victoria.
Ballycastle & Local Culture
Another important aspect of being back was walking into the town of Ballycastle to check on what changes had taken place since I was last there in early 2013 and stopping at the Thyme & Co. Cafe for a coffee and chat with the owners. One big change was the re-opening of a large hotel on the waterfront, but my favourite change was the opening of Ursa Minor bakery & cafe. Operated by a wonderful young couple, it is a cozy place for a fine coffee and good eats in downtown Ballycastle. On many days off over the three months there, both Ursa Minor and Thyme & Co. were favourite stops! The couple who operate Thyme & Co. are welcoming and our conversations picked up where they ended more than two years earlier.Similarly, the young couple who operate Ursa Minor was warm and very hospitable.
The haircut
There are numerous opportunities in Northern Ireland to experience the local culture in unique ways. I had one of those opportunities one day in downtown Ballycastle and made my first stop at one of the local barbershops for a haircut. When opening the door to the barbershop, I quickly observed that the place was virtually filled. However, I took the last available seat and started to read the book I'd brought along as I anticipated there might be a bit of a wait. There were 7 people in line for a haircut head of me. Not much reading was done, however, because the banter between the barber and clients was far too entertaining to be distracted by a book.
It didn't take long to realize the wait would be considerably shorter than anticipated as the barber whipped through haircuts much quicker than I thought possible. It sort of made me wonder if I might have selected the wrong barbershop. The barber was highly entertaining and kept the banter going at all times with one or more people. At one point, he got one of the young lads to show all of us a a couple of impressive yoga/strength moves. Then, he asked a couple other school boys if they ever talked about cowboys and specifically asked if they had heard of John Wayne or The Lone Ranger and his "wee" friend Tonto. Cowboys was not top of mind for those lads. Then, it was my turn for a haircut and I faced non-stop questions and comments about Canada. It was great fun or, as the Irish say, "craic."
Language, expressions and other local flavour
Among the truly interesting and fun things about many places where I travel are the unique local expressions. Northern Ireland has lots of character when it comes to expressions and words. When I go for a walk, for example, and meet people some will simply say "hello" while others will say "how ya doing." The latter greeting really is the long form of saying "hello." While being friendly, the greeting is not an invitation for others to actually tell them how they are doing. I learned to simply say hello. On another occasion, one of my colleagues called me a "dote" so I had to Google that and I learned it is a word of endearment or fondness!!
Unique local experiences occur quite frequently and one of these was when was carrying out my hospitality responsibilities one day. When looking at the phone panel system in reception, I noticed a note attached to the panel that said "Seamus (sheep farmer)" and included his phone number. A bit later the same day, a call to Seamus was necessary as three of his sheep had escaped from their field across the road and were enjoying their freedom outside the fence including a snack of the lush grass at Corrymeela.
Evolving Food-Beverage Culture
One notable shift in local culture over the past few years is on the food and beverage front. A coffee culture has arrived and most especially at places like Lost and Found in the town of Coleraine (about an hour from Ballycastle by bus). Not only do they have excellent coffee, they serve a lot of bakery items from Ursa Minor (mentioned above). The atmosphere is conducive for conversation or being on your own to read or people watch. It is a favourite place for Corrymeela folks. When returning from Belfast, I regularly took the longer route through Coleraine, so I could spend some time at Lost and Found.
Lost and Found
More than a year ago, I took advantage of an opportunity to become a member of cooperative craft brewer called Boundary Brewing through a small investment. My principal motivation was to support some friends involved with getting this enterprise off the ground hoping that it would do well. After just over a year of production, Boundary is doing well and in fact had another opportunity to invest last fall when it needed to increase production to meet demand. A critically important aspect of that early success, of course, has been the fine beers they brew. Boundary's distribution network is expanding and maybe one day it will be available in Victoria.
So, an evolving culture certainly is underway in Northern Ireland on the beverage front with craft beer and high quality coffees.
50th Anniversary
50th Anniversary
Corrymeela is Ireland's oldest peace organization and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015 with a variety of activities throughout the year that culminated with three major events over a weekend in October. The first event was a gala reception at Belfast city hall with an array of guests - community
leaders, politicians, Corrymeela community members, academics, people
from a variety of community organizations and many others. The highlights of the
evening were the remarks by Michael Longley, considered as
Ireland's greatest living poet; Mary Robinson, former President of
Ireland and former UN High Commissioner
on Human Rights; and peacemaker Kathleen Kuehnast, director at the US
Institute of Peace.
The second event was at the centre in Ballycastle where a day was dedicated to sharing, listening or participating in "50 Years, 50 Stories." Many people showed up who have a long connection to Corrymeela and their stories filled the air throughout the day. The final event was a Service of Thanksgiving at St. Anne's Cathedral in Belfast to mark the 50th Anniversary. A number of people spoke including the Leader of the Corrymeela Community and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby. A very special weekend.
The second event was at the centre in Ballycastle where a day was dedicated to sharing, listening or participating in "50 Years, 50 Stories." Many people showed up who have a long connection to Corrymeela and their stories filled the air throughout the day. The final event was a Service of Thanksgiving at St. Anne's Cathedral in Belfast to mark the 50th Anniversary. A number of people spoke including the Leader of the Corrymeela Community and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby. A very special weekend.
The Plantation of Ireland
On my days off one weekend, I was able to participate in a Corrymeela program called "Contact, Culture and Conflict around the Causeway." For those not familiar with the geography of this area, "causeway" refers to part of Northern Ireland along the north coast and areas not far from the coast. The program essentially was about the Plantation of Northern Ireland, which refers to the confiscation of land by the English Crown during the 16th and 17th centuries and the organised colonisation of this land by predominantly English and Scottish settlers. One significant historic feature of the causeway area was the Plantation of Ulster in the 1600s.
A key feature of the program was visiting four historic plantation sites. When doing this we were encouraged to consider what we could learn from history and then apply to how we live today and will live on the future. I find it helpful to learn from history to better understand the present culture and way of life in Northern Ireland. Fascinating stuff!!
The Plantation of Ulster was seen as a way of civilizing the North of Ireland. Prior to the 16th century, Ulster had been pretty much outside of English control and King James 1 wanted to prevent rebellions and foreign invasions by breaking up the power of the Gaelic clans and creating in their place a loyal Protestant, English-speaking population. An facet of plantation efforts was generating wealth for the new landlords and the Crown. All Irish people were cleared from their estates with Protestant English and Scottish settlers being moved in. The native Irish were granted about 20 % of the confiscated territory, but were prevented from passing the largest estates on to a descendant.
Things didn't go as planned with the plantation efforts and economic factors made Protestant settlers and Catholic natives mutually dependent, but with both groups feeling displaced. Not surprisingly, the displacement led to conflict with a hostile native population rising up against the Protestant settlers in 1641. After the uprising, Catholic land ownership was further reduced , with tensions being further heightened when there was a huge influx of Scots migrants into Ulster in the latter part of the 17th century. By 1740, there was a Protestant majority in Ulster and penal laws prevented Catholics from owning property. The political and economic dispossession of the Ulster Catholic population resulted in resentment that persists today.
Many different plantation schemes were used with some being privately led and others being led by government. The four sites with different histories - Dunluce Castle and village, city of Coleraine, Movanagher and the Dungiven Priory. The next few paragraphs are mostly taken from program notes.
Dunluce Castle is an iconic, popular site to visit on the causeway coast, but a limited amount is known about the archaeological history of the site. Visitors to the site are attracted to the remains of what had been an impressive castle, but excavations have uncovered a large medieval hall within the castle, most likely built in the late 15th-early16th centuries by the McQuillans, who were Gaelic lords originally Scottish or Welsh.The McQuillans were ousted by the MacDonnells in the 1550s, who were descended from the Scottish Clan Donald, Lords of the Isles. The Clan Donald lordship was centred at Finlaggan and Dunyvaig Castle, on Islay (Scotland), which can be seen across the water on a clear day to the northeast of Dunluce.
The MacDonnells came to control much of County Antrim, with Dunluce Castle as their main seat of power. Despite originally siding with the Hugh O’Neill in the Nine Years War, the MacDonnells managed to regain their estates. Most of the standing architecture seen today dates back to the early part of the 17th century. Close to the castle, intact foundations of a town were uncovered. Built by the MacDonnells in 1608, the town was equivalent in scale to Coleraine and was a significant attempt to mimic the plantation in County Londonderry. Large numbers of Scottish settlers were attracted to MacDonnell lands in Antrim. The castle was abandoned in the late 17th century and the remains of the town grassed over and turned into farmland. The existence of the town was largely forgotten until archaeologists started investigating the site in 2008 and discovered remarkably well-preserved remains.
Coleraine was an ecclesiastical settlement and strategic crossing point over the River Bann purchased and developed by a veteran English soldier. Coleraine became the first plantation town to be established by the Irish Society. It was fortified with an earthen rampart and ditch with a new quay being built on the riverside. Intersecting parallel streets were laid out within the boundaries of the ramparts with a market square at the centre. Most of the original plan is evident in the town today.
The London-based Mercers' Company built a settlement at Movanagher on the banks of the River Bann, an area with high quality timber and good fishing. A water-powered sawmill was build to prepare lumber for floating downstream to Coleraine for building and shipping to England. The plan for constructing houses at Movanagher did not come to fruition and recent archeological evidence indicates that Irish-style dwellings (round, thatched) had been built even though they were prohibited. Today, the site appears to be a farm with a few buildings. Mercers had been unsuccessful in attracting sufficient settlers to their land and had to rely on local labour. The settlement had been designed for commercial purposes not defense and ultimately was destroyed in the 1641 rebellion.
Dungiven Priory is a medieval ecclesiastical site having strong associations with the O’Cahans, the dominant Gaelic clan west of the River Bann before the Plantation of Ulster. Archaeological excavations uncovered other dimensions of its history indicating that an Augustinian church had been built at this site in the 12th century and by the 16th century a (secular) tower house had been added. In 1602, the O’Cahans submitted to the English Crown and Dungiven was garrisoned by English forces. A few years later, Captain Edward Doddington repaired the ruined tower house and church and built a two-storey English style house and outlying buildings. Excavations have recovered pieces of elaborately moulded plaster that had decorated the ceilings in the tower house.
Out and About in Northern Ireland
Derry
All three times I have volunteered at Corrymeela, a highlight has been getting out to see a quite a bit of Northern Ireland. I have visited a number of places more than once and one of those places in Derry (aka Londonderry), the second largest city in the North. Often referred to as the Walled City because of the imposing stone wall that surrounds the city centre. The wall's circumference is about 1.6 km with its height varying between between about 4 and 11 metres. Seven gates provide access to the city's core.
While Derry is now know for its culture and was named the UK City of Culture in 2013, it has a history of conflict with possibly the most notable event in its recent history being the Bloody Sunday shooting of 26 unarmed civilians on 30 January 1972 by British soldiers. Of those shot, 14 died. The shootings occurred during a protest over the practice of internment. In the Bogside area of Derry, there are many political murals related to the conflicts, with a number recent murals having a peace and reconciliation theme.
I walked around the wall, stopping at few places to explore a bit, and also spent quite a bit of time in Bogside viewing the murals and also stayed overnight there. By chance, I met the Bogside Artists, who created several murals depicting key events of the Troubles in the city. The three artists have lived in Bogside most of their lives and have experienced the worst of the Troubles. Their work chronicles events over the past 30 years in their part of Derry.
HFH Northern Ireland
I have been volunteering with Habitat for Humanity for about a decade and always make note of its work when traveling. On one of my overnight trips to Belfast, I arranged to visit the HFH Northern Ireland office to meet staff and check out their ReStore.
The HFH office is located in the suburb of Lisburn, not far from the train station. It was great to meet people there to hear about the work they are doing locally and also their efforts with the Global Village program which sends teams internationally. Being a team leader with the Global Village program, I was especially interested is hearing how this program is organized by HFH Northern Ireland. While local projects are somewhat restricted because of limited access to affordable real estate, they are active in sending teams internationally. Many of the teams they send are comprised of older teens and young adults. Their ReStore operation is quite large and apparently it is a successful venture - a good place to secure used furniture, construction materials and more.
St. George's Market
The following day, I explored St. George's Market in Belfast - I find it hard to believe that it was not until my third time in Northern Ireland that I finally went to this fantastic market. It has much to offer in the way of produce, meat, fish, eateries, coffee stands and many craft stands. Build between 1890 and 1896, St. George's Market is one of oldest attractions in Belfast. In 2014, it was named the UK's Best Large Indoor Market and has also been recognized with many awards and titles for it fresh local produce and great atmosphere. Well worth a visit.
Crumlin Road Gaol
Another important attraction in Belfast is the Crumlin Road Gaol. The gaol played a big role in the incarceration of hundreds of people over about a century and a half. I booked a guided tour, which was a good way to learn about the gaol's history. While the tour was very interesting, I found it unsettling to hear the inhumane ways in which so many people had been treated.
Crumlin Road Gaol operated from 1845-1996. While it was built to accommodate between 500 and 550 prisoners, more than 1,500 people were incarcerated at the same time during parts of The Troubles. Men, women and children were prisoners, some for the minor crime of stealing food just to stay alive during the Potato Famine (1845-1852). Others were imprisoned for serious crimes and many were there in forced internment because of political activities. Among the highest profile prisoners were Eamon de Valera, Rev. Ian Paisley, Martin McGuinness and Bobby Sands. Seventeen executions were carried out at Crumlin Road Gaol with the last being in 1961.
The city of Armagh is considered as the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland because the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh is there as well as the Primates for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland. In visiting this historic city about an hour from Belfast by bus, I was most interested in three specific attractions - Navan Fort and the two St. Patrick's Cathedrals (Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland). In ancient times, Armagh, including nearby Navan Fort (Emain Macha), was one of the royal capitals of pagan Gaelic Ireland.
Armagh's place of historic significance and influence was felt across the island as far back as 6,500 years ago. Emain Macha is located a few miles outside city, where archeological excavations have revealed many artifacts dating back to at least 250 BC. Two circular monuments or mounds were unearthed with one being a prehistoric ceremonial or burial monument. Many famous names from Irish mythology are associated with Emain Macha with two of these being the great warrior Cu Chulain and the king of Ulster Conchobar Mac Nessa. After arriving at Navan Fort, I headed outside to explore as much of the site as possible, but my exploration was cut short due to heavy rain. I did get to see the area where the prehistoric ceremonial/burial mound was located. After the archeological research in the area was completed, the mound was returned to its earlier state and now it simply looks like a small hill located in the middle of a large field.
After a few hours at Emain Macha, I made my way back into the city. The
first stop was at the Church of Ireland St. Patrick's Cathedral. Saint
Patrick founded his great church on the hill of Armagh in 455 AD and the
present building dates from 1268 and was last restored in 1834. This
cathedral contains an 11th century Celtic Cross and a number of
sculptures from the Iron Age to the 20th century. The High King of
Ireland - Brian Boru - was buried in the cathedral grounds in 1014.
Then, I was off to visit the Roman Catholic St. Patrick's Cathedral with its imposing twin spires located on an elevated site overlooking the city. The foundation stone for this cathedral was laid in 1840. It took more than 60 years before it was completed.
The remainder of the day in Armagh was spent walking in the downtown area with one notable stop being at the Shambles Variety Market. The market is located in an area called Shambles Yard with a tradition of hosting markets as far back as the 15th century. After serving as a market for grain, hay, straw, grass seed and other agricultural products for about 150 years, Shambles evolved into a cattle market in the 1970s and 20 years later became a variety market. Today, the market hosts a range of stalls selling local fruit and vegetables, fresh fish, and a specialty bakery for all dietary needs and preferences. One can also purchase handmade pies and jams as well as a range of women's and men's clothing.
Clock at Shambles Market
Game of Thrones - Filming Sites in Northern Ireland
While I have never watched more than a few minutes of Game of Thrones TV series, I have been intrigued that there are 11 sites in Northern Ireland where the series is filmed. On a day outing from Corrymeela, several of us had an afternoon trip to two GOT sites complemented by a sustenance stop for ice cream, a tour of the Bushmills distillery and a free dram at the end of the tour.
Our first stop was at the Dark Hedges on the King's Road, where beautiful beech trees line both sides of the road. The trees were planted about 200 years ago and have become one of the most photographed sites in Northern Ireland. Since returning home to Victoria, a significant wind storm swept through the area of the Dark Hedges taking down a number of the beech trees. The main attraction for a couple of volunteers was the opportunity to climb the trees.
Next stop - Ballintoy Harbour where the stunning harbour has been used for exterioer Pyke shots and as the Iron Islands. It was at the harbour cafe where we were treated to ice cream. It is an ideal stopping point for anyone exploring the Antrim Coast. Then it was off to Bushmills distillery for a guided tour topped off by a dram of their whisky. A fine afternoon's outing!
Exploring some of Ireland's West Coast
I have traveled a bit in the South (Ireland) to places like Dublin, Kilkenny and Glendalough, but not to the West Coast. In November, I arranged for a few extra days off and took a wee road trip. On the first day, I traveled by bus to Coleraine where I picked up a rental car and then drove through heavy rain to the town of Sligo where I stayed overnight in the downtown. Just as I headed out to explore the centre of town, the weather cleared a bit and made the walk very pleasant. I didn't have specific sites in mind, but did check the cathedral as well as a great bookstore (Liber) where I browsed for quite a while. Even came across a statue of W.B. Yeats. There are a number of interesting murals in Sligo and a distinct Italian area (close to my hotel) with shops, many restaurants and cafes. Guess where I had dinner?
The destination for my second day was the beautiful town of Westport, which many friends said I absolutely had to visit. I would describe Westport as quaint with an attractive downtown for walking and a seemingly endless number of shops and stores to visit. My lodging was a few km away from the downtown and, while I would have preferred lodging in the centre of town, there were great views from where I was staying. It was a rainy, overcast day, so it was nice to settle into a cozy restaurant with fireplace and enjoy a very fine dinner. Amid the rain, however, the sky would clear occasionally with brilliant sunshine often accompanied by a rainbow!!
While I have never watched more than a few minutes of Game of Thrones TV series, I have been intrigued that there are 11 sites in Northern Ireland where the series is filmed. On a day outing from Corrymeela, several of us had an afternoon trip to two GOT sites complemented by a sustenance stop for ice cream, a tour of the Bushmills distillery and a free dram at the end of the tour.
Our first stop was at the Dark Hedges on the King's Road, where beautiful beech trees line both sides of the road. The trees were planted about 200 years ago and have become one of the most photographed sites in Northern Ireland. Since returning home to Victoria, a significant wind storm swept through the area of the Dark Hedges taking down a number of the beech trees. The main attraction for a couple of volunteers was the opportunity to climb the trees.
Next stop - Ballintoy Harbour where the stunning harbour has been used for exterioer Pyke shots and as the Iron Islands. It was at the harbour cafe where we were treated to ice cream. It is an ideal stopping point for anyone exploring the Antrim Coast. Then it was off to Bushmills distillery for a guided tour topped off by a dram of their whisky. A fine afternoon's outing!
I have traveled a bit in the South (Ireland) to places like Dublin, Kilkenny and Glendalough, but not to the West Coast. In November, I arranged for a few extra days off and took a wee road trip. On the first day, I traveled by bus to Coleraine where I picked up a rental car and then drove through heavy rain to the town of Sligo where I stayed overnight in the downtown. Just as I headed out to explore the centre of town, the weather cleared a bit and made the walk very pleasant. I didn't have specific sites in mind, but did check the cathedral as well as a great bookstore (Liber) where I browsed for quite a while. Even came across a statue of W.B. Yeats. There are a number of interesting murals in Sligo and a distinct Italian area (close to my hotel) with shops, many restaurants and cafes. Guess where I had dinner?
The destination for my second day was the beautiful town of Westport, which many friends said I absolutely had to visit. I would describe Westport as quaint with an attractive downtown for walking and a seemingly endless number of shops and stores to visit. My lodging was a few km away from the downtown and, while I would have preferred lodging in the centre of town, there were great views from where I was staying. It was a rainy, overcast day, so it was nice to settle into a cozy restaurant with fireplace and enjoy a very fine dinner. Amid the rain, however, the sky would clear occasionally with brilliant sunshine often accompanied by a rainbow!!
Adjacent to Croagh Patrick is one of several famine memorials in Ireland. The memorial at Murrisk is of the ships that carried to North America Irish immigrants affected by the famine along with Scottish Highlanders displaced by the Clearances. The vessels often were referred to as coffins as they were crowded and disease ridden with poor access to food and clean water resulting in many deaths before arriving on the other side of the Atlantic. It is estimated that about one-third of those who departed for North America died during the journey. The sails on the memorial vessels are shaped in forms like the skeletons of bodies.
My destination was the town of Clifden, which I drove past intentionally so I could visit Roundstone, one of the oldest fishing villages on the Irish west coast and certainly a place of natural beauty. In the area, there are excellent views of the Twelve Bens or Pins (mountains). Didn't see all 12 Pins, but still took photos. After leaving Roundstone to drive back to Clifden on a different road, I experienced one of the highlights of the day when I drove a single track road across desolate terrain that reminded me of the treeless tundra of northern Canada. As with most single track roads in the UK, there were spots to pull over and let oncoming cars safely pass. Fortunately, there were only a few cars coming in the opposite direction.
Back in Clifden, I checked in to my hotel on edge of the downtown and had a room with great views of the area. It was then time to walk in centre of town and check it out. I stopped at a handful of places with the most important stop being at The Clifden Bookstore - expect you are getting an idea of what retail space attracts me. It was a small shop, but had a fantastic collection of books. Back at the hotel a bit later, I had a fine "small batch artisan beer" brewed by the Galway Hooker Brewery. Just to be clear - a hooker in this context refers to a fishing vessel that uses hooks and lines rather than nets. Thanks to my Corrymeela friends Rosie and Dustin for the beverage recommendation. In Clifden, I also learned that the pirates of Connemara have neat t-shirts.
The next morning, the sunrise offered a great view over Clifden. After breakfast, it was back on the road again for the journey to Enniskillen (Northern Ireland), where I stayed overnight before driving on to Omagh, Cookstown and Coleraine to return the rental car. Not far out of Enniskillen, I discovered that the heavy rain overnight in most areas had been snow where the elevation was higher. For the most part, the roads were wet with only a bit snow in places. At the highest elevations, the hills were covered in beautiful blanket white blanket.
I was very pleased with the road trip and places visited....makes me want to see more of Ireland's west coast. I would revisit all the same places, but would like to explore more and stay in other towns.
The Weather
To wrap up this post, I want to mention the weather. One does not travel to Northern Ireland or any part of the UK for the weather. I must say, however, that for almost the first half of my time there we were blessed with a lot of warm, sunny days and limited rain. Many days ended with spectacular sunsets and the early morning sky often had beautiful colour hues. While plenty of wind and rain came in the last month or so, it seemed the clouds would break up at a moment's notice and a rainbow would come out. I know the many coastal climates have rainbows as a feature, but in all my travels I have never seen any place like Ireland/Northern Ireland for spectacular rainbows.
The most beautiful sunset was during my last week in County Donegal.
