northern ireland uniquely

uniquely
northern
ireland
uncover
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landscapes and legends
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ISBN: 978-1-86193-995-1
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Northern Ireland Tourist Board
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discovernorthernireland.com
discovernorthernireland.com
what’s so special?
Did you know that CS Lewis was born in
Belfast and the Mountains of Mourne were
his inspiration for Narnia? Or that Winston
Churchill once owned the Londonderry Arms
Hotel in Carnlough, County Antrim? Did you
ever wonder why there are places called
Londonderry, Coleraine and Hillsborough in
Australia and the USA too? Have you ever
tasted a tray-bake or a soda farl? Maybe you
already know that Lough Neagh is Europe’s
greatest source of eels or that Dungannon Park
has the oldest dam in Ireland.
THE MOUNTAINS OF MOURNE, COUNTY DOWN
This is your opportunity to find out.
THE GLENS OF ANTRIM, COUNTY ANTRIM
Short Breaks
AD
contents
Northern Ireland is a unique location. The
spectacular landscape is rich and diverse: from
our coastline to our waterways; over mountains
and bogland it’s simply stunning. The everchanging scenery is the result of millions of
years of geological change, during which the
region was subsumed by tropical seas, covered
by volcanic lava and smothered in ice. What
makes it even more special is that it’s all so
accessible. Every corner of the country is within
a two hour drive so exploring our distinctive
landmarks couldn’t be easier.
2
map of northern ireland
4
the landscape
8
first settlers
Whatever your understanding of Northern
Ireland, this publication will excite and inspire
you to visit and find out more about the culture
and heritage of the region. From Saint Patrick
to the birthplace of the Titanic, from the Giant’s
Causeway to the Mountains of Mourne and the
Walled City of Derry, there are unique stories to
tell. Why not take a journey through time from
the Neolithic stones of the first settlers to the
present day events and festivals of a modern,
thriving region?
25 gardens
Whatever kind of experience you’re looking for,
you’ll find mystery and magic here.
10 myth & legend
13 land of saints & scholars
16 castles
18 museums
20 immigration & emigration
22 big house tradition
29 industry
32 contemporary belfast
34 contemporary londonderry
36 music & festivals
40 literary tradition
42 visual & public art
45 architecture
46 contemporary crafts
48 food & drink
52 useful contacts
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This is an illustrative map only. For a comprehensive, tourist map of N. Ireland visit:
www.discovernorthernireland.com or www.osni.gov.uk
3
the landscape
The Antrim Coast, gleaming in the
sunrise as you take an early trip along
the Causeway Coastal Route to explore
the hexagonal columns that make up
the Giant’s Causeway…
Arriving breathless but astounded at the
summit of Slieve Donard, the highest peak
in the Mourne Mountains…silently savouring
the Fermanagh Lakelands from the shores of
Lough Erne…Northern Ireland’s landscape has
inspired generations.
With nine Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty,
no fewer than forty-seven nature reserves
and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland possesses
a varied natural landscape that’s waiting to
be explored. The Mourne Mountains are not
just a walkers’ paradise but an opportunity to
explore the Diamond Rocks or the Neolithic
sites that are scattered throughout the region.
The Granite Trail is an enduring reminder of
the part that Mourne Granite played in the
building of industrial cities such as London and
Liverpool – it follows the track that brought the
rock to the harbour.
4
www.discovernorthernireland.com
GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, COUNTY ANTRIM
The Sperrin Mountains offer a completely
different perspective - a rugged pattern of
mountains, bogland and inland waters - a
striking landscape. The natural boglands of
the area are rich in rare plant life such as the
Bog Orchid and Alder Buckthorn. The heritage
and importance of Northern Ireland’s boglands
is explored at Peatlands Park, County Tyrone
one of the first sites of this kind in the British
Isles. Further west in Fermanagh, the stunning
Lakelands of Upper and Lower Lough Erne, the
Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark and the
Ancient Oakland at Crom Estate offer intriguing
insights into the unique archaeology and
geology of the landscape here.
5
CASTLE ESPIE, COUNTY DOWN
Even in the City of Belfast the landscape is
unmissable with the silhouette of Cave Hill
dominating the Belfast skyline. Known as
‘Napoleon’s Nose’ it’s said to have inspired
Jonathon Swift’s creation of the giant in
Gulliver’s Travels.
Strangford Lough is the UK’s largest sea inlet
and is most famous as an incredible bird
watching location. It also supports more
than 2,000 species of marine life and is
recognised globally as having wetlands of
international importance. Legend has it that
the lough has 365 islands – one for each day
of the year! Castle Espie Wetland Centre is a
great place to find out more, with fantastic
views from the Brent Hide and the largest
collection of ducks, geese and swans
in Ireland.
Lough Neagh is the largest freshwater lake
in the British Isles and touches five of the six
counties of Northern Ireland. It’s said to have
been created by the legendary giant Finn
McCool when he lifted some land to throw
at a rival giant! The lough is home to many
species of marine life, not least of which
is the indigenous species of dollaghan, a
brown trout. The Lough Neagh Discovery
Centre sits on the edge of the lough and is
an excellent resource to find out more about
the heritage of the region.
Rathlin Island is situated between
Ballycastle, County Antrim and the Mull of
Kintyre. It has three lighthouses guarding
each corner of the boomerang-shaped
island. The West Lighthouse is known for
its light, which unusually sits at the bottom
of the tower and is red instead of the
traditional yellow.
The East Lighthouse sits above a cave where
the Scottish King, Robert the Bruce, is said
to have taken refuge and been inspired by
a spider to return to Scotland and fight the
English for his kingdom.
Over forty recorded shipwrecks lie around
the island in the underwater cliffs and caves,
including HMS Drake, which was torpedoed
during the First World War. Rathlin is also
an important nature reserve with a large
seabird colony inhabiting its shores including
puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes and razorbills.
For the best seat in the house, visit the Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
viewpoint at the West Lighthouse.
LOUGH MACNEAN , COUNTY FERMANAGH
Divis and Black Mountain, overlooking the
west of the city, are rich in biodiversity and
archaeological interest and offer amazing
views on a clear day all the way across
Belfast Lough to Scotland.
It’s not just the landscape that makes
Northern Ireland so unique, but the
waterways, rivers and lakes too. The
Fermanagh Lakelands are home to Lough
Erne, famed for its water-skiing, angling,
cruising and canoeing opportunities.
6
7
first settlers
However, fragments of their existence do
come to light as their camps and settlements
are uncovered by archaeologists. The earliest
known human settlement in Ireland is at
Mountsandel, on the east bank of the River
Bann at Coleraine, where a dig unearthed
the remains of wooden dwellings and flint
tools dating back almost 10,000 years.
Later Stone Age communities left a lasting
legacy on the landscape. Their great stone
monuments are reminders of ancient ritual
connected with the afterlife. The court
tombs of Clontygora and Ballymacdermott in
County Armagh are more than 5,000 years
old and stand with the bare boulders of their
central chambers open to the elements.
At the Glens of Antrim, County Antrim you
can climb the hill to Oisin’s Grave. It reveals
stunning views across Glenaan and is said to
be the burial place of the Celtic Warrior poet
Oisin. There is also a stone cairn here to
commemorate John Hewitt, the ‘Poet of
the Glens’.
LEGANANNY DOLMEN, COUNTY DOWN
The highest surviving example of a Neolithic
passage tomb is the Witch’s House atop
Slieve Gullion in County Armagh.
8 www.discovernorthernireland.com
It’s associated with the legendary giant
Fionn MacCumhaill (also known as Finn
McCool).
Legananny Dolmen, County Down and
Ballykeel Dolmen, County Armagh are
among the most visually striking examples
of monuments from our ancient past.
Standing like stone tables, they are known
as tripod dolmens, but The Giant’s Grave
or The Druid’s Altar are common local
names for such features. It is in County
Tyrone however that two of the most
intriguing sites exist. Knockmany Passage
Tomb is etched with fascinating symbols
- the characteristic spirals and swirls of
an ancient and enigmatic art – these can
be seen through the protective glass roof
above the tomb and are worth the short
climb uphill to find them.
BEAGHMORE STONE CIRCLES, COUNTY TYRONE
The nomadic hunter-gatherers who
first roamed Ireland around 9,000
years ago left few traces.
The Beaghmore Stone Circles are stunning
monuments in a wild and spectacular
location. Set in the bare, quiet bogland
of the country, the seven circles are
commonly regarded as a reflection of the
ritual and spiritual life of the early
Bronze Age.
Atmospheric, mystical and intriguing, the
signs of the first settlers of Northern Ireland
give any visitor a unique insight into life in
the ancient past.
fact box
The Ring of Gullion in County Armagh is a unique
geological landform, a ring dyke, not found anywhere
else in the British Isles. Along the crest of the
heather-clad Slieve Gullion mountain lies a small pool
by the name of Calliagh Berra’s Lough, or ‘the lough of
the Hag of Berra’. Legend has it that the warrior Finn
McCool (famed for creating the Giant’s Causeway) was
bewitched into the pool by the hag and emerged as
a white-haired old man. His friends dug into the cairn
on Slieve Gullion to find the witch who caused the
enchantment. She removed the spell but Finn’s head of
red hair remained white forever!
9
History, archaeology and science tell us no,
but tradition still whispers these ancient
stories in our ears; such is the incredible
power of these tales woven around the stone
and earthen monuments, sacred trees and
holy wells. When the romantic and spiritually
inclined Celts arrived from central Europe with
the secrets of iron working around 500 BC,
they saw, marvelled and made songs and
tales about the Red
Branch Knights, the
beautiful Deirdre
of Sorrows and the
heroic Cú Chulainn.
CRANNEY FALLS, COUNTY ANTRIM
There are sites
all over Northern
Ireland associated
with this great
folklore and myth.
The green mound
of Navan Fort
outside Armagh
City was ‘Eamhain
Mhacha’, the Royal Capital of Ulaid, or the
Province of Ulster.
The Glens of Antrim are particularly steeped
in myth and legend, especially fairies. The
association between the hawthorn tree (also
known as the skeoch) and fairies
10
is rife
in the
Glens
– woe
betide
anyone
who
would dare to cut one down. Visitors should
follow the Causeway Coastal Route to this
region and sense the magic for themselves
at The Fairy Hill on the east slope of Glencorp,
where fairies are said to congregate in a
procession on April 30th.
BOA ISLAND, COUNTY FERMANAGH
In Northern Ireland fact and fantasy
can be delightfully difficult to
separate. Could King Conor’s Red
Branch Knights really have feasted on
the hill at Navan? Do fairies roam the
Glens of Antrim? Can the rag tree at
Dungiven Priory actually heal warts?
Is the hawthorn tree really magical?
And does a whin bush really keep a
horse’s coat glossy?
NAVAN FORT, COUNTY ARMAGH
myth & legend
Follow the old limestone railway track in
Carnlough to Cranny Falls, an inspirational
and secluded local nature reserve. You will
also find en route to Ballycastle the Vanishing
Lake, also known as Loughareema – one day
a gleaming lake, the next day a dry bed of
mud. Look out for Glentaisie, named after
Princess Taisie, daughter of the King of Rathlin
Island who was so beautiful that she was
sought after by all, even the King of Norway.
The rag tree at Dungiven Priory, County
Londonderry is also a sight to behold. This
small tree laden with rags and scraps of
material, situated beside a well, is said to
have the magical, power to heal warts. The
rags are dipped in the well and rubbed
on the wart, then placed on the tree - the
wart should disappear as the rag rots away.
Similar wells can be found at Struell, County
Down near the site of Saint Patrick’s first
church, which is a common destination for
those with eye problems because the water is
said to help that too.
Northern Ireland is a place where myth,
magic and mystery live side by side with
everyday life and as you travel around who
knows, maybe a little of its magic may rub off
onto you!
myths and legends
Oisin, (pronounced Awsheen), son of Finn McCool, was a poet as well as a warrior, who
lived with a beautiful woman, Niaomh. She tempted him to dwell in the Underworld,
(known as Tír na nóg, Land of Eternal Youth) where no one ever aged. He was warned
never to set foot on land again or he would at once grow old and frail.
However, he could not resist coming back to Glenaan, and on doing so, he fell from
his horse and on contact with the ground aged and died almost at once. A stone age
burial cairn at Lubitavish, half a mile from Glenaan, has long been established as being
romantically associated with the grave of Oisin.
11
land of saints
& scholars
Patrick is the saint traditionally associated
with the introduction of christianity to
Ireland in the fifth century. He first arrived
on the slopes of Slemish, County Antrim,
to tend sheep as a slave. The mountain
is still a place of pilgrimage today. When
Patrick escaped slavery he came to County
Down and used the location as his base.
12
SAINT PATRICK’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, COUNTY ARMAGH
A church at Saul was built to commemorate the
1,500th anniversary of his arrival as it was here
he preached his first sermon. A giant statue
of the saint now dominates the adjoining hill
of Slieve Patrick. Northern Ireland also boasts
a sixty mile long St. Patrick’s Trail – a themed
driving trail connecting fifteen Saint Patrick and
Christian Heritage related visitor attractions. The
trail follows Saint Patrick’s life through Bangor,
Newtownards, Strangford Lough, Portaferry,
Downpatrick, Newry and Armagh.
In Armagh City, known as the spiritual centre of
Ireland, two nineteenth century cathedrals named
after the saint stand where Patrick is said to have
founded a diocese in the year 444. Tradition has
it that on his death Patrick’s remains were loaded
onto an ox-cart, which was then allowed to seek
out his final resting place. It is thought that he
lies in the graveyard beside Down Cathedral,
Downpatrick, in a spot marked with a large
stone and cross engraved with the name Patric.
Sightseers with a special interest in the saint can
visit the Saint Patrick’s Centre in Downpatrick to
find out more about his intriguing life.
There were many other figures who made an
impact upon the Christian Heritage of the region,
including Saint Columba, also known as Colm
Cille. He is most commonly associated with the
Walled City of Derry, where he established one of
13
his first monasteries and went on to set up the
monastic settlement on Iona, an island off the
coast of Scotland. Saint Columb’s Cathedral in
Londonderry is dedicated to the saint and has
been an important part of the city’s history since
the seventeenth century.
There are many more examples of Northern
Ireland’s extensive Christian Heritage, from
Nendrum with its monks’ quarters and monastic
farm on the shores of Strangford Lough to the
Round Tower in Antrim Town with its unique
ringed cross carved above the doorway.
14
KILNASAGGART STONE, COUNTY ARMAGH
In County Fermanagh, Devenish is a stunning
island monastery on Lower Lough Erne.
Founded in the sixth century the remains
include a Romanesque church. Visitors can climb
the island’s most striking feature, the round
tower, which is thirty metres tall (98 feet). The
captivating Boa Island carved stone figures are
located close by at Caldragh Cemetery. Similar
carvings can also be found at White Island
in Castle Archdale Bay where a small ruined
monastery is the location of six stone figures
inset into the north wall.
The pillar at Kilnasaggart, County Armagh,
is Ireland’s earliest datable cross-decorated
stone. Further fascinating survivors of the early
monasteries are the great High Crosses, most
notably the Ardboe Cross on the shore of Lough
Neagh, County Tyrone decorated with Old and
New Testament figures.
By the twelfth century Saint Malachy of
Armagh had made his mark when he
introduced new religious orders to Ireland
from mainland Europe. He later became
the first Irish saint to be officially canonised.
County Down has the remains of two fine
examples of Cistercian churches - Inch Abbey
and Grey Abbey, founded respectively by the
Norman conqueror John De Courcy and his
wife Affreca. Grey Abbey is one of the first
examples of Gothic architecture in Ireland.
The Augustinians often breathed life into old
monasteries, which was probably the case at
Dungiven Priory, County Londonderry, where
the church houses the tomb of Cumagh-nanGall O’Cahan, a local ruler.
In the fifteenth century the Franciscans
emerged as the most vibrant religious
leaders, creating long churches with
tracery windows as in Bonamargy Friary at
Ballycastle in County Antrim.
Christian Heritage continues to fascinate
visitors today with innovative additions like
the Spire of Hope at Belfast Cathedral: The
Cathedral Church of Saint Anne. In the west
of the city, at Clonard Monastery, the crypt
was once used as a World War II shelter.
a land of local saints
Saint Monenna (or Darerca) founded one of
Ireland’s best-known early medieval convents
at Killevy, County Armagh. The story goes that
when her third successor as abbess was building
a wooden church to honour the saint, she needed
a large roof ridge to join all the parts together.
Her workmen felled a tree for it on Slieve Gullion
but could not get it down the slope. The abbess
prayed for help and the next day the workmen found the tree-trunk close to the convent.
Not finding any traces of how it got there, they concluded it was transported by angels.
KILLEVY CHURCHES, COUNTY ARMAGH
Saint Comgall of Bangor established Bangor
Abbey in the sixth century and attracted
students from all over Europe. A copy of the
famed Antiphonary of Bangor, one of the most
important manuscripts from the early Irish
Church, is held in North Down Museum, along
with the ninth century Bangor Bell.
CLONARD MONASTERY, BELFAST
“...christian heritage
continues to fascinate
visitors today...”
15
castles
The very essence of medieval drama is
Dunluce Castle, County Antrim arguably
the most dramatic location in Ireland,
perched on a cliff along the Causeway
Coast. It is even regarded as the possible
inspiration for CS Lewis’ Cair Paravel in the
Chronicles of Narnia.
Enniskillen Castle, County Fermanagh,
once the stronghold of Gaelic Maguire
chieftains, overlooks Lough Erne and was
used as a barracks in the 1700s and 1800s.
With the Plantation of Ulster in the
seventeenth century came a whole new
range of defensive structures to the
region. Strong towers were built by the
English and Scottish settlers in strategic
locations.
many of his manuscripts and books within
the exhibition. You can also stroll through
the seventeenth century style garden at
Tully Castle, which is another fine example
of a fortified house and bawn in County
Fermanagh.
Whole new towns were also built during
this time, resulting in what we have come
to know as The Diamond, a lozengeshaped market square, found in towns
like Omagh, Portstewart, Ballycastle,
Castlederg and the Walled City of Derry.
There were ‘bawns’ or defensive walls
that fortified the courtyards around towers
and houses such as Bellaghy Bawn, County
Londonderry. It is now home to a Seamus
Heaney exhibition, Northern Ireland’s
Nobel Prize winner who hails from the
village of Bellaghy, and you can admire
ENNISKILLEN CASTLE, COUNTY FERMANAGH
CARRICKFERGUS CASTLE, COUNTY ANTRIM
The Normans, led by John De Courcy, built
strong fortresses by the sea. Carrickfergus
Castle is a fine example along the
Causeway Coastal Route and it represents
over eight hundred years of military
action, right up to World War II.
At Dundrum Castle, County Down you can
wander through the romantic ruins which
overlook the sweep of Murlough Bay
with the striking silhouette of the Mourne
Mountains rising beyond. There is even a
chance that you might see the gatekeeper
in full medieval costume!
TULLY CASTLE, COUNTY FERMANAGH
Castles frequently mark the coastal
landscape across Northern Ireland,
a lasting legacy of the various
conflicts that have taken place here
throughout the centuries.
enniskillen castle
16
17
DUNLUCE CASTLE, COUNTY ANTRIM
Enniskillen Castle was built in the fifteenth century by Hugh the
Hospitable (Hugh Maguire). The castle enabled the Maguire Clan to gain
control over the Ulster-Connacht Road as well as Lough Erne, which they
controlled with a navy of 1,500 boats. When Scottish settlers from the
neighbouring counties started to raid and plunder County Fermanagh,
Hugh Maguire fought back, resulting in the start of The Nine Years’ War.
Eventually Enniskillen Castle fell to the Scottish planters in 1594 and,
after several attempts by the Maguires to regain their stronghold, by
1607 the castle was in ruin.
museums
If you want to gain a deeper
understanding of Northern Ireland
look no further than the diverse
range of museums on offer.
The museums are dedicated to telling the
story of our rich cultural heritage and are
full of artefacts relating to our history and
traditions. There are four national and thirty
four regional museums, all of which give
visitors an insight into the place and its
people.
Themes of emigration take precedence at the
Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, while
the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra,
illustrates the life and traditions of
local people.
The unique architecture of Armagh County
Museum makes it one of the most distinctive
buildings in the city and it’s full of collections
reflecting the diverse lives of people who
have lived and worked in Armagh or have
been associated with the county.
Many of Northern Ireland’s finest treasures
are on display in Belfast’s Ulster Museum.
Currently closed for refurbishment, it is due to
re-open in the summer of 2009 and features
treasures like the Downpatrick Hoard, a
collection of delicate snake-like bracelets
18
made of gold and unearthed during the
excavation of a new grave. The small
Clonmore Shrine, rescued from the River
Blackwater, can also be found there along
with the rugged stone chair on which the
O’Neill Chiefs were inaugurated.
The Tower Museum in the Walled City of
Derry also houses treasures rescued from
the wrecked Spanish Armada galleon Girona,
and an exhibition entitled “An Armada
Shipwreck – La Trinidad Valencera” is a
permanent feature.
ULSTER FOLK AND TRANSPORT MUSEUM, COUNTY DOWN
ARMAGH COUNTY MUSEUM
...experience a
fascinating insight
into northern
ireland life...
Our regional museums are really worth
visiting to experience a fascinating insight
into Northern Ireland life, past and present.
From Flame, the Gasworks Museum of
Ireland, which tells the story of Ireland’s only
remaining coal gasworks; to Downpatrick
Railway Museum, where steam train driving
lessons are on offer - there are fascinating
experiences for every interest.
Fermanagh County Museum has a range of
intricate Belleek Parian China on display from
the local pottery while the costume collection
at Springhill House, County Londonderry holds
over 3,000 costumes. They date from 1680 to
1980 and a visit is a must for all fashion buffs.
Exhibitions and displays are always being
updated so for more information about
what’s on in museums, visit
www.discovernorthernireland.com.
flax
The flax plant, in a coronet, appeared on the reverse of the
British one pound coin to represent Northern Ireland on
coins minted in 1991 and 1996.
Flax is also the emblem of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
19
ulster-scots place names
immigration
& emigration
When visiting Northern Ireland you
can explore these links to people and
place right across the region. The Ulster
American Folk Park, County Tyrone is
a great day out and tells the tale of
emigration from Ulster to America in the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
It offers a ‘living history’ experience on
its outdoor site. Links to the USA are
celebrated with colourful events and
festivals throughout the year such as
American Independence Celebrations
and the Appalachian and Bluegrass
Music Festival.
Some great examples of the lives that
people left behind can be seen at the
homesteads of the American Presidents
Andrew Jackson, Ulysses Simpson Grant,
Chester Alan Arthur and Woodrow Wilson.
20 www.discovernorthernireland.com
WOODROW WILSON
Throughout the seventeenth, eighteenth
and nineteenth centuries in particular
people arrived and departed the region,
contributing innovative architecture and
industries – creating the diverse society
we share today.
Another example of a person of renown
leaving our shores and making an impact
on the world stage is an Ulster-Scot,
Sir Hans Sloane, founder of the
British Museum.
Historical events such as the Flight of the
Earls have also led to deep connections
between Northern Ireland and mainland
Europe. Even in Australia you can find
place names which hark back to the ‘old
country’ such as Bangor in Tasmania or
Moira in New South Wales.
One of the most exciting aspects for
visitors is to retrace the footsteps of their
ancestors and gain a deeper insight into
their own family histories.
This can be done throughout the region
but genealogical research can be a
challenging enterprise so getting in touch
with the right organisations can make
life a lot easier. A good place to start
is the Public Records Office of Northern
Ireland (www.proni.gov.uk) which makes
our unique archival heritage available to
visitors. The Ulster Historical Foundation
(www.ancestryireland.com) also offers
extensive knowledge on the sources
available for tracing Irish and ScotsIrish ancestry.
For more information about genealogy
centres visit www.irishgenealogy.ie
GORSE
These four men had a huge impact on
American politics and the traditional
dwellings of their families can be visited
at various locations throughout
Northern Ireland.
“the old whin bush”
HARRY AVERY’S CASTLE, COUNTY TYRONE
Part of Northern Ireland’s unique
culture and heritage comes from
the immigration and emigration
witnessed down the years.
Scottish place names are found throughout
Northern Ireland – evidence of the huge impact
of Scottish settlers here since the Plantation.
Scots names in County Antrim include
Milkyknowes, Mistyburn, Clatteryknowes,
Hurtletoot and Whistlebare. The word knowe
means ‘small hill, knoll’, while clattery probably
comes from Scots clarty meaning ‘muddy,
dungy’. The Scots term ‘whin’ for the yellow
flowered hedging found all over Northern
Ireland is used here instead of the term ‘gorse’
- there are several Whinney Hills across the
region. The tidal whirlpool called the Routing
Wheel in Strangford Lough is from the Scots
word routing which means ‘roaring’ and the
Routing Burn forms a boundary in County
Tyrone.
The whin grows on a scraggy hill among
course clay and stones
How does it grow in such a place,
I cannot hardly say,
With bonny blossoms of yellow gold
shimmering in the summer sun,
With fragrance sweeter than any rose,
it’s wonderful this old whin…
James McIlhatton
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Dazzling ballrooms, stately drawing
rooms and a wealth of history!
If you love exploring historic houses,
Northern Ireland is full of exciting
locations, all with fascinating stories
just waiting to unfold before
your eyes.
The National Trust maintains several ‘big
houses’ right across the country, including
Florence Court, Springhill House and Castle
Ward.
Florence Court, County Fermanagh is set
against the stunning backdrop of Cuilcagh
Mountain and boasts breathtaking eighteenth
century rococo plasterwork. It survives today,
thanks to local firemen who battled to save
the mouldings when the house caught fire
in 1953.
CASTLE WARD, COUNTY DOWN
Outside impressive views are framed by
majestic lawns, gardens and woodlands
where you can find the famous Florence Court
Yew – a botanical treasure and the ‘Mother’ of
all Irish yew trees around the world.
irreconcilable differences!
The architecture of Castle Ward in County Down has something of a split personality.
First Lord Bangor Bernard Ward, and his wife Lady Anne could not agree on their
preferred style, so one side of the house is Gothic, the other Classical…their divorce
several years later had probably been written in the stars! The building’s main hall
alone took twelve months to build, given the intricacy of the plasterwork. Rumour
has it that Lady Anne was getting a little bored waiting for the job to finish so more
and more wood was used in the designs. Look inside the house for the wooden violin
painted to look like plaster!
22 www.discovernorthernireland.com
Springhill House, County Londonderry is a
Plantation house with a huge collection of
historic costumes and there are regular
ghost-story sessions for visitors, presenting
its other-worldly resident, Olivia!
At Castle Ward on the shores of Strangford
Lough, County Down there is a great summer
opera season and plenty of opportunities to
enjoy jazz evenings in the sunken garden.
Castle Coole, County Fermanagh is one of
the finest Neo-Classical houses in Ireland its designer, James Wyatt, was one of the
most fashionable architects of his day. The
white Portland stone, from which it is built,
was brought at great expense from southern
England and nearly bankrupted the 1st Earl
of Belmore.
BALLYWALTER PARK, COUNTY DOWN
big house tradition
The 2nd Earl spent even more on lavish
interiors including marble chimney pieces,
ornate plasterwork and scaglioli columns.
Ballywalter Park, County Down is another
imposing stately home and has been in the
Mulholland family for over 150 years. They
owned York Street Flax Spinning Company
in Belfast and made their fortune from the
cotton and linen industries. Unhappy with the
Georgian house which was originally on the
estate when he bought it, Andrew Mulholland
commissioned Charles Lanyon (architect
of such impressive buildings in Belfast as
Queen’s University and the Custom House)
to design a home more befitting his status.
Lanyon succeeded and created a masterpiece
– a tasteful Victorian Italianate Palazzo in the
heart of County Down.
The impressive ruins of the mansion within
Downhill Estate, County Londonderry are
another fine example of eighteenth century
architecture and grandeur. The ruins of what
was the romantic vision of the Bishop of
Londonderry are close by Mussenden Temple,
the iconic circular library the Bishop modelled
on the Temple of Vista at Tivoli.
Whatever you’re looking for - ghost stories,
grandeur or just a great day out, pay a visit to
one of Northern Ireland’s historic homes - you
won’t be disappointed.
23
gardens
Northern Ireland has a garden for every
season and every mood, thanks to the
diversity of the climate here. Our mild
winters, high humidity and long hours
of sunshine, particularly in the east,
produce ideal growing conditions.
Late winter blues are dispelled by sheets of
white snowdrops in the lakeside garden at
Mount Stewart, County Down. In spring and
early summer the rhododendron walk at
Rowallane Garden, County Down is one big,
beautiful blaze of colour. A spectacle of a
different nature can be found at the Guy L Wilson
Daffodil Garden in Coleraine, County Londonderry,
where around 1,500 varieties are on display
thanks in part to the donation of bulbs from as
far afield as New Zealand, Holland and the USA.
Autumn brings a spectacular show of reds and
yellows around the Spellman trees and ancient
follies at the Arboretum at Tollymore Forest Park.
The original tree of the slow-growing spruce,
Picea abies ‘Clanbrassiliana’ which originated
nearby around 1750, is the oldest tree in any
arboretum in Ireland.
24
MOUNT STEWART, COUNTY DOWN
There’s many a winding garden path across
Northern Ireland and none more so than at the
Peace Maze, the largest hedge maze in the world
which you can visit at Castlewellan Forest Park,
County Down - it’s planted with 6,000 yew trees.
Over at Carnfunnock Country Park along the
Causeway Coastal Route there’s also a maze
in the shape of Northern Ireland with seven
central spaces, one for each county and one for
Lough Neagh. At the Tropical Butterfly House at
Seaforde Gardens, County Down you will find the
oldest maze in Ireland in the centre of the walled
garden. It is also home to the National Collection
of Eucryphias, a small elegant evergreen shrub
from the Antarctic.
25
Botanic Gardens in Belfast are also home to
some fascinating plant life, especially at the
Palm House, one of the earliest examples of a
glasshouse made from curved iron and glass.
The two wings were completed in 1840
and were built by Richard Turner of Dublin,
who later built the Great Palm House at Kew
Gardens, London. In the mini jungle of the
stove wing you will find the striking bird of
paradise and colourful bromeliads, to name a
few exciting species.
The beautiful Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park
in South Belfast consists of rolling meadows,
woodland, riverside fields and formal
gardens. Its comprehensive Rose Garden
has a magnificent display of over 25,000
rose bushes and is famous for its Annual
International Rose Trials and Rose Week held
in the month of July.
26 www.discovernorthernireland.com
TOLLYMORE FOREST PARK, COUNTY DOWN
The internationally renowned gardens at
Mount Stewart, County Down were planted
in the 1920s by Lady Londonderry and were
known to her as the ‘green fairyland’. The
magnificent series of outdoor ‘rooms’ and
vibrant parterres contain many rare plants
that thrive in the mild climate of the Ards
Peninsula. An eclectic series of topiary can
be enjoyed in the Italian Garden, the Spanish
Garden, the Mairi Garden and the Sunken
Garden. Look out for the Magnolia Campbellii
planted in the 1920s. It flowered for the first
time on April Fool’s Day in 1956 and when
Lady Londonderry spotted the magnificent
bright pink bloom on the highest branch, she
thought that someone had played a joke on
her - but, to her delight, it was the first of
many blossoms that have appeared every
springtime ever since.
BOTANIC GARDENS, BELFAST
The stunning walled garden at Hillsborough
Castle, County Down (formerly the home of
the Governor of Northern Ireland) is open to
the public in May and June and is the setting
for Garden Show Ireland’s Garden Festival.
There are private gardens across the region
too where you can make an appointment to
go and explore our hidden gems. Clandeboye
Estate, County Down is home to the Bee
Garden and the Conservatory Garden and
special botanical tours can be arranged to
view them. At Benvarden Garden, County
Antrim arrange with the Montgomery Family,
owners of the estate since 1798, to view the
stunning rose beds and Victorian Woodland
pond.
It’s not just within the formal gardens of
Northern Ireland though that you will discover
exciting and unusual flora and fauna. Take
a trip to Peatlands Park, County Tyrone to
explore the history and heritage of Northern
Ireland’s bogland. Within the park are two
National Nature Reserves, declared as such
for their unique flora and fauna species, many
of which are found nowhere else in Northern
Ireland.
Take a trek into the natural landscape and
discover some of the fascinating indigenous
plants that can be found growing in the
hedgerows, on the mountains or along the
shores of our loughs. Discover bog cotton,
also known as cotton grass, as you hike
through the blanket and raised bogs of the
Sperrin Mountains, County Tyrone. Or look out
for wild strawberry plants among the blankets
of bluebells and wood, at Aghanloo Wood,
Limavady Borough. It’s one of the largest
ancient woodlands left in Northern Ireland.
The wild strawberry plant is reputed to be a
natural way to lighten freckles!
a titanic tale
Did you know that oak wood from Tollymore Forest Park was the preferred material for
the interior of the White Star liners, including the Titanic which was built in Belfast? The
Titanic was considered a pinnacle of naval architecture and technological achievement,
and its opulent interior, including elegant wood panelling and ‘grand staircase’ were
testament to its luxurious reputation.
27
industry
The grand, red Gothic buildings of
Queen’s University, the Edwardian
grandeur of the City Hall, the folds
of sculpted linen above the door
of the Linen Hall library - all nod to
the importance of Belfast’s position
in the world in the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries. No city in the
world produced more ships or linen,
more rope, tobacco or tea.
Take a boat trip along the Lagan around the
lower harbour basins and the waterfront of
Harland & Wolff, where the greatest ocean
liner in the world, the Titanic, was built and
launched in 1911. The Thompson Dry Dock
where the Titanic was fitted out is open
for visitors to explore; as is the Thompson
Pump-House, which accommodated three
steam engines capable of pumping a million
gallons of water every five minutes.
Linen, also a massive industry at the time,
led to the building of impressive red brick
mills, some of which are still in use today for
other endeavours. Conway Mill in the west
of the city houses a linen museum, as well
as gallery space for exhibitions. The Owen
O’Cork Mills in the east of Belfast, is home to
Bloomfield Auction House - a great spot for
bargain hunters.
Those were the days when the ‘Belfast
Symphony’ - the pulsating rhythm of the
shipyard riveters’ hammers - rang out across
the city as a token of employment
and prosperity.
Take a few minutes and reflect on the proud
and glorious past of the city over stout and
oysters in one of the ‘snugs’ in the Crown
Liquor Saloon. A snug is a wooden booth
for customers who preferred to drink quietly
and unseen. There’s even an antique
bell system which alerts bar staff to your
drinking requirements.
28
RMS TITANIC
CROWN LIQUOR SALOON, BELFAST
The Merchant Hotel, originally purpose built
as the headquarters of the Ulster Bank, is
another impressive example of the opulence
of Victorian Belfast. Take in the stunning
classical interior of the Great Hall as you
enjoy a traditional afternoon tea and try to
spot the sculptures within the huge dome
which symbolise Science, Poetry, Sculpture
and Music.
29
Wellbrook Beetling Mill, County Tyrone,
located close to the Ballinderry River, is the
last working beetling mill in Northern Ireland
and there’s a chance to try some scutching,
hackling and weaving with costumed guides
at a hands-on demonstration.
30 www.discovernorthernireland.com
Industry still goes on of course and you can
be a part of it. Watch the craft workers at
County Fermanagh’s Belleek Pottery, 150
years old in 2007, and you’ll be thrilled by
the subtle colours and delicate shapes of the
fine Parian china they make. Take a trip to
Bushmills Distillery, County Antrim, 400 years
old in 2008, to witness the slow birth of one
of the finest Irish whiskeys.
Rural industrial history is a fantastic aspect
of our heritage and well worth delving into
on any journey. Who knows, you may even
pick up a beautiful memento of your stay in
Northern Ireland as well!
wake up call!
The linen mill workers in Belfast had to be inside the factory gates by 6am sharp
otherwise they were “shut out” and refused a day’s work. This was not just an
embarrassment but also had a financial effect as punishment included a fine.
Sometimes the loud factory horn, which went off at 5.30am, was a sufficient wake-up
call to get the workers in through the factory gates on time, but sometimes the services
of a “knocker up” were essential! An old sailor in one part of the city visited houses
using a stick to knock on the doors of the mill workers. Once he heard noise from inside
the house, he would know that the workers were up and about, and would move on to
his next sleepy client!
HARLAND & WOLFF, BELFAST
Ballycastle, County Antrim was in fact one
of the first industrial centres of Northern
Ireland. Mining in particular was an
important feature of the locality with coal
mining in the Ballycastle to Fair Head area
dating to the 1600s. Back in the nineteenth
century the seaside town witnessed its very
own industrial revolution, thanks to a local
entrepreneur Hugh Boyd. He opened new
mines and extended existing ones and even
developed other industries in the town, such
as a glass factory, a bleach works and a
soap works. Visitors with an interest in
learning more about local life can visit the old
courthouse, now Ballycastle Museum, which
includes the Irish Home Industries Workshop
Collection.
At The Mill at Ballydugan, close to
Downpatrick, County Down, flour was the
final product. Visitors can experience the
charm and majesty of the building in the
Lecale Restaurant, Wheelhouse Café or in
one of the 11 guest rooms.
WELLBROOK
BEETLING
MILL, COUNTY
WELLBROOK
BEETLING
MILL, COUNTY
TYRONETYRONE
At Patterson’s Spade Mill in Templepatrick,
County Antrim you can hear the ring of the
hammers, feel the heat of the forge and then
buy a hand-made spade, surely the ultimate
souvenir! At Flame Gasworks Museum in
Carrickfergus, County Antrim the former
manager of the town’s Victorian gasworks
will guide you around the vast iron retorts
where gas was made. He’ll tell yarns about
the great characters that worked there and let
you climb the billowing gasholder for a great
view of the town.
BALLYDUGAN MILL, COUNTY DOWN
The benefits of industrial productivity were
not just confined to the city of Belfast. From
Ballycastle to the Walled City of Derry, from
Sion Mills to Carrickfergus, the clang of castiron, the hiss of steam or the fiery blast of a
furnace were the everyday backdrop to life in
this busy, industrial region.
31
Belfast has been a port for nearly
a thousand years. Its name – Beál
Féirste in Irish – means ‘mouth of the
sandy ford’.
The city itself can be divided into four areas
known as quarters each with their own
unique stories to tell. The Queen’s Quarter,
is filled with charm and is named after the
renowned Queen’s University.
A mixture of sand and silty mud known as
‘sleech’ forms rather wobbly foundations of
the city itself.
Richly endowed with architecture, shops,
bistros and cafés this area has a vibrant
nightlife and attractions to suit all tastes.
It also boasts a lively calendar of cultural
events throughout the year, the best known
being the Belfast Festival at Queens which
provides a range of theatre, dance, music,
literature and visual arts and is the largest
of its kind in Ireland. On a smaller scale, the
Queen’s Quarter also has some of the city’s
funkiest bars, comedy venues and pubs with
live music and traditional Irish music sessions.
Much of Belfast’s architectural character
comes from the nineteenth century industrial
boom, when shipbuilding, engineering, rope
works and linen made it Ireland’s industrial
heartland. The wealth and confidence of this
era is reflected in its buildings. The City Hall
takes centre stage, but there are a host of
other wonderful civic buildings, such as the
Custom House, the exquisitely opulent Grand
Opera House and the architectural gem, the
Crown Bar.
32
The Gaeltacht quarter of Belfast centres
around the Falls Road where Irish language
and culture has flourished since the 1960s.
This area offers much to those who have an
interest in people who have shaped local
history. The Cultúrlann provides a varied
programme of music, dance and drama
throughout the year and Féile an Phobail
(West Belfast Festival), Europe’s biggest
community festival, with its Spring and
August Festivals, provides a huge opportunity
for visitors to tap into the rhythms which
define this vibrant, creative and unique
quarter of the city.
It also boasts an altogether different type
of artistic endeavour - the descriptive wall
murals throughout the city have their own
story to tell and have been listed as the UK’s
best tourist attraction by The Independent
newspaper in 2007.
Titanic Quarter focuses on the shipyard,
where the giant twin cranes of Harland and
Wolff stand guard over the city. One ship
is synonymous with Belfast: RMS Titanic.
Specialist Titanic and Maritime tours take you
through the shipyard where she was built.
See the slipway down which Titanic was
launched and the dock where she was fitted
out, virtually unchanged since May 1911
when Titanic sailed away from Belfast.
Throughout the city on the first Thursday of
each month, various Belfast galleries stay
open in the evening giving visitors a chance
to explore at their leisure, using a dedicated
map and brochure, the vibrancy of Belfast’s
visual art scene. For further information on
public and private galleries and to obtain the
dedicated map and brochure visit
www.belfastgalleries.com.
The city’s oldest quarter is called Cathedral
Quarter. It takes its name from St. Anne’s
Cathedral, the ecclesiastical heart of the city
and is full of fascinating architecture, ranging
from distinguished banks and public buildings
to cosy pubs and warehouse restaurants.
Some of these, such as the Custom House,
occupy a prominent public location, but other
equally interesting buildings are tucked away
down narrow cobbled streets and alleyways
that give this area its intimate feel. Cathedral
Quarter has also become the focus of Belfast’s
burgeoning arts and craft scenes and is home
to many visual and performing artists.
For a more formal introduction to the City
of Belfast there are guided tours to cater
for every interest – historic pub tours, open
top bus tours, boat tours along the shipyard
and walking tours. Follow in the steps of
the literary greats; Louis MacNeice, Seamus
Heaney, CS Lewis and Jonathan Swift.
There’s a good range of pubs and restaurants
catering for every taste with local specialities
such as champ, potatoes, Irish stew and
specialty breads available. At the other
end of the culinary scale, chefs Paul Rankin,
Michael Deane and Nick Price have placed
Belfast firmly on the gourmet map.
Today, Belfast is a city transformed. Visitors
from every continent can be found in its
streets, drawn to a city with heart, where
people have time to smile.
For more information on events and places to
see visit www.discovernorthernireland.com
or www.gotobelfast.com
BELFAST CITY HALL, BELFAST
WATERFRONT HALL, BELFAST
contemporary belfast
33
contemporary londonderry
HANDS OF FRIENDSHIP, LONDONDERRY
Built to defend the Plantation city from
marauding Irish Chieftains, Derry’s walls were
completed in 1618. They proved effective
during the Siege of Derry from 1688-89 when
thirteen Apprentice Boys raised the bridge,
grabbed the keys and closed the city gates
against the Jacobite forces of King James. The
Protestant garrison held out for months in
appalling conditions. Eventually the siege was
lifted when three ships - Mountjoy, Phoenix
and Jerusalem - broke the boom across the
Foyle and unloaded their precious cargo of
food for the starving citizens.
DERRY’S WALLS, LONDONDERRY
The ancient City of Londonderry, also
known as Derry, is rich in cultural
and architectural heritage. This is
reflected in the city’s three names:
Derry, from old Irish Doire, a reference
to the oak grove where Saint Columba
founded a monastery around 546 AD;
Londonderry, the name granted during
the seventeenth century Plantation
of Ulster; and finally the Walled City,
a modern nomenclature reflecting
Londonderry’s status as one of
the best preserved walled cities
in Europe.
The walls themselves are magnificently
engineered, over a mile in circumference,
standing 26 feet high and 30 feet wide
(8 metres high and 9 metres wide) in places.
Twenty four original cannons stand sentinel
including the mighty ‘Roaring Meg’, made
famous during the Great Siege because of the
terrifying noise it made when fired.
after the Reformation; the beautiful NeoGothic Guildhall - venue for many concerts,
plays and exhibitions; and the quaint
Craft Village will take you on an evocative
journey back to the city in the sixteenth and
nineteenth centuries. Also within the old
town there is a host of atmospheric pubs
where you can stop for a pint. Across the city
there is the elegant Saint Eugene’s Roman
Catholic Cathedral. Constructed over a 25 year
period this beautiful cathedral was solemnly
opened in 1873.
The Harbour Museum focuses on
the city’s maritime connection, whilst the
Workhouse Museum gives an insight to the
harsh conditions endured by the people in
Victorian Ireland.
The Tower Museum immerses you in
Londonderry’s history from monastic times to
present day and features an exhibition on the
Armada Shipwreck - La Trinidad Valencera,
the Spanish galleon that sank off the Donegal
coast in 1588.
Plan ahead and enjoy some of the city’s
annual festivals such as the Saint Patrick’s
Spring Carnival in March, the summertime
Walled City Cultural Trail and the Halloween
Carnival in October.
Today you can stroll along the walls, stopping
now and again to explore some of the many
intriguing sights; Saint Columb’s Cathedral was
the first to be built in the British Isles
If you have an interest in the past,
Londonderry has many museums which reveal
different aspects of its economic political and
social history.
The Free Derry Museum incorporates a tour
of Londonderry’s bogside murals to give an
insight to the civil rights movement and
events which occurred in the 1960s.
For more information on places to see in the
Walled City of Derry visit:
www.discovernorthernireland.com
or www.derryvisitor.com
34
35
music & festivals
BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL, COUNTY TYRONE
Northern Ireland’s musical history is
as much an influence on culture and
people as the land itself and for lovers
of all genres of music you can find a
huge range of festivals to enjoy all
year round.
The traditional music that the region is famed
for can be heard in pubs such as Peadar
O’Donnells in the City of Derry, the John Hewitt
in Belfast, O’Hanlon’s Bar, Mullaghbawn, County
Armagh and the O’Malley Experience at the
Empire Bar, Belfast.
36
BBC MUSIC LIVE, BELFAST
There are also many traditional music events
and programmes at large-scale festivals such
as West Belfast’s Féile an Phobail and the World
Irish Music Championships. Bagpipe and flute
marching bands are an appealing spectacle for
visitors at the Twelfth of July celebrations and
Ulster-Scots events such as the Eagle’s Wing
Festival in Groomsport. Northern Ireland also
hosts various pipe band contests every Saturday
throughout the summer and is well represented
here with current world champions - The Field
Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band.
Classical music buffs can enjoy opera at Castle
Ward, County Down, in the ultra-modern SARC
centre at Queen’s University, Belfast during the
Sonorities Festival or in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall
during the Belfast Festival at Queen’s. Jazz and
blues fans should investigate the internationally
renowned festivals in Londonderry, Warrenpoint
and Holywood.
37
Our corner of Ireland has long punched
well above its weight in terms of producing
internationally recognised musicians and
composers across all sorts of musical styles.
JAZZ FESTIVAL, LONDONDERRY
For many people, when asked to name a
Northern Irish musician, Van Morrison is first
to mind. Morrison’s lyrics are often linked to
the playground of his youth. Take time to visit
sites that feature in his songs such as Cypress
Avenue and Hyndford Street in East Belfast
and Coney Island in County Down. The little
waterway on the Conswater River which was
his inspiration for the ‘hollow’ in Brown Eyed
Girl is even open for a visit!
There’s always the possibility of a premiere of
a new work by composers such as Brian Irvine
at the Bang Festival in Bangor, County Down
or look to the J2Z Festival, Belfast for more
experimental work.
Country Music has long been popular
in Northern Ireland and the Nashville
Songwriters’ Festival and Open House Festival
are both showcases for international artists as
well as homegrown talent. Northern Ireland’s
very own version of ‘Country and Western’
is known internationally through the voices
of local performers like Hugo Duncan and
Philomena Begley.
As the population becomes more ethnically
diverse, so the range of multi-cultural
38 www.discovernorthernireland.com
festivals on offer grows. The Belfast Mela,
Umoja in Londonderry and the Polish
Cultural Week provide not just an occasion to
experience new music, but an opportunity
to gain greater insight and understanding of
new communities.
We also have a thriving new music scene and
rock fans can enjoy both the best in upcoming
talent and the glorious scenery of the Sperrins
at Glasgowbury. Dance fans can party the
night away at Jigs ‘n’ Rigs on Rathlin Island or
Celtronic in Londonderry. Cutting edge urban
arts events are integral to the Trans Festival
and take advantage of the lengthening
spring/summer nights by attending the
Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, Belfast.
Exploring Belfast will give you the opportunity
to see sites associated with other famous
sons and daughters of the city – you can
find a mural on Sandy Row commemorating
legendary 1950s Belfast singer Ruby Murray;
and if you’re lucky you might catch a
performance by blues hero Henry McCullough
(guitarist with Joe Cocker and the Grease
Band, Wings and Woodstock veteran), the
renowned folk guitarist Arty McGlynn, or
more recent success stories such as Foy
Vance, Oppenheimer and Duke Special. It’s
not unusual to see DJ appearances by David
Holmes, the man behind the sound track to
the Ocean’s Eleven film, or current techno star
Phil Kieran in venues around the city.
Bangor is most famous these days as the
hometown of Snow Patrol, but the town
also hosts the annual Percy French Festival,
commemorating the writer of the renowned
ballad The Mountains of Mourne, and the
Camerata Ireland Clandeboye Festival
organised by Belfast-born pianist Barry
Douglas. Still in County Down, Downpatrick is a
veritable centre of rock music. The town is the
birthplace of the members of Ash and current
success story, The Answer.
County Armagh is the birthplace of the
late Tommy Makem, known as the ‘Bard
of Armagh’, and most famous for his
performances with the Clancy Brothers.
Up and coming jazz virtuoso David Lyttle is
another artist from this part of the world. The
landscapes of Counties Tyrone and Fermanagh
have inspired performers such as Joan and
Valerie Trimble, Neil Hannon of the Divine
Comedy and Paul Brady.
The City of Derry too has many famous sons
and daughters – pianist Phil Coulter, singer
turned politician Dana, punk icons The
Undertones, right through to Nadine Coyle,
singer with pop group Girls Aloud.
For more information about music and festivals
visit www.discovernorthernireland.com
drums and beats
Two instruments highly influential in
the sound of Northern Irish folk and
traditional music are the bodhrán and the
Lambeg drum.
The Lambeg drum is said to have got its
name during a parade in Lambeg c. 1870
when the drums were played for the
first time with Malacca canes instead
of the traditional cork or wood headed
sticks. This innovation enabled quicker
rhythms to be played and dramatically
increased the volume of the instrument.
The practice of playing with canes quickly
became widespread and thereafter
when people referred to the drums they
frequently used the term ‘Lambeg’.
The bodhrán is not specifically indigenous
to Northern Ireland but Belfast is home
to one of the most renowned bodhrán
craftsmen in Ireland. Eamon Maguire is
a master drum maker with a client list
including Bob Dylan and Al Gore! Visitors
can call into his workshop in the historical
surroundings of Conway Mill in West
Belfast and watch his expertise in person.
39
literary tradition
CS Lewis is one of the most iconic writers to
come from here. Born and raised in Belfast,
he is famous for his popular children’s books,
The Chronicles of Narnia. The Mountains of
Mourne, County Down are said to have been
the inspiration for Lewis’ magical land of
Narnia. A bus tour and self-guided walking
tour of Belfast leads visitors to his childhood
home, his family church and his old school,
Campbell College.
Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde also have
links to the region – both attended Portora
Royal School in County Fermanagh. It is
thought possible that Wilde found inspiration
for his fairy tale, The Happy Prince, from the
Fort Hill and Cole’s Monument which stands in
the Fort Hill Pleasure Grounds in Enniskillen,
County Fermanagh. Wilde’s great grandfather,
the Reverend Ralph Wilde is also buried in the
grounds of St. Patrick’s Church in the village of
Armoy, County Antrim.
The stunning landscape of Northern Ireland
has also contributed much to the poetry of
the Nobel Prize in Literature winner, Seamus
Heaney. Rural County Londonderry permeates
much of his writing. In his home town of
Bellaghy, visitors can explore an exhibition
of his work within the walls of the Plantation
building of Bellaghy Bawn - look out for his
old school satchel.
40
THE MOUNTAINS OF MOURNE, COUNTY DOWN
The people and places of the region have
often inspired writers to create a rich creative
tapestry of work.
John Hewitt, the ‘father figure’ of Ulster poets,
and writer Brian Moore also found inspiration
in their birthplace for their work. One of
Heaney’s acquaintances, the playwright Brian
Friel, known for plays such as Translations and
Dancing at Lughnasa, was born in Omagh,
County Tyrone. An equally renowned local
playwright is Belfast born Marie Jones, best
known for work such as Stones in his Pockets
and A Night in November. The work of these
esteemed writers is often featured in theatres
across Northern Ireland such as the Grand
Opera House in Belfast or the Millennium
Forum in Londonderry.
There is however a wealth of exciting
contemporary talent in Northern Ireland
including the novelists Glenn Patterson,
Martina Devlin and Colin Bateman and poets
Sinéad Morrissey and Medbh McGuckian.
Bateman’s novel Divorcing Jack became a
movie starring Rachel Griffiths and was filmed
on location in Northern Ireland – look out
for scenes in Belfast, the Silent Valley, and
Ballywalter Park, County Down on your
next viewing!
For more information about summer
schools and events devoted to Northern
Ireland’s literary stalwarts visit
www.discovernorthernireland.com.
More information on CS Lewis bus tours
which run throughout the year can be found
at the Belfast Welcome Centre.
cs lewis
HEANEY’S
HOUSE, LONDONDERRY
HEANEY EXHIBITION
Northern Ireland has a fascinating
literary tradition with many notable
links to some of the literary world’s
most recognisable figures.
...the northern irish
soul seems drawn
to creating
beautiful literature...
Did you know that CS Lewis and his wife Joy Gresham spent a belated honeymoon
at the Old Inn, Crawfordsburn, County Down in July 1958? Lewis often met his
literary friends at the Inn on social occasions. The connection with notable literary
figures doesn’t stop with Lewis - Swift, Tennyson, Thackeray, Dickens and Trollop
are also said to have known of the Inn’s charms!
41
visual & public art
‘The Big Fish’ at Donegall Quay, Belfast is one
such sculpture. Located along the waterfront
opposite Custom House Square, this ten
metre (32.8 feet) long salmon has become
an iconic landmark and is covered in tiles
printed with text and imagery relating
to Belfast. Just across the road is the
unmissable ‘Thanksgiving Sculpture’, a real
figurehead for the city.
‘Let the Dance Begin’, also known as the
Millennium Sculpture in Strabane, is highly
impressive and portrays themes of music and
dance. Locals refer to the 6 metre (18 feet)
high bronze figures as ‘the tinnies’. Look
out for ‘Atlantic Drift’ at Londonderry’s Civic
Offices. It’s made from timber salvaged from
the old American jetty at Lisahally along the
River Foyle and is said to reflect the tides of
Londonderry’s history of trade and emigration.
42
THANKSGIVING SCULPTURE, BELFAST
There are also several sculpture trails to
explore across Northern Ireland, including
intriguingly titled works such as ‘Salmon
Leap’ and ‘Kissing Boards’ at Lough MacNean
in County Fermanagh. In the City of Lisburn
follow XPLORART, the Public Art and Sculpture
Trail at Lagan Valley Island which showcases
the work of contemporary artists, both local
and international.
Some of Northern Ireland’s most unique
expressions of public art are the wall murals
found throughout the region. Some reflect
political and social views while others, like
those devoted to the footballer George Best,
the writer CS Lewis and the 1950s singer
Ruby Murray, are tributes to local heroes.
Bus, taxi and walking tours are available to
visitors who want to explore these unique
murals in more detail.
Northern Ireland also boasts a wide spectrum
of visual art, from large public galleries to
smaller galleries which are privately run, each
with their own unique character and style.
The Naughton Gallery at Queen’s University
features a rolling programme of exhibitions
from the University’s own extensive collection
dating from the mid-eighteenth century, and
includes such distinguished Northern Ireland
artists as Sir John Lavery and Paul Henry.
Today there are plenty of contemporary
artists following in their footsteps with many
galleries showcasing the best of local and
international talent with permanent and
touring exhibitions.
ORMEAU BATHS
BIG FISH, DONEGALL QUAY, BELFAST
It’s not just the stunning natural
landscape of Northern Ireland that
gets people talking, but also the
visual art within it. Throughout the
towns and cities there are striking
and distinct pieces of art and craft
which translate the areas around
them and offer unique insights into
their location, culture and identity.
Look out for the Engine Room Gallery in East
Belfast with its vast range of contemporary
art from critically acclaimed local artists or
the Ormeau Baths Gallery which has attracted
exhibitions from international and leading
Irish artists, making it one of Northern
Ireland’s important centres for visual arts.
Belfast Exposed in the heart of Cathedral
Quarter is Northern Ireland’s principal
photographic gallery; it creates and hosts
exhibitions by both local and internationally
acclaimed photographers and contains a
unique archive of over half a million images
of Belfast.
For more information on art galleries and
exhibitions in Northern Ireland visit
www.discovernorthernireland.com
murals
Murals can be found throughout Northern
Ireland and some of the region’s most
famous events and people are immortalised
in these artistic expressions of our society.
43
In the City of Belfast from the
1840s, Lanyon designed a
staggering number of buildings
namely: Queen’s College
(the present Lanyon building
of Queen’s University), the
Crumlin Road Courthouse and
Gaol, the Union Theological
College in Botanic Avenue, the
Palm House in Botanic Gardens;
and with his partner William
Henry Lynn – the Custom
House, the Public Library in
Royal Avenue and Belfast
Castle. His styles ranged from
Victorian Gothic (Queen’s) to
Italian Renaissance (the Custom
House).
QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY, BELFAST
In the 1860s Lanyon moved
into politics, becoming Mayor
of Belfast in 1862 and one of
the MPs for the Borough in
1866. He was knighted in 1868
and died in 1889.
44
architecture
As you make your way across
Northern Ireland look around you at
the buildings that grace our street
corners and town squares. There is
a wealth of architectural styles and
concepts here from the traditional
thatched cottages like that of the
Cross Keys Inn, Toomebridge, County
Antrim to the contemporary elegance
of Victoria Square in Belfast City
centre, and everything in between.
Various periods in history have left their
mark on Northern Ireland through the
architecture of the day, none more so than
the Victorian era. Particularly in Belfast,
the red brick grandeur of Queen’s University
and St. George’s Market are tell-tale signs of
the wealth and prosperity of the city during
Victoria’s reign. At PLACE on Fountain Street,
Belfast, there is plenty of opportunity to find
out more about the built environment in
Northern Ireland and learn about events and
exhibitions relating to the region.
It’s not just Queen Victoria who left her mark
in the city – Art Deco buildings from the
1920s and 1930s are dotted around Belfast.
The old Bank of Ireland building on Royal
Avenue, clad in Portland stone, carries the
hallmarks of the period - the corner is capped
GEORGIAN DOOR, COUNTY ARMAGH
One of Belfast’s most famous
architects of the nineteenth
century was Sir Charles Lanyon.
VICTORIA SQUARE, BELFAST
fact box
by a typical Deco style tower and clock and
features decorative metal panels between
the windows. Its neighbour across the street,
which was once Sinclair’s department store, is
another fine example of the era, as indeed is
The Strand independent cinema in the heart
of East Belfast.
In Armagh City the impressive work of the
architect Francis Johnston can be seen in
the Georgian Mall, the classical Courthouse,
the Archbishop’s Palace and Chapel and the
Observatory. Johnston was also responsible
for some of Dublin’s most famous Georgian
landmarks.
Gracehill on the outskirts of Ballymena,
County Antrim is a beautifully preserved
Moravian village dating from the seventeenth
century. It is Northern Ireland’s oldest
conservation area and a unique planned
village. The only other Moravian Christian
villages such as this are in the Czech Republic
and South Africa. It is not the oldest Moravian
congregation in Northern Ireland, but is
nonetheless regarded as the “Mother Church”
because it was the only full-scale settlement
built by the Moravians in Ireland.
The National Trust village of Cushendun,
County Antrim is also famed for its unique
Cornish architecture and cottages designed
by Clough Williams-Ellis, the architect of
Portmeirion in Wales. It’s also home to Mary
McBride’s Bar, renowned as the smallest bar
in Ireland!
45
contemporary craft
Northern Ireland has always had a
rich craft tradition – from ancient
artefacts to modern day creations.
It’s a thriving craft sector with over
three hundred local artists producing
unique hand-made jewellery, textiles,
ceramics and furniture.
When you visit our region you will discover
the wide variety of styles and designs on
offer at numerous craft galleries, retail outlets
and studios in the heart of our bustling
cities. Experience the skill and talent of local
craftspeople firsthand and don’t forget to
explore the many craft centres and studios
located in the picturesque and peaceful rural
settings throughout the country.
August is the perfect time to experience
the buzz of local craftsmanship as Craft NI
celebrates Craft Month. It’s a must-see event
for any craft enthusiast and you will have
the chance to get involved in just about
everything – visit exhibitions, see and buy
distinctive craft from local artisans in their
workshops, experience
the skills of craftspeople
first-hand through
demonstrations and even
have a go yourself - so
what are you
waiting for?
C. MURPHY
SHARON FERGUSON
Throughout the year there is a myriad of
activities and events for you to see in our
region: seasonal craft fairs, summer festivals,
international exhibitions, open-studios and
traditional craft demonstrations.
46
For more information
about crafts and
events visit
www.craftnidirectory.org
47
The people of Northern Ireland
love food, and even better they
love to share it! Farmers’ markets,
food festivals, gourmet restaurants
and cafés overflow with fresh local
produce and exceptional culinary
delights. From sea-front restaurants
along the Causeway Coastal Route to
seafood bars at the foot of the Mourne
Mountains, cookery courses in the
heart of the Fermanagh Lakelands
and hearty pub grub in the City of
Londonderry, Northern Ireland
caters for every taste.
HILLSBOROUGH OYSTER FESTIVAL
food & drink
Nowhere in Northern Ireland is far from the
rugged coastline or the freshwater loughs,
and many areas enjoy the backdrop of rolling
mountain ranges, wild terrain or pretty river
valleys. It’s little wonder that we have such
easy access to excellent, fresh ingredients –
the backbone of our native food culture. The
landscape provides good, fertile ground for
fruit orchards in Armagh and market gardens
and dairy farms in counties Down and Tyrone.
The arable, open farmland of Londonderry
and Antrim is ideal for floury potatoes,
oats (for porridge and biscuit making) and
barley (for soups, stews and whiskey). The
expanse of wetlands in the region is not just
breathtakingly beautiful but full of seafood
– native brown trout in Lower Lough Erne,
County Fermanagh, and juicy langoustines,
turbot, plaice and brill from the harbour
villages of Portavogie, Kilkeel and Ardglass,
County Down.
Northern Ireland is gaining renown for the
reputation of its local producers. Traditional
crafts such as distilling, butchery and bakery
have a long and proud history here.
48
49
of condensed milk) and caramel squares
are particularly popular here and you’ll find
many varieties and variations in the local
bakeries. Likewise with the regional breads –
potato bread and soda farls all feature in the
traditional Ulster Fry, either toasted or fried.
Paris buns, barm brack and wheaten bread
are also favourites.
DULSE
FISHING IN DONAGHADEE, COUNTY DOWN
Indeed there
are few
traditions that
can boast the
four century
life span
enjoyed by
the famous
Old Bushmills
Distillery.
SHU RESTAURANT, BELFAST
An increasing
number of our
butchers are setting themselves apart with excellent
game, organic lamb and beef, and even rare-breed
meats. Our fish producers focus particularly on
shellfish and a mind-boggling array of smoked
wild salmon and delicate haddock. The region has
always had rich dairy produce and many dairies are
diversifying to make fine cheeses and ice-cream. In
the last decade there has also been a proliferation
of artisans reviving forgotten crafts such as ciderbrewing or introducing new skills to their remit.
...northern ireland is
gaining renown for the
reputation of its
local producers...
50
SAINT GEORGE’S MARKET, BELFAST
Northern Ireland is often associated with some
traditional favourites such as ‘champ’, a mixture
of potatoes, butter, milk and scallions. ‘Dulse’,
an edible seaweed, is also an unusual local
delicacy which you can find used in local cheese
or shortbread recipes, in local pubs to have with
your pint of stout, or at the Aul’ Lammas Fair in
Ballycastle, County Antrim in August. There you
will also find ‘yellow man’, a sticky yellow toffee
traditionally served at the fair.
Best of all we are known for our baking! Nothing
beats a tasty, sweet tray-bake with afternoon tea –
these are large cakes, cooked in one single tray and
cut into squares. Fifteens (a mixture of fifteen each
of crushed digestive biscuits, marshmallows
and red glace cherries bound together with a tin
uniquely northern ireland
eating experiences
• Eat at Grace Neill’s in Donaghadee, County
Down, the oldest pub in Northern Ireland
Not only do Northern Irish people have a
fondness for eating, but there’s always an
excuse to celebrate food too! Food festivals
abound throughout the year celebrating
everything from the apple harvest to the
harbour villages that bring in the wealth
of fish stocks. There are oyster festivals
and gourmet food events, and regional
celebrations of local culinary specialities in
towns and villages across the region.
For more information about food related
festivals and events and the best places to
eat in Northern Ireland visit
www.discovernorthernireland.com.
• Prepare and eat your own lunch, using the
best seasonal Northern Irish produce, at Belle
Isle School of Cookery, County Fermanagh
• Follow the advice of the song and eat some
dulse and yellow man at the Aul’ Lammas Fair,
Ballycastle, County Antrim
• Perfect your ‘shucking’ technique at the annual Hillsborough Oyster Festival,
County Down
• Start your day with a traditional Ulster Fry –
the best preparation for a day of sightseeing
or recovering from a night on the town!
51
For further information, call the office for the country where you are based:
Belfast Welcome Centre
Tourist Information
(Belfast and Northern Ireland)
47 Donegall Place, Belfast
T: +44 (0) 28 9024 6609
F: +44 (0) 28 9031 2424
E: welcomecentre@belfastvisitor.com
Northern Ireland Tourist Board
16 Nassau Street
Dublin 2
T: +353 (0) 1 679 1977
Callsave: 1850 230230
F: +353 (0) 1 679 1863
E: infodublin@nitb.com
tourism ireland offices
uk
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e: info.gb@tourismireland.com
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e: info.sp@tourismireland.com
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e: sakamoto@marketinggarden.com
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e: info.us@tourismireland.com
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e: info.sp@tourismireland.com
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e: info@tourismireland.com.cn
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e: tourism@ireland.co.nz
dubai/united arab emirates
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e: vanessa@tourismreland.ae
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e: info.ch@tourismireland.com
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e: info.india@tourismireland.com
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south africa
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e: tourismireland@dpgsa.co.za
if you have enjoyed the brochure...
why not come
and uncover
more
CARRICK-A-REDE ROPE BRIDGE, COUNTY ANTRIM
useful contacts
poland
t: +4861 855 3226
e: poland@tourismireland.com
italy
t: +39 02 4829 6060
e: informazioni@tourismireland.com
52
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