Saturday, 22 September 2012
Today we leave Belfast and travel to the northwest of Ireland.
Our first stop is Derry (Londonderry) on the River Foyle in Northern Ireland. It was a beautiful sunny day; we had some time to walk around. Derry is on the “other side”... town is on the Republic’s side (west) of the river and is controlled by Northern Ireland (east). Over the years, Derry has seen plenty of conflicts.
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| old city walls |
The old city walls of Derry (built 1613-1619), are the only remaining in Ireland that are completely intact. The towns Protestants withstood the Great Siege of Derry (1688-1689) by the Catholic forces. Rejecting any terms for surrender, Derry remained part of Northern Ireland.
During the Troubles (late 1960s-1998) civil rights protesting, riots and widespread violence divided the Protestants and Catholics. Bogside murals reflect the Battle of Bogside (1969), Bloody Sunday (1972) and The Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement (1998) provided progress toward peace.
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| peace bridge |
The British Army withdrew most troops (2007) after 38 years in Northern Ireland. The pedestrian “Peace Bridge” (built 2011) across the River Foyle and “Hands across the Divide” statue are symbols of two communities coming together.
Along the way, Mike gave us some “homework” – to write our own Limerick. He said it was simple … it’s a five-line poem that has a patterned rhyme and beat. The pattern is “aabba”. Lines 1, 2, 5 rhyme and have 3 beats. Lines 3, 4 rhyme and have 2 beats. He told us one of his favorites to “get us thinking” …
There was a young monk from Siberia,
Who’s morale's where slightly inferior.
He did to a nun,
What he should not have done.
And now she's a mother superior.
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| Mayo football fans |
Next we traveled to Belleek in Northern Ireland. Our next stop, the Belleek Pottery Factory (founded 1857). We had a guided tour of the production area to see how the handcrafted Belleek Fine Parian China is made. There was mouldmaking, flower and basket making, casting, painting and firing – sixteen different steps. Then we had time for shopping. Last chance to spend our Sterling; the left-overs will be saved for the next trip!
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Driving along Donegal Bay in County Sligo, we stopped for photos of the Classiebawn Castle (built 1874). It was the summer residence of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the castle is now privately owned; by a bachelor? We had a beautiful view of the castle and shoreline of Donegal Bay. A mile down the road was Mullaghmore, a quaint village. We were fascinated watching a local land and take-off in a one-seat helicopter. Nice way to travel the neighborhood!
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| graves with Celtic crosses |
This was a bonus for the photographers that liked Celtic crosses. Here was the grave of famous poet W B Yeats (1865-1939), round tower (10th or 11th century) and Irish High Cross (9th century).
Tonight we stay in Sligo at the Sligo Park Hotel