These last few years we have travelled mainly in our home country, including two very enjoyable trips to Shetland. Ireland is somewhere we have always wanted to sample, having only travelled to Belfast for the day when our children were young. Therefore something completely different for this years spring trip.
The trip was to take in both Northern Ireland and the Republic and was planned over the winter months. The big difference between the two is that NI is in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland is part of Europe which obviously has differing travel rules and restrictions along side the fact that the currency is Euros.
There seemed plenty of campsite's to choose from, although like every where else its pot luck what you will find when you get there! Our trip was planned to start and end in North spending 10 nights and visiting 3 sites. The Republic called for a longer trip hence 6 stopovers spread over 25 nights
Northern Ireland.
Balleycastle, County Antrim.
A very smooth and comfortable 135 minute trip on the Stena Line Ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast followed by a two hour drive through some very green country side to our first stopping off point.
Ballycastle, is a lovely coastal town idea for family holidays, situated a twenty minute walk from Causeway Coast Holiday Park, part of Hagans Leisure Group. As it was bank holiday weekend there was a large amount of children on site, and we were placed near their play park, seen and not heard did not come into it!
After setting up we has a leisurely walk into town to check out buses and have a excellent Fish Supper at Mortons. A large and very well stocked Spar Supermarket and a Morelli’s Italian Ice Cream Parlour competed with a lovely long sandy beach.
From Marine Corner a 402 bus and a day ticket took us to the Giants Causeway a geological wonder steeped in legend and folklore. The polygonal basalt columns were said to be created 60 million years ago by the mighty giant Finn McCool. little did he know it would become NI premier visitors attraction. Warm sunshine allowed us to enjoy our piece sitting by the shore.
Catching the 402 back towards Ballycastle we stopped off the catch another of NI world famous visitors attractions. Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge a 20 metre long rope bridge that crosses a dramatic 30 metre drop to the Atlantic Ocean. The rope bride was first installed in 1755 to give salmon fishermen access to the rocky outcrop of Carrick-A-Rede. Crossing it is an experience in it self!
Accompanied by warm sunshine, the following morning we walked the complete length of Ballycastle beach stopping only to enjoy our piece. Walking back along the edge of the golf course into town to enjoying some lovely Italian ice cream from Morelli’s. The facilities along the beach front were very busy and demonstrates how popular Ballycastle is to visitors and local alike.
This was followed by a walk into the town, probably half a mile from the beach front. It was obvious that local elections were about to take place as most lampposts had posters advertising what seemed like a great many candidates.
Our trip to Rathlin Island, just six miles off the coast from the harbour at Ballycastle, was spoiled by the weather. We had planned to take our bikes across to enable us to tour around the complete island but we curtailed that and decided to go as foot passengers because of the rather heavy rain.
‘Spirit of Rathlin’ takes just 40 minutes and docks at Church Bay. A walk along the front to get our bearings and a visit to the information centre that houses a very interesting local museum started our very wet day.
Because of the weather we only had time to visit East Lighthouse, one of the three lighthouses situated on the island. Robert the Bruce’s cave is said to located under this lighthouse where he hid in 1306 after his defeat by the English in Perth. Its another cave where the warrior observed a spider repeatedly trying to reach the roof of the cave until it succeeded. inspired by the spiders determination Robert later returned to Scotland to defeat the English at the Battle of Bannockburn. Again because of the weather we decided to get an earlier ferry back to the mainland.
Blaney, County Fermanagh.
Something we are not used to is the lack of free roaming. In Scotland there is virtually no such thing as trespass, its totally different in Northern Ireland. We have never seen so many ‘Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted’ signs in very large letters which we found really restricted exploring the countryside, add to this the local roads which are very busy which meant have a lack of safe walking
No visit to a town is complete without sampling a Hot Chocolate in a local recommended cafe. Pancakes topped with crispy bacon and maple syrup was a real treat and highly recommended at The Bees Knees in the main street.
Enniskillen Castle is bordered by the River Erne, which supports a large number of men fishing on its banks, and is the towns oldest building with history to match.
The town was the site of several events during the troubles, the most notable being the Remembrance Day bombing on 8th November 1987 near the towns war memorial when 10 civilians and a police officer were killed. The IRA said it had made a mistake and that its target had been the British soldiers parading to the memorial. The bombing was said to be a turning point in the Troubles, under mining support for the IRA and eventually leading to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 four years after the IRA ceasefire. The Clinton Centre was built on the site of the bombing in 2002.
As there was very limited local walking the decision was made to visit the surrounding area by Motorhome. Small towns like Derrygonnelly were not expected to cater for motorhome parking but we would have expected the well known seaside resort of Bundoran to allow us to park - but no. All carparks had height barriers! So we turned around and headed to Barryshannon.
Finally found a car park that catered for larger vehicles, including local buses. Barryshannon is the birth place of Rory Gallagher, a large statue commemorates this fact. Described as the ‘greatest guitarist you've never heard of’ he was best known for forming the blue rock trio Taste in 1966. I would certainly recommend you check him out on YouTube where you can sample his work live at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970.
It must be admitted that there are a lot of very large grand churches in Ireland, they compete with the many public houses. After visiting one of the local religious establishments a visit to the Tete-a-Tete cafe was in order, followed by a look around the shops then heading back to Blaney for our last night there before crossing the Irish border to Dublin.
Irish Republic.
Dublin County Dublin.
The reason for subjecting ourselves to Camac Valley Tourist Caravan Park was to be within public transport travelling distance of Dublin City Centre.
One tour bus service run from the campsite reception area at 9:15 on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday going straight into the city centre and took between 20 and 25 minutes. A number 69 double decker bus run a timetable seven days a week, but, there’s always a but, it took between 60 and 90mins and was very crowded no matter what time you travelled there and back to the city.
Camac Caravan Park, situated between the vast Green Park and the N7, was a busy site mainly due to its close proximity to Dublin, but was not helped by the fact that many folk were staying there because a certain American rock artist had three nights at Dublin’s RDS Main Arena!
Crowded is an unstated description of the city centre, which is bigger than Edinburgh and certainly has lots more people populating the city streets. But interesting because of its revolutionary connections that eventually lead to Ireland being divided into the six counties forming Northern Ireland and like Scotland under the jackboot of the English government at Westminster, along side the 26 counties of the self governing European Republic of Ireland, a country that forms a successful template for an independent Scotland.
With Irish politics foremost in our minds, our first visit, as you may of guessed, was the General Post Office, the scene of the 1916 Easter Rising although rebuilt bullet hours can still be seen in the external columns.
The Easter Rising was an Irish republican insurrection against the British government in Ireland. It began in Dublin on April 24, 1916, which was Easter Monday. The insurrection was planned by Patrick Pearse, Tom Clarke, and several other leaders of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. This eventually lead to the Republic gaining freedom from the domination of the British government. Bullet can still be seen in one of the columns.
The GPO is well worth a visit which is one of the largest functioning post offices in Europe. It also houses a museum which sets out the history of the uprising.
Following this we took part in a guided tour of the Kilmainham Gaol the former prison in Dublin. Its played a role in virtually every act of Irelands painful path to independence, and even today it still has the power to make your blood run cold. It is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Government of Ireland.
Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, were imprisoned and executed in the prison by the orders of the UK Government without trial. The most appalling being James Connolly.
Born in Edinburgh in 1868, Connolly was first introduced to Ireland as a member of the British Army. Despite returning to Scotland, the strong Irish presence in Edinburgh stimulated Connolly’s growing interest in Irish politics in the mid 1890s, leading to his emigration to Dublin in 1896 where he founded the Irish Socialist Republican Party. He spent much of the first decade of the twentieth century in America, he returned to Ireland to campaign for worker’s rights with James Larkin. A firm believer in the perils of sectarian division, Connolly campaigned tirelessly against religious bigotry. In 1913, Connolly was one of the founders of the Irish Citizen Army. During the Easter Rising he was appointed Commandant-General of the Dublin forces, leading the group that occupied the General Post Office. Unable to stand to during his execution due to wounds received during the Rising, Connolly was executed while sitting down on 12 May 1916. He was the last of the leaders to be executed.
Other places of interest we visited while in Dublin:
Dublin Castle, which was the stronghold of British power in Ireland for 700 years. The castle was officially handed over to Michael Collins representing the Irish Free State in 1922.
Christ Church Cathedral, more formally The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland.
Saint Patrick's Cathedral, was founded in 1191 as a Roman Catholic cathedral, is currently the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland.
Temple Bar, a very busy riverside neighbourhood, spread over cobbled pedestrian lanes. Crowded pubs host live folk music and DJ sets, and diners pack restaurants serving Asian, American and Irish cuisine. Quirky boutiques stock clothes and crafts by local designers.
Trinity College, Ireland most prestigious university founded by Elizabeth the First in 1592 is a architectural masterpiece dating mainly to the 18th and 19th century. It also has on display the Book of Kells the worlds most famous illuminated book, which was produced by monks on the Island of Iona in the 9th century.
Glen of Aherlow County Tipperary.
Glen of Aherlow is a very beautiful place to stay and is described as a “broad and fertile Valley positioned between the wooded Slievenamuck Hills and and the shapely Gale Mountains and the most scenic part of County Tipperary.” Which you certainly would not disagree.
Our campsite The Glen of Aherlow Caravan and Campsite is fairly new, privately run by George and Rosalind Drew and is, i must admit, one of the best campsites we have stayed at to date.
An ideal place for walking, the local Information Centre provides “Loop Maps” where from two different start points, sets out walks for various levels of fitness.
Lisvarrinane Village was the starting location for the 7 mile Dolmen Loop. We decided to cycle to the start as it was 4 miles from our campsite. A very nice local policeman and his family offered security for our bike by allowing us to park them in his garden while we enjoyed our walk without having to worry, although we were told the they would be safe wherever we parked them.
Walks are very easy to follow as the different coloured way marking is very clear. We had to follow the red sign which took us on a very enjoyable walk, although very wet from the previous days heavy rain, it takes you to the summit of Slievenamuck marked by a trig point. Also at this point you get to visit the Megalithic Tomb, Shrough Dolman said to have been built 3000 BC.
Shrough Passage Tomb's entrance is formed with two orthostats on each side defining an area 3 m × 1.5 m (9.8 ft × 4.9 ft). The chamber is about 1.5 m x 1.2 m and is roofless. The chamber stands near the centre of a low, roughly circular mound, 30 m (98 ft) across. Many megalithic monuments are aligned towards mountains and celestial events; the entrance chamber at Shrough points roughly towards Slievenamon and the area of sunrise at equinox.
Finally getting back to the village we were asked to join the policeman, John, and his family to stay for something to eat. Politely declining this very kind invitation we cycled back to camp a little exhausted and more than ready for a wee rest.
Our second loop walk involved a 1.5 mile walk uphill to start at the Christ the King statue which depicts the hand of Christ the King raised “in blessing the Glen, its people and all those who pass by”. The present state was erected in 1975 expertly recreated by the Niff Brothers from Cork City who made the original in 1950.
From the statue we followed the 4 mile Rock an Thorabh Loop, again taking in part of the Slievenamuck Hill. The views from the Rock were spectacular looking right across to Tipperary. Returning to the Christ the King Statue and a walk back to the campsite, at least that part was downhill!
We did drive into Tipperary Town for shopping. Due to a WW1 marching song the name at least is well known, but the town itself is a little sad and run down. During the Irish War of Independence (1919 - 1921) the towns barracks served as a base for the brutal Black and Tans.
Blarney, County Cork.
A 50 mile drive south west took us to the outskirts of Cork and the lovely and secluded Blarney Caravan and Camping Park, only 3km from Blarney Village and its castle and beautiful gardens.
The village is one of the finest examples in Ireland of the creation of a model estates village with various places of interest surrounding the large village green.
The current Garda Station was originally Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks which was attacked by the IRA in 1920 due to the Constabulary collecting intelligence against them for the British.
Blarney Castle Hotel was the meeting point where the attack was planned. And being the Republic there are a couple of churches catering for various denominations.
The main point of interest is however Blarney Castle and its world famous Blarney Stone which is said to have been brought from the Holy Land after the crusades where Jacob used it as a pillow. Or if you prefer another legend is that it was given to the MacCarthy Chieftain by Robert the Bruce in thanks for providing 5000 foot soldiers to Scotland to fight at Bannockburn against Edward 11 and was said to be originally part of the Stone of Destiny.
The Blarney Stone is a block of Carboniferous limestone built into the battlements at the top of the Castle. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of great eloquence or skill at flattery. The stone was set into a tower of the castle in 1446.
Long queues form, from entering the castle up to the battlements to try the rather dangerous manoeuvre of kissing the stone, although Barbara has enough to say at the best of times she decided to improve her verbal output by kissing the stone. I’ve always got a lot to say so there was no point in risking life and limb by me kissing the stone, American tourists seemed very enamoured by the experience! (Although they seem to always have plenty to say.)
The castle itself is obviously worth seeing, but the surrounding 60 acres of rolling parklands are well worth exploring.
The Gardens are full of delights and surprises including the rather grand Blarney House.
From the village there is a regular bus service that takes you to the delights of Cork City Centre which is no where as busy as Dublin and its main shopping thoroughfare made easier to navigate by its wide pedestrian pavements.
First stop the Farmgate Cafe for french toast topped with crispy bacon and maple syrup washed down with hot chocolate, we also went back for lunch, i had stuffed chicken, vegetables and potatoes, my better half had Irish stew. this cafe is highly recommended for its food, prompt service and reasonable prices.
The Farmgate is located on a mezzanine floor above the iconic English Market, a covered food market that has been trading since 1788 and is one of the oldest municipal markets in the world. We marvelled at its vast range of quality products, and savoured its unique atmosphere.
Regular readers of our Travel Blog will know that no trip into a town is complete with our a visit to a church and St. Fin Barre’s is one of the most spectacular Cathedrals we have had the pleasure of visiting.
For a small entrance fee you can admire the inside of this 19th century Gothic masterpiece designed by William Borges. You can’t help become immersed in in its 1100 carvings, unique stained glass windows, marbled walls, frescoes, wood carings, highly polished brass fittings and the beautiful floor mosaics. Light a candle and sit for a while to appreciate its peace and quiet.
And now for something completely different. Elizabeth Fort is a 17th century star shaped fort located off Barrack Street. Originally built as a defensive fortification outside the city walls. The city grew up around the fortress which has served many other roles including military barracks, a prison and until recently used as a Garda Station.
During the War of Independence it was used as a base by the dreaded Black and Tans. In the subsequent Irish Civil War the buildings within the walls were burned by anti treaty forces. The current interior buildings date from the reconstruction following the fire.
No visit to Cork is complete without a walk around Shandon. which lies north of the River Lee and North Gate Bridge, the northernmost point of the medieval city. Several landmarks of Cork's north-side are located in the area, including the bell tower of the Church of St Anne, the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Saint Mary’s Dominican Church & Priory, and Firkin Crane Arts Centre.
Killarney, County Kerry.
Fossa Caravan and Camping Park is to say the least a wee bit run down and certainly in need of refurbishment. But its within a cycle ride from Killarney Town and the National Park. Access to both is via a very good pedestrian/cycle path.
The town seems very prosperous, with few closed or charity shops. Although very busy we had a good walk around after securing our bikes in the car park. Unsurprisingly Killarney won the Best Kept Town award in 2007, in a cross-border competition jointly organised by the Department of the Environment and the Northern Ireland Amenity Council. In 2011, it was named Ireland's tidiest town and the cleanest town in the country by Irish Business Against Litter.
Just as you enter the town you can’t help by admire the mighty St Mary’s Cathedral. Built between 1842 and 1855 the Cathedral is a superb example of neo-Gothic revival architecture. As a very large wedding was taking place we could not have a look around, but instead we sat and enjoyed some of the wedding ceremony. The Bells, when chiming, must be able to be heard for some great distance, their that load!
Killarney’s biggest attraction is the nearby Killarney National Park which was the first national park in Ireland, created when the Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish Free State in 1932.
The path ways in the park are such that you can safely ride your bikes all around the estate with various places to explore including taking in a guided tour of Ross Castle which overlooks the beautiful Lough Leane and some of the highest Mountains in the Republic.
The Castle is said to be a typical example of the stronghold of a Irish Chieftain during the middle ages. The castle passed through various owners until 1970 when it was taken into state care. Following extensive structural repairs and restoration the Castle was open to the public in 1990. It is now managed by The Office of Public Works. A most interesting visit.
Following some lunch overlooking the Lough we explored more of this very well kept park, cycling out to the Governors Rock and the Copper Mining area.
Ice cream at the wee thatched cottage at the entrance to the park and a further visit into town for some supplies we then cycled back along the impressive cycle path.
Doolin, County Clare.
So far on our trip the camp sites have varied, but certainly amongst our favourites is the Nagles Camping and Caravan Park.
The park is situated overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, beside Doolin Pier and is a approx a mile from the very lively Fisherstreet Village with its picturesque traditional cottages housing restaurants, pubs and coffee/ice cream shops.
Turn right from the campsite and take advantage of the The Burren. Walk along the luna landscape of grey limestone and wild flowers with the ocean to your left and i could almost guarantee you won't see another sole. But a word of warning, the route can be a little dangerous at times so care is needed, i still have the scars!
But the danger doesn't compare with the six plus miles walk along the Cliffs of Moher. In places this very strenuous walk is very close to the edge of the cliffs and one force move would have you over the edge. I must admit i found it quite scary at times.
Our walk finished at the visitors centre where you can catch a bus all the way back to Doolin Village which is just a couple of miles level walk from our base.
There are three Aran Islands. From Doolin Pier you can catch the 40 minute ferry journey to the biggest of the islands, Inis Mor, an experience not to be missed.
Our ferry arrived at the main settlement Kilronnan to find tour vans willing to take you around the island stopping at various places of interest. Unless your prepare to hire a bike this is the only way to make the most of your day trip. During the season the island accommodates around a 1000 visitors a day, not quite as busy during our visit but still got it fair share of tourists.
First stop was the Dun Duchathair a large Iron Age medieval stone fort perched on a strategic cliff top high above the sea. On its outer side there are large walls, reaching 6 metres high and 5 metres wide. After a steep walk up, your find its well worth the effort.
Another of our stops took in Na Seacht d’Teampaill, which translated means Seven Churches. The site actually comprises only two ruined churches, but who’s arguing. The biggest of which dates from the 8th to 13th century.
We can recommend the tour bus trip and our driver was a font of information, constantly offering facts on both the island and its people. he also took us to coastal extreme of this wonderful island. Our visit made better by a warm and sunny day.
Rosses Point, County Sligo.
We only managed to get a 3 night booking at the Greenland Caravan and Camping Site. The site has a haphazard 100 hard standing pitches and seems very popular with the Irish. Its very friendly manager tries very hard but does not always succeed in maintaining the site to a high standard. But to its credit the views from the site are magnificent and is very close for direct access to three very sandy beaches.
A walk along the edge of golf course and sand dunes to the very quiet 3rd beach is recommended, and if you time it right and you can walk back along the beach.
Sligo Town is just 8kms from Rosses Point and you can get a bus from outside the Yeats Country Hotel straight into the city centre which is very compact and has a very European ambience.
One of the highlights of our trip to Sligo was its Abbey, a Dominican convent founded in 1253. It was built in the Romanesque style with some later additions and alterations. Extensive ruins remain, mainly of the church and the cloister. Because of on going works there was no charge for entry.
Other places of interest:
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| Hooked - Great place to eat. |
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| Masonic Hall. |
But me being me, my personal favourite however was the James Connolly wall painting.
Northern Ireland.
Delamont, County Down.
Our final stop was planned to be close to Belfast and the ferry port to Cairnryan. The only Camping and Caravan Club site in NI was located in the Delamont Country Park 25 miles from the port.
Our two night stay allowed us time to explore the 200 acre Country Park which is located on the shore of Strangford Lough. It has various way marked walks and the one we chose took us 7km round the parks perimeter, which allowed us access to the shore of the Lough.
Various other highlights in the park include the Strangford Stone, the tallest megalith in Ireland, erected in 1999 by 1000 volunteers, a miniature railway, a tea room and an adventure playground.But the best part of the park is its surrounding scenery.
The club site, which was not too busy, was beautifully set out and run and the facilities were plentiful and clean. A very nice place to end our 5 week holiday.
I would certainly come back for a return visit to Ireland with many places still to see. The strangest thing was the amount of Union Jacks on display in villages across the 6 counties, to be honest I’ve never seen so many - any one would think they were all loyalists?
We also noticed that nearly all car parks had height barriers, allegedly to stop Motorhome's from having a free stopover. Something which i think Scotland should do, far many freeloaders wanting something for nothing.
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