Honeymoon In Ireland - Belfast and Newgrange

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10 July, 2008

We slept in this morning a bit.  Then we said our goodbyes to Rosaleen and Johnny.  Johnny made us 4 CDs to listen to and Rosaleen gave us hugs as we left.  Oakfield Guesthouse was a wonderful place to stay (£ 60 for the two of us).  It's definitely one to return to if we're ever in the area again.

Our bed at Oakfield Guesthouse

Our room at Oakfield Guest House

Our bathroom at Oakfield Guesthouse

Orange Hall of Lower Ballinderry ready for the 12th

We left Lower Ballinderry and made our way to Belfast, arriving about 11 AM (about a 30 minute drive).  We parked, went to the Tourist Information Office and scheduled a Black Taxi tour for 12:15, but canceled it because we were supposed to meet our friend Éamonn in Slane at 2:30.  Instead, we decided to look around ourselves.

We stopped in for a brief look at St. Anne's Cathedral, then got in the car and headed to the Falls Road to look at the murals and eat lunch at An Cultúrlann.  The Falls Road is famous as Belfast's flashpoint during the Troubles.  A good book about the Troubles in Belfast that gives a perspective from both sides is Voices From The Grave, it would have been interesting to read before visiting Belfast.

Today, The Falls Road has developed into an urban Irish speaking area and is the center of what is called "The Gaeltacht Quarter".  The only two urban gaeltachts to date are both in Belfast, one on the Falls Rd. and the other on the Shaw's Road.  Both began organically with people who wanted to be able to conduct their lives through the Irish language even though they grew up speaking English.  The Shaw's Road Gaeltacht began in 1969.  The Gaeltacht Quarter became official in 2002.  At the heart of the Gaeltacht Quarter are Irish language schools for all levels, shops catering to Irish speakers, two Irish language radio stations and An Cultúrlann ( a Cultural Center featuring a shop specializing in the Irish language, a cafe, visitor information, class rooms and performance space all conducted through the medium of Irish). 

The famous Bobby Sands Mural, Falls Rd.

Fáilte go dtí  Bóthar na bhFál Mural (Welcome to the Falls Rd. in Irish)

The Falls Rd.

Hunger Strikers Mural, The Falls Rd.

We felt that the murals in Derry were more of a "sight".  Belfast felt like a large city and very different from Derry.  I'm glad that we went, but if you don't have interest in the Gaeltacht Quarter or the history connected to the city, it isn't as compelling a piece of a sight seeing tour as other places on the island.

When we finished looking around we ate lunch at An Cultúrlann.  They have a nice cafe, run through Irish but they are happy to speak English to you as well.  After we ate we rushed away to try to get to Slane in 1 hour (lol).  On our way we ended up taking a wrong road and ended up in County Armagh, going as far as Portadown before getting back on course.  It was very intimidating, as the villages we passed were preparing for the marches.  In Lurgan, the police were very visible on the streets and were wearing armored vests and carrying automatic weapons.  It was worlds away from what we left behind in Belfast and Derry.

FYI:  Our error was that we got on the M1 (which goes West) and we wanted to be on the A1 (that travels to the South).

We got to Slane only 1 hour late, met our friend and went to Newgrange.  Newgrange is a prehistoric burial mound dating to about 3200 BC.  Older than both Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid at Giza, the mound covers a cruciform shaped burial chamber that is aligned with the movements of the sun.  Each year on the Winter Solstice, the sun shines thru a small box that was built over the door and illuminates the chamber that otherwise is completely dark.  The tours provide a simulation regardless of what day you go, and it is incredibly impressive.  The only other similar monument known to be built is at Carrowkeel in Co. Sligo.

We used our Heritage Passes (which have more than paid for themselves) for entry, but admission is €3 and the tours take about 1 1/2 hours.  Despite a pouring rain, it was as stunning as ever.  I am constantly amazed by the craftsmanship of these monuments.

Waiting in the rain to enter Newgrange

The outer wall of Newgrange

5000 year old decorative art on Newgrange

The enormous stone circle that surrounds Newgrange

After our tour at Newgrange was finished we went to Dublin and checked into our hotel, Number 31.  It is something special.  We entered through the old gatehouse - thinking it was the house!  After checking in, we were shown through a nice garden to our large Georgian Townhouse.  The room is huge, and the bed and shower are great.  Our room has a nice sitting area far from the bed and is like having a really nice apartment in the City Centre.

Our room at Number 31, Dublin

Very nice molding in our room

The street outside

Once we were settled, we reunited with our friend, Éamonn, and ate at a tapas restaurant (The Market Bar).  Then we called it a night.

Day 12 Ireland Itinerary

Belfast (about 30 minute drive from Lower Ballinderry, Co. Antrim)
Slane (about 1:45 drive w/o detour through Portadown =)
Newgrange (20 mins from Slane, about 1:45 from Belfast)
Number 31, Dublin (about 1:45 drive from Newgrange)