Northern Ireland - Belfast

We were up early and made the relatively short walk to Connolly train station, still a chore laden as we were with our bags. Once situated, we grabbed some coffees and used a machine to print our pre-purchased train tickets bound for Belfast.

Once we boarded the train, we enjoyed a pleasant and scenic two-hour train ride up the east coast of Ireland towards Northern Ireland. We met a nice couple from Hamilton, and confirmed the election results - Mark Carney and the Liberals had made an unlikely comeback to secure a near-majority against Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives.

Arriving at Grand Central Station in Belfast, we eventually found the taxi area (a little awkward due to renovations at the station) and a friendly cabbie took us to our lodgings at the Dream Apartments, aka Obel 64. Once we checked in and dropped our bags, we set out to explore the city with limited time - ultimately we only had a little more than a half-day to see Belfast.

Our apartment was a very short walk to the pedestrian shopping area. After a great lunch at Bootleggers, our friends left to shop while we walked over to City Hall and hired a black taxi to take us on a tour of the city's more dangerous areas. What followed was a sobering exploration of religious hatred and "The Troubles" as our driver Al took us to see both Protestant and Catholic neighbourhoods and the Peace Walls that still divide them. There is still a gate that closes at 6pm and you'd better be on the right side.

Al was very good at offering both points of view, though he clearly identified with one side. We toured the Shankill Road and Falls Road areas, as he educated us with stories of the atrocities committed by both sides in the name of religion. He also encouraged us to sign a mural along a section of one of the many Peace Walls. The entire tour was truly a memorable and eye-opening experience.

Later, we rejoined our friends at the Morningstar pub, and decided for an easy dinner of pizza, and three of us crossed over the Laggan to walk to the SSE Arena. Home of the Belfast Giants hockey team, the arena also housed several restaurants, including our pizza joint (Zizzi) and shockingly an MB (Mary Brown's) Chicken! We did pass near the Titanic exhibit, though unfortunately it was too late to check it out. Next time.

We spent a relaxing evening in our apartment overlooking the Laggan and preparing to head across the water to Scotland on the morrow.

Dublin Connolly train station

Irish Rail train from Dublin to Belfast

End of the line in Belfast

The Big Fish on Donegall Quay

Albert Memorial Clock

Sculpture in the pedestrian zone 

Belfast City Hall

Hiring a black taxi to tour the city

Apartment building and British military outpost during The Troubles

The wall/gate between the Protestant and Catholic neighbourhoods

Protestant murals

Peace Wall between Protestant and Catholic areas

Catholic memorial mural

Bobby Sands mural on the Sinn Fein headquarters

Peace Wall

Elbows Up!

Pub blown up by the IRA

Shankill Road

Peace Wall and cages protecting the back yards

Bridge over the River Laggan

Our apartment - the Obel tower on the left

Walking the Laggan in search of pizza

Mary Brown's (aka MB Chicken) in Belfast!

 

Cheers to Northern Ireland

Ireland - Dublin 2

We continued our tour around Dublin, using the O'Connell and Ha'penny bridges to explore both banks of the Liffey, visiting numerous pubs along the way - including our second visit to The Brazen Head (Ireland's oldest pub) in as many days. It was also election day back in Canada, though with the five-hour time difference, we wouldn't know the results until the next morning.

We shopped some more for souvenirs, including some traditional Irish hats from the Aran Wool Market. Despite being told (in jest) that Ireland only got five days of sunshine a year, we had managed to see three of them in three days.

For our final day in Dublin, we had set aside time to tour the Guinness Storehouse. Using the hop on-hop off bus again (thanks to our 48-hour pass), we made our way to the iconic brewery and toured the many floors of well-designed interactive education, topped off with a pint of the dark stuff in the top floor Gravity Bar where we enjoyed a commanding 360-degree view of the city.

We had a nice dinner at The Celt pub, with Jane opting for fish and chips (big surprise there) and me trying the delicious Guinness stew with dark Guinness bread. Unfortunately we were too early for the live traditional music, but this historic pub went quickly from empty upon arrival to full as we departed.

We also had an interesting conversation with the owner who kept chatting with us even when staff and phone calls attempted to pull him away. Gift of the gab indeed. He told us the story of those starving Irish who "took the soup" during the great famine - accepting food from the British in exchange for dropping the O' from their last name as part of their long subjugation. When he realized we were Canadian, he also regaled us with stories of his time hanging out with Leonard Cohen!

As Jane repacked our things back at the apartment in preparation for tomorrow's travel, Sensei and I headed back to Temple Bar in search of live music. We enjoyed a pint and some traditional albeit low-key music at The Voyageur, and then moved on for a few more drinks at Gogarty's for a much more lively experience.

Heading back to the apartment, we had one last beer to celebrate three awesome days in Dublin before turning in for early morning departure - knowing that we definitely need to come back but also explore the countryside next time!

Daniel O'Connell statue on....O'Connell Street!

Ha'penny Bridge over the Liffey

Guinness Storehouse

Touring the Guinness Storehouse

A waterfall to highlight one of the ingredients - water from the Wicklow Mountains

It is indeed Guinness time!

Beers at the rooftop Gravity Bar!

Panoramic view from the Gravity Bar

Dublin Castle

Cool old Viking pub from 1198

Inner courtyard at The Brazen Head

Dinner at The Celt

A well-stocked bar!

Great Irish crisps!