About Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland, not only have I jumped right in as their advertising slogan suggests, but I have fallen truly, madly, deeply in love with it, following a sublime day out on Rathlin Island last summer. With several other trips 'up North' since, including Derry City and the wonderful Inishowen Peninsula and most recently the wondrous, lakelands of Fermanagh. So what differentiates the Northern Ireland from the South? well the Republic of Ireland which has 26 counties and is Irish, while the wee North has 6 counties and is technically British. although the population is still divided over which country it should really belong to. I know it’s confusing, but thankfully the ‘troubles’ seem to be over and Northern Ireland is doing its best to rebuild its reputation as a safe and exciting destination to visit.
Belfast is the capital or main city (it’s impossible to be politically correct) and is enjoying a great revival since the opening of the Titanic Quarter in 2012 which focused the worlds media on Belfast. Last year the limelight was on Fermanagh with the gathering of world leaders for the G8 summit in June. This normally, forgotten interior county of Ireland is well worth further exploration as is Derry which was honoured in 2013 as the UK's first City of Culture, which was been a huge success. Which has led to Derry being nicknamed Legenderry, its iconic Peace Bridge is not to be missed....

Less than 2 hours from Dublin, Belfast is the gateway to the Glens of Antrim and the famous Giants Causeway and Dunluce Castle which is on every tourist's bucket list. But there is so much more to see 'Where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea', Carlingford and its Lough named by the Vikings. Belfast itself, and that fantastic coastal drive through Cushendall, Cushendun, Carnlough, Torr Head and all the way around to Portrush, a very famous golf resort with the beautiful Whiterocks beach via Ballycastle and the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge. I hope to explore more of Northern Ireland again this summer, I want to see the Game of Thrones film locations, especially the Glen of the Hedges and perhaps explore the interior around Lough Neagh . So, you can look forward to lots of Northern Ireland Hidden Gems been added to my website over the next couple of months and as always if you have any suggestions of your own that you would like me to include please let me know via, in the meantime....
For more about Belfast please click here
For more about Derry please click here
For more about the Inishowen Peninsula please click here
For more about the Fermanagh Lakelands please click here
For more about Northern Ireland please click here