The Irish Post - Ireland 2018

Ireland OCTOBER 27, 2018

NORTHERN IRELAND Land of song and legend DUBLIN Ireland’s capital delights WILD ATLANTIC WAY Dramatic and welcoming IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST A land of inspirational stories

2 | October 27, 2018

THE CITY BY THE LOUGH The Lonely Planet has spoken! One of the world’s most authoritative travel publications has voted Belfast and the Causeway Coast Best in Travel 2018.

One thinks particularly of the Game of Thrones, which specialises in carnage on an industrial scale.

The scary HBO production is extensively filmed in a corner of the former Harland and Wolff shipyards and at locations round Northern Ireland. G-of-T tours depart from outside the Belfast Visitor Centre.

For a tour of Belfast’s real history, take a Black Cab Tour. Knowledgeable drivers dispense history lessons peppered with local titbits. You’ll see the famous murals, the peace-line, Van Morison’s Cypress Avenue, CS Lewis’s birthplace and the grave of the man who gave the name Emerald Isle to Ireland.

Unlike other cities on the island, the Industrial Revolution turned Belfast into a mighty manufacturing base — shirts, rope, linen hankies and of course, ocean liners. An account of the goings-on of the world’s most famous ship since Noah’s Ark is explored from every angle in the eye-catching building that is Titanic Belfast.

The entire Titanic Quarter carries resonances of the great liner. The SS Nomadic, a tender to ferry first class passengers to the doomed liner, and the last surviving vessel of the White Star Line, and is moored right there where the Titanic was designed, built and launched. The HMS Caroline, a World War I cruiser, is tied up alongside. The only survivor from the Battle of Jutland, the restored Caroline is the definitive display of matters nautical.

Downtown, St George’s Market, the oldest covered market in Ireland, sells everything from local produce to exotic wares.

The Irish Post

NORTHERN DELIGHTS: landscape & laughter From the Mountains of Mourne to Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland is a place apart

CHEERS! Sandwiched between Belfast’s time-darkened buildings stand some of the world’s finest pubs, not least the singular hostelry that is the Crown Liquor Saloon. Many of the luxury fixtures and fittings destined for the Titanic ended up in this outrageously beautiful Victorian pub — appropriated by shipbuilders discharging their bar bills in novel fashion.

The past crops up everywhere in Belfast, with many experts in the field.

So when the barman at Whites tells you they received their first liquor licence in 1630, “the year before work on the Taj Mahal began”, you’re inclined to believe him.

But it’s not just cosy pubs with their stout and traditional music. The cultural heartland of the city is the Cathedral Quarter, Belfast’s old warehouse district surrounding the impressive St. Anne’s Cathedral. The cobbled streets are today lined with all manner of frippery from clubs to cafes, and notably the Metropolitan Arts Centre. This stunning asymmetrical tower of brick and volcanic stone houses art installations, performance spaces, experimental works and endless goings-on. All sorts.

DINING IN STYLE The city now boasts a dazzling gastronomic map, with one of the top tables being OX. This old

dockside building has been turned into a Michelin-starred restaurant, stripped down for action. Here you can dine on the likes of asparagus and smoked potato alongside meltingly-good Mourne mountain lamb. Deane’s IPIC is another place you will be led into temptation.

THE CAUSEWAY COASTAL ROUTE Today it’s the star of millions of photos, selfies, Instagrams, travel shows, tall tales and books. But for centuries the Giant’s Causeway was a geological wonder known only to kelp gatherers and sheep herders.

Its origins stretch back 60 million years to a day when molten lava began to erupt then cool and shrink.

But should you arrive when a sea mist is shrouding the ethereal-looking black basalt rocks, and the lonely call of the curlew is echoing across the bay, you might look up this extraordinary piece of geological happenstance and think, yes, it probably was the work of a giant.

The Giant’s Causeway is part of the Causeway Coastal Route stretching from Belfast to Derry~Londonderry, and regularly described as one of the finest drives in the world.

The coastline hereabout is defined by precipitous, dangerous cliffs; ideal topography for castle-building.

Should you wish to deter unwelcome visitors, there can be few better locations than on a gaunt rocky outcrop high above the crashing waves of the Atlantic.

Dunluce Castle fits the bill admirably — built by the Normans, this is the House of Greyjoy in Game of Thrones. It’s no stranger to drama — both real and imaginary. Medieval forces mustered here, Sorley Boy McDonnell grabbed ownership of the castle centuries ago, the galleon La Girona from the Spanish Armada smashed into the rocks below its turrets — you can see some of its swag at the Ulster Museum.

CS Lewis braved the stiff north-westerlies to imagine the craggy towers of Cair Paravel in the Chronicles of Narnia, while Led Zeppelin used an image of the castle on the cover of their album Houses of the Holy.

Further down the coast now. You can enjoy a diverting afternoon by scaring yourself witless crossing the vertiginous Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. This links Co. Antrim to tiny Carrick Island some 24 metres away.

Underneath, the angry waters of the Atlantic perform their party piece, pretending to be a giant jacuzzi. This is probably the most terrifying trans-Atlantic journey you’ll ever make.

For a less energetic walk, a stroll round the oldest whiskey distillery in

the world is to be recommended.

Bushmills has been licensed to make whiskey for over 400years. To be fair, you don’t see a lot going on in the giant copper stills — but you can certainly taste its different blends in the premium testing room.

Alongside this road guarded by castles and dolmens, stands a remote place called Islandmagee.

This has its own very specific atmosphere, a distinctive, separate feel. So it comes as no surprise to hear that the witches tried at Carrickfergus assizes in 1710 — the last witch trial in Ireland — were from Islandmagee. It remains something of a bewitched sort of place.

Today Islandmagee is a haven for walkers, ramblers and naturalists.

The bird population includes kittiwakes, guillemots, fulmars, puffins and razorbills.

But it is the Gobbins Cliff Path that today attracts visitors. Opened in 1902, over the years the path fell into disrepair; but it has now been completely refurbished. Repair work began in 2011, and today a series of new bridges and galleries, hugging the side of the cliffs, offer very frank views of the crashing waves below.

The new construction consists of a series of 15 new bridges and six galleries.. The structure, which in places resembles an Alpine mountainside via ferrata, features new tubular bridges. A 22metre-long

tunnel includes a section which runs below sea-level. Four of the new bridges are over 30 metres in length.

The project has also improved on the original work with a new cliff top path, which offers views across to Scotland, as well as a cantilevered platform providing a wonderful panorama south across Belfast Lough.

Be warned: this is not an enterprise for the faint-hearted.

You’ll be expected to scale narrow, winding steps cut into the basalt cliffs, venture along precipitous walkways, and brave slender metal bridges. Many of these give giddying

The Irish Post

October, 2018 | 3 MARITIME MATTERS: Titanic Belfast

views of the sea below.

Should you opt to take on this mission on The Gobbins, you’ll be given a safety briefing before departure. Access is to be strictly controlled, so there will never be more than 12 visitors at a time — who have booked the fully guided experience tour.

By the way, legend has it that Gobbin Saor, a terrifying giant, once lived in these cliffs, and still occasionally pays a visit. So make sure you’re wearing your safety helmet.

Before the coming Game of Thrones, before CS Lewis, before Jonathan Swift — who dreamt up

Gulliver’s Travels here — this part of the country already had its fair share of myth and legend. St Patrick tended pigs here, on the slopes of Mount Slemish; before him the Wee Folk and the odd giant inhabited the nine Glens of Antrim. All long gone now (probably), but the atmosphere, and the landscape, remains ethereal and magic.

Travel links for Causeway Coastal Route: ■ www.ireland.com/en-gb/ destinations/northern-ireland/ county-antrim/articles/belfastcauseway-coast-lonely-planet-2018/ ■ www.lonelyplanet.com/northernireland/belfast-the-causeway-coast

DERRY~LONDONDERRY

FAMOUS ROCK GROUP: The Giant’s Causeway

A cathedral city perched on a hill above a river, surrounded by walls and full of architecture and history, Derry~Londonderry is where the Wild Atlantic Way meets the Causeway Coastal Route.

The hills and valleys hereabouts have seen St. Colmcille found his 6th century church here, and a chequered history subsequently unfolded.

One of the best ways of sussing out the lie of the land is to take a walking tour round the old walls.

Entirely intact, a stroll on the wall-top will take you past Roaring Meg, a

cannon used in the Siege of 1689, past weather worn watchtowers, and over the double bastions which have kept the wall impregnable since the turn of the 16th century. For more history, the Tower Museum at Union Hall Place, Magazine Gate presents a fairly erudite distillation of the city’s history.

After that you might need some refreshment. The Walled City Brewery is a unique restaurant and brewhouse providing both locals and visitors with authentic, premium quality beer and food.

The Townsman Bar on Shipquay Street (watch out — this is the steepest street on the island) in the centre of the city occupies the basement of a Georgian townhouse built back in 1741. It’s old, comfortable and atmospheric, and boasts a fine top shelf of Irish whiskies.

FERMANAGH LAKELANDS The countryside hereabouts is iridescently green, peaceful and other-worldy. As WB Yeats put it: “Come away, o’ human child / To the waters and the wild, / with a faery hand in hand.” Old Willie knew a mystical place when he saw one.

On a more practical note, the fishing here is among the very best in the world.

Lower Lough Erne and Upper Lough Erne – in all some 70 km in

length – are now linked to the River Shannon and its waterways via the Shannon-Erne Waterway canal. The entire system is the longest navigable inland waterway in Europe, studded with a maze of islands and overlooked by mysterious castles, forbidding ruins and ecclesiastic remnants.

A few islands in Lough Erne are inhabited, some by humans, some by wild goats. But we’re not sure who lived on Boa Island, nor what their game was. Cadaragh Cemetery on Boa Island is home to two extraordinary stone statues – the seemingly gloating Boa Man, also known as the Lusty Man, and the Janus Stone. It’s unclear if this is a pagan idol or an early Christian statue. But estimates for the stones’ age is around 2000 years, so if they are Christian, somebody must have been very nippy with the news from the Middle East.

Pop along and see if you can throw some light on it yourself. You might even want to write a poem. Seamus Heaney did – called it January God.

MOUNTAINS AND MARBLE The Cuilcagh Way, a waymarked route that stretches for 33km through southern Fermanagh, is the perfect place to witness intriguing slices of botany, zoology and drama.

The route, some along boardwalks,

provides stunning views, fascinating geology and archaeology. It meanders through one of the largest expanses of blanket bog in Northern Ireland, traversing over farm tracks, and mountain path. A steep climb will finally take you to the 666 metre summit of Cuilcagh Mountain.

The habitat is a haven for golden plovers, red grouse, hen harriers and merlins – this is RSPB’s only upland reserve in Northern Ireland (jointly managed with Fermanagh District Council).

Take care, though, if you’re bird-spotting and have your eyes trained upwards. The blanket bog is dotted with concealed swallow-holes and caves. Just remember the old Irish saying, “Where every hill has its heroes, and bog its bones.”

The Kingfisher Trail, a 230-mile cycle route that also takes you through neighbouring counties, is a figure-of-eight route meandering along the area’s quietest and leafiest roads.

The Marble Arch cave system is set deep in the heart of the Fermanagh countryside, in the beautiful Claddagh Glen. This is one of Europe’s finest and most accessible collection of stalagmites a mesmerising world of rivers, waterfalls, winding underground passages and lofty subterranean chambers.

Spectacular walkways allow access to the caves where seeping acid water, lime and carbon dioxide have interacted since the Ice Age to produce chambers of silent beauty.

Powerful, brilliant lighting reveals huge caverns and shimmering white terraces in all their undisturbed splendour.

Tours on board quiet electric boats cruise round this remarkable limestone cave system. A trip here is likely to be one of the most memorable (not to mention calmest) boat journeys you’ll ever take.

Belle Isle Castle is a 17th century Anglo-Irish pile complete with own island, lough and 450 acres of private land. It also has its School of Cooking, one of the top colleges of cuisine in Northern Ireland. Here you can learn all about blanching, sautéing, flambéing etc in one of the most beautiful settings in Ireland.

The Mountains of Mourne, just like it says in the song, really do sweep majestically down to the sea. The granite peaks stretch from the shores of Carlingford Lough northwards along the Irish Sea, for much of the way rising almost directly out of the sea.

These peaks provide challenging climbs – the Everest Expedition of 1953 used the sheer cliff walls of the Pot of Pulgarve for preparatory work – as well as myriad hill-walking routes for the somewhat less adventurously minded.

In the shadow of the Mournes two forest parks glory in the reputation of their horticultural high jinx – Tollymore Forest Park and Castlewellan Demesne inspired not just Percy French but also Belfast writer CS Lewis (of Chronicles of Narnia fame) and the poet Edward Lear.

Seamus Heaney Home Place, in Bellaghy, Co. Tyrone, honours the poet’s brilliance with creative and literary events, video recordings from friends, world leaders and, of course, the dulcet tones of the poet himself.

■ www.ireland.com/en-gb/

4 | October 27, 2018

The Irish Post

Delightful Dublin

DUBLIN BLOOMING: St Stephen’s Green

An ancient city with a backstory that has inspired novelists, playwrights, poets, artists and songwriters

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oheny & Nesbitt’s pub was crowded. It was still early lunchtime, but already all the glass-fronted snugs were taken.

The buzz from the clientele was rising — office people, business people, the young and the old, the busy and the not-so-busy, locals and visitors, were enjoying their stout and tucking into plates of robust fare.

The barman approached through the throng, multi-tasking on the way: cleaning tables, stacking empty glasses, dispensing racing tips to a snugful of construction workers, keeping his eye on the ale taps. He arrived with the lunchtime menu. “Ach,” he said, “there has to be an easier way to make two thousand euro a week.” Everyone within earshot laughed.

Wiping the table of some newlyarrived customers he announced the day’s special — Guinness pie “and chips so thick you could use ’em as draught excluders”. At 11 euro they could hardly say no.

Doheny & Nesbitt’s, a short walk from St Stephen’s Green, is one the great bars of the world, in the same company as the Bull and Castle on Lord Edward Street, near Christ Church. One of the first pubs in the world to sell draught Guinness, the pub really has the hang of it now.

Meanwhile, in the heady, hectic atmosphere of Temple Bar, the likes of Flannery’s will be holding a knees-up of pagan abandon, while up the road in the Shelbourne Hotel, waiters in black and white livery will sway as they carry silver platters of gleaming black Carlingford and Galway oysters through the famous Horseshoe Bar. Unlike most other hostelries in Dublin frequented by a battalion of the finest writers in the English language, Ryan’s in Parkgate is notable in that Ludwig von Wittgenstein was a customer. The philosopher regularly sat in the pub, thinking great thoughts. “Whereof one cannot speak, thereof there must be silence.” Well, we’ll all drink to that. Pop in yourself. You never know what you might come up with.

Dublin’s varied citizens have all added colour and culture to this ancient metropolis. Few cities have produced so many heavy hitters in the literary field— Swift, Joyce, Shaw, Wilde, O’Casey, Beckett, Goldsmith.

Plus the greatest horror-writer of them all, Bram Stoker.

Their ghosts lurk in every corner — Dublin is today a UNESCO City of Literature, and it’s not difficult to see why.

FROM BACON TO BONO

As well as its literary heritage, Dublin is an intensely musical place.

The world premiere of Handel’s Messiah was staged in Dublin, in 1742 in Neale’s Great Musick Hall, Fishamble Street. An unlikely site

for the unveiling of one of western music’s big set pieces, you may think, but back then Dublin was suffused with music, and remains so. Handel’s Messiah may not be heard quite as often these days. But everything from rock to baroque is there; along, of course, with traditional music. Concerts, street buskers, workshops, festivals, fleadhs, and not forgetting endless pub sessions, are devoted to one of the finest expressions of folk culture in Europe. At O’Donoghue’s in Merrion Row or The Cobblestone in Smithfield sessions are at full throttle throughout the year — walk within a hundred metres and you’ll hear the sound of fiddles and pipes carrying on the breeze.

The essential character of Dublin, which has produced the likes of Edmund Burke, Dr Barnardo, Dracula, Francis Bacon, the Duke of Wellington and U2, has changed little in character over the year. It is in equal measure thoughtful and frivolous, decadent and pious, creative and convivial — and undoubtedly one of the great cities of the world.

THE GOOD BOOK AT ITS BEST

The Book of Kells, an ornately illuminated manuscript produced by monks around AD 800, is quite simply one of the most beautiful pieces of art you’ll ever see.

Written in Latin on velum, the four gospels of the Bible are decorated with delicate colourful illustrations and illuminations. It is on permanent display at Trinity College Library.

STOUT WORK AT THE STOREHOUSE

No trip to Dublin would be complete without a visit to the Guinness Storehouse at St James’s Gate.

The secrets of stout, how roast barley gives Guinness its deep ruby colour, and how a perfect pint is pulled are dealt with in some detail at the Storehouse.

All tours ends in the Gravity Bar with its 360 degree panoramic view across the city, and the perfect place to contemplate Ireland’s capital, and enjoy a pint of Guinness on its home ground.

FROM LITERARY MEMORABILIA TO MODERN ART

For a handle on Dublin’s history in the 20th century, head for The Little Mueum of Dublin which occupies a Georgian townhouse off St Stephen’s Green. This brings to life the fascinating story of the city.

The National Museum of Ireland houses gems ranging from the medieval Ardagh Chalice to Irish painter Louis Le Broquy’s challenging works.

At the Writers’ Museum, manuscripts and memorabilia from all of Ireland’s great writers are on show, including the four Irish Nobel Laureates in Literature. The charming receptionist at the front may well ask you to name them, so be warned. But with a smile she’ll let you in anyway. Dublin’s a bit like that.

Ireland’s two British poet laureates make an appearance, namely Cecil Day-Lewis (father of actor Daniel), and Dublin man Nahum Tate, who wrote While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night in the 17th century.

“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known,” said our old friend Oscar, and nowhere better to see this in action than next door to the Writers’ Museum at the Hugh Lane Gallery. This houses one of Ireland’s foremost collections of modern and contemporary art. 2000 works are on display, ranging from the Impressionist masterpieces of Manet, Monet, Renoir and Degas to works by leading international contemporary artists.

The museum has a wing dedicated to Dublin-born artist Francis Bacon, the man who said, “I should have been, I don’t know, a con-man, a robber or a prostitute. But it was vanity that made me choose painting, vanity and chance.” Needless to say, he’s worth checking out.

The Irish Emigration Museum is an interactive experience, that tells Ireland’s emigration story of tragedy and triumph, of adversity and humanity. The dramatic and inspiring stories of the Irish who travelled the world, from early times to the modern day, comes to life. This digital museum features 1500 years of Irish history and relives some of the greatest achievements in music, literature, sport, politics, fashion and science. Even if everything you know about digital technology could be wrapped inside a pixel, you’ll still be fascinated by this museum.

OUT OF TOWN

Dublin has a necklace of villages, harbours, islands and strands that surround the city, and all within

PORT SIDE: Dun Laoghaire Harbour easy reach.

Bull Island was formed as sand was deposited against the Bligh bulwark — built by Captain Bligh of the Bounty, you scurvy varmints.

But the barking commands of Captain Bligh are long since gone, and today this is a haven for birdlife, and, oddly enough, orchids.

With its castles, battlements and bracing sea views Dalkey, lying some half dozen miles south of Dublin, has been immortalised in literature by James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw and Flann O’Brien.

Archbold Castle is now home to a heritage centre — and they have plenty of heritage in Dalkey. The area’s history stretches back to 4500 BC when the first settlers eked out an existence on Dalkey Island.

Killiney Bay is often compared to Naples Bay, with its stunning panorama. Further up the coast, Portmarnock was originally an ancient settlement dating back to pre-Christian times. Now it is better known for its world class golf course, opened for business in 1894.

Howth in its working clothes is a busy fishing village; but it’s also an elegant place to stroll about with its promenades, its seafood restaurants

and its seductive pubs. They seem to have thought of everything.

Malahide boasts a castle, demesne and exemplary sea views. The castle, tinkered with for the last 800 years, has been the scene of many deeds, both courageous and curmudgeonly.

Dun Laoghaire is today a busy ferry port, one of the main entry points to Ireland if you’re bringing your car.

But the harbour itself is something of a star in its own right — its two granite piers are particularly photogenic.

The town’s brightly painted villas, parks and palm trees give the town an almost continental feel, and over the last few years the town’s stature as a destination in its own right has grown.

THE LOWDOWN ON THE DUBLIN MOUNTAINS

To the south of the city are the Dublin Mountains that extend all the way to Wexford, Carlow and Kildare.

It is now a stunning national park full of archaeology, lakes, walking trails, biking trails, old estates and lots of excellent old traditional pubs.

■ www.ireland.com/en-gb/

The Irish Post

October, 2018 | 5

Surf, turf and craic Hugging the westerly edge of the Old World, the Wild Atlantic Way is a breathtaking route

STAR ATTRACTION: Skellig Michael

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his 1,600-mile route follows a coastline punctuated by wide, rugged bays and sparkling beaches.

It wends through pastel-painted villages, passes misty islands, and skirts great sea loughs, with towering sea cliffs looking down on the foaming Atlantic below.

From Cork to Connemara and then northwards to Donegal, you need only follow the road. It hugs the coast, threading its way carefully along cliff-tops before making the odd abrupt turn and heading along laneways adundant with fuchsia and honeysuckle.

The route itself provides ample information on what’s available. Should you be in energetic mood, you’ll be pointed in the best direction for hiking, biking, boating, sailing and fishing. For the even more adventurous, rock climbing, surfing, wind-surfing, kite-surfing, canyoning and canoeing will all get the adrenalin pumping.

And there’s no better way to unwind after a day braving the elements than to sit by a turf fire in a cosy pub and sup a pint of Guinness.

In Donegal, Slieve League drops 2,000 feet into the sea. The traverse of the ridge, the “One Man’s Path”, a secret route for smugglers, fugitives and rebels in bygone times, isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Clew Bay, with its reputed 365 islands (one of which John Lennon owned) is a prime Instagrammable location, likely to get your number of followers up considerably.

Connemara National Park stretches from sea level to the craggy peaks of the Twelve Bens. The terrain, blanket bogs, scenic mountains and wild open countryside, is home to two of Ireland’s oldest inhabitants – the Irish stoat and the Irish hare, both here long before humans set foot in Ireland.

Galway City keeps up a steady pageant of entertainment throughout the year, with everything from the arts (of every conceivable interpretation) to oysters celebrated.

The Aran Islands have an irresistible pull.

Perched at the very edge of the Atlantic they are almost impossibly romantic, crisscrossed with dry-stone walls, ringed by great cliffs and dotted with ancient prehistoric forts.

The Dingle Peninsula is well used to being a film

location. Previous credits include Ryan’s Daughter, The Playboy of the Western World, The Field and Excalibur.

Filming for Star Wars took place at various locations along the Wild Atlantic Way, including Donegal’s Malin Head and Loop Head in Co. Clare.

Loop Head affords fantastic views of the heaving ocean. Huge Atlantic rollers, with three thousand miles to pick up speed, smash into miles of sheer granite cliffs.

The spectacular headland called Ceann Sibéal featured in several scenes of Star Wars.

The cliffs on this part of the Dingle Peninsula, such as Sibéal, have a sheer drop of nearly 700 feet. Visitors are duly warned that the rocks are very dangerous. But if you’ve watched the destruction of a Death Star or witnessed the fall of the Galactic Empire, even the vertigo-inducing cliffs here probably pose no real threat.

Rising improbably from the Atlantic, one of the highlights of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, Skellig Michael also made it into the Star Wars films. For the ultimate in ecclesiastical islands, you have to visit the Skelligs. These forbidding peaks, rising at a crazy angle from St Finan’s Bay just off the Kerry coast, are today the domain of thousands of sea birds.

But some 1500 years ago this was home sweet home to a community of Anchorite monks. With the introduction of Christianity to Ireland a monastery was founded here in the 6th century. Settling on these precarious rocks, they set about preparing themselves without distraction for the ultimate encounter with God. People many miles away on the mainland would face the islands and kneel to pray when they knew the monks would be celebrating mass.

A thousand year old stone staircase still leads up to little beehive living quarters of the holy men - dry-stone huts with slab floor on Great Skellig.

The Ring of Kerry was nominated in the Top 10 Irish scenic drives. It covers the 110 miles (180 km) circular road around the Iveragh Peninsula, passing through Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen and Killorglin.

Kinsale, a handsome town in west Cork, boasts pastel-coloured houses, harbour views and some seriously expensive yachts. Oh, and there are a few restaurants too, it being the ‘Culinary Capital of Ireland’ — over 30 in fact, should you wish to dine out for every day of the month.

Meanwhile Cork now boasts the three restaurants with Michelin stars.

■ www.ireland.com/ en-gb/

SHUCK FULL: Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival

6 | October 27, 2018

The Irish Post

A land of legend and magic ATMOSPHERIC: Glendalough

Ireland’s Ancient East has stories gong back thousands of years. It’s a land where you can write yours too

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istory tumultuous and heroic lurks round every corner of Ireland’s Ancient East. This time-worn landscape has a history for which the word ‘chequered’ barely does justice.

Epic tales, saints and scholars, heroes and villains, armies and rebel fugitives — and cosy pubs where the craic is guaranteed; they’re all part of the story.

Everywhere crumbling ruins dot the landscape, a ghostly, stony extra to the countryside. The region has its castles and forts — most of the visible ones are down to the Normans. But these are modern, newfangled structures compared with the complex Neolithic court graves, dolmens and ring forts, some dating back millennia, that are such a feature of Ireland’s Ancient East.

In one corner of this land, every winter for the last 5,000 years a small moment of magic has been played out on December 21, the Winter Solstice. At dawn that day at Brú na Bóinne a pencil of light from the Solstice sun will penetrate the Neolithic burial chamber of Brú na Bóinne , aka Newgrange, lighting it up for twenty minutes.

Darkness will then fall for another year.

One of the oldest man-made structures in the world — way older than the pyramids — was obviously built to communicate with the we-know-not-what. Even if you can’t make it for the Solstice, this is an essential place to visit, look at and wonder.

Places like Tara and Tlachtga are even older, going back to the time when heroes and giants — accompanied by the likes of banshees, the undead, and the Wee Folk — roamed the earth.

No wonder creating Halloween (about 5,000 years ago, give or take) seemed a good idea here in this ancient land.

The culture, the music, and the heritage of Ireland’s Ancient East has been shaped by centuries of thunderous happenings, and not all mythical. But today it’s a tranquil, peaceful place, with a real sense of its eventful past, and happy to show its many gems to visitors.

Ireland’s Ancient East stretches northwards

to the medieval village of Carlingford, where King John’s Castle looks out across the lough towards County Down. Nestling below the Cooley Mountains, in medieval times Norman soldiers would have kept a careful look out for marauding Celtic hordes. Built in the 13th century, much of King John’s fort remains intact, and is almost sand-castle perfect.

Speaking of which, Carlingford boasts a gnarled beach, an ancient harbour — and an adventure centre focused on mountain and marine recreation.

It also has a 17th century mint, the ruins of a Dominican Friary, and fortified Georgian houses – which isn’t bad going for a village with only a few hundred souls. In the pubs along the old medieval alleyways you can drink stout and scoff oysters from the lough.

Medieval Ireland can also be spotted in the city of Kilkenny. Although bearing the indelible marks of its long history, it is quite simply, one of the most handsome on the island of Ireland.

Walk along the “Medieval Mile” for the full castle, cobble-stoned alleyways, cathedral and church experience. Then head for Smithwick’s Brewery where you can uncover the secrets behind Irish ale. You’ll be able to mill the malt, stir the mash and smell the hops – and perhaps have a pint or two at the end.

The best way to see Waterford is on foot. This is one of Ireland’s most ancient settlements, built by Reginald the Viking. You can’t really miss Reginald’s Tower - probably the oldest urban monument in Ireland.

The county of Waterford has been marked with the imprint of Celts, Vikings and Normans. The area round Dungarvan made a good base for the Vikings when they first visited the country, and for today’s more benign visitor it still makes a good centre for discovering the county. The town nestles beneath the Knockmealdown Mountains, and is a first class holiday resort itself.

Norman castles, haunted houses, great wooded valleys, ethereal monasteries, imposing cathedrals, cosy pubs, welcoming villages and pagan wishing wells are all part

of the tapestry of this region. This is also hiking country.

The highest point of the Wicklow Mountains, Lugnaquilla, at just over 3000 feet is a gentle ascent, with a summit covered in turf. For further activity you can head for the Waterford Greenway, a spectacular 46km off-road cycling and walking trail along an old railway line between Waterford and Dungarvan.

Glendalough, a 1400-year-old monastic settlement in the Gleann Dá Loch, the Valley of the Two Lakes, encapsulates Ireland’s Ancient East. This is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric places in all Ireland.

The Powerscourt gardens, at the foot of the Great Sugar Loaf Mountain, are the result of 150 years of planning, planting, pruning, coppicing, shaping, hoeing and weeding.

Today this is one of the greatest collections of ornamental trees and flowers in Europe. Giant sequoias, dwarf copper chestnuts and a bewildering array of shrubs jostle for space amongst azaleas, magnolia and rhododendrons. All are overlooked by the ballroom where Princess Grace once famously danced the night away.

Further south now, and we’re on our way to Hook Head Lighthouse, one of the oldest operational navigational beacons in the world. Try to get there by hook or by crook — this is, after all, where the phrase originated; said to be a reference to the settlement of Crooke on the Waterford side of the Barrow estuary and Hook Head on the other.

The Rock of Cashel, Tipperary’s most dramatic feature, is topped by towers and turrets of splendid medieval architecture.

Rising dramatically out of the plains of Kildare, this rocky stronghold has kept vigil over the midlands of Ireland for over a thousand years.

Cobh Harbour, just south of Cork city, was the embarkation point for hundreds of thousands of people looking for a new life in America. This is where the Titanic made its last port of call, and, it is said, where Walter Raleigh unloaded the first tobacco ever to arrive in Europe.

Just north of Cobh is the 700 acre Fota Estate.

The Wildlife Park boasts some seventy species of

GRACIOUS LIVING: Powerscourt Estate

animals in beautiful, rural surroundings.

The Blarney Castle is home to the marvelously silly idea of climbing up the castle steps, then leaning out to kiss the blarney stone to get the “gift of the gab”. Ireland’s Ancient East is so accessible that you could be tongue-tied at your office meeting in London at 9am and by late afternoon kissing the Blarney Stone, thus giving yourself a head start in any meeting henceforth.

Ireland’s Ancient East really is that magical.

■ www.ireland.com/en-gb/ Ireland’s Ancient East is very accessible from Britain, You can sail right into Rosslare Harbour and within minutes you’ll be in the heart of the region. Alternatively, fly into Dublin or Cork, and you’re a 30 minute drive from some of Europe’s most enchanting landscapes. Once there, your choice of accommodation includes traditional cottages, boutique hotels, the odd castle or the friendliest of B&Bs. This is a place to create your own odyssey and write your own story.

The Irish Post

October, 2018 | 7

FAIRWAYS TO HEAVEN

STUNNING SURROUNDINGS: Royal Portrush Golf Club

“I

t’s beautiful,” said a golfing newcomer to Royal Portrush.

He was right, too, because perched on the snarling County Antrim coast it has views on the west flank to the hills of Donegal, and to the north to the to the Isle of Islay and southern Hebrides.

Dramatic would be too small a word for it.

The visitor continued. “Awesome course.

It’s just a pity it hasn’t got any fairways.”

But of course Royal Portrush has got fairways, cut from the finest Irish grass and shorn into beguiling avenues threading through the sand-dunes.

The visiting golfer could see the fairways alright; it was just that the wind was stopping him from getting his ball anywhere near them. Even among the windswept company of Irish links courses, the weather at Portrush can change astonishingly quickly. Probably something to do with there not even being a tree between here and America to act as a windbreak. In nearby Portstewart locals say that one day the wind stopped blowing and everybody fell over.

Aside from the weather, Royal Portrush Golf Club is still an extreme test of golfing ability, regularly ranked in the top half dozen courses in the world. So it’s no surprise that it will play host to the 148th Open, Royal Portrush in 2019. The event will be the biggest international sporting event ever held, with golfers, spectators and fans from every continent making the journey to Co. Antrim.

But it won’t be new territory for the elite of the golfing world. Just about

every top player will have battled this course many times.

It’s not only the golf that’s top drawer.

Situated at the top of the North Antrim Causeway Coast, and dotted with the remains of the 13th century Dunluce Castle, the surrounding area is marked out by glistening loughs, hidden beaches, magical glens and mysterious rock formations — and not just one that giants have built. You can see stories here everywhere you look.

Because of its northerly position the light, at any time of day, can be truly arresting — no wonder Red Sails in the Sunset was written right here by Omagh songwriter Jimmy Kennedy. One evening he watched as a Portstewart boat The Kitty of Coleraine (itself named after a local song) put out to sea. The sails of the boat were white — but the sunset turned them crimson, etched out in silhouette against the Inishowen Hills of Donegal.

The golfing cognoscenti in 2019 will appreciate this landscape, certainly, but will tend to concentrate on the very specific parcel of land that makes up the 18 holes of the Dunluce Links of Royal Portrush, founded back in 1888.

It’s no surprise that the 148th Open, Royal Portrush should be coming to the island of Ireland: Irish golfing has seldom had a higher profile in the public eye, partly due to the combined efforts of Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Paul Dunne, Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington. But the golfing cognoscenti have always been aware that

PAR FOR THE COURSE: Rory McIlroy

Ireland is a golfer’s paradise, with seaside links courses offering a unique brand of golf harking back to the game’s ancient roots.

There are around 400 clubs across the island, and they include fifty of the world’s finest links courses; they’re dotted like an emerald necklace along the coast-line.

Four courses – besides Royal Portrush — Ballybunion, Royal County Down, Portmarnock and Portstewart are all ranked among the world’s best. Royal County Down, Newcastle, County Down has been voted by Golfer’s Digest readers as the No 1 course in the world.

If you fancy a round here, make sure you’re up to scratch; you wouldn’t want to hold up some of the regular visitors who include Tiger Woods (it remains one of his favourite courses) Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy But you don’t need to be a celebrity golfer to enjoy these strenuous tests of golf, distracting views, and plenty of places to boast about your nearly-hole-inone — but for that blessed wind.

Castlerock, just across the Bann River from Portstewart, shares with its neighbour some of the finest holes along the coast.

Occupying sand dunes south of Brittas Bay, the European Club is spectacular modern links golf at its finest, with the sleepered bunker faces a memorable and distinctive feature throughout. Over in the west, Waterville on the Ring of Kerry is surrounded by water on three sides where the River Inny meets the Atlantic.

Stunning backdrops to the challenging

holes are guaranteed.

Ireland also has its fair share of parkland courses — quite different from links courses which always snake along the coast.

The K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, having once staged the Ryder Cup, this is a club to be reckoned with. Two courses boast flawless greens and meticulous course maintenance.

The Mount Juliet Golf Club, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny boasts a manicured, Nicklausdesigned course. Host to three Irish Opens, it’s home to some fearful bunkers – a trademark of Jack’s designs.

Back on the coast and at Dooks Club, Glenbeigh, Co. Kerry, they’ve been playing the game now across three centuries – since 1889 to be exact, making it one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland. Sandwiched between Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and the Dingle Peninsula the one thing Dooks is not short of is views. This is a true links course, and incidentally home to the natterjack toad, an endangered species – so look out as you address the ball.

In the north-west, courses such as Ballyliffin, Rosapenna, Connemara Golf Links, Carne and Lahinch provide stiff golfing challenges. The courses themselves are the very toughest of sporting tests.

But, like all of Ireland’s courses, there’s always the compensation of the dramatic surroundngs plus the warm welcome in the clubhouse.

■ www.ireland.com/en-gb/what-isavailable/golf/

8 | October 27, 2018

The Irish Post

MAP & ROUTE MILEAGE PLANNER

Roads in Ireland range from modern motorways to narrow country lanes, and driving in Ireland can be a magical experience, with scenic treasures around every corner.

Ar At Co Lo Do

En Ki Ki Tourist Information

Motorway

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Tourist Information

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Mainline Train

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KI LO ME TR E S 40 20

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Whilst ever y care has been taken to ensure accura cy in the compilation of this map, Tourism Ireland cannot accept responsibi lity for errors or omissions.

Due to the small scal e of this map, not all holida y centre s can be shown. The inform ation on this map is correc t at time of going to press. Š 2015 Tourism Ireland.

Map creation by Michael Schmeling, www.maps.ar idocean.co m | Map data Š OpenStreetMap contributors, CC BY-SA

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