Does anyone remember Deek?

Noel Mugavin · Jan 8, 2018

Visited a Peace Wall dividing the Shankhill form Falls Road, they is an aim to have them all removed by 2023

Then on to the Falls Road, and the Republican murals

Mural of the Hunger Strikers who all died, with the poem 'The Rhythm of Time' written by Bobby Sands, probably the best known of the hunger strikers, and who was also voted into parliament whilst imprisoned

Republicans certainly had a better PR arm, majority of their murals were reflecting the struggle and hopes for peace, while the Unionists for the most part celebrated their para military arms. Lot of work and effort in all of them though, and although I mentioned earlier i don't appreciate art, I could happily look at these for days on end. Hope for me yet.

We visited Sien Feinn headquarters which was a little office space, selling bookmarks then visited a cemetery, then headed up to the Antrim Coast.

SponsorSFC · Jan 8, 2018

Great trip report and brings back quite a few memories.

I went on what looks like the same Paddy Wagon tour in 2006 with the Black Cab tour a definite highlight. Belfast remains one of my favourite cities in the world.

Noel Mugavin · Jan 8, 2018

A lunch stop in Ballycastle, then continued driving and taking in the views of the Causeway Coast

Stopped at Carrick-a-rede rope bridge. Look closely can just see it between the 2 landforms

View looking back from the island, Carrickarede, formerly used by salmon fisherman. Can see the entry to the bridge mid/bottom left of the photo.

Views back from the island.

Whitepark Bay

Next up was the Giant's Causeway, and stories of the legend of Finn MacCool

Accommodation was at the was the Sheep Island View Hostel, a very comfortable and inviting place.
View from the hostel

After dinner we walked the short distance to Ballintoy, found a pub and settled in for the night

Noel Mugavin · Jan 8, 2018

On the road again next morning past Bushmills Distillery, which surprisingly, we didn't stop at, then past Dunluce Castle

Stories given by our driver/guide about the Troubles, great having the internet now, can delve onto these stories. At the time I did buy as many books as I could afford on the topic.
Soon enough arrived at our morning destination of Derry.

Different feel to Derry in relation to Belfast, bit more tension, armoured vehicles more visible also.
Walked the city walls.

The Bogside catholic area

Protestant area of The Fountain, fenced area off to the side of the city walls. There were more murals in that area so I walked through the gate and started looking for the murals.

Random watch tower looking over the Bogside

Had gone about 25 metres into The Fountain, when the mural below of William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne appeared. Got the camera up to the eye, when a shout came out 'What the f### are you doing?'
Clicked the shutter, looked up, and a middle aged lady had opened her flat window and wasn't happy
'Don't you go taking pictures of that you c###'
In the spirit of the the encounter, I didn't say a word, dropped my head, and got the f### out of there as quickly as I could

Noel Mugavin · Jan 9, 2018

Group re gathered, and moved down to the Bogside and Free Derry Corner

Free to take photos of the murals down here, light poles in the tri-colours

Observation tower from The Bogside

Bloody Sunday Memorial

Back on the bus and as we went out of Derry, the Hands Across the Divide sculpture

Noel Mugavin · Jan 9, 2018

Up to Malin Head, the most northerly point of the island

Eire neutrality sign, there for the WWII pilots, not a lot of help at night

Grianan an Aileach stone fort, bit of camera trouble

Down to Donegal, bit of a walk around , then to the hostel which sat up a hill about an 800 metre walk from the town centre. Set out to get some dinner in town, and immediately across the road from the hostel was an oval with a hurling game going on. So took a detour and watched the game, struck up a conversation with an older couple sitting watching. Got to what I was doing that night, told them, then they insisted they drive me into town. I'm a walker, the walk wasn't far, so I politely declined. 'Don't be f##### stupid' the gent told me.
So I got a lift into town, they dropped me off at their recommended pub, and off they drove.
Was a good recommendation, good food, drink and entertainment, met up with a few others from the tour, and another good night

RB · Jan 9, 2018

Very interesting to see your photos of the buildings & your encounters in Ireland at that time. I never travelled there & I guess I was a bit naive & thought a lot of the animosity had gone by then

Noel Mugavin · Jan 9, 2018

RB said:
Very interesting to see your photos of the buildings & your encounters in Ireland at that time. I never travelled there & I guess I was a bit naive & thought a lot of the animosity had gone by then

Was only 2 years after the Good Friday agreement, our guides told us majority of the population just wanted to get on with it, but there was still a small proportion that were still active. Told to never bring up religion or politics as you didn't what the person you were talking to was involved with, or who could hear you. The Omagh bombing happened after the Good Friday agreement and riots still kick off now, usually around marching season.
Such a paradox that such friendly people some still have so much hate in them

Noel Mugavin · Jan 9, 2018

Cold morning and a trip to the cliffs of Slieve League

Giant's chair and table

Lunch at Bundoran

In my notes we went and visited Yeats' grave, have no recollection of that, do remember stopping at the town of Sligo though

Stop for the night was at Westport, which has an number of pubs totally out of whack with the population. Dinner and couple of pints that night

Noel Mugavin · Jan 9, 2018

Friday morning and a hike to the top of Croagh Patrick

Bit of drizzle around, cold and windy.
Views of Clew Bay

After about 15 minutes my ears were aching quite a lot so enough was enough, turned and headed down

Bit of the way a down a couple of girls from the tour were sheltering behind a rock, so sat with them and had a chat, before we decided to keep going down and getting a coffee to warm up.
No coffee shop, but a pub that was open at the start of the climb, so Irish Coffee it was. Then another one while we waited for the climbers to return

Quick photo of the famine ship before getting back on the bus

Noel Mugavin · Jan 9, 2018

Some spectacular scenery between Westport and Galway.
Travelled along the Famine Way, Doo Lough Lake and Doo Lough Famine memorial

Aashleagh Falls on the River Eriff

Kylemore Abbey

Stop tonight was at Galway, university/party town

Went out for dinner then found a pub, but by this stage had run out of fuel and called it an early night. Few others at the hostel, sta having a chat for a while before hitting the hay.

Last day of the tour as we headed from Galway to Dublin, few stops along the way, including Phoenix Park

Noel Mugavin · Jan 10, 2018

About half a dozen of us were dropped off in an insalubrious area of Dublin, across the road from the Guinness Brewery. We were going to be doing the southern tour starting on Monday, so accommodation for the next 2 nights was included in this. We ended up in a large self contained multi storey unit, and as we were entering 3 or so young women had smallish bags and were leaving.
Grabbed some dinner, then went back to the unit, some fella in the kitchen, apoligised said he'd be gone in a couple of minutes.
Had a bit of a yarn, turns out they were a group of 8 Northern Irish students, 4 Protestant,4 Catholic, put together as a sort of cross religion experiment by the university. Said they had free lodging and cheap uni fees, but had to vacate every weekend or so, when groups like us came in. We didn't really feel that great after realising we were kicking people out of their home for the weekend .
Next day was a lazy one, cricket on the tv, England vs the West Indies in a test in London, Lara hit a hundred.

View from our unit

Walked down to Temple Bar int he evening, bit of dinner, then back to the unit ready to go the next morning.

Picked up at about 8.30, then to our first stop, about 30 metres down the road - the Guinness Hop Store

Tour, and a pint at the end, nice breakfast

Drove through Killiney, lunch at Dunlaoghaire

Then to Glendalough, pronounced differently than we do in Perth

We then went to Avoca, better known as Ballykissangel. meant nothing to me then, means nothing to me now

Stop for the night was Wexford. Dinner, then to a pub, my notes simply say 'Big Night'

Noel Mugavin · Jan 10, 2018

First stop of the morning Kilkenny, and Kilkenny Castle

Lunch at Cashel and a tour of Rock of Cashel

Then it was on to Blarney, and kissing the stone of the same name

Blarney Castle

Blarney town from the castle

Railings on the outside of the castle that you hold on to to give the stone a peck

Stopped for a subdued night in Cork

Noel Mugavin · Jan 10, 2018

Left Cork and had a stop at Charles Fort, Kinsale

Kinsale Bay

Stopped at Bantry

Kenmare

To the Ring of Kerry and the Lakes of Killarney

Torc Waterfall

Hostel for the night was in Killarney, and for something different out for dinner, then settled in at a pub for the night

Noel Mugavin · Jan 10, 2018

A stop at Killorglin, and the first day of the Puck Fair. Goat hadn't been brought down from the hills as yet

Bit of time in Dingle, then some horse riding, not anything that I want to do again any time in the future

Then went on a drive called the Slea Head Drive, very picturesque
Sleeping Giant

While on the drive, our driver/guide asked 'Anyone feel like a pint?'
Unanimous yes, stop at the town of Ballyferriter.
Off the bus, and groups went here and there, myself and 3 others entered the pub below. No one in there, and the best part, the barman wouldn't take our money.
Don't like posting pictures with me in them, but the photo below is one of my favourites

Back to Dingle, hostel was a large farmhouse complex just outside of town. Communal dinner, then chilled at the hostel with the group

love_the_life · Jan 10, 2018

Aye but you’re so young in the photo no one would recognise you anyway. Lovely photo - captures the feeling.

OZDUCK · Jan 10, 2018

Noel Mugavin said:
Then to Glendalough, pronounced differently than we do in Perth

.

Very true. After years of pronouncing it our way, I had to keep making a conscious effort not to say it with the "low" on the end.

Enjoying this "nostalgia" trip. The Irish photos are very familiar after last years trip - even the low darkclouds look the same.

Noel Mugavin · Jan 10, 2018

Pushed off from Dingle, would again spend a Friday night in Galway

Dingle Bay

Tyree Bay

The Burren

Afternoon visit to the Cliffs of Moher

Remnants of famine houses

Remnants of famine houses

Last week had a quiet Friday night in Galway, this week was the opposite.
Was a very slow day heading back to Dublin, made even worse by the overnight coach ride back to London.
A great 2 weeks in Ireland and Northern Ireland, lots of laughs, lots of information and knowledge re the troubles, the famine and Irish myths. The Paddywagon was a great way to see both countries, very laid back, and the hostels, apart from the one in Dublin initially, were of a very high standard

Noel Mugavin · Jan 10, 2018

Spent the next 5 days staying with my Kiwi friends in their flat at the Isle of Dogs. Bit of running around here and there, a long boring day of County cricket, watching Surrey vs Derbyshire at The Oval.
Went over to The Royal Observatory
Prime Meridian

Greenwich Park, Royal Naval Academy and London in the distance

Millennium Dome

View of the flats I was staying in form the Naval Academy

Royal Naval Academy

On the Thursday I bade farewell to my Kiwi friends and checked in to the Royal National again, ready to set off again the next day

Noel Mugavin · Jan 11, 2018

Coach departed London late afternoon heading for Harwich and an overnight ferry to Esberg, Denmark. Very sociable night in the English Pub on the boat, eventually on to land at about 2pm, then the drive to Copenhagen.

Campsite was a bit out of the city, so was a quiet night at the site, then to Copenhagen the next day