NT trip to Northern Ireland, June 2022

by David & Wendy Humphreys

Our visit to Northern Ireland from the 7^th to the 12^th of June was a resounding success, thanks to the excellent organisation of Johan and the skills of our talented guide, Lolly.

As requested, Lolly was more than prepared to explain the backdrop to the Troubles in Northern Ireland and to incorporate history from its very beginnings to the current day as we travelled around four of the six counties from the Irish Sea to the Atlantic. In a light-hearted and amusing way we also touched on the literature, poetry and music of the island of Ireland whilst enjoying the beautiful countryside and spectacular loughs.

The trip started in Dublin Airport with the drive to Belfast followed by a tour of the city which included a visit to the magnificent Ulster Museum. Over the next five days we saw County Down, the Ards Peninsula, Antrim, the Causeway Coasts, the county of Armagh, Derry City and the Mountains of Mourne with a final excellent farewell lunch as we returned to Dublin.

Amongst the many National Trust houses and gardens which we visited it is hard to single out favourites, but special mentions are needed for the walk around the walls of Derry with a distant view of the Bogside murals, the World Heritage site of the Giant’s Causeway and its clifftop walk, and for the wonderful brand-new Titanic Museum. A highlight in Armagh was a visit to the charming Robinson library, where the curator had taken the trouble to extract and display for us some of their treasures relevant to the Low Countries.

Once again, thanks to all for the organisation of a very enjoyable trip!

More pictures, click here

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Impressions by a Swedish poet

The plane was speeding down the strip
and we took off on another NT trip
the destination was Dublin
where most of us had never been
we were met at the airport by Lolly our guide
with, as we would see, a knowledge so wide
the purpose was Northern Ireland to discover
and many aspects of it we would cover
of history, culture and local politics
we got an interesting mix
The Ulster museum we visited first
to know more about Ireland it gave us the thirst
then we toured Belfast to find our way
before we arrived to where we would stay
to the Crown I went to have a Guinness
an interior and a beer I could not miss.
The next day we went to Mount Stewart House
and then a scenic drive and a ferry down south
to visit St Patrick’s church and grave
and then back to Belfast our thirst to stave
The next day we went to visit the causeway
a collection of enormous columns in gray
which by giants had been built to cross the strait
to come there to see them I just couldn’t wait
The Friday we to Armagh went and old books to see
and another St Patrick’s cathedral and then to Algory
and then on to another NT place Ardress
and Titanic Museum the high point I must confess
The next day we went to Derry with it’s town wall
it’s bridge of peace and it’s large Guildhall
and after the dinner and a drink in the sky
it was almost time back home to fly
but first another park and a beach to visit
and now I feel that Ireland I miss it.

Bo Dahlqvist