Travelogue: Our Final Days in Northern Ireland

I struggled with a title for this post, and now that I’ve written it, it sounds like we all died at the end of the trip. Fortunately, that’s not the case. Instead, we ended the tour with happy memories and a low-level dread about returning to a house with numerous construction projects underway. Oh wait, maybe that was just me.

I discovered something interesting about taking a tour vs. going on a vacation that we planned. During the eleven days we were away, I rarely knew where we were, and I didn’t mind. With the best intention of staying organized, I made a point to look up each location on the map for the first few days. Then, I went into full-on vacation mode and let the day’s activities unfold without any input or concern. I truly relaxed, and that lack of awareness made it feel like we were zigzagging our way across Northern Ireland. We were not. We were actually traveling in a giant circle, and I wasn’t in charge of transportation efficiency anyway.

Our fantastic local guide and driver, Joe, was the master of that. He kept us in stitches joking mostly about his height when he wasn’t parallel parking the giant motorcoach or gently nudging it around hairpin curves meant for horses and goats to pass during medieval times. More than once, I felt myself holding my breath and marveling as Joe navigated narrow city streets.

Callie and Joe were the true stars of the show during this adventure. We couldn’t have asked for a better duo to keep us in line.

The Giant’s Causeway

This extended post series is in danger of becoming as exciting as a 4-hour slideshow of your uncle’s visit to The Grand Canyon. So, I’ll wrap it up by sharing mostly photos after I tell you a bit more about one of my favorite stops, The Giant’s Causeway.

I was excited about seeing The Giant’s Causeway, 40,000 basalt columns created by rapidly cooling molten lava over 50 million years ago. The myth of the origin of this natural wonder is a cute story of two feuding giants–Benandonner from Scotland and Finn McCool, the underdog from Northern Ireland. Naturally, Finn wins, but only after some quick thinking from his wife. The story of why the columns are arranged the way they are is woven within the tale. Every grade-schooler in Northern Ireland has likely heard the story and loved it. We all root for an underdog.

Although the photo below is grainy, it gives the best representation of the scale of the basalt columns.

Derry/Londonderry

Before this stop, I learned everything I knew about Derry/Londonderry from watching Derry Girls on Netflix. Derry Girls takes place in the ’90s, towards the end of the Troubles. Something I didn’t understand is why the city has two names. Our guide explained that if you’re Catholic, you call it Derry. If you’re Protestant, it’s Londonderry as a nod to England. Many of Northern Ireland’s citizens still do this today, which blew my mind a little. That religious separation still exists, overtly and covertly.

We have our own serious segregation issues in the United States. So, please know that I did not write that as a dig towards Northern Ireland. It was just something that surprised me. Humans are flawed, and we have such a difficult time letting go of behaviors that serve no one.

Glenveagh National Park

After visiting Derry, we traveled to Glenveagh National Park, a remote estate that John Adair, a wealthy land speculator, began building in 1857. The property changed hands several times during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Like many old properties, the Glenveagh estate underwent periods of grandeur and disrepair. Fortunately, the last private owner, Henry McIlhenny of Philadelphia, spent significant time and money restoring the castle and grounds before selling it to the Office of Public Works and returning the land to Northern Ireland. Today, the estate is Glenveagh National Park.

The castle is not currently open for visitors, but we enjoyed our time in the gardens.

I could have stared at this view for hours, except it started pouring right after I took this shot.

Saying Goodbye

Over eleven days and three countries, we spent a lot of time with our fellow tour travelers. Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone. My kids joke that I’d be a golden retriever if I were a dog. Everyone is a potential friend to a golden.

Coincidentally, one of my favorite quotes comes from the Irish poet, William Butler Yeats.

“There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t met yet.” 

So, that perception of my personality tracks.

Hopefully, we’ll reach out to one another from time to time. If not, the stories of how we spent our time together will surely bubble up as we share our experiences with friends and family back home.

May thanks to Scotland and Northern Ireland (and Dublin!) for the warm hospitality. I can’t wait to visit again.

Have you been to Scotland, Northern Ireland, or the Republic of Ireland? I took around 700 photos (good grief!). So, if there is something you would like to see or know more about, please leave a comment. I’m also curious if you have any questions or thoughts about taking a tour vs. planning a vacation on your own. There are benefits and drawbacks to both.

In case you missed it, here are the first three posts in this series:

• Travelogue: Scotland – Days 1 & 2
• Travelogue: Wrapping up our Tour of Scotland
• Travelogue: Belfast

A Big Announcement!

I am so grateful that I get to partner with Holiday Vacations, and I’m excited to tell you about the next travel opportunity. You’re invited. So, pull out your suitcase and get ready. We’re going to the Canadian Maritimes from August 10-20, 2023. I’ll give you all the details soon, but I’m happy to announce that we’ll be going to Montreal, Halifax, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton, among other locations. This is a dream trip for Anne of Green Gables fans and anyone who loves historic architecture and the rugged coastline of Canada.

I hope you can come.