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Ireland - a trip to the emerald isle. Part 2. Under the British Crown

19 October 2014 • Travel time: with 10 July 2014 on 11 July 2014
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Meanwhile, we are entering Northern Ireland - the administrative and political part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, located in the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland should not be confused with Ulster - the historical province of Ireland, consisting of 9 counties. Northern Ireland is an administrative-territorial unit of Great Britain, which includes only 6 of the 9 counties of Ulster. Date of formation of Northern Ireland - May 3.1921, This is the smallest and poorest part of the United Kingdom. Its economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, and 80% of the land is still farmland. The main agricultural products here are milk, meat, bacon, eggs, oats, potatoes and barley. Industry is concentrated in the areas of large ports.

Nevertheless, there are mountains, stunning in their beauty, and forest valleys, and other interesting places, among which is the capital of Northern Ireland - the city of Belfast.


During the 10th century, the Vikings dominated Ireland. In the 12th century, Henry II, King of England of Anglo-Norman origin, launched an invasion of Ireland. And although most of the country was under the control of the Anglo-Norman nobles, during the Middle Ages, England almost did not resort to direct rule in Ireland. During the reign of Elizabeth I, a series of punitive operations were carried out against the Irish rebels, and the province of Ulster became the main center of resistance, which lasted until 1607 (when the leaders of this movement had to flee). This led to the fact that in the 17th century many Protestants from England and Scotland settled in Ulster, whom religion alienated from the indigenous Roman Catholic population of Ireland.

The dominant position of the Anglo-Irish was finally secured in 1690 by the victory of the Protestant king William III over the Roman Catholic army of James II in the Battle of the Boyne. In 1798, the Irish rebelled against British rule (a big role in this was played by the irritated Ulster Presbyterians). As a result, Ireland lost its parliament, which had an autonomous status since 1782, and in 1801, as a result of the “Act of Union”, Ireland finally merged with Britain. Northern Ireland was not separated from Southern Ireland until, in 1886, William Gladstone made his proposal for self-government in Ireland. Northern Protestants feared the dominance of the Catholic majority. In addition, the industry was concentrated in the Northern part and depended on the British market. When World War I began, civil war broke out between the regions.

Northern Ireland, however, did not become a political entity until the Home Rule Bill of 1920 was passed by the six counties and a semi-autonomous parliament was established in Belfast and a governor appointed by the king.

According to the census, the country's population is more than 1.8 million people: 50% of the inhabitants consider themselves Protestants, almost 40% - Roman Catholics, the rest belong to religious minorities. Most Protestants are descendants of Scottish and English settlers who moved to northeast Ireland in the 17th century. According to cultural traditions, they are for the most part British and supporters of maintaining the union with Great Britain. Roman Catholics are Irish in their culture and history, and therefore most of them would like to live in a united Ireland.

Tour of Belfast


We get acquainted with Belfast - a picturesque city at the mouth of the Lagan River on the Irish Sea with a population of 600 thousand people. Belfast was founded by the Englishman John de Courcy, who built his castle here in 1177. The name Belfast is translated from the Celtic as "sand ford at the mouth of the Farset" after the name of the navigable river Forset, which flowed in the 17th century where High Street is now located. Belfast received official city status in 1888, and from the day it was founded in 1921, Northern Ireland became its capital.

We begin our acquaintance with the city from the Queen's University (Queens University). whose main building - the Lanyon building, located on University Road, hospitably opened its gates to us. The university is a member of the Russell group of the top 20 research universities in the UK, as well as the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

The university buildings are located in the center of the Queens quarter, one of the 7 cultural quarters of Belfast.

The predecessor of the university was founded in 1810 by the Royal Academic Institute of Belfast, which still exists today. Received a royal charter in 1845, opened in 1849 as Queen's College, Belfast. At that time, several more universities were opened under the name "Queens College" - in Cork and Galway. All three colleges were affiliates of the Queen's Irish University, which was founded to promote higher education for Catholics and Presbyterians, as opposed to Trinity College, which at the time was entirely Anglican.

In 1879, the Queen's University of Ireland was transformed into the Queen's University of Ireland, which, in turn, on the basis of the Irish Universities Act 1908, was divided into two universities: the Irish National University and Queen's University Belfast.

Near the university buildings are the Botanical Garden and the Tropicary.

The Botanic Gardens is home to the largest museum in Northern Ireland, the Ulster Museum, which has approximately 8.000 square meters of exhibition space, displaying material from collections of fine and applied arts, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial archaeology, botany, zoology and geology.

At the entrance to the Botanical Garden there is a monument to the outstanding physicist Kelvin.


When Queen Victoria granted Belfast city status in 1888, it was decided to build a new cathedral here. They decided to put the cathedral on the site of the Church of St. Anne, built back in 1776. Irish architect Sir Thomas Drew designed the cathedral in the Irish Romanesque style. The foundation stone was laid in 1899. The walls and columns of the new cathedral were built on top of the old church, which continued to serve until 1903. Later, the old walls were destroyed. Due to the nature of the local swampy soil, 15-meter piles had to be driven into the foundation. The work continued for 80 years, the cathedral was completely completed by 1981. At Easter 2007, a 53-meter spire was erected on the roof of the cathedral in memory of the victims of the September 11.2001 terrorist attack in the United States. The service on September 11.2007 was conducted by a priest from New York.

Donegall's main town square is the heart of modern Belfast.

The square has many buildings of different architectural styles, from Victorian to Art Deco and Art Nouveau.

One of the main attractions of the capital of Northern Ireland is the Town Hall (Belfast City Hall) located here, which was built in 1906 in solemn commemoration of the fact that once in 1888 Queen Victoria herself granted the status of a city to the beautiful place of Belfast. On the beautiful gates of the Town Hall, the coat of arms of the city of Belfast is depicted.

The Town Hall is a magnificent example of a mixture of architectural styles. Skillful symmetrical towers, "broken" by one huge dome in the middle, a classic triangular pediment above the entrance to the building with a large bas-relief and solid columns, as if descended from the pages of ancient Greek myths ...All this is the fruit of great British architects who created a very, very worthy shelter for city officials Belfast.

And so that these same officials, headed by the mayor, always remember who they serve, a monument to Queen Victoria, a stern and impregnable person, was erected at the main entrance to the City Hall.

There are many beautiful statues around City Hall. Particularly noteworthy is the composition The Titanic Memorial, set in memory of the sinking of the Titanic. The names of the people who died in this catastrophe are carved on the base of the monument. “The Titanic was built at the shipyards of Belfast and it was from here that he left on his only path that became legendary.

It is also home to the famous Linen Hall Library, which houses all the most important treasures of fine Irish literature. Near the Town Hall building is the Garden of Remembrance.

And just a stone's throw from the abode of the city authorities is Belfast's biggest city attraction - the Ferris wheel. It's worth a ride!


Firstly, you can see how beautiful the capital of Northern Ireland is from a bird's eye view, and secondly, you can see the Town Hall building in all its details, including from above.

There are daily free tours around the Town Hall, we also became its participants. Visitors enter the Town Hall through impressive stone gates and a marble lobby.

This is followed by the main staircase, for the decoration of which four types of marble were used - three from Italy and one from Greece. The large stained-glass windows along the stairs depict the city's most significant events, from the signing of a charter by King James I in 1613 to the granting of Belfast as an administrative district in 1899.

On the ground floor is a bronze statue of the last Earl of Belfast, Frederick Richard Chichester.

Known for his work to promote the arts in Belfast, he is shown holding a book in his left hand.

The main dome rises to a height of about 53 meters. Below it is the so-called Whispering Gallery, similar to the one in St. Paul's Cathedral in London. It got its name because of the architectural features that allow you to hear everything said in a whisper against the opposite wall. Above the gallery is a ring of stained-glass windows depicting the signs of the zodiac.

The Town Hall building houses the city council meeting room. The 51-member council meets here on the first working day of every month. The council chamber has many portraits of famous public and political figures such as King Edward VII, the Earl of Shaftesbury and Sir Edward Harland. In this hall, visitors are allowed to sit not only at the tables of deputies, but also, dressed in a robe, take the place of the mayor.

Belfast is a city of stark contrasts. When you are in it, you are imbued with this thought. The whole city is divided by a high wall, which was built back in 1969.


On the one hand live Protestants, of which about 52%. On the other hand, Irish Catholics - 48%. There are several gates in the wall that automatically close at 10 pm. And after this time it is impossible to get from one part of the city to another. We pass the Catholic area, the houses here look rather poor. Not only the wall, but the whole city is covered with graffiti related to military or liberation activities, despite the fact that a fragile truce has been maintained for about 20 years.

We move to the Protestant part of the city, which looks prettier than the Catholic one. Graffiti also takes place here, but their content is different. Oliver Cromwell could not have done here. He was the direct cause of everything that is happening on this earth now.

Quote on the house: “Catholicism is more than a religion. This is a political force. And it makes one believe that there will be no peace in Ireland until the Catholic Church is destroyed. ”

In 1690, the largest battle in the history of Ireland took place, in the war between Protestants and Catholics - the decisive battle during the Glorious Revolution on the River Boyne. King William III (Protestant) defeats the troops of James II (Catholic). It is this event that the Protestants of Northern Ireland annually celebrate on July 12 with a procession in many cities. Recently, the processions of the Orange Order have caused more and more conflicts, as the route of their processions passes through the neighborhoods inhabited by Catholics. The police are hiding at this moment. We were in Belfast 2 days before these traditional processions, when the Protestant part of the city was decorated in preparation for this event.

In honor of this holiday, Protestants build such towers that will be burned at midnight.


The ship accommodated 3.547 people - the same number can be accommodated by the Titanic Belfast museum complex. Symbolic, isn't it? The museum, built in the Belfast docks, acquaints visitors with the history of the construction and launching of the Titanic. The history is represented by the most interesting facts and remarkable personalities who were associated with the ship. As is typical of modern museums, interactive exhibits play an important role in the exposition, they help to resurrect historical events and awaken experiences. Although there are other museums in the world dedicated to the Titanic, Belfast is the right place for a new museum, because the liner was built in this city. The Titanic Belfast complex houses nine themed galleries, with several exhibitions, attractions, installations and everything about the legendary ship, as well as its brothers - the Olympic and Britannic ships:

1. The economic boom in Belfast at the beginning of the 20th century.

Shipyard - This gallery is located around the recreated steering wheel of the Titanic.

3. Launching - about the launching of a ship into the waters of Belfast Bay.

4. Completion of the ship - a virtual tour of all the premises of the ship.

5. First flight - from Belfast to Sutgempon, then to Cherbourg, Queenstown ....

6. Sinking "Titanic" - the crash of April 14-15.1912.

7. Consequences of the disaster - investigation of the crash.

8. Myths and legends - perpetuating the history of the Titanic.

9. View of the wreck of the Titanic at the bottom - the place where it is now, at a depth of 3700 meters in the waters of the North Atlantic. Under the glass floor, fisheye camera views of the sunken ship. The gallery also tells about the expedition of Dr. Ballard, the discoverer of the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean.

The building is located on Queen's Island, a piece of land at the entrance to Belfast Bay, which was freed from water in the middle of the 19th century.

It was used for many years by the shipbuilders Harland and Wolf, who built huge slipways and dry docks to accommodate the simultaneous construction of the Olympic and Titanic. The decline of shipbuilding in Belfast left much of the area abandoned. Most of the abandoned structures on the island were destroyed. Some have received list building status, including the slipways and dry docks of the Olympic and Titanic, as well as the iconic Samson and Goliath cranes. Now the island has modern buildings and a landscaped area.

From here you have a beautiful view of the bay and the opposite shore.

Not far away is the modern Odyssey Arena, buildings in the center of Belfast containing several integrated but distinct merchandise and attractions. You can attend sports events in the arena at the Odyssey, or you can also listen to a concert in the pavilion.


St. John Erwin wrote about his hometown: “When a visitor makes his judgment about Belfast, one must remember that the city has grown rapidly, and appeared recently. In eighty years the population has increased sevenfold. About half the city was built in the last thirty-five years, and it was built by men whose pioneering instinct was more developed than other people. The central part of the city stands on a swamp. A river flows under one of the main streets. The ground beneath Donegal Square is so watery that piles had to be driven in before shops could be built. From one blow of the grandmother, a heavy log disappeared into the loose earth. It was on this mud and water that the great-grandfathers of our generation built Belfast. They came from their shacks and farms, physically strong, full of determination and faith, and working on an unpromising land. Quickly, without wasting time on planning, they built a city.

Ulster is a small place on a small island, but it played a huge role in the creation of the British Empire and the United States. An innovative and inflexible spirit entered into battle with the swampy soil of the mouth of the Lagan, created a prosperous city on it and turned to new achievements.

Dunluce Castle - Scottish influence in Northern Irish lands

The impressive ruins of Dunluce Castle on the north coast of County Antrim are perched on sheer volcanic cliffs 30 meters above sea level. The long history of the castle was shaped by violence, intrigue and rebellion. Today it seems distant and inaccessible, but during its heyday in the 16th and 17th centuries, the castle was the center of the vibrant life of the seaside world and a strategic link between Ulster and the western isles of Scotland.

Dunluce was originally the residence of the MacQuilans, a powerful local family who built the first castle here in the late 1400s or early 1500s. In the 1550s, the castle was taken over by the McDonnells from the Scottish island of Islay, who rebuilt it as their main base in Ulster. This was followed by decades of war, intrigue and rebellion.

Until the early 1600s, the MacDonnells established a town outside the castle walls that prospered for 30 years until it was burned to the ground in an uprising in 1641. Ultimately, abandoned in the 1680s, the castle and the surrounding structures fell into disrepair and turned into the grandiose ruins that we see today. On the territory of the castle there were outer and inner courtyards, a brewery, stables, living quarters. One of the tragic pages of the existence of the castle can be attributed to the evening of 1639, when during a gala dinner, part of the lower kitchen yard collapsed into the sea.


The opening panorama was simply breathtaking, as the majestic rocks and the sea stretched for many kilometers. We drive up to the parking lot and leave the bus. You can get to the "Trail of the Giants" by a special bus to its very beginning or walk a distance of several kilometers on foot. The entire tourist route has two options: the first is a "top view" and descent / ascent to the "Trail of the Giants", the second is a route directly along the coast. I preferred to go through the route first along the coast, and return to the parking lot, overcoming steep slopes, “from above”.

The Giant's Road (Giant's Path) is a unique coastal area, which is about 4.000 interconnected basalt (rarely andesitic) columns, formed as a result of an ancient volcanic eruption. The tops of the columns form a springboard, which starts at the foot of the cliff and disappears under the surface of the sea.

Most of the columns are hexagonal, although some have four, five, seven or eight corners. The highest is about 12 meters.

In one of the legends, it is said that in ancient times the good giant Fin Mac Cool lived in Ireland with his wife Una, and across the strait from him, in Scotland, lived the evil giant Benadonna.

The Scot constantly hurt and offended the Irish. One day, Fin McCool shouted to Benadonna: "If I could swim, I would swim across the strait in 2 minutes and would pile on you for the most not indulge! ". But he couldn't swim. Then the Irish decided to build a bridge across the strait. For seven days and nights he did not close his eyes, dragged huge stone rods into the sea and built a bridge across the strait.

In the end, he was very tired and thought: "Before I fight Benadonna, I must have a good rest" and went to bed. At this time, the Scottish giant saw the bridge and ran across it to Ireland. He began knocking on the giant's door, but Fin MacCool was fast asleep.

A suspension rope bridge, Carrick-a-Rede, is thrown across it to a small island. It consists of two parallel ropes with crossbars, and boards on top of the crossbars. There are also rope railings swaying in the wind, and the whole bridge sways. Below, at a depth of 100 feet, sharp rocks. A rope bridge links the small island to Bushmills.


In the entire history of the existence of the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, no one has yet fallen off it, however, many travelers who managed to cross the bridge once simply cannot decide to return along it - and therefore return back to the starting point by boat. In the past, the famous bridge was even scarier - built by local fishermen who went to the island to fish for salmon, it provided for a railing on only one side.

When Carrick-a-Rede first gained popularity with thrill-seeking tourists, the National Trust for Northern Ireland replaced the old bridge with a slightly more robust double-rail structure. Walking through it is pure pleasure!

The island offers simply stunning views of the sea and the coast of the Emerald Isle, the journey along which is nearing completion.

Jesus turned water into wine, and in Bushmills they turn water into whiskey. We visited the oldest distillery operating since 1608. We visited a souvenir shop, they sell a unique whiskey that can only be bought in this place, aged 12 years. It costs 36 pounds, for 3 pounds you can print any text to whom you want to present this whiskey. During the trip, there were constant arguments about which whiskey is better. Scotch is more produced and better promoted, but Irish is softer and triple distilled.

The road along the coast to Belfast is beyond praise.

All the way to your right are mountains, to your left is the blue sea; on a clear day, you can see Scotland, which will soon have a first date. In some places it's only twelve miles away. This road represents the entire Emerald Isle and all of Ireland. Here you can see such a diverse and enchanting beauty: high as mountains, hills, lowlands and plateaus, forested valleys and waterfalls, slow rivers and magical forests, vast pastures, unexpected patches of brown Irish swamp and a sea that crashed against the rocks, or lazily running on the yellow sand. So beautiful, dressed in bright green colors, this island and a country so far from us - Ireland will forever remain in my memory.

Translated automatically from Russian. View original
To add or remove photos in a story, go to album of this story
В винокурне Бушмиллс
Потрясающий вид на побережье Изумрудного острова
Верёвочный мост Carrick-а-Rede
Подвесной верёвочный мост
Тропа Великана
Тропа Великана
Вид Тропы Великана сверху
Тропа Великана
Тропа Великана
Дорога гигантов (Тропа Великана)
В замке Данлюс
В замке Данлюс
Руины замка Данлюс
Замок Данлюс
Интерьер паба
Старинный паб
На центральной торговой улице
Здание Большой оперы
Часовая башня Альберта
Скульптура «Большая рыба».
Современная скульптура на мосту
Королевский мост
Мосты через реку Лаган
Центр «Одиссей Арена»
Вид на залив и противоположный берег
На острове Королевы
Одна из экспозиций музея «Титаник Белфаст»
Экскурсия в музее «Титаник Белфаст»
Музей «Титаник Белфаст»
Необычная скульптурная композиция
Башни протестантов
В протестантской части города
Графити на доме
Графити на стене
Стена
Зал заседаний
Шепчущая Галерея
В ратуше
Лестница в ратуше
Мрамором вестибюль ратуши
Сад памяти
The Titanic Memorial
Монумент королеве Виктории
Ратуша Белфаста
Герб города Белфаст
Площадь Донегалл
Собор Святой Анны
Памятник выдающемуся физику Кельвину
Музей Ольстера
Тропикарий
Ботанический сад
Главное здание Университета Королевы
Улица в Белфасте
Это Северная Ирландия
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