Northern Ireland
Recent Articles
Giant’s Causeway
When Erin and I visited Northern Ireland, we decided to hire a private guide to take us along the spectacular Causeway Coastal Route. Driving on the opposite side of the road from what we were accustomed to, I wanted us to relax and enjoy the experience rather than worry about unfamiliar roads, directions, and navigating […]
Town Hall
Standing in the center of Belfast is this enormous Baroque Revival building, crowned by its great green copper dome. Belfast City Hall seems almost oversized for a municipal building, but its scale tells an important story about what was happening in Belfast when it was created. Belfast had expanded dramatically during the nineteenth century. Linen […]
Bishop’s Gate
Standing beneath Bishop’s Gate, it is easy to think of it as simply another old stone archway. But for more than four centuries, this gateway has marked one of the principal entrances into one of the best-preserved walled cities in Europe. The walls of Derry were constructed between 1613 and 1619 after the Plantation of […]
The Crown Liquor Saloon
While touring Belfast, Erin and I made our way to The Crown Liquor Saloon for lunch. We had heard that it was one of the city’s most famous landmarks. Long before we reached our table, we found ourselves standing outside, looking up at the richly decorated façade and appreciating the extraordinary craftsmanship that has welcomed […]
The Clonard Celtic Cross
Standing at the center of the Clonard Memorial Garden in West Belfast is this striking Celtic cross, the spiritual and symbolic heart of the memorial. While the surrounding walls bear the names and photographs of those who died during The Troubles, the cross serves as a place of remembrance for all those whose lives were […]
The Peace Wall
One of the places Erin and I visited in Belfast was the Peace Wall, a landmark that tells the story of Northern Ireland’s long journey from conflict toward peace. It is one thing to read about the decades of conflict known as The Troubles, but quite another to stand before a wall that still divides neighborhoods and […]
Greater Clonard Martyrs Memorial
Walking through Belfast, you quickly realize that the history of “The Troubles” is still deeply woven into the landscape of the city. Murals, memorial, peace walls and neighborhood tributes appear throughout different sections of Belfast, reminding us that this conflict is part of a living memory for many people who call this city home. This memorial wall […]
Beacon of Hope / Thanksgiving Square
On our trip to Belfast, Erin and I visited Thanksgiving Square, a meaningful space along the River Lagan. Thanksgiving Square is a recent addition to the city, developed in the early 2000s as part of Belfast’s broader waterfront regeneration. This was a time when the city was actively reshaping itself following The Trouble, moving away from decades of […]
Crumlin Road Gaol
During our visit to Northern Ireland, Erin and I spent time exploring Belfast, a capital city layered with history. One of the most powerful places we visited was Crumlin Road Gaol. Opened in 1846, Crumlin Road Gaol operated for more than 150 years and housed prisoners during the turbulent chapters of Irish history including the Irish War of […]
