How lucky can one travel writer be? I’ll tell you how lucky. I was the only American journalist invited on a recent press trip to Northern Ireland. The select group of writers flew in from all over the world including India, South Africa, Sweden, Holland, and Germany. This opportunity was especially exciting since I had already been to the Republic of Ireland on three previous press trips, covering most of the southeast and southwest. Exploring Belfast, and the surrounding towns, was a new experience that I was very much looking forward to.
As a result of the people, places, and historic sites we visited, there is vast amount of material to be shared, so much so, that my coverage will be divided into three parts, and will include fascinating visits with royals living both in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland.
DAY 1:
The theme of this particular press trip was “Houses, Castles & Ruins,” so the first visit on our packed itinerary was to the 800-year-old Carrickfergus Castle. It is a Norman fortress located north of Belfast, in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim. Its position, overlooking Belfast Lough (Irish for lake), made it easy to defend itself from invading armies from Scotland, England, Ireland, and France. The castle played an important military role during World War I. Although the stronghold was finally decommissioned in 1928, it served as an air raid shelter during World War II, and remains one of the best-preserved medieval structures in Ireland.
During medieval times, many banquets were held in the castle’s Viking Hall. The etiquette customs were somewhat different from the etiquette customs of today. For example, you were expected to bring your own cutlery, which would be an eating knife and a spoon. However, most of the food was eaten using hands. It was considered polite to cut each other’s food, which was served in long trenchers and was scooped out by hand, with bread used to absorb any liquids. If your host offered you a knife, it was a mark of great respect. At one point, everyone shared a goblet, so it was considered good manners to wipe your mouth before drinking from the communal goblet. Banquet guests were seated in order of their rank, with the lowest at the far end of the table. I have not been able to verify this, but our guide told us that if you needed to wipe food off your mouth, you simply leaned over to the person sitting next to you and used his sleeve.
year, whether they needed it or not. Courtesy photo.
For those of us who sighed at the relationship between Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot, I hate to dispel that romantic image, but please bear in mind that both the church and the king frowned upon bathing. It was believed that a bath was dangerous and immoral, leading to sin and debauchery. One royal, Lady Anne, defied that tradition and actually bathed four times a year – each at the start of a new season. Life expectancy? Age 40.
Bathroom habits were not much more civilized than the dining habits. A hole was cut into the concrete for the king to sit upon. The excrement simply slid down the side of the castle eventually creating, well, a lot of brown streaks. It is thought that Queen Victoria actually introduced the idea of chamber pots, known as piss pots, which certainly beat sitting on a cement hole.
Our lodgings for the next few nights would be at the Malmaison Hotel, a four-star boutique luxury hotel centrally located in Belfast on Victoria Street. Formerly a Victorian warehouse, the hotel is a short walk to the Victoria Square Shopping Mall, as well as restaurants and coffee shops. The staff was cordial, the rooms were small, but clean, and the bathroom had a few essential toiletries. My only criticism is the low lighting. It was so dark that I needed to use my cell phone flashlight to find things in the closet. Putting on makeup was nearly impossible as there was not enough light anywhere in the room or the bathroom to actually see what you were doing. It would be helpful if management could “shine a light” on that problem.
DAY 2:
After a good night’s sleep in a comfortable bed, we were off and running to explore the Causeway Coastal Route, one of the world’s top five road trips. As we drove along to our next destination, which was to be a visit to Glenarm Castle and its famous Walled Garden, our eyes feasted upon on a profusion of beautiful daffodils and yellow and orange wildflowers that dotted the roadside.
Photo: Beverly Cohn.
One of the oldest castles in Ireland, and only 40 minutes from Belfast, and a mere 18 miles from Scotland, the Jacobean-style mansion is quite imposing. It was home to the Earls of Antrim for over 400 years. Glenarm Castle is the home of Viscount and Viscountess Dunluce (the McDonnells) and their children. Prior to living in Glenarm, their ancestors lived at Dunluce Castle, which was set afire so a robbery could take place. The current castle is filled with Irish furniture and the walls are covered with portraits of family members going back to the 17th century. Its major business is the Glenarm Organic Salmon Ltd., the only Atlantic salmon farm in the Irish Sea, and a major source of the world’s finest organic salmon. Cattle and ewes are also raised organically. They are fed clover and grass resulting in organic Beef Shorthorn, said to be superior to the famous Kobe beef. The farm’s beef and lamb have won several prestigious awards and is served in outstanding restaurants throughout Ireland, including the Merchant Hotel’s, The Great Room.
is the son of a chauffeur and grew up on the estate.
Photo: Beverly Cohn.
A most delightful head gardener, Andrew Morrow, with a glint in his eye, and the subtle Irish humor, shared his wonderful story, very similar to the story of Sabrina Fair. Like Sabrina, his dad worked as a chauffeur for 50 years, so he, too, grew up on the estate. When the head gardener passed away, Lady Antrim asked him to take over his duties. He was quite surprised and said: “I can’t even take care of myself.” But he was trained and is now in total charge of the sprawling gardens. He took us on a guided tour of the magnificent grounds, explaining that the walled garden supplied the castle with fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year. His love and passion for gardening was quite apparent. At the end of our horticultural experience, Andrew said, “Gardening is in the DNA of the Irish.”
Following the garden adventure, Andrew then took us on an exclusive tour of the house, which is only open occasionally to the public. He told an interesting story about a “weigh chair.” It seems that guests were weighed before they entered the dining room, their poundage measured in stones. The very same guests were weighed on their way out to make sure they didn’t steal any of the silverware. I suppose there was no accounting for the amount of food consumed at dinner, which may have inched up the weight a stone or two.
Next, we were treated to tea, which was served by a cheerful, very efficient George the butler, who shared stories about the family. The family stays only three months a year, as it revolves around the school year for their two children – Alex nine and Helena seven. The children love gardening and every morning get fresh eggs from the chickens. Not an egg carton in sight.
Fortified with tea and treats, we were off to have lunch in the beautiful French Rooms located in Bushmills, once a thriving linen-producing center. It should be noted that by the end of the 19th century, Belfast was the linen capital of the world. Its dominance ended during the “troubles” that started in the 60s and it has never recovered.
Photo: Beverly Cohn.
Back to our lunch. We were served a Gourmet Grocer Platter with food from local Irish artisans and specialty French produce. The exquisitely presented platter consisted of Joycelyn soup, tomato-based French onion soup topped with a cheesy crouton; oak smoked Donegal salmon with lemon and caper berries; Cooleeney hand-made Irish cream cheese; cured meat selection from Aveyron, France; Love Olive, an exotic mix from Glenavy; Kookycook pesto from Portrush; and sourdough baguette slices with unsalted Ballyrashane butter. A delicious time was had by all, and then we were off again, this time to experience the Giant’s Causeway.
The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland’s iconic World Heritage Site, is a fascinating geological phenomenon. It is estimated to have formed about 60 million years ago as a result of volcanic eruptions, followed by lava cooling to form a hard rock called basalt. 40,000 interlocking columns were created, some of which appear to have certain shapes such as a giant boot, a harp, or a camel. Locals believe there is magic in these rocks and that if you stand on them, you will definitely feel something. Try it and see if you feel a tingle in your feet.
The Giant’s Causeway is also steeped in legend linked to Irish giant Finn MacCool, who it is said wanted to do battle with Benandonner, a rival giant in Scotland. The story tells of Finn building huge stepping stones across the sea so that the Scottish giant could cross to Ireland and do battle with him. However, when Finn saw the enormous size of the giant, he ran home to his wife and asked her to disguise him as her baby. When Benandonner saw this huge “baby,” he feared that the father would be too big to defeat and went on his merry way back to Scotland. So, using deception, Finn MacCool emerged victorious, and the legend lives on to this day.
After this awesome experience, we were off to take a quick look at the remains of Dunluce Castle, some of which are thought to date back to the 1200s AD. Perched on a steep cliff overlooking the sea, this medieval castle is on the Antrim coast, quite close to the Giant’s Causeway and like almost all of the castles, saw its share of battles. We wandered through the ruins; our imaginations painting pictures of what might have been the castle’s former splendor.
Thus ended another fabulous day of visiting Northern Ireland’s ancient sites. The “dessert” was a scrumptious dinner at Deanes Meat Locker Brassierie, where we enjoyed delicious, exquisitely prepared food and excellent wine. Incidentally, contrary to popular belief, corned beef and cabbage is not the national Irish dish and is only eaten occasionally, with very few Irish people eating it on St. Patrick’s Day. So, the polite thing to do is to order something off the menu and have corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day in America.
DAY 3:
The next historic castle on our tour was Hillsborough Castle, located in County Down. Nestled on 96 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, this Georgian mansion was originally built in the 1770s and was renovated in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The castle boasts several elegantly appointed State Rooms, available for receptions and dinners – with a seating capacity ranging from 50 to 400.
Queens, princes, princesses, and heads of government have walked these luscious grounds. One special area is the Granville Garden, the site of the largest rhododendron collection in Europe. It was created by Queen Elizabeth II’s aunt, who was married to the Earl of Granville. Hillsborough Castle also has the distinction of being designated the official Northern Ireland residence of the Royal Family, as well as the Secretary of State of Northern Ireland, who is appointed by the British monarch and reports to the Parliament of the United Kingdom. There is an elegantly appointed Throne Room with an imposing throne. However, the Queen prefers to sit in a chair directly in front of the throne to receive guests. A guest book is placed on a nearby table and we all took the opportunity to leave a note for the Queen.
Courtesy Photo
Still on a high from our visit to this historic castle, we piled back into the van and headed for Castle Ward, a National Trust* property. This is the castle in which the opening series of “Game of Thrones” was filmed. We actually stood in the courtyard where the young prince was tossed out of the window by that nasty queen in one of the earliest episodes.
In looking at this 18th century house, situated on 820 acres, overlooking the iconic Strangford Lough, it is evident that there are two distinctly different the styles of architecture. As the legend goes, it seems that the Ward men married women of great wealth. One such couple could not agree on the style; she wanted Gothic, he wanted Classical. Hence, they compromised and the home was constructed and furnished to accommodate their specific preferences. A word about Strangford Lough: With its over 120 islands rich in wildfowl and marine life, it is considered Europe’s most significant wildlife sanctuaries.
As was mentioned earlier, gardening is in the DNA of the Irish people as evidenced once again by Castle Ward’s sprawling magnificent gardens. One particularly enchanting section is Temple Water, which is said to be the largest ornamental garden in Ireland, spanning from the early 18th century. Its beauty and tranquility is something to behold.
to use the giant telescope belonging to her cousin, the Earl of Rosse. Courtesy Photo
One ancestor of note is the extraordinary Mary Ward, who lived in the 19th century. She was a naturalist, astronomer, scientific pioneer, artist, and mother of eight children. Encouraged by her parents, she was the first woman to use the giant telescope owned by her cousin, the Earl of Rosse, at Birr Castle.** As a teenager, she possessed an advanced microscope, which she used with slides she made herself from slivers of ivory, as glass was difficult to access. A very accomplished woman, she earned respect from other scientists. Her book, “The World of Wonders,” contains drawings of microscopic organisms as uncovered through the microscope. It became a coveted reference book, as did her multiple articles. Sadly, in what is thought to be the world’s first traffic accident, while visiting her cousin, Mary fell out of a steam engine car and was crushed by the wheels.
Under the terms of National Trust ownership, Castle Ward is a hotbed of events open to the public including: Mother’s Day; St. Patrick’s Day; Spring Guided Walk; Craft Demonstrations; Pet Nose Day; Historical Cream Tea; Dog Agility; Jazz in the Gardens; Summer Garden Fete; and Pirates Picnic. There is also Clear Sky Kids Summer Activity Camp, and the Full Moon Twilight Boat Trip.
By the way, in case you ever wondered about the origin of the phrase “upper crust,” our guide explained that when bread was toasted, servants scraped off the bottom burnt part, with the unburned portion reserved for the royals. So from now on when you hear the phrase “upper crust,” think bread.
No trip to Northern Ireland would be complete without a visit to the very imposing Titanic Exhibit, which houses the world’s largest collection of everything Titanic.
It is located in the exact slipway where she was built in Belfast at the Harland & Wolf Shipyard from 1909-1922. The company employed over 3,000 men to build the ship, which was hailed as “the new wonder of the world.” With a crowd of 100,000 people watching, this mighty, but doomed vessel set sail on April 10, 1912 from the Thompson Graving Dock – the largest in the world. The launch took only 62 seconds.
The Titanic Exhibit is an emotional retelling of the most profound sea disaster in history. Its story is told through the Exhibit’s nine galleries, which contain photos, talking heads of people from that time, films, re-creations of the different staterooms, and interactive touch screens that take you to the bottom of the ocean. You can hear a voice say: “We are stopped and surrounded by ice.” The massive ship hit the iceberg at 11:40 pm on April 14, 1912. Approximately 11 stories high, 882 feet, 8 inches in length, and weighing 45,000 tons, Titanic disappeared into the freezing sea in an agonizing 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Each gallery will give you a visceral, emotional experience related to specific events. The nine galleries are: Boomtown Belfast; The Shipyard Ride; The Launch of Titanic; The Fit-Out; Maiden Voyage; The Sinking; The Aftermath; Myths & Realty; Visit & Explore the Wreck. The Titanic Exhibit is a moving experience; so do allow lots of time to explore each of the galleries.
DAY 4:
Fortified with a traditional Irish breakfast served in the restaurant of the Malmaison Hotel, we once more climbed into our comfortable van. Since we are creatures of habit, it’s no surprise that each journalist sat in the same seat every day. After the haunting Titanic experience, we were especially looking forward to being hosted for lunch by Lord and Lady Dunleath (Vibse) in their extraordinary Ballywalter Park home. We were warmly greeted by the royal couple and were immediately treated to a welcoming glass of champagne, after which they gave us a walking tour of their stately home.
With 12 bedrooms and bathrooms, the castle also serves as a hotel and is used for conferences as well. The fees range from 280£ for a double room, to 150£ for a single, while a five-course dinner costs 140£. However, they are not set up for weddings at the moment. As in Hillsborough Castle, famous people have visited this beautifully restored mansion including: the British Royal Family, the Danish Crown Prince, and Jeremy Irons. The Dunleaths have one live-in housekeeper, and hire additional help as needed. The major source of their income, which sustains the home, comes from their dairy farm, which houses 450 cows.
As we were being shown around the castle, I had the opportunity to talk to Lady Dunleath who was “not to the manor born.” I asked her how they met. It seems that she was a food historian specializing in the evolution of food, specifically as it pertained to the history of bread, starting with medieval times. Lord Dunleah’s home was being used to film her television series so the Danish-born Vibse was at the castle over a long period of time. I asked her if it was love at first sight and she answered: “It was business at first sight.” Lord Dunleath was leaving on a trip and asked her if she would look after the estate while he travelled. She answered, “Yes.” “The rest is history,” said Lady Dunleath with a smile. Both were married once before so the wonderful song by Frank Sinatra “The Second Time Around” seems quite appropriate.
At the conclusion of our castle tour, where we saw lavishly furnished rooms filled with historic treasures and paintings going back generations, we entered the glorious dining room. For a brief moment, I felt that I could very easily become “Lady of Something.” The lunch was delicious, with the tomatoes fresh from the Ballywalter garden comprising the Dunleath Vitello Tomato with Walled Garden Salad. The lunch was crowned with a sinfully delicious chocolate fudge brownie and homemade coffee ice cream. Life doesn’t get much better than this or, maybe it does. As much as we hated to tear ourselves away from this magical setting, it was time to move on to our next stop, which was Mount Stewart.
Restored and also owned by the National Trust, this splendid property, family home of the Marquesses of Londonderry, is a dreamland of meandering paths leading to a mosaic of exquisite gardens originally planted by Edith, Lady Londonderry. Today these enchanting gardens rank as one of the Top 10 Gardens in the World.
Neil Porteous, head gardener of this sprawling property, guided us through a few of the 18 distinctly unique gardens recreated from the diaries of Edith, Lady of Londonderry. Some of these iconic gardens include: Sunken Gardens; Lily Wood; Italian Garden; Peace Garden; Fountain Walk; Lake Walk; Walled Garden; Ladies Walk; Temple of the Woods; and Shamrock Garden. By the way, in case you’re wondering about the origin of the shamrock being an Irish symbol, it seems that St. Patrick actually created the name and it represents the Holy Trinity – The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost.
Fun activities take place all year long at Mount Stewart, some of which include: a Rhododendron Ramble and Roast, Spring Guided Walk, Easter Egg Trail, Greyabbey Bay Walk, Pet Nose Day, and Jazz in the Gardens. Consult their website for dates and times.
What better way to end the final leg of our Northern Ireland experience than to have an exquisite dinner in The Great Room, one of the most beautiful restaurants in Belfast. Located in the Merchant Hotel, this stunning venue is said to be one of Northern Ireland’s most extraordinary restaurants. With its original Victorian design, its glass cupola is Ireland’s largest chandelier and the food matches the elegance in every way.
In closing, it should be noted that Belfast has suffered from its former reputation of being violent and dangerous because of “The Troubles,” which spanned decades. However, today it is stable and a very safe, exciting tourist destination.
* The National Trust is a UK conservation charity that protects historic places, such as castles, houses, gardens, mills, farmland, islands, nature preserves, etc. They hold leases on about 5,000 properties, which they rent out at a reduced price with the understanding that the tenant makes the property available to the public on a regular basis.
** An exclusive interview coming up with the 7th Earl of Rosse at Birr Castle (Brendan Parsons) who gave me private tour of his sprawling estate, followed by lunch with he and the Countess. Also coming up is an interview with the designer of Prince Charles’ garden at Highgrove, a visit to the National Stud Farm, and my stay at two of the most exclusive hotels in the Republic – Ballyfin and The K Club – The Kildare Hotel, Spa & Country Club.
Hillsborough Castle
Main Street
Hillsborough
Co. Down BT26 6AG
www.gov.uk/hillsborough-castle
Castle Ward
Strangford, Downpatrick
Co. Down BT30 7LS
Titanic Belfast
1 Olympic Way
Queen’s Road
Titanic Quarter
Belfast, Northern Ireland BT3 9EP
www.titanicbelfast.com/Site/Contact-Us.aspx
Ballywalter Park
Newtownards
Northern Ireland
BT22 2PP
bd@dunleath-estates.co.uk
Mount Stewart
Portaferry Road
Newtownards
County Down, BT22 2AD
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mount-stewart
Merchant Hotel
The Great Room
16 Skipper Street,
Belfast BT1 2DY,
Northern Ireland
Phone: 011 44 844-262-7755
(From the U.S.)
The Tourist Board for Northern Ireland
*National Trust: The National Trust is a UK conservation charity that protects historic places, such as castles, houses, gardens, mills, farmland, islands, nature preserves, etc. They hold leases on about 5,000 properties with they rent out at a reduced price with the understanding that the tenant makes the property available to the public on a regular basis.
Carrickfergus Castle
Marine Highway
Carrickfergus
County Antrim
BT38 7BG
doeni.gov.uk/niea
Malmaison Hotel
34-38 Victoria Street
Belfast BT1 3H
United Kingdom
malmaison.com/locations/belfast
Glenarm Castle
Co Antrim
Northern Ireland, BT44 0AL
glenarmcastle.com
The French Rooms
45 Main Street
Bushmills
County Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT57 8QA
+44.28.2073.0033
The Giant’s Causeway
60 Causeway Road
Bushmills
Co. Antrim, BT57 8SU
Tel: 028.2073.1855
giantscausewaytic@nationaltrust.org.uk
Dunluce Castle
northantrim.com/dunlucecastle.htm
Deanes Meat Locker Brassiere
28-40 Howard Street,
Belfast BT1 6PF
Northern Ireland
info@michaeldeane.co.uk
