AC Hotel Belfast

While in Belfast, we have been staying at the AC Hotel Belfast, in the Titanic Quarter:

Photo from Internet

According to Wikipedia, "Titanic Quarter...is a large-scale waterfront regeneration, comprising historic maritime landmarks, film studios, education facilities, apartments, a riverside entertainment district, and the world's largest Titanic-themed attraction centered on land in Belfast Harbour, known until 1995 as Queen's Island. The 185-acre (75 ha) site, previously occupied by part of the Harland and Wolff shipyard, is named after the company's, and the city's, most famous product, RMS Titanic."

Not far from the AC Hotel Belfast is Titanic Belfast, the museum for all things Titanic (allegedly; we didn't actually get a chance to go):

Post card photo

The hotel lobby wasn't anything to write home about, but this hanging sculpture was kinda interesting:

The on-site Novelli restaurant was mentioned in a previous post. It was pretty good. Breakfasts were buffet-style English hot breakfasts, plus nowadays they add things like vegetables, fruit, yogurt, and even chia pudding. The highlight of the restaurant, however, is the morning waiter named Billy: a small, white-haired, twinkling-blue-eyes elf of a man, who will lean in to conspiratorially whisper delicious gossip right into your ear--unfortunately, in an accent that is often hard to fully parse. He's a man of the people, is Billy. There was a recent lottery winning of £38 million, and he was outraged that it went to only one person! He felt there should be 38 winners; after all, £1 million is more than enough for anyone.

Now to our room. Here is a photo of one similar to ours:

Photo from Internet

Views from our windows--left:

Middle:

Right:

Tour boat:

Random boat:

Arriving in Belfast, UK

On the afternoon of Monday, July 29, we drove through some pretty country--as well as some areas that looked like U.S. suburbs complete with shopping malls--on the way to Belfast. Here is some of the pretty country:

Here is our first view of Belfast:

We checked into our hotel, figured ourselves out for a while, then met our Dear Niece #1 (recent graduate of Queen's University Belfast) for dinner at the hotel restaurant, Novelli:

Photo from the Internet

Traveling to County Armagh, UK

On Monday, July 29, we rented a car from the airport and set out on the M1 to County Armagh.

What's wrong with this picture?

Only slightly terrifying:

We drove through the charming City of Armagh:

We found Loughall! From what we could determine, it is pronounced "lock gall." This was the birthplace of Matt's maternal great-grandfather Michael B. McNeece in 1850 (d. 1902). In 2011, it had a population of 282.

Here is the map of the town:

 They are very proud of all the "tidy town" and "best kept" awards they've won:

A very charming place. This is The Cope, a primary school:

A blooming bicycle:

The region is known for its apple orchards, so the lampposts include apples:

Here is information about the old graveyard that we poked around in, hoping for signs of McNeeces (no joy):

The church ruins and graveyard (there is also a more "modern" Protestant church in town):

Next stop, Belfast!

Random Dublin photos

During our stay in Dublin, we took many random photos. Here are a few...

Dublin (originally Dubh Lind, meaning "Dark Pool") is of course an ancient city, but there are many shiny new modern buildings, too:

Clarence Hotel, of U2 fame:

Lots of James Joyce, especially Ulysses, references throughout Dublin, including Blooms Hotel and the character Molly Bloom:

Street chess:

Street Daffodils:

We found two more Ulysses plaques. This one says, "He crossed at Nassau street corner and stood before the window of Yeates and Son, pricing the field glasses."

This one says, "His hand looking for the where did I put found in his hip pocket soap lotion have to call tepid paper stuck. Ah soap there I yes. Gate. Safe!"

Just a beautiful old ivy-covered building:

The Auld Dubliner Traditional Pub in Temple Bar:

Four Angels Fountain, by Edward Delaney, depicting the heralds of the four provinces from Thomas Davis' poem "A Nation Once Again":

Dublin attractions

On Sunday, July 28th, we started the day by rambling through the Temple Bar neighborhood:

Of course, we had to read the plaque for Sir William Temple, even though (according to Wikipedia, "It is generally thought that the street known as Temple Bar got its name from the Temple family, whose progenitor Sir William Temple built a house and gardens there in the early 1600s...however, the name of Temple Bar street seems to have been more directly borrowed from the storied Temple Bar district in London, where the main toll-gate into London was located dating back to medieval times."

Then we went to the National Library of Ireland:

The library had an exhibit about Ireland in WWI. A large number of Irish people fought (250,000) and died (50,000) in the war. After the Brits' overreaction to the Easter Rising of 1916, the Brits tried to initiate enforced conscription, but there were massive protests and they backed off.

As mentioned in a previous post, we also went to the National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology.

The museum has many exhibits of many wonderful things. For some reason, we were particularly taken with the Celtic/medieval brooches used to fasten cloaks:

Here is the 8th-century Tara Brooch, although it was probably not actually made at Tara:

Shrine of St. Lachtin's arm:

We finished up at The Little Museum of Dublin. The historic building that houses it was built in 1776; the tour guide said, "In other words, it's the same age as some countries." They hope to expand into the building next door, and they joke(?) that then they'll rename themselves The Medium Museum of Dublin.

Gallagh Man

In the U.S., our last name is pronounced "Galla-ger" (or alternatively, "Galla-grrr"). But here in Ireland, we have learned to say "Galla-hare" (or alternatively, "Galla-her") or face dealing with very confused people.

"Galla-grrr," they say (or alternatively, "Galla-gare"). "And how would you be spelling that now?"

We spell it for them, and they say, "Oh, you mean Galla-hare, why didn't you say so?"

Yesterday, we visited the National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology, where we learned about Gallagh Man:

Here is an illustration:

Fortunately for me, my Gallagh Man is not dessicated, although perhaps he would look nice in a "deerskin cape that [extends] to the knees."

Here he is, surveying the landscape of Temple Bar:

"This is my land, and with so many of my people"

And here he is in front of Gallagher's Boxty (potato pancake) Totally Irish:

The next window over has a nice poem. It's hard to see; it says:

Dream me a city where I can be myself.

Where brewery hops drift on the morning breeze,

     & a tin whistle swells your soul

Where the rain sparks the cobbles, laughter surrounds 

   And a nation's woes are solved from a barstool

Where tales grow taller, and old friends become new

   Where conversations start as day ends

Dream me a city, and I'll show you Dublin

   And you will feel home

The Morrison

While in Dublin, we've been staying at The Morrison, on Lower Ormond Quay. It has a subdued modern exterior, but is very comfortable and nice, and the people here are very friendly and helpful.

The lobby:

The writing on our room's wall:

The illuminated purple bedside table--because of course. Fortunately, it can be turned off:

The view from our window during the day:

And at night:

Helpful room signs. The bottom paragraph of the towel instructions reads, "A towel on a stick, waving at your significant other means... 'I screwed up, please forgive me. Let's order Room Service Champagne.'"

A sculpture in the onsite restaurant, Halo, which serves a very nice breakfast: