From today, we're on our own again. The rest of the group have all gone to different destinations ... to either of the two Belfast Airports or on the coach to Dublin Airport. This morning, we caught a number 26 Metro Bus out to the Titanic Quarter and ended up spending all day out there.It was great being able to do the Titanic Belfast in our own time. The exhibition covers the development of Belfast Industry especially shipbuilding of course, and follows...

Today we made the short drive into Belfast along the coast, with a brief stop at Carrickfergus Castle on the way. In Belfast, we picked up a local guide Sandra, who boarded the coach and took us on a driving tour around Belfast. After that, it was still to early to check in to the Europa Hotel but we were able to leave our carry-ons at reception and head off for lunch. After lunch, we were met my another guide Judy, who took us on a walking tour of the city wit...

This morning started with a walking tour of Derry / Londonderry led by our local guide Ronan. He took us along the top of the old town wall, down some of the streets and into the Guild Hall which has been beautifully rebuilt since being blown up by the IRA. We then had some time to wander by ourselves and we spent some time in the Bogside area where there have been a lot of fascinating murals painted on the sides of buildings as a reminder of the troubles that ha...

This morning we travelled north through the towns of Tuam and Dunmore before turning east towards Ballinlough.We stopped at stately Clonalis House, ancestral home of the O'Conors, descendants of the last High Kings of Ireland. We were shown through by the wife of the last O'Conor to inherit the property. The house was full of original furniture, art pieces, a huge library and paintings of all the O'Conors down through the years. I couldn't tak...

This morning we drove through the bog lands to the small village of Moycullen where we visited a Connemara Marble workshop which produced a lot of jewellery and other knick-knacks. Then we continued to Kylemore Abbey where we spent a most enjoyable couple of hours. Originally known as Kylemore Castle, it was built in 1867 to be the home of a very wealthy man called Mitchell Henry. In 1920 it was acquired by the Benedictine Order for use as a boarding school. ...