Anyone here actually been on a a proper holiday in Northern Ireland? If there's no let up with the Euro I'll be giving down south a miss for the Isle of Man/Britain/NI. Any recommendations?
Went on a weekend to Antrim a few years back with the woman,stayed in Portrush.
We had a great time,we drove all around Antrim and the Giants causeway etc and had some great grub and drink along the way
Quote from: The Real Laoislad on November 18, 2008, 04:08:59 PM
Went on a weekend to Antrim a few years back with the woman,stayed in Portrush.
We had a great time,we drove all around Antrim and the Giants causeway etc and had some great grub and drink along the way
Same as that a couple of years ago for a Derry league game. Grub and pints in Cushendall on the Friday night, never got such a feed in all my life. Drove the coast road on the Sat, grub and pints in Portstewart on the Sat and then on to Celtic Park and home on the Sun. Result sure shortened the drive home... ;D
even thou these places are technically in the south they're cheap as chips and up up north!
lough derg..... it will only cost you 50 euro
bundoran... or as me and the girls like to call it fundoran!!!! accommadation is dirt cheap!
you can make your own craic!
for a northern place glens of antrim/giants causeway/ballycastle ..... i think its beautiful up there just as nice if not better than kerry/west cork
Did it once...the whole Glens of Antrim, Causeway coast thing.
Great scenery esp around the Glens but the thing that got to me was the wee villages you came across with the Union Jacks and the red, white and blue kerbstones....you just cant relax in the same as you can in Kerry or Connemara.
Just me.. is it?
Would agree with above posters, stayed in Ballintoy a few years back on the Antrim coast, Antrim is the most scenic county in Ireland in my opinion.Didnt come across any hassle 5 Sams and I have the most gutteral thick accent you will ever come across
Garvaghy Road, Portadown couldn't beat it. ;)
Quote from: The squinted eye on November 18, 2008, 04:40:53 PM
Would agree with above posters, stayed in Ballintoy a few years back on the Antrim coast, Antrim is the most scenic county in Ireland in my opinion.Didnt come across any hassle 5 Sams and I have the most gutteral thick accent you will ever come across
Don't get me wrong ....I'm not talking about getting hassle....you just dont feel as comfortable in some places in the 6 counties as you would
any where in the south....
Quote from: leenie on November 18, 2008, 04:36:05 PM
bundoran... or as me and the girls like to call it fundoran!!!! accommadation is dirt cheap!
Bundoran's a dirty kip leenie. Donegal's a beauty county, so there's better places to visit.
Bundoran is a hole
You may laugh at me but I think Newry is a good spot, very easy to get to as well for anyone coming from the south. The Canal Court Hotel is first class, there's great shopping with Buttercrane and the quays within 2minutes walk. Nightlife is good, the canal court itself, the Bank is also a great spot. Ideal base to travel around the mournes. If you fancied a day driving to sightsee you could drive from Newry into Mayobridge then Hilltown where you're in the heart of the mournes. From Hilltown you can drive on to Newcastle driving right through the mournes and then from Newcastle drive up the coast again back through rostrevor and warrenpoint back to Newry. This drive without stopping would probably take around 2 hours but you could also take in Castlewellan just outside Newcastle as well, nice wee town with beautiful forest park, as had Newcastle (Tollymore Forest Park). By the time you stop of at the scenic spots and eat and have a few drinks along the way it would be a good day out. On another day you could head for south armagh direction but you wwould need an armagh man to tell you the best places to visit.
You can't beat Fundoran.
Do the Glens of Antrim Benny, but start at Glenarrife and work northwards ;) Mrs BC is a Glenswoman and any chance we get we head up to Cushendun for a bit of R & R. Good pubs, good food around the Glens and plenty to see.
Quote from: D4S on November 18, 2008, 05:07:21 PM
You may laugh at me but I think Newry is a good spot, very easy to get to as well for anyone coming from the south. The Canal Court Hotel is first class, there's great shopping with Buttercrane and the quays within 2minutes walk. Nightlife is good, the canal court itself, the Bank is also a great spot. Ideal base to travel around the mournes. If you fancied a day driving to sightsee you could drive from Newry into Mayobridge then Hilltown where you're in the heart of the mournes. From Hilltown you can drive on to Newcastle driving right through the mournes and then from Newcastle drive up the coast again back through rostrevor and warrenpoint back to Newry. This drive without stopping would probably take around 2 hours but you could also take in Castlewellan just outside Newcastle as well, nice wee town with beautiful forest park, as had Newcastle (Tollymore Forest Park). By the time you stop of at the scenic spots and eat and have a few drinks along the way it would be a good day out. On another day you could head for south armagh direction but you wwould need an armagh man to tell you the best places to visit.
Not a bad intinerary but I would recommend staying in the Slieve Donard in Newcastle, the best hotel in N. I by a dozen country miles - amazing setting, plush interiors, massive bedrooms, top-line leisure & spa. (Newry is only for shoppers). There are two grest restaurants just out the road from Newcastle in Dundrum , and the best rural pub I have seen lately is the Village in Magehera village a few minutes away (good grub and great Saturday night music) while Maginns in Castlewellan and Quinns in Newcastle are great music pubs for the younger crowd. Taxis dead cheap - Mourne scenery outstanding. Tollymore & Castlewellan Forest Parks and the Mourne Cost road - breathtaking. Just stay clear of Kilkeel. Take the mountain road via the Silent Valley & village of Attical to skirt round this hole and head on into Rostrevor - fabulous parks & walks - couple of good pubs.
Restaurant at Bennets pub in Warrenpoint has superb fine dining at reasonable price (Michelin awards - exceptional fresh food standard and best value around) and First and Last in same town is a real GAA pub with fantastice display of Down & Ulster memorabilia. Great choice of other eating houses & pubs in this town.
Definitley the hidden holiday area of Ireland.
You have to visit the Giants Causeway so that you can grouse forever more how underwhelming it is. A most disappointing place to visit.
Quote from: Canalman on November 18, 2008, 05:49:01 PM
You have to visit the Giants Causeway so that you can grouse forever more how underwhelming it is. A most disappointing place to visit.
As me da used to say: Not much to luk at but good to see.
Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on November 18, 2008, 05:22:45 PM
Do the Glens of Antrim Benny, but start at Glenarrife and work northwards ;) Mrs BC is a Glenswoman and any chance we get we head up to Cushendun for a bit of R & R. Good pubs, good food around the Glens and plenty to see.
Very sorry for your troubles BC.
Depends what you're after. Some lovely scenery around Greencastle, Gortin, Plumbridge and Cranagh.
wherever you decide to go shop around with the hotels, there all 3/4 empty at the minute, screaming for money and will do good deals if you make them an offer
Quote from: magickingdom on November 18, 2008, 06:54:57 PM
wherever you decide to go shop around with the hotels, there all 3/4 empty at the minute, screaming for money and will do good deals if you make them an offer
Aye just seen in the Irish News the Clarion in Sligo has 3 nights b&b and one evening meal for €99. I don't know how they do it.
The glens is pretty beautiful though when you live in it you take it for granted. As Brokencroosbar1 said start at Glenarrife, the hurling pitch has unreal scenery, perfect location...though the team are dirty animals ;)(only joking) Dont get go any further than Ballycastle & you'll not have to worry about the union jacks. Torr head is class
Go up round spelga damn, some crazy going ons there!! ;)
For Scenery,Restaurants,Pubs, People, the County of Down has no equal in Ulster, come on up bring wives, girlfriends, mistresses and grab a bargain
Quote from: 5 Sams on November 18, 2008, 04:39:04 PM
Did it once...the whole Glens of Antrim, Causeway coast thing.
Great scenery esp around the Glens but the thing that got to me was the wee villages you came across with the Union Jacks and the red, white and blue kerbstones....you just cant relax in the same as you can in Kerry or Connemara.
Just me.. is it?
That would be my feelings on the whole situation as well - hence the apprehension.
Quote from: bennydorano on November 18, 2008, 04:01:18 PM
Anyone here actually been on a a proper holiday in Northern Ireland? If there's no let up with the Euro I'll be giving down south a miss for the Isle of Man/Britain/NI. Any recommendations?
Never holidayed in the 6 counties either. IOM have never been. Over this side of the water can recommend the lake district, Devon and Cornwall, Yorkshire Dales. The lakes would be similar to the ring of Kerry for scenery and has lots of little villages dotted around with good pubs and inns. Great walking country if you are into that. Have been meaning to get to the highlands or scottish islands myself but havent got round to it, for the same driving time i could get welll down into france. Guy i work with hitting the arse of 50 goes to the Scottish western isles every year and only went abroad for the first time last year, doesn't even like the uisce.
Quotethe Slieve Donard in Newcastle, the best hotel in N. I by a dozen country miles
It's a nice hotel alright, but for pure comfort/luxury, I prefer 'The Bushmills Inn Hotel'. Mad expensive mind.
Bundoran on a warm july saturday night at 2am and you could as well be in Sanata Ponza or San Antonio.
Quote from: 5 Sams on November 18, 2008, 04:39:04 PM
Did it once...the whole Glens of Antrim, Causeway coast thing.
Great scenery esp around the Glens but the thing that got to me was the wee villages you came across with the Union Jacks and the red, white and blue kerbstones....you just cant relax in the same as you can in Kerry or Connemara.
Just me.. is it?
We did the same route in 93 and stopped off in a few towns with blue/white/red kerbstones in our southern reg cars. Dont think anyone batted an eyelid at us but I found it very strange in terms of athmosphere,
but great holiday, and beautiful scenery and crossing the carrick-a-reed bridge i nearly shit myself.
Quote from: under the bar on November 19, 2008, 10:36:46 AM
Bundoran on a warm july saturday night at 2am and you could as well be in Sanata Ponza or San Antonio.
If you like unconcious teenagers, chip papers dancing on the breeze and puddles of vomit - it does exactly what it says on the tin.
Quote from: ONeill on November 18, 2008, 06:18:42 PM
Depends what you're after. Some lovely scenery around Greencastle, Gortin, Plumbridge and Cranagh.
Would agree big time with the last two. Wonderful part of the country. The best thing about away matches against Glenelly.lol.
Cranagh is beautiful.
Wouldn't be too fussed on Greencastle or Gortin though.
Got the aul quote thing working it seems.
What's the feck wrong with Greencastle?
Quote from: ziggysego on November 27, 2008, 02:02:53 AM
What's the feck wrong with Greencastle?
They've a fierce false sense of hope up around them parts ;)
Quote from: Canalman on November 18, 2008, 05:49:01 PM
You have to visit the Giants Causeway so that you can grouse forever more how underwhelming it is. A most disappointing place to visit.
The Causeway itself often underwhelms, as you say. Dr. Johnson got it right when he described it as "Worth seeing, but not worth going to see!". That said, that will have been as much a reflection on the difficulty in getting there in his time, as it was on his destination.
Far too many people just drive up to the Causeway itself, take a couple of photos, buy some tat from the Tourist Shop, then drive off somewhere else. Whereas, if they took the opportunity to take a walk along even a couple of miles of the coastal path/immediate area, then they would see scenery which is at least the equal of anything in the entire British Isles (imo).
Moreover, as a drive in itself, the entire Coast Road pretty much from Belfast to Derry is absolutely stunning. I've done the equivalent along the Corniche on the French Riviera and the Big Sur in California - both world famous - and with one qualification*, Antrim is every bit as enjoyable. And that is only the Coast itself. If you take a detour up into some of the Glens, they are equally fabulous. (I'm not even from Co. Antrim, btw)
P.S. The Londonderry Arms Hotel in Carnlough is a nice wee spot to stay in a nice village. Also Cushendall and Cushendun - esp. whichever one is part-owned by the National Trust (always get them confused), since much of it was designed by Clough Williams Ellis, the guy behind Portmeiron in Wales (where The Prisoner was set).
* - The one qualification is the weather. It needs to be dry and bright for the best effect. Ideally it will also be windy - as it usually is! - to appreciate the full effect of the elements, as you look out over fabulous beaches, ruined castles, golf courses etc to Rathlin, Scotland and beyond.
If you are looking a relaxing holiday Benny, the Gaelteacht area in Donegal (not the north I know) is a geat spot. Great traditional Irish pubs in Dunlewey and the likes and then there is the scenery.
The Derry Arms does good food. It is Cushendun that is owned by the National Front, sorry the National Trust. Lovely and all as it is they are a shower of hounds who won't get off there fat lazy holes to do anything. Buildings like Glenmona House have so much potential but they are so inward looking they keep missing opportunities.