This feeble post includes photos from my first ever trip to Derry, and some photos of Belfast, taken during a trip in August 2025. Additionally, there are photos of Belfast and Dublin taken during a trip in April 2019.
It’s over 10 years since I last went to Cork and I can’t remember when I last went to Galway and Waterford and I’ve never been to Limerick – hopeless, really. As Aer Lingus now fly to Belfast and Dublin from Leeds-Bradford, there’s really no excuse…
I used to think that a city without roof people was a city bereft of soul but I’m now wondering if that shouldn’t be street art…
Derry
The city of Derry was renamed “Londonderry” by James I in 1613 and that is still its official name – however…
Riverside
The Peace Bridge is a pedestrian bridge over the River Foley linking the city with EbringtonThe bridge opened in June 2011…Looking towards Ebrington from the city – I stayed at the Ebrington Hotel, which is pretty swish…
The Walls
This is the only remaining completely walled city in Ireland and one of the finest examples of Walled Cities in Europe. The Walls were built during the period 1613-1618 as defences for early seventeenth century settlers from England and Scotland…The Walls, which are approximately 1.5km in circumference, form a walkway around the inner city and provide interesting views of the original town layout…There are four original gates: Shipquay Gate, Butcher Gate, Bishop’s Gate and Ferryquay Gate and three further gates were added later – New Gate, Castle Gate and Magazine Gate…An idiosyncratic display of 19th century canon…
The City
The Guildhall was built between 1887-90 but was then devastated by a fire in 1908 and reopened in 1912. It was badly damaged in 1972 by two bombs and reopened in 1977…The interior is quite gloomy – dark, shiny wood and lots of stained glass windows – the first of the stained glass windows was unveiled in 1912, and attributed to Sir Alfred Newton and designed by Campbell Brothers of Belfast. The windows were shattered during the 1972 bombing and restored during the rebuilding…Although O’Doherty Tower may look historical, it is not. It was built in the early 1990s during a campaign to refurbish the historical center of the city and stands next to the Magazine Gate, in the style of an Irish tower house. It was built to commemorate an original 17th century O’Doherty Tower. This original tower has now disappeared and would have stood more to the west, near the Castle Gate. It is home to the very good Tower Museum…
Houses of God
St Columb’s CathedralSt Augustine’sSt Eugene’s Catholic Cathedral
The Undertones came from Derry – for anyone interrested in current music from Derry there’s Cherym and Sister Ghost…This is awful – truly dreadful
Iarnród
The train journey between Belfast Grand Central and Derry (70 miles) takes 2hr12 – the express coach takes 1hr45. The journey becomes more scenic on leaving Coleraine as the track follows the River Bann and from Castlerock to Derry it follows the coast and then, finally, the River Foyle. Derry station is shown above…Trains between Belfast and Derry run every hour, which is quite impressive as the line is single track for most of the way (with passing places). It is the busiest single-track line in the UK carrying around 3 million passengers a year. There are plans to double track the line but, as usual in the UK, there’s no funding…
Belfast
Great Victoria Street
Wandering around Belfast. I’ve been here many times on business but this is my first visit as a tourist. The Europa Hotel – it’s days as Europe’s most bombed hotel well and truly over…There are grander Opera Houses but this is quite sweet – the Grand Opera House dates from 1895The Assembly Buildings Conference CentreJohn Bell House is now used as student accommodation but was originally built as the Municipal Technical Institute, opening in 1906…
The Crown on Great Victoria Street
The Crown – a magical place with a beautiful interior full of snugs, stained glass and colourful tiling – a real Victorian gem and it’s a miracle that it has survived…The CrownThe CrownThe Crown
City Hall:
Belfast City Hall is mighty impressiveBelfast City Hall
Churches
St Peter’s CathedralSt Peter’s Cathedral – built in the 1860s on land donated by Bernard Hughes, of Belfast, and designed by Fr Jeremiah Ryan Macaulay who had trained as an architect before he became a priest of this Diocese.. St Peter’s is built of Scrabo sandstone with Scottish sandstone dressings. Internally the Cathedral has few original furnishings, having undergone several refurbishments in 1950, 1986 and 2003-2005.St Peter’s Cathedral – colourful insideCarlisle Memorial Church undergoing renovationSt Mary’sHoly Cross ChurchSt Patrick’s ChurchSt Patrick’s ChurchSt Anne’s Cathedral built in 1899…St Anne’s Cathedral built in 1899…St Anne’s Cathedral built in 1899…
The Titanic Museum
The Titanic building and museumSamson and GoliathThe Titanic
Architectural Gems
Milking past glories – why not? – Belfast City Airport is already named after George Best…Glorious GothicClifton House built in 1774 as the Poor HouseThe Albert Memorial Clocktower was built between 1865-9 and is 43m high. It is sometimes described as Belfast’s answer to Pisa’s leaning tower, its tilt caused by the fact it is constructed on reclaimed land from the River Farset and weighs over 2,000 tonnes.Castle Buildings 1905 – reckoned to be Ireland’s finest Art Nouveau building (April 2019)August 2025 and cars are back on the street – along with roadworks – what happened to the nice pedestrian area…The Merchant Hotel – actually a posh restaurantThe Orange Hall dates from 1885Crumlin Road Courthouse – built between 1847-50 Crumlin Road GaolThe old Brookfield Mill – by 1900, Belfast was the leading producer of linen in the worldMillie: a memorial to the women who worked in the Belfast mills – they were known as “millies”
Street Art:
The Man in Seat 47:
Belfast to Dublin by train – a nice way to travel between the two cities – but the on-line ticket isn’t actually a ticket you have to get a ticket-ticket at Lanyon Place Station – which is daft According to Google maps the distance by rail is 140km (87 miles). This is done in a leisurely 2 hours 5 minutes, which equates to a Kazakhstan-like 68kph (42mph). In fairness, things speed up once you leave Dundalk whereupon the average speed zips up to about 96kph (60mph). This then equates to an average speed of 39kph (24mph) between Belfast and Dundalk. Having said that, the fastest train between Manchester Airport and Leeds takes 68 minutes to cover the 68km (42 miles), which is abysmal…Do not over-fill thy cup for verily it is a bumpy ride…DroghedaBelfast has a new main station, modestly called Grand Central Station. And why not? It isn’t completed yet but it will eventually become the main rail and bus hub for the city. The previous Central Station is now simply called Lanyon Place…Inside Grand Central Station
Dublin – April 2019
Arriving at Connolly Station, Dublin
Churches:
Christ Church Cathedral, DublinSt Patrick’s Cathedral, DublinSt Patrick’s Cathedral, DublinA devout soul sitting in the Cathedral Café waiting for her cappuccino… St Nicholas of Myra (Without)St Nicholas of Myra (Without) – without visitors, too, which is a shame as it is a little gemCuriously, there were 3 churches dedicated to St Nicholas of Myra (Without)St Augustine and John the BaptistSt Augustine and John the BaptistSt MichanThe Pro-Cathedral of St Mary – the “pro” seems to be just an affectionate name for the churchAbbey Presbyterian ChurchThe Black Church, Mountjoy Street – St Mary’s Chapel of EaseSt Audoens – Anglican on the left, Catholic on the right and both dedicated to Ouen, a 7th century bishop of Rouen and patron saint of Normandy…St Peter’s ChurchSt Teresa’s Carmelite ChurchSt Ann’s Church
The Liffey:
The River Liffey, DublinThe River Liffey, DublinThe Customs House – built in 1791 and is a masterpiece of European neoclassicism, apparently, and features carved keystones depicting the 14 heads of the river gods – one for every major river of Ireland…The Four Courts – the design was completed by James Gandon, who had designed the Customs House,. The Round Hall, 64ft in diameter, with inner and outer domes and a surround of Corinthian columns is undergoing restoration…
Dublin Castle:
Bedford Tower in Dublin CastleDublin Castle: Chapel Royal
The City:
A colourful pub in Temple BarThe old city hallA former windmill opposite the Guinness breweryBack in the mid-1990’s I was taken to O’Donoghue’s for ritual Guinness drinking on match days…The inside hasn’t changed, although it is strange to see it emptyA drop of the black stuff – sláinte!In 1979, Tesco bought an Irish chain of supermarkets called 3-Guys. I came over in 81/82 to work on the new store in Rathfarnham with the brief of working with the buyer to range and merchandise the BWS section. The buyer & his wife brought me to Captain America’s for dinner – can’t believe it is still open. Those first few visits to Dublin were magical – I discovered that the Irish drink red lemonade, amongst other things. I never did find out where they get their red lemons from… The Spire – 120m high
