Day 13
We bid Portrush farewell this morning and headed towards Belfast.
This is the last full day of the tour and I'm not ready for it to end. I'd love one more week in Ireland to continue the wonderful trip we've had so far. I've decided that three weeks is the perfect length of trip for me. Our Best of Europe trip was 21 days and it was just right. I'm making a note that for future tours I need to add days before and/or after the tour to total out about 21 days.
The peace wall in Belfast
Our first stop was in Belfast. Apparently the situation is somewhat more volatile here than in Derry and Pat O. is more comfortable with us seeing most of the area from our coach.
We did stop at the "peace wall" which separates the Falls Road section, a predominantly working class, Catholic, nationalist neighborhood from the Shankill Road section which is mainly Protestant and unionist or loyalist.
We did get out and do a short walking tour of the Falls Road (Nationalist Catholic) section including Sinn Féin headquarters. Sinn Féin is the largest group in the Republican wing of Irish nationalism and is closely associated with the IRA.
Garden of Remembrance
Everywhere you looked were reminders of "The Troubles", like rusted latches under all the windows for when they needed to be shuttered. While on our walk we visited a "Garden of Remembrance" which is a memorial to the Irish Republican Army volunteers of O' Company, 2nd Battalion who gave their lives in the quest for Irish freedom.
Sir James then drove us to a more central section of Belfast where we all dispersed for lunch on our own. Robin and I, along with Susan and Kerry walked to a large farmer's market that Pat O. had described to us. The market had lots of interesting booths with foods and fish I'd never heard of. After touring the market the four of us ate lunch in a little pub around the corner.
After hooking back up with Sir James and his coach we once again crossed the border and were now back in the Republic of Ireland. Of course the lines on the road changed back.
Pat O. pointing out Bible stories on Muirdeach's Cross
Pat O. had one more "surprise" stop planned for us. About an hour before Dublin, Sir James pulled off the highway at Monasterboice. This was an especially serendipitous surprise for me as this was one of our planned stops on Day One when we rented the car and visited Brú na Bóinne.
The ruins at Monasterboice are of an early Christian monastic settlement founded in the late 5th century. On the site is a round tower and two 14th century churches. Monasterboice is best known however for Muirdeach's Cross, a 17 foot high monolith which is probably the finest high cross in Ireland.
Muirdeach's Cross is named for abbot Muiredach mac Domhnaill, who died in 923 and is carved in stories of both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
We arrived in Dublin and checked back into the same hotel we started at. It was nice being in familiar surroundings.
Our farewell dinner was tonight and Pat O. had picked a very nice restaurant called "Eden". After dinner Dorothy and Pat C. presented Pat O. and Sir James each with a small present as a token of our appreciation for an unforgettable tour. Pat O. turned the tables on us and surprised everyone by presenting each of us with a "valuable ancient Irish artifact" (a nice Irish key chain) and a scenic postcard with a handwritten note. Pat O. is a very thoughtful guy!! Pat O. also recited a very nice Irish toast that he had been taught by his father. I present it here.
May your purse always hold a coin or two
May the sun shine on your window pane
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain
May the hand of a friend be always near you
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you
Pat C. presenting Pat O. with our gift
It was no surprise throughout the trip that Kerry and I were always in competition for the best photographs. Susan and Kerry were among the first to get their surprises from Pat O. and when they read their postcards they immediately started to laugh. A little later, when I received mine, I read the postcard and started to laugh also. My postcard read "I know your pictures will be better than Kerry's". I'm sure you can guess what was on Kerry's. Pat O. is a funny guy too!
After dinner most of us, including Pat O. stopped for a final pint at the Old Stand Pub on the way back to the hotel. This was a bittersweet evening and nobody really wanted it to end. Pat O. had been the consummate guide, helping us to see Ireland through his eyes. We had experienced it together and that had created a bond. Tomorrow we would all go our separate ways. Hopefully, some of us will experience new adventures together in the future. At least we will be able hear about each other's future travels via email.
