Northern Ireland – Page 2 – Don't Stop Living

World Borders: Northern Ireland🔴✋️☘️ To Republic Of Ireland 🇮🇪 At Middletown Armagh To Monaghan

Posted on May 1, 2024May 1, 2024 by Jonny Blair

“Why do anything, when you can’t forget everything?” – Manic Street Preachers.

There are obviously loads of roads and border crossings between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and I’ve crossed that border about 100 times I’d say, given my list of visits to each country. It was commonplace as a kid on holidays in the 1980s – cars were always checked, trains had bombscares as Northern Ireland prepared for the 1990s of peace, agreements and a hopeful end of holy warfare. Remember, it is NOT a religious war in Northern Ireland. 😉

World Borders: Northern Ireland🔴✋️☘️ To Republic Of Ireland 🇮🇪 At Middletown Armagh To Monaghan

People who are religious and believe in God and the Bible, they don’t start wars, they don’t kill people, they are peaceful. So none of your bullshit of a “religious war”, the war is between extremists who want Ireland to be one country separate from any influence from Westminster and those who don’t. None of those people who are involved in the “war” or the “troubles” are properly religious and even if they go to church, they bullshat you with their lies.

“Until you’ve repaid the dreams you bought with your lies; you’ll be cast away – alone under stormy skies” – Noel Gallagher.

One day, I dream of Northern Ireland separating ourselves from both the “UK” and the “ROI”; a brace of entities that tried to screw up my life. I’m more Northern Irish than you’ll ever be. We’re still the smallest country to have 4 golf major winners, score the winner in 2 FA Cup finals and reach the quarter finals of the World Cup. There’s a beautiful togetherness in the people from the six counties of Northern Ireland that shits on the “war”. I shit on it too.

“Before you take my heart; reconsider” – Sharleen Spiteri.

So, just as COVID was coming onto planet earth in December 2019, I drove down to this border to check it out. The reason we went here was because we were visiting nearby Milford, which is the home of the penalty (pelanty/McCrum) kick, which has become famous around the world in the sport of football. Milford is only an 11 minute drive to the border. It’s 8.3 miles along gorgeous country roads.

I was with my two Polish friends Rafal and Kamil and this was my first ever time to cross this exact border, theirs too. It was obvious where the border is. You can tell easily. Here are a few ways to tell for those unsure…

In Northern Ireland, they use the Northern Irish Pound (Ulster Bank, George Best fivers, Northern Ireland)
In Republic of Ireland, they succumbed to the dreaded “Euro” too many moons ago (“God save the Irish Punt”)
In Northern Ireland, the road signs are darker green and written only in English
In Republic of Ireland, the road sign green is lighter and the language is firstly in Irish Gaelic, secondly in English
The accents of people change. Yes even close to the border.
In Northern Ireland the road signs are in miles.
In Republic of Ireland the road signs are in kilometres.
The Tayto is different. The Northern Irish Tayto is nicer! I shoudd know, I’m biased and I toured the Tayto Factory!
It feels and looks different to me. I know my homeland.

So, after passing through the village of Middletown in County Armagh, we are at the border. We get out of the car and walk across the bridge oveer the river from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland. There are no police checkpoints or border patrols anymore. But there used to be, back in the bad days.

We visit to the old border post and bridge crossing between Middletown, Armagh in Northern Ireland and Monaghan in Republic of Ireland. The border is an obvious one, across a bridge at a river. On this trip, I visited the old checkpoint building.

There’s a petrol station nearby and my mood becomes all rather grey, drab and dreary. It felt like a timewarp to the 1980s, partially. No time to dwell though, I still buzz off these journeys and was happy to see what’s left of that checkpoint. Here are a few more photos and videos.

Here is a video from the border:

Jonny Blair at Bushmills Distillery, Northern Ireland

Thirsty Thursdays: Touring the World’s Oldest Whiskey Distillery, Bushmills, Northern Ireland🔴✋️☘️

Posted on April 30, 2024May 31, 2024 by Jonny Blair

“I’ve been a wild rover for many a year and I’ve spent all my money on whiskey and beer” – The Pogues.

Northern Ireland is my home country and it has some hidden gems for the thirsty traveller. Not only does it boast Ireland’s Highest Pub (The Ponderosa on the Glenshane Pass) and Ireland’s Oldest Pub (Grace Neill’s in Donaghadee), it also contains the home of the penalty kick (yes that all began here – simpleton wannabes like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo don’t have a clue Milford is responsible for 20% of their goals). And the world’s oldest whiskey distillery! Here in wee Bushmills.

In the past, I covered some cool spots of Northern Ireland, I felt were more off the wall for you, such as:

Backpacking in Ballintoy
Backpacking in Newtownards
The People’s Republic of Podjistan (a bordering Micronation)
Backpacking in Narnia (a bordering Fantasy Kingdom)
Backpacking in Ballyhalbert
Staying at the (now closed) Royal Hotel in Bangor
Ireland’s Highest Pub, The Ponderosa!
Backpacking to Islandhill near Newtownards
Visiting the home of the McCrum at Milford
Guided Tour of Glentoran Belfast’s The Oval
Staying by the beach at Cairn Bay Lodge, Bangor
Tayto Castle in Tandragee
Backpacking in Portbraddon and Ireland’s Smallest Church

Backpacking in Derry, Doire, Londonderry, Stroke City, The Maiden City in Northern Ireland

Of more note and perhaps more significance, Northern Ireland is home to the world’s oldest Oldest Whiskey Distillery – Bushmills! I’m a big fan of Bushmills Whiskey, but not in large quantities – I’m a beer man deep down, occasionally prone to the odd drop of Bushmills. I took a trip to the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery to get a guided tour, find out the history and relax with a drop of Malt Whiskey. I was not disappointed, this is a tour worth doing!

Thirsty Thursdays: Touring the World’s Oldest Whiskey Distillery, Bushmills, Northern Ireland

Where to Stay in Bushmills?

I stayed in the town’s cool backpacker’s hostel, which is excellent and highly recommended! The Bushmills Backpacker’s Hostel.

My wifi desk all set up and ready for blogging in the Bushmills Hostel.

How do you get to the Bushmills Distillery?

I arrived by bus from the nearby town of Coleraine. Driving is the best option, but the bus routes are easy enough to follow. Bushmills is famous the world over.

Backpacking in Bushmills – Top 10 Sights.

Loving my time in Bushmills – with my Bushmills Soda.

Put some Bushmills whiskey in your porridge? Why Not – you’re in Northern Ireland!

Bushmills Northern Irish Whiskey here in Ronave, Ewa, Nauru!! — Bushmills Northern Irish Whiskey in Ronave, Ewa, Nauru!!

Touring the Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland can be a truly delightful experience for whiskey enthusiasts, not just due to the fact that this is the world’s oldest whiskey distillery but it’s a quiet wee town oozing in charm. Here’s a general guide on how to go about it:

Check Availability and Book in Advance: Start by checking the distillery’s website or contacting them directly to see if tours are available on your desired date. Booking in advance is often recommended, especially during peak tourist seasons.
Choose Your Tour Option: Bushmills Distillery typically offers several tour options, ranging from basic tours to more premium experiences. Decide which tour suits your preferences and budget. Options may include standard tours, premium tastings, or even behind-the-scenes tours.
Arrive on Time: Make sure to arrive at the distillery on time for your scheduled tour. It’s advisable to arrive a little early to allow time for parking and getting oriented.
Enjoy the Tour: Once your tour begins, enjoy learning about the history and production process of Bushmills whiskey. You’ll likely see the distillation process firsthand, from mashing and fermentation to distillation and aging.
Tasting Session: Most tours include a tasting session where you can sample a selection of Bushmills whiskeys. Listen carefully to the tasting notes provided by the guide and savor the unique flavors of each whiskey. You normally get a few whiskey shots included in the ticket price.
Explore the Visitor Center: After the tour, take some time to explore the visitor center. Here you’ll find exhibits on the history of Bushmills Distillery, as well as a gift shop where you can purchase souvenirs and bottles of whiskey to take home.
Responsible Drinking: Remember to drink responsibly during the tasting session and throughout your visit. If you’re driving, be sure to designate a sober driver or arrange alternative transportation.
Feedback and Follow-Up: After your tour, consider providing feedback to the distillery. Your comments can help them improve their tour experience for future visitors.

I have been to Bushmills a few times, here are a few photos from various visits. On the actual tour part itself, behind the scenes photos and videos are banned and I respected this, so these photos are from the outside of the Distillery, the shop and the bar. I’ve backpacked through the town’s sights as well of course and enjoyed Finn McCool’s bar of an evening.

I hope you get here and do the tour of Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland and gain a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship behind one of the world’s finest whiskeys. And of course, the oldest. I backpacked over 200 countries and often found Bushmills in them. I’ve even had a Bushmills in South Island, New Zealand and Pyongyang in North Korea. Good old Northern Ireland.

Here are the details of the Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland:

https://www.bushmills.eu/

[email protected]

Address:

2 Distillery Rd, Bushmills BT57 8XH, United Kingdom

Parent organizations: Proximo Spirits, Becle SAB de, Tequila Cuervo La Rojeña

Founded: 1784

Founder: Hugh Anderson

Here are a few of my videos from backpacking in Bushmills, Northern Ireland:

Backpacking in Northern Ireland🔴✋️☘️: Top 12 Sights in Blissful Ballyhalbert

Posted on April 30, 2024May 31, 2024 by Jonny Blair

“It’s all too beautiful” – Small Faces.

Backpacking in Northern Ireland: Top 12 Sights in Blissful Ballyhalbert

Despite what the tourist brochures and obvious tourists tell you, Northern Ireland’s charm lies not in Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway!! Nor in the Bushmills Distillery and the Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge! Even though I promoted them to the hilt myself many times and continue to tell you all to Visit Northern Ireland. I guess I was just trying, and sometimes failing to get you to visit my country. Nobody cared even when I backpacked Milford (home of the penalty kick) or idyllic Islandhill. Off the wheaten craic was too unbeaten for the masses.

Visiting The Home of the Penalty Kick: Milford, County Armagh, Northern Ireland and William McCrums Legacy

Backpacking in Northern Ireland: Touring Islandhill, Near Newtownards

Of course, I toured such obvious Northern Irish spots manys a time too, but my focus has always been on the mundane, the quirky and the sublime parts of the world. Life hits a wave of emotion on you when you do the same in your home town in Northern Ireland. As you’ll know, over hyped tourist spots don’t rock my world or make it go round.

Backpacking in Northern Ireland: Giant’s Causeway, fab but way too obvious

In the past, I covered some cool spots of Northern Ireland, I felt were more off the wall for you, such as:

Backpacking in Ballintoy
Backpacking in Newtownards
The People’s Republic of Podjistan (a bordering Micronation)
Backpacking in Narnia (a bordering Fantasy Kingdom)
Touring the world’s oldest Whiskey Distillery in Bushmills
Staying at the (now closed) Royal Hotel in Bangor
Ireland’s Highest Pub, The Ponderosa!
Backpacking to Islandhill near Newtownards
Visiting the home of the McCrum at Milford
Guided Tour of Glentoran Belfast’s The Oval
Staying by the beach at Cairn Bay Lodge, Bangor
Tayto Castle in Tandragee
Backpacking in Portbraddon and Ireland’s Smallest Church

Admiring Ireland’s Smallest Church in Portbraddon, Northern Ireland.

My latest adventure took me down the beautiful Ards Peninsula, to towns such as Greyabbey, Portavogie, Portaferry, Kearney, Kircubbin and Ballyhalbert. Ballyhalbert is a real gem of a village, which now houses over 1,000 people, 900 of them on the Facebook Page! It has many top sights and I could only really limit it to a top 10 as ever…my family also lived here for a brief time, although I was always based in Poland when they did that. Here’s a quick top 10.

1.The Ballyhalbert “E”!!!

The famous rusty “Ballyhalbert E” sits in the main harbour.

2.Burr Point – The Most Easterly Point of Ireland

The Ballyhalbert E actually stands for EAST. It is here where the most easterly point of Ireland is. It’s a short coastal walk past the rusty Ballyhalbert E down to Burr Point. A marker denotes this is where the furthest east part of Ireland is. So here you are in the furthest east part of Northern Ireland, and the whole of Ireland all in one!

3.RAF Airfield

“The RAF from Ulster shaddim dine” – Northern Ireland football fans chant.

Ballyhalbert became pivotal during World War II with the establishment of RAF Ballyhalbert, an airfield that served a crucial role in safeguarding Belfast and the eastern portion of Northern Ireland. Over its operational span, Ballyhalbert housed personnel from the RAF, Army, Navy, and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). In March 1960, the airfield transitioned into private hands, eventually transforming into a caravan park and exclusive residential community named Ballyhalbert Park Homes. And so yes – the RAF from Ulster DID actually shoot the Germans down (“shaddam dine”). Don’t believe the naysayers.

4.Ballyhalbert Beach

The beach is popular in summer but dog walkers are here daily, and so are the birds. It’s a great place for sunrise.

5.Ballyhalbert Pier

Most seaside towns on this part of Northern Ireland have a pier, such as Donaghadee, Portavogie, Bangor and indeed here at Ballyhalbert. Watch the fishermen go and the dog walkers aplenty.

6.Ballyhalbert Holiday Park

Caravan lovers migrate here in the summer months. It’s a Northern Irish thing. When the temperature hits 20 degrees Celsius, we think it’s tropical so out come the buckets and spades and cheap ciders. Some of these wacaday caravans even have Wi-Fi and Sky Sports. Streuth!

Caravan Parks on the coast at Ballyhalbert

7.Echlinville Distillery

On the edge of Ballyhalbert, you’ll find some huge surprises. Including this gem. Established in 2013, Echlinville Distillery achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first distillery in Ireland to receive a license in 125 years. With a straightforward mission to craft the highest quality whiskey imaginable, they uphold an unwavering commitment to excellence throughout the entire distillation process. Visitors can experience their exceptional whiskey firsthand by purchasing it directly at the distillery, and they also offer regular tours, providing insight into the captivating operations of an operational distillery. The actual address is – 62 Gransha Rd, Kircubbin, Newtownards BT22 1AJ, Northern Ireland.

8.Ballyhalbert Local Shop (Spar)

Ballyhalbert is rare in that there is no actual bar, cafe or restaurant here so the nearest it has to this are the kiosks by the local shop, owned and run as a SPAR, and the local shop itself which has a coffee machine, groceries and the village’s only ATM. Grab some Harp, soda bread, black pudding and whiskey jam.

9.Quarry Pits / Clay Pits (National Trust Dander)

On the edge of town are these quarry pits or clay pits which is actually now a nature reserve and dogs can be walked here. Dad and I had a dander here too.

10.Ballyhalbert Football Stadium

Not so much tongue in cheek rather that the only football pitch here is part of the village’s primary school. No big names came through the ransk yet, but nearby Bangor was home (at some point) for professional footballers Terry Neill, Billy Hamilton, Josh Magennis and Keith Gillespie. Even more impressive is that Balon D’Or and European Cup winner George Best lived nearby, in Portavogie. It might have helped that they have a pub there.

11.Church

The nearest church is Saint Andrew’s Church of Ireland but Ballyhalbert has a local gospel hall.

11.War Memorial

Ballyhalbert not only had the RAF base, but many fighters also hailed from this village. As such there is an impressive War Memorial dedicated to the local fighters and the Polish fighters who were based here also have their own war memorial.

12.Iraqi Tanks

Perhaps the most unlikely backpacking sight here are the tanks that came from Iraq. They are just past Ballyhalbert in the Northern Irish countryside at Glastry. I found out why they are here, a local secret – try and find them, and the reason 😉

Iraqi Tanks in Ballyhalbert, Northern Ireland

In this post, I tried to cover only the area classed as Ballyhalbert itself, though I threw in the Distillery. There are a few other churches on the edge of the village and a war memorial. It’s also not far from Kircubbin which houses a racetrack and Donaghadee which houses Ireland’s Oldest Pub – Grace Neill’s. Safe travels to little Ballyhalbert!

Here are some videos from my time backpacking in Ballyhalbert, Northern Ireland:

Reminiscing My Childhood: Cookies🍪And Cream🍶🤍Ice Cream🍦At Morelli’s, Portstewart, Northern Ireland💚🔴🤚☘️

Posted on August 30, 2023August 24, 2024 by Jonny Blair

“Just when I thought our chance had passed. You go and save the best for last” – Vanessa Williams.

August 2023 saw a return to the Port Hat-trick. This meant Portballintrae, Portrush and Portstewart. After catching crabs in rockpools at Portballintrae and riding the Ghost Train at Barry’s (Curry’s) in Portrush, I completed the Port hat-trick in Portstewart. This town happens to be the home of the best ice cream in Northern Ireland, for me, the world…

The Port Hat-trick. Portballintrae, Portrush, Portstewart

I have been visiting Portstewart since the 1980s and almost every time, since about 1984, I had an ice cream at Morelli’s. You see, Northern Irish people get fooled by this continental name – the fact it is called Morelli’s rather than “Wee Jimmy’s Ice Creams” already sells the place. It’s like it is really Italian gelato here. But actually, it is. It is the best! I’ve tried the others, and Morelli’s still wins.

Remember, Morelli’s opened in 1911. So it has survived 2 World Wars, the Northern Irish troubles, the Millennium and COVID.

Reminiscing My Childhood: Cookies And Cream Ice Cream At Morelli's, Portstewart, Northern Ireland — Reminiscing My Childhood: Cookies And Cream Ice Cream At Morelli’s, Portstewart, Northern Ireland

If you want a more wacaday example of this Northern Irish fascination for foreign names, look no further than football. When the likes of Tony Scappaticci, Collen Tlemo and the ill-fated Colin Ramirez all joined Northern Irish League teams, those exotic lads took all the headlines! Colin Ramirez was one of the worst footballers I have ever seen live. He joined Belfast Glentoran in the 1990s and everyone raved because of his name. He was shite. Later though, he found his place and became a fireman. He just wasn’t a professional footballer. Morelli’s with its Italian name, is actually the real deal. Here in 2023, for the first time in THREE decades, it was time for me to eat a Morelli’s again.

I couldn’t believe it was three decades ago, but it was. How the hell did I get so old??? The last time I was in Morelli’s was Summer 1998 whilst watching the Milk Cup in Portstewart and Castlerock with cousin Gary. Since then, the 2000s passed by, the 2010s passed by and three years into the 2020s, I finally returned to Portstewart for a Morelli’s. It was worth the wait.

I order the Cookies and Ice Cream option which comes in a huge glass and costs £9.25. Sure, the prices have rocketed in 3 decades. But I was happy to pay that, I support local businesses and I love Morelli’s. I was here with Mum, Dad, nephew George and brother Marko. We all enjoyed the Morelli’s after a super day doing the triangle, the hat-trick, the trilogy. Portstewart was the last of the Port Hat-trick.

At times, I felt like crying here as times hadn’t changed that much. The facade of Morelli’s was now green on turqoise. I don’t remember how it looked 30 years ago as I was too busy munching ice cream and being a teenager. I aged 3 decades, backpacked 200 countries since I last sat down here to devour my Morelli’s.

Dad parked the car on the seafrontal promenade and he did well to get a space. This was a busy day on Northern Ireland’s north coast. We do it well there – the coast is beautiful. It’s a beauty that never waned or seemed in any way less significant despite my wacaday journeys around this sphere since then. The ice cream didn’t last long of course. I was quick to neck its sensations.

The girl who served me in Morelli’s was young and happy and bouyant. I liked that. The spirit lives on here. The dream continues. Morelli’s, like Barry’s is a Northern Irish institution. I had a fan on a wooden stick atop my cookies and cream sundae. George enjoyed that as he munched his cone.

For your information, here is the menu and the huge selection here at Morelli’s, the best ice cream in the world.

And my choice was this one –

COOKIES AND CREAM – £9.25
Toffee & chocolate sauce, a chocolate brownie, crushed Oreo’s, chocolate, cookie and vanilla ice cream, more crushed Oreos, fresh cream and topped off with a whole cookie.

The Ulster sun beat down on us as we sat outside admiring the coast. A sentimental walk ensued whilst George found solace and childhood joy in the town’s seafront toy shops. The same shops I frequented when I was his age. Portstewart, has certainly not lost any charm, nor has it succumbed to the evil “westernisation” or “Americanisation” which destroyed many a city on my voyages. But not little Portstewart.

This is the best ice cream in the world and I am totally biased here. But you need to try it. You need to try Morelli’s. On this falling of my star on coastal Portstewart as the sun finally gave way to its moonic mate, more memories flooded my global mind as I realised quite how magical it all is here. This is a beautiful town. As we drove away from the streets, the promenade and the famous Morelli’s, again, my heart pumped a beat of sentimentality unsure and uncertain of the next time, I’d have that pleasure of slipping a subsequent Morelli’s into my mouth. You have to enjoy these moments. It’s far too easy to cry. Thanks, Morelli’s.

Here are the contact details for the legendary Morelli’s:

https://www.instagram.com/morellisportstewart/
https://www.facebook.com/morellisportstewart
https://www.morellisofportstewart.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/Morelli_1911

53-56 The Promenade
Portstewart,
Co.Londonderry,
BT55 7AF.

Phone: 028 7083 2150

OPENING HOURS

They are currently open every day Monday – Sunday from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Hot Food is Available Throughout the day until 5 p.m.

New Menu! They are now bringing you more options for our freshly made Crepes and Waffles. They now have 16 Luxury Toppings and 10 Luxury Sauces available for our Award-Winning Ice Cream!

Don’t forget they are also fully licensed! They have a new wine list and Italy’s Premier Beer, Peroni available on draft!

I didn’t make a video of my ice cream or Morelli’s, I guess I was caught in the moment and enjoying it too much.

But I did make a short video while walking along the seafrontal promenade, also quite emotional:

The Lost City: Playing Crazy Golf🏌️💀⛳At Yorkgate, Belfast, Northern Ireland🔴✋☘️

Posted on August 28, 2023November 20, 2024 by Jonny Blair

The Lost City: Playing Crazy Golf At Yorkgate, Belfast, Northern Ireland

“Chip Beck. Tiger Woods. Davis Love Hat-Trick” – Golfers Names.

I used to play golf a lot when I was younger. Dad had a set of clubs, I had a set of plastic clubs as a kid, and later I had some real golf balls and real clubs. I still watch most of the major golf tournaments. Golf is quite a dominant sport in Northern Ireland and so it should be – we have 4 World Champion Major Winners – Fred Daly, Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy and three of them are still playing. Rory McIlroy has actually won 3 of the 4 majors and only needs the famous green jacket of the US Masters to complete the foursome. There are many types of golf – real golf (18 holes, professional course), 9 hole course, pitch and putt, mini-golf and putting. But those are all too normal and real. I prefer the wacaday stuff. I prefer crazy golf, or as The Lost City call it, Adventure Golf. Crazy golf is where there are random obstacles in the way of the golf hole, yet hole in ones can still be had, please be aware that is NOT “mini-golf” – mini golf is just a miniature version of real golf, it ain’t crazy 😉

Crazy Golf At The Lost City in Yorkgate, Belfast

Arrival at The Lost City, Yorkgate, Belfast

I was here in Sumer 2023 with family – nephew George, brother Marko, Mum and Dad! Parking at Yorkgate is free as it’s a shopping mall and supermarket zone car park. It’s also easy to get to by bus, train and walk, but most people drive here, as we did. Once you park, head into the Yorkgate Shopping Centre and straight up the escalators/lifts to the upper floor and here you will see the rather dark and mystical entrance to The Lost City…

The Lost City, Yorkgate, Belfast, Northern Ireland

On arrival you get a score card, your clubs and balls. We had 5 different colour balls. There are two courses to choose from! The upper course is called The Sunken Skull Ridge and is harder. So we chose that one.

The Sunken Skull Ridge

The course is fun for all the family – from George aged 5, right through to Marko in his 30s and me in my 40s, plus my parents who are now in their 70s. Everyone likes crazy golf and it’s to play and a wee bit comeptitive. This course has loads of quirks to it. Every hole is different and for kids – beware of the alligators, the hippos, the parrots, the bugs and the anaconda. George was animal spotting while trying to secure a hole in one.

We meandered our way through the course, which takes just over an hour at regular pace. It’s a really fun course – we did the Sunken Skull Ridge this time, so if I play again, I would play the Explorer Falls course. This was the second time I played crazy golf with George – the first was in New Brighton, England.

Scorecard

After 18 holes, it was time to check the scores and find our winner. Here are the scores.

On the 18th hole, we all get a hole in one as when you hit the ball hard, it disappears down the hole and the ball is swallowed and it’s game over. Dad won, and he also got 4 hole in ones. Marko and I had 2 holes in ones and Mum and George got a hole in one each. It’s all a bit of fun, and great entertainment. There is also a bar and restaurant inside The Lost City, and it’s licensed for alcohol too which includes cocktails. There are other bars and restaurants in the Yorkgate Complexa anyway too.

Here are the details of The Lost City, Yorkgate, Belfast, Northern Ireland:

https://www.facebook.com/LostCityBelfast

Cityside Retail and Leisure Park, Yorkgate, 100-150 York Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

+44 28 9099 5118

[email protected]

lostcityadventuregolf.com/belfast

Here are some videos from our family day out playing Crazy Golf at The Lost City, Yorkgate, Belfast, Northern Ireland:

Reminiscing My Childhood: Ghost👻Train🚂At Barry’s (Curry’s) Portrush, Northern Ireland 🔴✋️☘️

Posted on August 28, 2023August 24, 2024 by Jonny Blair

“And I’ve been riding on a ghost train, where the cars, they scream and slam and I don’t know where I’ll be tonight but I’d always tell you where I am” – Mark Knopfler.

On my August 2023 return to Northern Ireland, I ticked off some of my childhood memories, 40 years later, to reminisce on the good times. I’ve done quite a lot of backpacking and sightseeing in Northern Ireland on my trips back, and haven’t written enough about it. On recent trips back, I’ve been to Warrenpoint, Dungannon, Milford, Derry, Ballintoy, Strangford, Portaferry and Rathlin Island (my first visit there was in 2022!). On this fire of my cannon, it was time for the Port Hat-trick, and that means Portballintrae, Portrush and Portstewart. To do this hat-trick strategically, start east and drive west. We started off by catching crabs at Portballintrae and finished the hat-trick by eating ice cream in Morelli’s, Portstewart. In the middle of all that, as the centre of the sandwich, of course we headed to Portrush, for BARRY’s!!!

“While we’re living, the dreams we have as children fade away” – Noel Gallagher.

What is Barry’s?

Barry’s is a Northern Irish institution. Everybody knows it. It’s legendary. Northern Irish people buzz off this kind of nationalistic stuff that actually brings us together rather than divides us. This is a fun place. Leave your politics and petrol bombs outside. We have more of these mental togetherness entities, too. Tayto is one. George Best is another. May McFetteridge is an arguable one. Soda bread for sure is one. When Northern Ireland finally gets our independence from the Republic of Ireland and the Untied Kingdom, I’ll go back to my homeland and use all these legendary nationalistic entities to amalgamate us as one. Barry’s is part of our history, a legacy lives on despite the death of Kristina Trufelli, the previous owner.

“United we stand; divided we fall” – Known Anonymous Statement.

Yes, but what is Barry’s?? What it is is it’s an amusements arcade, or a theme park or an entertainment complex. Everyone in the history of growing up in Northern Ireland has been there. And I mean everyone. Everyone has been to Barry’s. It’s the law.

The History in Short – Barry’s to Curry’s

Barry’s Amusements was an amusement park in Portrush in Northern Ireland. Located in the center of Portrush, County Antrim, on the north coast, it was founded in 1925. The owners offered it for sale in 2019 and it was reported sold for redevelopment in 2021. In April 2022, it reopened under lease as Curry’s Fun Park. Wikipedia

Address: 16 Eglinton St, Portrush BT56 8DX, United Kingdom

Opened: 1925

Closed: September 2019
Re-opened as Curry’s: April 2022

Owner: Trufelli family (former)

Province: Ulster

Water rides: 1

Slogan: “Let the fun begin”

Barry’s becomes Curry’s and magically re-opened in 2022

In 2019 when the place shut forever and saddened the nation. Not to be downheartened, somebody got the money together to save it. Barry’s was saved. The only snag was that it was renamed. So Barry’s is now Curry’s. It’s still works for me. This place oozes class. This time, to see the joy on the face of my nephew George was the highlight. George on arrival was very enthusiastic about riding on the Ghost Train. It’s on the right as you enter Barry’s. It was on the right in the 1980s. And it’s on the right now. It hasn’t changed in 40 years. Don’t pay in cash though…

Token Loyal

We are token loyal here. You swap your Northern Irish pounds for tokens and use the tokens on the rides. It makes things smoother and faster. We’re not credit card loyal here. Old school. Cash and tokens. Got to love it!

Ghost Train

I rode this ghost train in the 1980s, and in the 1990s. I was surprised that it was in the same place. The price was 2 tokens, which is £2, decent price in 2023. George was well up for it and ready to be scared!! He was loving it. There was a skeleton that popped up, a skull, a zombie, some odd noises, some darkness and as George noted “a scary Frankenstein popped out of a wardrobe at us!”. This is class, and it hasn’t changed in 40 years. Because it doesn’t need to.

“Don’t ever change” – Ian Brodie.

The Ghost Train at Barry’s (Curry’s) Portrush

Dodgems

There are two types of dodgems here. Solo one for kids and the bigger ones for one adult one child (generally). They are 3 tokens each. My Dad went on the dodgems with George and then George did the solo one.

Two P Machines

My Mum loves these and even though she always wins and would beat them everytime, my Mum always just uses the two ps up at the end anyway. On this trip, she shared them with us all. Endless hours of entertainment for Mum, and for all of us.

There are loads of other things to do at Barry’s – betting machines, hoopla, jumping horses, rollercoasters, waterslides etc. It’s a brilliant place of entertainment for all and gave us a togetherness in Northern Ireland during the troubles. The legend lives on and I love it!

Loving my return to Barry’s (Curry’s), Portrush, Northern Ireland

Here are the details on Barry’s (Curry’s):

https://www.facebook.com/WeloveBarrys/
https://www.facebook.com/Currysfunparkportrush

https://www.currysfunpark.com/

Portrush, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

[email protected]

Here are some videos I made during the return to Portrush:

Reminiscing My Childhood: Catching Crabs🦀 At Portballintrae Beach, Northern Ireland💚🔴🤚☘️

Posted on August 28, 2023August 24, 2024 by Jonny Blair

“I don’t know what tune that the orchestra played, but it went by me sickly and sentimental ” – Neil Finn.

It was yet another sentimental return to Portballintrae for me in August 2023. This calm Northern Irish seaside resort was a common place for my early travel days. With my family, we would spend countful colourful summers here in the 1980s and 1990s. Those were my first summer holidays. My exposure to backpacking and living my life out of a rucksack all came here on the streets, campsites and beaches of Northern Ireland’s North Antrim Coast. Of the towns and villages along this coast, I swallowed many, but Portballintrae was always something special. Back then, we’d have slept in tents, caravans and rented houses during either July or August. It was just whatever time Dad had off work. We had a family car since I was young. First a Datsun. Then a Mazda 626. We would fill the car with everything we’d need for a 5 to 7 day holiday. I don’t have many photos from those days but I will share some for the first time here.

From about 1981 until 1997, most of my summers would involve at least a few days on the North Antrim Coast. We would vary it between Portrush, Portstewart, Portballintrae, Coleraine, Limavady, Ballintoy, Carrick-a-Rede and Castlerock. I slept in them all (except Carrick-a-Rede), toured them all and have vivid memories of those days, if not photos and definitely not videos. As for Portballintrae, Portstewart and Portrush, I term them my Port Hattrick. This photo below, I believe was in Portrush…the first time I fed (or probably even saw) a horse.

Feeding a horse in Portrush in the 1980s

Here in Portballintrae, we used to sleep in either a tent or a caravan. It was usually in the wee caravan park down a lane. From there you could walk to the beach, the coast, the local shops and the village’s hotel brace. Namely, The Bayview Hotel and the Beach House Hotel. I preferred the Beach House Hotel as it had these futuristic slanted frontal windows and overlooked the beach. It just had better views and was more modern. Here in the photo below, is how it looked in the 1980s, when I hung around Portballintrae…

Beach House Hotel, Portballintrae (1980s)

The Bayview Hotel however was an old school pub style venue. Rooms there would be more carpetricy, homely and poky. There was a public bar as well as the restaurant and the hotel. Mum and Dad always liked the Bayview best. But actually we never actually stayed in those two hotels. We would be camping🏕 and on the trip we’d be treated to dinner one night in either The Beach House Hotel or The Bayview Hotel.

Here in August 2023, Mum and Dad had the idea to head up to the North Antrim Coast with my nephew George, their grandson. It was a great idea and I scheduled my work to somehow fit around it. So my Mum, Dad, brother Marko and nephew George all set off from Bangor, with Portballintrae our first stop of the “Port Hattrick “. Portballintrae here was the first stop, then we would head to Barry’s Amusement Arcades in Portrush, and finally to eat ice cream at the legendary Morelli’s in Portstewart! It was all so sentimental. We even reminisced on a day when we were in Portballintrae and Richard Branson fell into the sea off his hot air balloon or glider and we watched it from the bay! On arrival in Portballintrae here in 2023, when I saw the Bayview Hotel, I expected it to be as it had always been. Same place, same facade, same old same old. But it had changed – it is now modern…I felt sad. I felt old.

When we turned the corner onto the coastal road, it was clear that my once beloved Beach House Hotel’s slanted windows had also lost their fight with existence. They were gone. Banished to the dustbin of history. For sure, this made me sad and sentimental and I definitely felt very old. The Beach Hotel too, had gone completely – there wasn’t even a new Beach Hotel there. But two constants still remained. The car park and the beach.

Pristine and unchanged, as they were 30 years ago. I actually did visit Portballintrae once after the 1990s. It was in October 2008 on a trip home where Dad and I visited. On that trip, we didn’t go to the actual beach in Portballintrae as it was a windy wet day and we just had a short walk to savour the views. Here in 2023 was my first trip there in two decades and I found a short video of my 2008 trip.

Mum and Dad had packed the car as usual as they had done in the 1980s. We had sandwiches, crisps, water and coffee all prepared. George had his bucket and spade and a line for catching crabs. We had beach towels.

Reminiscing on the beach of Portballintrae,

The views from the path down to the beach.

Portballintrae Beach is actually called Salmon Rock Beach

Marko, George and I built a “sandcastle”. I dipped my feet in the ocean and Dad went to catch crabs whilst Marko and Mum relaxed on the rocks.

Dad is a crab catching expert, he likes to pass it down the generations and so he wanted to catch a crab for George. Dad finds a shell on the rocks, attaches it to the crab line and yings into into a rock pool. George and I wait and Dad, is the expert he always was. He catches a crab and we put it in the bucket. Dad asks why there is no water in the bucket, it’s because George wanted to pour it out, so we have to fill the bucket up. This is a big crab…

George gave his crab the name Jake, whilst his previous crab was Gregory and we released the crab back into the ocean, via the sand.

George and I loving the Portballintrae sunshine

As the crab crawled back to its kingdom, we packed up and walked away and I couldn’t help get sentimental. It was a very emotional visit for me. I felt really old as I had been here 40 years ago, the same place, the same spot, probably the same rockpool. Nothing had changed except I’d got so old. The kids here were so young and so vibrant. Maybe that was me 40 years ago. I hoped it was. As we packed up to go back to the car, after a few hours on the beach, I did ponder would it be another two decades before I return here. I didn’t want to think about it. This place held many memories for me and I won’t ever forget little Portballintrae. In its Northern Irish coastal innocent splendour, this is as good as travel and freedom ever gets. For you, for me, and for the crabs.

“All of your dreams are washed away in the sand” – Noel Gallagher.

Here are some videos of my sentimental return to the Northern Irish coastal seaside village of Portballintrae:

Backpacking In Northern Ireland: Visiting The UK's Two Closest Separate Football Clubs - Bangor FC and Bangor Amateurs FC

Backpacking In Northern Ireland🟥🤚☘️: Visiting The UK’s Two Closest Separate Football⚽Stadiums🏟️

Posted on January 23, 2023August 26, 2024 by Jonny Blair

“The day we went to Bangor” – Fiddler’s Dram.

Some people might glorify the fact that Notts County FC and Nottingham Forest FC in England are separated by a river – the Trent. Other people might glorify the fact that Dundee FC and Dundee United FC are separated by a road – Tannadice Street. And yes – those stadiums are very close and those clubs are professional football clubs all with great history and fame. Nottingham Forest won the European Cup in two different decades – 1979 and 1980. Dundee United played in two major European finals – in 1987. However, even though I have been to all four of those stadiums, they are NOT the closest two football stadiums in the UK for separate clubs and that’s because Bangor FC and Bangor Amateurs FC share a wall – they are separated merely by a wall or a fence. This makes them the closest (or at worst joint-closest) two separate football stadiums in the UK, possibly in Europe, possibly in the world…

Bangor Amateurs FC and Bangor FC

To set some important context here – my father used to play for Bangor Amateurs FC – I watched him play live many times growing up! I grew up in the city of Bangor in Northern Ireland, so this magical little fact of two clubs side by side is from my homecity and obviously I have been to both stadiums, and multiple times. However, the clubs rarely play each other and have not been in the same division before.

Bangor Amateurs FC

Bangor Amateurs FC – established 1969
Stadium – Ballyvarnet, Clandeboye Road, Bangor, Northern Ireland
Colours – Red and White
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/BangorAmsFC/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/BangorAmateurs
Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangor_Amateurs_F.C.
Current League – Northern Amateur Football League, Northern Irish Football League Pyramid, 1B (5th tier)
Glory Days Loyal – Won the Clarence Cup in 2003
Famous Former Players – Joe Blair

Bangor Amateurs are the smaller club of the two, their stadium is also smaller and their greatest achievement so far in the Amatuer Clarence Cup of 2003.

Bangor Amateurs FC at their home stadium, Ballyvarnet in 2022

Bangor Amateurs Early 1970s (my Dad Joe Blair is third from the left in the back row) — Bangor Amateurs FC Early 1970s (my Dad Joe Blair is third from the left in the back row)

Bangor FC

Bangor FC – established 1918
Stadium – Clandeboye Park, Clandeboye Road, Bangor, Northern Ireland (but they used to play at the Ballyholme Showgrounds)
Colours – Blue and Yellow
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/bangorfootballclub/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/bangorfc
Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangor_F.C.
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/bangorfc/
Website – https://www.bangorfc.com/
Current League – NIFL Premier Intermediate League, Northern Irish Football League Pyramid (3rd tier)
Glory Days Loyal – Won the Irish Cup and League Cup in 1993 and were three points off a domestic treble that season
Famous Former Players – George Best, Gerry Armstrong, Paul Byrne

Me supporting Glentoran away at Bangor FC

Visiting The UK’s Closest Two Football Stadiums

To visit, get yourself to the city of Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland. The nearest airport is George Best Belfast City Airport. The nearest train station is Bangor Central, but there is also a Bangor West and a Carnalea, both in the city. I recommend sleeping in the Cairn Bay Lodge now that The Royal Hotel and The Marine Court Hotel are closed. You can pub crawl the city too – some great bars there as well as a load of top backpacking sights from war memorials to murals to churches to Bangor Abbey. I’ll be writing more about my homecity in times to come, and don’t forget my first printed solo book was entitled “Don’t Look Back In Bangor“, a homage to the city I grew up in…