#dundrum

Bricriu Nemthenga ("poison-tongue") is a slippery figure from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, who was the hospitaller in charge of a great feasting hall (bruiden) in Dun Rudraige, modern day Dundrum. Known for tricking Ulsters's greatest warriors into competing against each other for the Champion's Portion, no feast at Bruiden Bricriu remains uneventful for long…

Patrick Kielty moderated the panel discussion during Belfast’s 4 November 2021 premiere at the ICC Waterfront in Belfast.

Lord Mayor Kate Nicholl, Lewis McAskie, Caitríona Balfe, Kenneth Branagh Jude Hill, Jamie Dornan, Ciaran Hinds, Patrick Kielty, Michele Devlin (Director, Belfast Film Festival) / Photo: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live

Patrick Kielty, Jude Hill, Lewis McAskie / Photo: Belfast Film Festival

Ireland/UK trip - July 2014

My Dream came true!

In July 2014, I took my dream trip to visit Ireland! A group of 4 of us spent 2 wonderful weeks exploring parts of Ireland before heading to Cardiff and London. I can certainly say I left my heart in Ireland - I’ve been dying to go back ever since I came home!

Now please sit back, get that scrolling finger ready, and enjoy this epic photoblog of my trip.

Arriving in Ireland - Deliriously excited at this stage (I hadn’t slept in god knows how long! At least 36 hours I think):

We stayed in the centre of Dublin. This is the view from our apartment where we based ourselves for our stay in Ireland:

Right across the River Liffey (over the Ha’Penny Bridge) from the famous Temple Bar District:

We stayed in the cream-coloured building. Just to the left was the Ha’Penny Bridge, and down to the right about half a block was O’Connell Street:

Our first morning in Dublin, on the Ha’Penny Bridge:

Dublin GPO - not only the chief office of the Irish Post Office, but it was the headquarters of the men and women who took part in the Easter Rising of April 1916. You can actually still see the marks left by the bullets in the columns:

St Stephen’s Green:

Trinity College and the Long Library:

Bubbles and Buskers on Grafton Street:

St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre:

Guinness Storehouse, Dublin:

Baby Tasting Guinnesses!:

The view of the Dublin Mountains from the Gravity Bar at the Guinness Storehouse:

Dublin Castle, which isn’t actually a castle, but a palace…:

Dundrum Shopping Centre (old buildings and pretty water fountain show):

Christ Church Cathedral: 

And we also went to the Arlington Hotel Trad Dinner Show:

...to be continued...

For more, see:

‘Dundrum Castle is usually supposed to have been erected for the Knights Templar by the renowned Sir John de Courcey, and that powerful body possessed it till the abolition of the order in the year 1313. It was afterwards granted to the Prior of Down, who held it, with a small manor adjoining, till the final suppression of religious orders; and the reversion of this house and manor, with the…

I never noticed this small restaurant before last Saturday [8 July 2023]. I was in a hurry so I did not have time to have a look at the menu but I will visit it within the next few weeks.

DUNDRUM AREA OF DUBLIN I never noticed this small restaurant before last Saturday [8 July 2023]. I was in a hurry so I did not have time to have a look at the menu but I will visit it within the next few weeks. I could be wrong but it is at an entrance to Glasson linear park which I have yet to explore in detail.