11TH DAY-DUNLUCE CASTLE

October 8, 2018

On our way to the Giants Causeway, we stopped to see the ruins of Dunluce Castle. There has been a settlement here since The Iron Age, 1500 YA . The castle was built in 1305 AD by the Normans. In 1639, after the people had their breakfast, a large part of the castle fell into the sea. 

The rest stop was beautiful, puts our rest stops to shame. I had to show you the surrounding scenery, it was breathtaking.

The rest stop

The Castle

Surrounding views

Good looking couple!

I made this picture x large so you could make out the sheep just below the house to show you how close they are to the edge. Other places, we saw them right at the edge

11TH DAY-THE GAINTS CAUSEWAY

October 8, 2018

After leaving Derry, we traveled North to the Giants Causeway.  The Giants Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It stretches for 5 miles. A geological wonder with over 40,000 interlocking belt columns, the result of intense volcanic  and geological activity. It was formed over 60 million years ago and shows the cooling and shrinking of lava flows. As the surface of the lava cooled, it contracted and crystallized into the columns. As the rocks settled, the columns broke off into many stair like steps.

There are many  myths and legends concerning the Giants Causeway. It was the home  of a giant, Finn McCool.  He went to Scotland to spy on his rival, another giant. When he saw how much bigger they were, he ran back to his home. He told his wife to wrap him up in swaddling clothes like a baby. When the Scottish giant came over for a look see, he saw Finn dressed as a baby. He became petrified because he wondered how big the adults would be if the babies were that huge. He ran home over the interlocking columns and never bothered Fin again.

Another legend is that it is the earth offering God his choice of 37,000 cigarettes. Which story do you believe! One of them has to be true!

Walking to the Giants causeway

Views of the Giants Causeway

The birthday boy

I don't think I would be climbing up, looks kind of scary.  I climbed to the top, but in a much safer way

It was so windy that I wanted to show you this picture. A gust of wind came up and she had to try to straddle the rocks to stay upright.  She was one of the ladies on the bus tour. Sometimes you had to grab the rocks themselves to stop you from being blown over.  You had to be very careful because they were wet and slippery

Finn McCool's  foot

11TH DAY-HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENNY

October 8, 2108

This is a birthday that Denny will never forget, how many people get to spend their 78th birthday in Ireland?  I had told the guide, so I thought he would just wish him  a Happy Birthday.  He announced it on the bus and everyone sang Happy Birthday to him.  A very nice gesture.

After leaving Donegal, we headed to Derry, located in Northern Island.  Derry is where alot of the fighting went on between the Catholics and Protestants. In 1921, after a war with British rule, 26 of the 32 counties became the Irish Free State. The remaining 6 chose not to join them and stayed with Britain.   These were mostly Protestants,  the Unionists. . The Irish Free State were mostly Catholics, The Nationalists.  Within the 6 counties that stayed with Britain, were many Catholics that felt they had been sold down the river by the International border.  The catholic side formed the IRA, who wanted all of the 32 counties to be under the Irish Free State.  This is a very short synopsis of how the  fighting started.  

Derry even has 2 names, depending on whose side you are on. Protestants call it Londonderry. Catholics call it just Derry. 

There is only one official flag of Northern Island, the Union flag of the UK. But you also see the green, white and orange tricolor  flag used by the Nationalists and the Northern Irish flag, white with a red cross and red hand in its center.

Most of the British troops left in mid 2007. Today, you can feel comfortable wandering the streets on both sides

The fighting has stopped, but there are still lots of remnants to see of the conflict. There is still resentments, but no fighting breaking out. These pictures are a little blurry because I had to take them from the bus window while it was moving.

The murals were painted by 2 brothers, starting in 1994 to commemorate the events leading to Bloody Sunday, 40 years ago. The  the murals  are in  the Blogside area, which is where most of the fighting occurred. The 2 brothers grew up here and witnessed it all. There are 12 in all, but, I'm just showing you a few

THE HUNGAR STRIKE-occurred in 1981, 10 people died

BLOODY SUNDAY-group of men carrying a body
away from the ill fated march

Area meeting place for speakers to address the crowds

BERNADETTE

Berdette McAlisky, only 21 yrs old, an
outspoken civil rights leader, youngest elected member
of the British Parliament

 DEATH OF INNOCENCE- 14 yr old girl killed  by crossfire on this very spot in 1971.  At the time it was painted, the gun was in one piece. Also the butterfly just had the outline. When the peace came, it was repainted to show a broken gun and filled the butterfly in with colors to signify peace had come.

PEACE- showing a dove on the left and an oak leaf on the right,
made from one single ribbon

There was a wall built  in  1613-1618 to separate Protestants and Catholics. The first siege in 1688 lasted 105 days with 20,000 dead.  Amazing how long the fighting in one way or another  lasted through 1960's. We walked along the top of it. Notice the small holes to put their guns thru and still be protected.   It is 20' high and the walls are sometimes 20' thick.

The picture below shows the steps we used to get on top.

You can tell by the coloring that this was  Protestant
territory
The Nationalists would never step foot in this area or they
would be shot

Another different way to say things in Ireland. In the States, it would be RIGHT OF WAY

I just thought this was a beautiful paper cup. The black wavy lines were ridged