| Discover Ulster By Malcolm Rogers
Malcolm Rogers heads northwards on a road that is distinctly less
travelled.
You’ve heard about it, you’ve read about, you might quite possibly be
bored by the very mention of it on the news — but by now you should really
go along and experience it. Because Ulster is probably not how you imagine
it.
First up, a quick history lesson — where exactly is Ulster? It’s a term
which has been used and abused, but in fact is quite straightforward — it’s
the Six Counties which are currently under the jurisdiction of Britain,
plus Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal.
The ancient name was Ulaidh, even made mention of by the ancient Greek
map-maker Ptolemy, more than two thousand years ago — which puts the statelet
‘Northern Ireland’ (founded 1922) somewhat in context.
As we’re going to be discussing the afore-mentioned statelet, we have
to decide what we’re going to call the place: Northern Ireland, or the North
of Ireland, or Norn Iron, or the Six Counties, or merely the Province. All
the afore-mentioned are politically loaded, and everyone’s guard can drop.
You’ll even hear a Sinn Féin spokesperson refer to Northern Ireland the
odd time, and in the staunchly nationalist Andersonstown News their GAA
correspondent once referred to a Belfast team as “the best Ulster team to
represent Northern Ireland for years”, an idea so confusing that it makes
your head spin. Indeed many people avoid actually calling the place anything.
Seamus Mallon, the former Deputy First Minister, must be the only leader
anywhere in the world who managed to go five years without actually mentioning
the name of the place he ostensibly governed. So for the sake of argument,
we’ll henceforth use the term ‘the North’ for the counties of Antrim, Down,
Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and Armagh.
Now, that’s the tricky stuff out of the way — because, despite the odd
bank robbery the place is largely at peace. In fact it’s probably one of
the most tranquil places in Europe, and Belfast one of the safest places
in the world. Crime rates here are still way below that of Britain. A recent
UN report cites Northern Ireland as having the second lowest crime rate
in the developed world, with only Japan safer. And you may be sure the sleepy
counties of Monaghan and Cavan are no hotbeds of crime either, nor the windswept
tranquillity of Donegal.
But you have to use the word tranquil advisedly. Because here in Ulster
there’s some serious craic going on. Belfast’s oldest pub, Kelly’s Kitchen,
(just off Royal Avenue) lies at the very centre of matters, with the craic
normally at full throttle and beyond at the weekend. And you couldn’t visit
Belfast without visiting one of the most famous pubs in these islands —
the Crown Bar, Victoria Street. The Crown is without doubt one of the great
bars of the world, a gem of Victorian splendour.
However, suffice to say, that drinking establishments up North are not
hard to come by — from Derry to Downpatrick.
Donegal is likewise a byword for pubs and restaurants. Donegal, the home
of Daniel O’Donnell, Rory Gallagher, Bridie Gallagher, Clannad, Altan and
Enya is a byword for music pubs and ballad sessions.
But it’s not all boozing or clubbing — there’s plenty to do in the traditional
holiday pursuits. With world-renowned and celebrated natural features such
as the Giant’s Causeway, the Antrim Coast Road, the Fermanagh Lakes and
the Mountains of Mourne available, you’re not going to be short of sight-seeing
trips. Added to that there’s the full gambit of sports such as hill-walking,
cycling, horse-riding, angling plus all the water sports. You’ll certainly
have a chance to walk off those pounds the odd night on the tiles might
have produced.
One of the reasons that travellers continued going to Ulster right through
all the years of the Bother is — it’s a fairway to heaven. With more than
100 fist class golf courses spread throughout the country, this is a golfers’
paradise laying claim to no less than a half a dozen of the world’s best
links courses. Seaside links courses offer a unique brand of golf, harking
back to the game’s ancient roots, and the courses in the North are amongst
the most superb anywhere. A round up of la crème de la green would have
to include Ardglass, with its imposing position high on the cliffs, views
across to the Isle of Man and the Mountains of Mourne, and the oldest clubhouse
in the world — a former castle, dating back to the 14th century.
Castlerock is a handsome links course at the very north of the country,
lying by Benone Strand, and is said to have been built by God to get his
handicap down. The most famous courses in the North are the Royal Portrush
and Royal County Down — but a word of warning. If the name of the golf course
has a ‘Royal’ in it, expect to pay hefty green fees. Buncrana in Donegal
has stupendous views of the Atlantic, while the parkland course at Slieve
Russell in the middle of Cavan’s drumlin country is perfection itself.
Beyond the cities you’re immediately off the beaten track and into deep,
green countryside, with farms and villages linked by winding boreens lined
with thorn hedges.
It’s almost ironic that today this part of Ireland, the part where the
British influence is in theory at it’s strongest should in some ways be
the closest to old Ireland. Years of Troubles have kept the tourists away,
not just from the Six Counties but from the Three Counties as well — but
the peace dividend has seen them trickling back. Ulster has reached that
very enviable state — the tourist industry has been kick-started, but so
far the tourists haven’t begun to spoil the very thing they came in search
for.
You can still get tranquillity here, craic by the bucketload, Italian
restaurants that would put Tuscany to shame, Victorian pubs which know no
match anywhere else in the world, and scenery which brings a tear to the
eye. To dust down that excellent old cliché — if you’re looking for a holiday
with a difference, this is the place.
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