Day 9 & 10 – Remembrance Month Battle of the Somme – Centenary – 2016 click here
The Battle of the Somme - The 36th (Ulster) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, part of Lord Kitchener's New Army, formed in September 1914. Originally called the Ulster Division, it was made up of mainly members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, who formed thirteen additional battalions for three existing regiments: the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Royal Irish Rifles and the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. The division served from October 1915 on Western Front as a formation of the British Army during the Great War. The division's insignia was the Red Hand of Ulster. The Ulster Volunteers were a unionist militia founded in 1912 to block Home Rule for Ireland. In 1913 they organised themselves into the Ulster Volunteer Force to
Blog – Belfast movie-click here
Blog – Belfast movie-click here It is written and directed by Kenneth Branagh and loosely based on his own childhood in Northern Ireland. The story take place in 1969, in Belfast as the political troubles began in Northern Ireland. We see this world through the eyes of an innocent nine year old, Buddy, who lives with his Ma, Pa, older brother, and grandparents. While not a strict autobiography, Belfast touches on Branagh's experience growing up in Northern Ireland, as well as the real history of the 1969 Riots and the resulting period known as the ‘Troubles’ – they were far from that
Blog – ‘71’ movie-click here
Blog – ‘71’ movie-click here ‘71’ is set in Northern Ireland and as the name says is filmed around The Troubles in 1971. Although the story is ‘fictional’ it tells the story of a young British soldier who becomes separated from his unit during a riot. It sheds light on many aspects of the violence, through all the horror, there are still good people – the woman who tried to stop the soldiers from being beat up, the young boy who helps the soldier, the medic who sews the soldier up. Starring – Jack O’Connnell – Gary Hook Sean Harris
Blog – Morgan movie-click here
Blog – Morgan movie-click here Morgan is a 2016 sci-fi thriller film directed by Luke Scott. The movie is set in a corporate lab where scientists have created a synthetic life form, but things take a deadly turn when the experiment goes wrong. The film explores some very real moral dilemmas of the day – bioethics, artificial intelligence and the consequences of playing God. It made it to my ‘October list’ of Northern Irish/Irish movies due to the fact that is was partly filmed in Cairndhu House in County Antrim – our local Haunted House!!!! https://rootsnorthernireland.com/cairndhu-house-click-here/ https://www.tiktok.com/@maxinewatt433/video/7270715469684919557?lang=en https://www.tiktok.com/@maxinewatt433/video/7288488179961875718?lang=en ‘Triple G’
Blog – The Fall tv series-click here
Blog – The Fall tv show-click here Series ran for 3 Seasons Story revolves around finding a serial killer in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Stella Gibson, a Metropolitan Police Superintendent, is brought over to lead the investigation. Upon reviewing the case of a young lady strangled she believes that it is apparent a serial killer is on the loose. Stella is aided by the PSNI, but complications due to ‘political’ unrest hamper the investigation. The character of both Stella and the murderer are explored throughout the series. Starring – Jamie Dornan – Paul Spector Gillian Anderson – DSU Stella Gibson John
Hidden Village of Galboly!
Hidden Village of Galboly! The Hidden Village of Galboly…found it!! Drive along the Antrim Coast Road past the town of Larne and the coastal villages of Ballygally, Glenarm, and Carnlough until you pass the Car Park for Garron Point (Headland Landmark). Before you get to the village of Waterfoot you should see one of two laybys on the right-hand side of the road. Park at the first layby and on the other side of the road there is a steel gate which you can pass through and follow the stone/earthy trail up into the hills. There, you will come to
Ardclinis Church Ruins…and Fairy Tree!! (click here)
Ardclinis Church Ruins…and Fairy Tree! The Church ruins can easily be found on the A2, about 9 miles north of Glenarm, just drive slow or you may miss it! There is a small carpark and of course a ‘brown sign’!! The ‘brown sign’ is about 2 miles south of Waterfoot and will let you know you have arrived at the site of the Old Church of Ardclinis - which is the name of the Townland and also of the Civil Parish. The Church Ruins are a short distance away and may be visited due to the courtesy of the landowners,
Gleno Waterfalls (click here)
Gleno Waterfalls One of our ‘hidden treasures’, Glenoe is an amazing 30 foot waterfall nestling in The Glens of Antrim and owned by the National Trust. Address - Waterfall Rd, Gleno, Larne BT40 3LE A short walk from the car park leads you through trees to a viewing bridge, where you can see one of the most picturesque waterfalls in Northern Ireland. It is tucked into a small lush glen and is a wonder to behold. This short walk is well sign-posted and has a network of many steps and paths. The steps meander up and down the sides of
Cairndhu House (click here)
Cairndhu House Is reported to be the most haunted house in Northern Ireland, Cairndhu House is a must-visit for ghosthunters and fans of all things paranormal!! A once-grand mansion, located on the Antrim Coast in Larne, now stands falling to ruins and is apparently haunted. Cairndhu House was initially built as a decadent summer house for Mr Stewart Clark, a wealthy Scottish textile industrialist, in the mid-1870s. Clark and his wife, Annie a young girl from Larne, had a daughter Edith who went on to marry Sir Thomas Dixon of Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park in 1906 (a future