Northern Ireland Airfares

By Rachel Newcombe: Think of Northern Ireland and its notorious troubles and turbulent past may be the first thing that springs to mind. But the country, which is part of the United Kingdom, has much more to it than political and religious strife and offers plenty of interest for the avid traveller.

At only 5,500 square metres, it’s a relatively small country. The main cities, each of which is steeped in history, are Belfast, Derry and Armagh. Belfast is home to a third of Northern Ireland’s population and was once a thriving centre for industries such as shipbuilding, linen and rope-making. Derry is located on a hill, overlooking the Foyle estuary and has a series of 17th century walls which you can walk along. Armagh is regarded as the spiritual capital of the city and was where both the protestant and catholic bishops lived.

The country has good roads and public transport systems, so you can easily get around and see as much as possible. Remnants of its difficult past are still in evidence today, but they came to an end in 1998. You can explore its political background at the Belfast City Hall and its history in Ulster Museum.

You’ll also find a strong literary background here. Author C.S. Lewis was born in East Belfast, Seamus Heaney, Nobel Laureate, was born on a farm near Bellaghy and Oscar Wilde went to school in Enniskillen. For country lovers, there are green moors, mountains and coastlines offering plenty of places to walk or take part in outdoor activities. If it’s not a country you’ve thought of visiting before, why not give it a go? Go!