Everything Ulster - Latest comments on Mournes UK's Top Tourist Target

Elaine McCombe [Visitor] in response to: Mournes UK's Top Tourist Target

Elaine McCombe [Visitor] — Mon, 15 May 2006 13:05:48 +0000

Hi read the wee article on the Mournes.
As an English person who has lived here for nearly 20 years I can readily concur that the Mournes are a wonderful place to be.
I have seen the 4 countries from the top of Donard (albeit a long time ago).
The weather here gives us the lush green colour, and when the sun comes out there's no better place in the world to be!!

beano [Member] in response to: Mournes UK's Top Tourist Target

beano [Member] — Fri, 12 May 2006 03:36:15 +0000

Sorry dude, I wasn't having a go at you over the Easter Tuesday thing (and didn't mean to sound patronising either - I know it's a Norn Iron thing).

Erm yeah I didn't realise you meant UVF flags (I should learn to pay more attention when I'm reading). In that case I retract what I said about them being "not so bad" when they're just up over the summer - the paramilitary ones are an abomination at all times.

"As an outsider, I didn't know how to make sense of this.
Just don't commit yourself to any views on politics when talking with the locals, easiest way to avoid an argument really - that and wearing the wrong sports top in the wrong place

graeme [Visitor] in response to: Mournes UK's Top Tourist Target

graeme [Visitor] — Fri, 12 May 2006 03:24:51 +0000

Beano - Easter Tuesday isn't a holiday over here and so it was new to me. I didn't intend to be patronising. The UVF flags in Kilkeel were bright and new, as were the kerbstones, and yes, it was intimidating, what with me being an outsider and all.
The point I was trying to make was that Castlewellan seemed
polarised against protestants and Kilkeel seemed polarised against catholics. As an outsider, I didn't know how to make sense of this.
Er, that's it.

beano [Member] in response to: Mournes UK's Top Tourist Target

beano [Member] — Fri, 12 May 2006 02:09:26 +0000

Graeme - the "Tuesday after Easter" even has a name in this strange little corner of the world: Easter Tuesday. Not the most original in the world I'll grant you. It's a public holiday which AFAIK some folk take instead of Good Friday (I suppose there could be some really lucky people who get both).

The flags aren't so bad when they're just up over the summer, but when they're left there discoloured and in tatters all year, along with tacky painted kerbstones it's depressing, as well as probably a little intimidating for outsiders.

Oh and as "Prod" (if an agnostic one), I can tell you the last place I want to be is somewhere anywhere with paramilitary murals - unfortunately they're hard to avoid. WIth any luck there'll be a few less of those and a few more of these in future

graeme [Visitor] in response to: Mournes UK's Top Tourist Target

graeme [Visitor] — Fri, 12 May 2006 01:57:52 +0000

Me and my family just had a fantastic time in a wee cottage at the foot of Slieve Croob. It was an entirley arbitrary choice and nothing to do with the Guardian; we were visiting my parents in Troon in Scotland, got the ferry to Larne, then stuck a pin in the map. Didn't realise we were part of a trend.
Didn't realise the Easter weekend in Ulster lasts for about a fortnight either - best advice, don't go to Belfast Zoo on the Tuesday after Easter. All of Northern Ireland is there.You will not get parked. And if you do, you will have to walk uphill for three miles, the Zoo will be hoaching, and you'll wish you'd stayed in Castlewellan. Unless you're a prod, in which case you'd probably prefer to be nowhere near Castlewellan. You might prefer to take a few pics of the red white and blue pavestones and UVF flags in Kilkeel, where I was desparate for a piss. My Welsh wife, bless her, said "Just go into a pub". No fucking way. I might be an ex-catholic but I still have a feeling the average Kilkeel pub regular could spot me from 40 miles. My wife, who as I said is Welsh and therefore used to bilingualism, couldn't understand the whole flag-flying sectarian thing. And I mean literally didn't understand. As we drove through Kilkeel she was open-mouthed and horrified.
Strangely, I felt much more relaxed in Warrenpoint. Surely not just because the local administration provided much nicer playgrounds for our two-year-old boy? Or because I was wondering who owned all the houses in Rostrevor?

dantheman [Visitor] in response to: Mournes UK's Top Tourist Target

dantheman [Visitor] — Mon, 08 May 2006 17:18:29 +0000

Make sure you dont look too far south or you'll see the grey skies of the evil republic!

Howard [Visitor] in response to: Mournes UK's Top Tourist Target

Howard [Visitor] — Sun, 07 May 2006 23:53:22 +0000

I have been up it maybe 10 times and never managed to see all four parts of the UK; sometimes it was so wet I could barely see more than a couple of metres!