Northern Ireland: Division and Healing

Today we will travel from Dublin to Antrim Coast. En route, we will stop at Newgrange.The first visitors to Ireland made landfall here on the Antrim Coast over 9,000 years ago. Steeped in myth and legend, pounded by its own history, and graced with true grandeur, the Antrim Coast is one of the most dramatic coastlines in Ireland.

Visit Ireland's best-known prehistoric monument and one of the archaeological wonders of Western Europe. This amazing feat of engineering is 36ft high, 260ft in diameter and consists of 200,000 tons of stone, including a 6-ton capstone. After time to explore, we make a brief stop to see the Hill of Slane, where the ruins of a Franciscan monastery built in 1512 by Christopher Fleming are capped by the commanding bell tower of Saint Patrick's Church.

Visit Northern Ireland’s most popular attraction, the Giant’s Causeway. A World Heritage Site, this natural rock formation is often called the eighth wonder of the world. It consists of roughly 40,000 tightly packed basalt columns that extend miles along the coast. Scientists estimate that they were formed 60 or 70 million years ago by volcanic eruptions and cooling lava. Take time to explore the visitor's center to learn more about how the causeway was formed.

Visit a castle, which was once the main fort of the Irish MacDonnells, chiefs of Antrim. It’s the largest and most sophisticated castle in the North, consisting of a series of fortifications built on rocky outcrops extending into the sea, and was the power base of the north coast for 400 years. In 1639, part of the castle fell into the sea, taking some of the servants with it. The castle ruins incorporate two of the original Norman towers dating from 1305.

Take the exhilarating rope bridge to Carrick-a-Rede island and enjoy a truly clifftop experience. This 80ft deep and 60ft wide chasm is traversed by a rope bridge traditionally erected by salmon fishermen.

Also known as Derry, is one of the larger cities in Northern Ireland and the only remaining walled city on the Irish isle. With a history dating back to St. Columba in AD 546, it possesses many wonderful historic and heritage sites and plenty of opportunities to explore the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian architecture. We will continue to the the Derry area, our base for the next two nights. Breakfast and dinner will be included at the hotel.

This is the massive city Walls on the west bank of the River Foyle are the most striking and memorable. Built between 1614 and 1619, the original Walls are almost perfectly preserved today, making Derry one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe. Touring the walls affords some fantastic views of the city. Buildings, both old and new, can be seen inside and outside the walls.

We continue with a visit to the Cathedral of St. Columb, an excellent example of the so-called "Planter Gothic" style of architecture. We will explore the Cathedral itself and then visit the Chapter House, which contains many artifacts of the city, including the padlocks to the city gates.

Explore this place located at the city’s historic walls at Union Hall Place, it has permanent exhibitions at the museum which include 'The Story of Derry' exhibition and the An Armada Shipwreck – La Trinidad Valencera exhibition.

Situated just outside the city walls, the Bogside developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries as a center for Catholic workers. By the middle of the century, poverty and unemployment led to regular civil rights protests. In 1969 it was the side of the 3-day "Battle of Bogside" riots that eventually led to the neighborhood declaring itself "Free Derry," and the infamous Bloody Sunday. We begin at the Bloody Sunday Memorial, which commemorates the 14 citizens that were shot on January 30, 1972, and served as a turning point in the Troubles.

Learn the history of the Bogside, the civil rights movement, and the events of Bloody Sunday. Exhibits include photographs, newspaper reports, film clips, and the accounts of first-hand witnesses, including some of the original photographs which inspired the murals of the People's Gallery.

This afternoon we will take a tour of the People's Gallery, the series of political murals in Bogside, ending at the Bogside Artists' Studio, where we will see a presentation and have the opportunity to speak with the artists who created the murals.

We conclude our day with a drive to view the Hands Across the Divide Monument.

This is the largest town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is said to be one of the oldest established towns on the island. Dating to AD 792, the town grew quickly from the 17th-19th centuries. Although Omagh encountered some violence during The Troubles, it is a safe and beautiful town filled with historic sites and lovely architecture. While in Omagh, we will have time to explore the Old World area, as well as the Docklands, before continuing into Belfast (alternate activity for this day will be a school visit).

The capital of Northern Ireland often referred to as the “Big Smoke,” was the only city on the island to experience the full force of the Industrial Revolution. The beautiful city suffered greatly during The Troubles, but has since sustained a period of calmness and substantial growth. Today, Belfast remains a center for industry, as well as the arts, higher education and business and the city center has undergone considerable expansion and regeneration in recent years. In Belfast, the cost of public transport is included for all group sightseeing. Escorted by our Tour Director, we will be able to experience the city in the same manner as the local people. We will take a Walking Tour of Belfast which is a pleasingly walkable city laid out on a human scale. You can cross the city in an hour on foot or, as the locals say, "just take a wee dander" to admire exquisite examples of Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture, dominated by the magnificently domed City Hall.

This location offers panoramic views of Belfast Lough and the city and was completed in 1870. Once the family residence of the third marquis of Donegall, it was presented to the city of Belfast in 1934 and used for private functions. After extensive restoration, the castle reopened to the public in 1988; 2 years later its cellars were transformed into a Victorian arcade, including an antique and craft shop, a bar, and a bistro restaurant. The extensive grounds include a public park, which is ideal for walking, jogging, picnicking, and enjoying extraordinary views of the city.

Tonight we will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

This unique outdoor folk museum features a collection of 19th-century buildings, all saved from the bulldozer's path and moved intact from their original sites in various parts of Northern Ireland. Walk among centuries-old farmhouses, mills, and churches; climb to the terraces of houses; and peruse rural schools, a forge, a bank, a print shop and more. The transport museum's collection ranges from donkey carts to De Loreans and includes an exhibit on the Belfast-built Titanic.

Extended over nine galleries, with multiple dimensions to the exhibition, drawing together special effects, full scale reconstructions and innovative features to explore the Titanic story in a fresh and insightful way; from her conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through her construction and launch, to her infamous maiden voyage and catastrophic demise. The journey goes beyond the aftermath of the sinking, to the discovery of the wreck and continues into the present day with a live undersea exploration centre.

Take the opportunity to shop and explore at your leisure.

Tonight we will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

This Victorian villa contains a re-creation of a 1930's working-class terraced house, exhibitions detailing the history of the Shankhill district and the House Rule crisis, and the largest collection of Orange Order memorabilia in the world.

Explore Shankill Road, and learn more about the Protestant Unionists in Belfast.

View the Peace Line, a wall of steel, concrete, and chain that has divided the Protestant and Catholic communities for 40 years.

This afternoon we will explore Catholic Falls Road, which is lined with Republican murals on subjects ranging from the hunger strikers to police reform.

Their top floors were taken over by the military and made into a watchtower; and the Sinn Fein Headquarters, which is decorated with one of the most famous political murals in the city.

Visit where the 1981 hunger strikers were buried.

This evening, time permitting, we will return to Belfast to view a performance at the gorgeous Grand Opera House before returning to our hotel this evening.

Tonight we will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

Take the opportunity to shop and explore Belfast at your leisure today.

Tonight we will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

Our rewarding and enjoyable tour comes to an end as our Tour Director accompanies us to the airport on our final day.