N. Ireland - August 6 - Derry/Londonderry

Nancy is a huge fan of the show - Derry Girls - so our Northern Ireland excursion had to include a day-trip to Derry. A two-hour train ride brought us into the heart of a lovely little town. Our self-guided tour started with the Derry Girl Mural…of course…and then on to St. Columba’s Cathderal, which was a very cool, small church. We had a wonderful chat with - Bryan - one of the volunteer hosts at the church and learned a bit about this history of Derry including the pride they still take for withstanding the Siege of Derry Apprentice Boys when 13 apprentice boys shut the gates to withstand a siege of more than 1,200 British Jacobite soldiers. After the church, we walked those very walls that had kept the British at bay a few hundred years ago. We spent some time wandering through the Derry Craft Village, and we had (or rather I had) some very tasty ice cream at a place called Joe Jackson’s. We made it back to Belfast in time for dinner and some more of the Fleadh. BTW - There were banners all over Belfast that said, “Come for the music, stay for the Craic!” Craic is pronounced “crack”, but it doesn’t refer to a white, powdery substance. It’s a term that essentially means “good times” or “fun” or “merriment” - like a craicing good times, I guess!