Hi Ted, Go raibh maith agat (thank you) for sharing your trip, really enjoyed it. I traveled through some of the same spots many years ago so particularly enjoyed it. Slan go foill, Margaret >I am posting this as well to the Fermanagh group. If there are any >questions, feel free to email me. > >Northern Ireland > >The following is a summary of the 7 days that my wife and I spent in >Northern Ireland in May of 1999. It blends family history with the "tourist" >aspects. G.B.P. means British pounds. Lough is lake. > >As I had already been in Europe for some weeks first, we stayed in Belfast >for one night so my wife could get be accustomed to the time changes. The >following morning I spent a few hours in the Public Record Office of >Northern Ireland on Balmoral Avenue. I had previously used a professional >researcher to visit PRONI, so I wasn't really looking for any new >information, it was more curiousity as I had read much about it through the >newsgroups. The staff are very helpful. Since my family is from Fermanagh, I >purchased the excellent publication, "Guide to County Sources: Fermanagh" >for future reference. I then browsed through the various publications which >are available there, made a few photocopies, and left before lunch. There >is an excellent description on their website of what to expect, physical >layout, and records held. >We then purchased an excellent transportation pass for 7 days for 35 G.B.P. >which gave us unlimited use of the bus and train systems. We left in the >early afternoon on the Antrim coastal bus and was overwhelmed by the >beautiful seaside scenery for the next four hours along the eastern and >northern coastline until we arrived in Coleraine. We had about 5 minutes to >catch the train to Londonderry so did not linger. We spent the night in >"Derry", and had two more bus rides through Omagh in Tyrone, before arriving >at our prime destination of Enniskillen in County Fermanagh. The bus rides >on public transportation were wonderful, on time, and an opportunity to >mingle with the locals. We stayed in Enniskillen for three nights in one of >the nicest hotels anywhere. It's called the "Killyhevlin", and it's about a >mile from the town. The prices were reasonable from a U.K. standpoint, with >dinner and breakfast included in the mid week special. It's located right on >Lough Erne in a nice setting. The bus station in Enniskillen serves the >entire area. The next morning we headed to Lisnaskea, which is where my >ancestors are from. The townland is Drumhose, and thanks to some folks on >the "Northern Ireland and Fermanagh" groups, I was quickly able to find the >exact spot. They had recommended a map called the "Fermanagh Lakeland, >outdoor pursuits map and navigation guide, Upper Lough Erne" which is 2.5 >inches to the mile, and has many of the townlands listed in that area. I >picked it up at the Enniskillen tourist centre for about 5 G.B.P. Once in >Lisnaskea, I hired a taxi for an hour for 15 G.B.P. who took us in about 10 >minutes to Drumhose. The townland itself has a few older buildings on top of >a small hill, with three relatively new houses and barns. There was no >problem taking some pictures from one of the houses since as the owner of >the house was the sister of the taxi driver. I knew there would not be much >there to see but it was emotional nevertheless. I took many pictures, picked >up some stones to bring back, and headed to the nearest cemetary at >Agalaugher, which is well known in the area. We spent some time there as >it's very close to Drumhose and may be gravesite where some of my ancestors >may be buried. The stones are mainly old and faded, and I had already known >of all the names that were documented here as they had been transcribed >years ago. Mine are not included, but we enjoyed this old place. We then >headed back to Lisnaskea and spent some time at the Market Square which was >created in 1841, for trade purposes. >Later that day, back in Ennislkillen, we visted Ennilkillen Castle, where >they had some publications for sale. I couldn't believe my eyes when there >was a lovely book called, "Lisnaskea Conservation Area", which describes the >possible future of this area, but more importantly for me, describes the >history of the area. It had old maps, well written histories, and pictures. >It fills in some information that I got from the Ordnance Survey Memoirs for >the parishes of County Fermanagh, Volume 4 and was a highlight of the >genealogical part of this trip. >The next day we travelled along the Lough Erne to Belleck, where they make >wonderful pottery. The Lough is beautiful in itself, and the site of much >recreational boating and fishing. We took the bus route back to Enniskillen >around the opposite side of the lough, so we could see this lake from both >sides. >I visited Lisnaskea for a few hours the next day to see the local library. >The librarian was very helpful. Although they don't see a lot of visitors >here, they had a file with about 40 to 50 old references to Lisnaskea, >including maps, articles about local history, etc. I made some photocopies >of the articles on the workhouse which was established there in the 1830's, >and also found some useful information on Lisnaskea and how it was very >prominent in the area at one time. >We headed back to Belfast to take the Sunday afternoon city tour which takes >you through Belfast's history including the areas that have been in the news >over the past several years. It was excellent. > > > > >