Post

An Upcoming Trip to Ireland (Patrick Mears, -Germany, 10/20/19 4:26 pm)

A very informative post from Timothy Ashby (20 October). Thank you, Tim.

Responding to John E's final comment, I will be in Northern Ireland and Dublin with my wife from October 30th to November 5th but not beforehand. Since "Brexit Day" could still be October 31st, this could be a watershed time for us to be on the island, especially in the North. The primary purpose of the trip is to allow Connie to interview a number of people who live and work along the Irish border concerning the impact of Brexit on their daily lives. She currently has some of these people lined up for interviews and is working on some others.

While in the North, we will visit the following cites and towns:

(i) Derry (or "Londonderry"), which is perhaps the initial flashpoint of The Troubles with the "Battle of the Bogside" in August, 1969.

(ii) Strabane in County Tyrone, which is the birthplace of the celebrated and extraordinarily creative Irish journalist, Brian O'Nolan, who unfortunately had "a sort of the tippling way." Strabane was also the location of many gun battles between the Irish Republican Army and the British army/Royal Ulster Constabulary during the Troubles.

(iii) Lifford in County Donegal (Republic of Ireland), which is just across the River Foyle from Strabane;

(iii) Omagh also in County Tyrone, which contains what I call a "mini-Greenfield Village"--the magnificent Ulster American Folk Park. Omagh is also where on August 15, 1998, just four months after the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was signed, the "Real Irish Republican Army" exploded a bomb in the town center, killing 29 people.

Our last few days will be spent in Dublin, where Connie should have the opportunity to interview some others on the impact of Brexit in the "Borderlands." I plan to compose some posts and send them to you, John, while we are traveling.

Ar aghaidh,

Pat

JE comments:  Bon voyage, Pat!  How is it I've never visited Ireland other than a stopover in Shannon many, many moons ago?  We do live on Donegal Drive, though, here on bonnie (and "Irishy") Loch Erin, County Lenawee, Michigan.

The Ulster American Folk Park tells the story of the waves of Irish emigrants to America.  It even features a full-scale ship replica.  Sounds like a splendid example of "Skansenry":

https://www.nmni.com/our-museums/ulster-american-folk-park/Home.aspx

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