Reimagining Ireland: From the Troubles to Modern Peace

Belfast: Where History Meets Renaissance

We’re starting in Belfast because it was the source of much of the turmoil in Northern Ireland. Ireland was tumultuous until April 10, 1998. The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, signed that day, ended 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. Thanks to President Clinton, who facilitated the agreement, there is now peace. Northern Ireland split from the South, which is named the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is in the United Kingdom and is a delightful place to visit.

Buttery yellow daffodils were in full bloom in Belfast when my partner and I leapt at the chance to enjoy this peaceful era. We spent a week there in April with radiant sunshine every day and the temperature in the mid-50s and low 60s. We know how fortunate that is in this green, though rain-soaked, country.

Understanding the Past at City Hall

I strolled to Belfast’s City Hall to research the Troubles. Showcasing its Baroque Revival style, City Hall dominates Donegall Square. This civic headquarters of the City Council is open to the public 7 days a week and is free. It offers a self-guided journey from Belfast’s troubled past to present.

The Troubles were a struggle fought over the status of Northern Ireland. Unionists, who were mostly Ulster Protestants, wanted Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom. Irish nationalists, who were mostly Catholics, wanted Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland. It was not primarily a religious war. The solution that Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom today works on both sides of Ireland’s border.

Read More: Exploring the Scenic Sky Road in Western Ireland

Belfast’s Economic Revival

Belfast’s economy is returning to its once-thriving state. The Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast was once the world’s largest shipyard and is renowned for building the Titanic. Its two iconic yellow “Goliath”-type gantry cranes are easy-to-spot, permanent features of the yard. Belfast was also the linen-producing capital of the world. Inventions such as atom-splitting, fibrillators, and ejector seats are now driving the economy to become a prosperous city of inventors.

Belfast considers itself a “Renaissance city” with low crime. The city is demolishing the old linen factories and developing the areas into attractive neighborhoods. Pubs like Filly McNusty’s and Pug Uglies are thriving. Try those pubs for fun and good food. The friendly locals will wrap you in, especially if you sit at the bar. That makes you game for lively conversations and for being a potential dance partner.

Belfast’s Culinary Scene

Pub food is less expensive than in restaurants, though some good restaurants we tried are Home, Brown’s, Harlem, Fratelli’s, Robinson’s, Nu Delhi, and The Exchange. The Pavlova at The Exchange is a scrumptious meringue topped with salted caramel.

St. George’s Market opens on weekends, so we popped in. It’s in a repurposed mortuary, but its produce is very much alive. There are tweed caps for sale along with kilts and “wee giant meringues.” The meringues are flavored with fruit or chocolate and lean much more toward giant than wee.

The Titanic Museum: Triumph from Tragedy

The Titanic Museum is a classic case of turning away from troubles. It was built in Belfast, and four days into its maiden journey, the ship hit an iceberg and sank. That was in 1912. Nearly 100 years later, in May of 2009, Belfast launched a new, triumphant “ship,” the museum. It is an immersive experience.

A train takes visitors inside the belly of a “ship” to feel what it was like to have built the Titanic. Holograms appear as passengers, waiters, and butlers. Waves lap over the ship’s bow. You stand on a glass floor that is above a realistic rendering of the shipwreck. Then the train transports passengers to the site where the Titanic launched.

Coastal Wonders: Giant’s Causeway

Belfast made a lasting impression, but we wanted to learn more about the Troubles, so we headed to Derry, where the trials to convict the instigators of the uprisings took place.

Driving toward Derry along the Antrim Coastal Route delivered us to the Giant’s Causeway, where the guide apologized for our not being able to have an authentic experience. That authenticity was visitors normally observing this UNESCO site while drenched by rainfall. The cooling and shrinking of volcanic lava flows around 50 to 60 million years ago formed stacked columns. Most of the approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns are in the shape of hexagons. Smaller columns form tiles that create hexagonal shapes on the ground.

Emerald Landscapes and Scenic Railways

We glided through rolling fields connected by hedgerows. Regulations state that farmers must grow hedgerows rather than fences. I’m not sure what that does for agriculture, but it’s obvious what it does for the scenery. When the terrain wasn’t covered in bright, yellow gorse, it was sure to be a patchwork quilt of lush emerald meadows dotted with languidly grazing sheep.

Because we wanted to see more of the coastline, we boarded a train in Coleraine to view the stunning scenery along the Causeway Coast. The train delivered us to Derry, officially called Londonderry. It unfolds beyond its original fortification wall, which stands tall today. I walked along the top of the wall and marveled at the abundance of cannons still at the ready to defend the city.

Read More: Top 10 Things to Do in Ireland

Derry’s Path to Reconciliation

Derry’s Guildhall (free admission) chronicles the history of the Troubles, so it was a useful resource. Insurrection simmered in Derry after The Good Friday Agreement because the trial was underway for those accused of inciting riot. Derry’s Truth and Reconciliation process grappled with past grievances and agreed to release the insurgents. Derry marked this historic effort to ensure justice by erecting a Peace Bridge that spans the River Foyle.

We wandered to the town of Donegal to see the meticulously restored 500 year-old Donegal Castle. The castle was the stronghold of the O’Donnell clan, one of the most powerful–but not peaceful–Gaelic families in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th centuries. Clan warfare raged during those troubled times too. While in Donegal, we went to Triona, a shop where we watched a weaving demonstration of the handsome tweeds that the Irish wear.

Sacred Sites and Spiritual Heritage

Then it was to a couple of St. Patrick’s Cathedrals, a Protestant one in Armagh and an Anglican one in Dublin. The latter is the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland, built in 1220. Both were originally Catholic.

We ended our journey in Ireland by visiting Dublin, where parks are abundant. They include Fitzwilliam Square, Merrion Square, part of the Georgian Mile because Georgian townhouses surround it, and the public St. Stephen’s Park. The most stunning park is Phoenix Park, twice the size of New York’s Central Park. Ireland’s president and the U.S. ambassador have homes in the park. Perched on a hill is also a cross that commemorates both Pope John Paul and Pope Francis, who have offered mass there. Since the country is 90% Catholic, that recognition is significant.

Dublin’s Literary and Brewing Treasures

A must-see while in Dublin is the Old Library at Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, an illustrated manuscript of the Celtic gospels in Latin. Created in 800 AD, it’s famous for its stunning, intricate illustrations and elaborate ornamentation. Admission to the Book of Kells and the Old Library is approximately $27 per adult.

On a less literary level, you’ll also want to do the Guinness Storehouse tour, Ireland’s top international visitor attraction. You’ll walk up seven levels in the building while learning about the brewing techniques needed to pour the perfect pint. You’ll enjoy that pint on the top floor, where there is a panoramic view of Dublin.

Dublin’s Pub Culture and Dining Scene

The pubs are a cultural experience in Dublin as well as the ones mentioned in Belfast. The Brazen Head, established in 1198, is the oldest pub in Ireland. Temple Bar’s live music starts at 10:30 am and goes until midnight. We had burgers almost too big to bite at The Bridge.

Some of Dublin’s bistros and restaurants are noteworthy, Nancy Hand’s and Roly’s among them. The lamb pie at Roly’s features a crisp crust over savory lamb and vegetables. The common denominator among dining venues is a bounty of potatoes, mashed or French-fried.

Read More: Pub-Hopping in Ireland and England

Traditional Irish Cuisine

Ireland’s classic dish is lamb stew, often soaked in Guinness. Bacon and cabbage mash isn’t bad, and there is a great variety of fish–finnan haddie, hake, coley. You’ll always find fried tomatoes and black pudding on the breakfast menu. Animal blood mixes with cereal, fats, and spices to craft the pudding’s contents. Reward yourself for trying blood pudding with either bakewell–cake with infused fruit–or even better, sticky toffee pudding—moist, dense cake covered in a toffee sauce.

Bridges, Schools, and Lasting Divisions

There are more than 40 bridges on the River Liffey that divide Dublin. There is still some evidence of that divisiveness. Many of Northern Ireland’s Catholics and Protestants continue to live separate lives, and most of the children go to schools segregated by religion.

However, scars from the Troubles appear to be diminishing. Today, there is prosperity and a safer, somewhat more inclusive society. One step forward is that in school, students learn Gaelic, the universal Celtic language native to Ireland.

Remembering the Struggle for Independence

Unrest has been a major player in Ireland’s history well before the Troubles. Evidence of the 1916 Easter uprising remains in the bullet holes at Dublin’s post office. To put its troubles behind it, on the 50th anniversary of that uprising, the city created The Garden of Remembrance. It commemorates the lives of those who died during Ireland’s struggle to gain independence.

It’s been almost 30 years since the Good Friday Agreement, and pundits claim that within another 30 years, there will be a reunification of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland because acceptance of religions is evolving. Go to Ireland because you can learn from the country’s peaceful resolve, or go because it’s green and gorgeous, but go. Let the serenity of untroubled Ireland wash over you.

If You Go:

Belfast

• Learn: Dive into the history of the Troubles at City Hall
• Pubs: Filthy McNasty’s, Pug Uglies
• Where to Eat: Home, Brown’s, Harlem, Fratelli’s, Robinson’s, Nu Delhi, The Exchange
• What to See: Titanic Museum, St. George’s Market
• Belfast Tours & Excursions

Antrim Coastal Route

• Don’t Miss: The iconic Giant’s Causeway

Derry (Londonderry)

• Learn: Reflect on the Troubles at The Guildhall
• Londonderry Tours & Excursions

Donegal

• Visit: Historic Donegal Castle

Dublin

• Pubs: The Brazen Head, Temple Bar
• Where to Eat: Nancy Hands, Roly’s
• What to See:
  • St. Patrick’s Cathedral
  • Phoenix Park
  • The Book of Kells (Trinity College)
  • Guinness Storehouse
  • Dublin Tours & Excursions

Inspire your next adventure with our articles below:

• 7 Best Beaches in Northern Ireland
• Unveiling Belfast’s Rich History and Vibrant Culture

Author Bio: MMarcia McGreevy Lewis (she/her) lives in Seattle and is a retired feature writer for a Washington newspaper. She enjoys committing her adventures to writing for literary journals, magazines, travel sites, and books. Reach her on Facebook and Instagram/Threads, Twitter, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.

Want to discover more hidden gems and helpful travel tips? Join our free newsletter for the latest travel secrets and travel articles.

We are reader-supported and may earn a commission on purchases made through links in this article.