Cead mile failte - we love Ireland!

[Cyril Haearn]

I do love Ireland although I have only been there once and never cycled there

I stayed in Newcastle County Down, Ulster, where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea. It is a perfect place for varied hillwalking

The Good Friday Agreement was a turning point, maybe comparable with the events of 1989. A great achievement by a half-forgotten Prime Minister

The people are gr8 too and Eire has a bright future as the only English-speaking country in Euroland

Why do you love Ireland?

[landsurfer]

You show a breathtaking lack of understanding of what was happening around you when you where in Newcastle ....
The GFA has been a disaster, why do you think there was yet another election only last week.
How would you feel if the Welsh Assembly was staffed by terrorists? ....
Hold my reins please .
oh, and where is "Eire" ? Is it in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland ?
And nice to know we are "gr8" .......................

[Cyril Haearn]

I understand that the GFA practically ended the Troubles

In many conflicts talks were held with terrorists, that was the only way to achieve peace. There are surely many talks that are kept secret too

There are plenty of people who used violence and later repented

Better endless elections and talks than violence

[Vantage]

How would you feel if the Welsh Assembly was staffed by terrorists?

You're not saying the Irish Assembly is are you?

[landsurfer]

Cyril Haearn;

Sorry that was rude of me ....
The "peace at any price" should have been a short term solution but it has now become an anchor around the necks of the people of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Apologies.
David

[landsurfer]

How would you feel if the Welsh Assembly was staffed by terrorists?

You're not saying the Irish Assembly is are you?

No, i don't have a working knowledge of the members of the Republic of Ireland's Assembly.

[landsurfer]

Im off to the Ards peninsula early April for 4 days of riding around the coast and visiting the sights by bike. Stopping at my sisters in Greyabbey.

[Cyril Haearn]

Cyril Haearn;

Sorry that was rude of me ....
The "peace at any price" should have been a short term solution but it has now become an anchor around the necks of the people of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Apologies.
David

I intended an easy-to-read thread but this is interesting and challenging, that is good too

What should have been the long-term solution? Was there a p l a n or did TB just want to get home for Easter?

What about the demographic? Catholics have more children..

I was in Newcastle in 2008 and was struck by the convergence, I had the feeling that the six counties and the 26 counties were growing together

Gwell yr heddwch gwaethaf na'r rhyfel goreu
The worst peace is better than the best war
Quoted by Roberts Penmaenmawr 1885

[PM999]

We are a pair of Brits who retired to Ireland a couple of years ago (after living on Crete, in Greece). We cycle maybe 2000 - 3000 miles a year, most of it in Ireland. Our home is County Leitrim, the least populated county in the country. The roads are a joy - friends compare the traffic density to that of the UK in the 50s or 60s, and drivers are generally courteous to cyclists. Away from the cities, the cycling is hassle - free, and a world away from "punishment passes", road rage etc.

Visit and cycle over here. Some options (and Achill Island is stunning): Mayo Greenway, Achill, Kingfisher. With a few off road miles, this one is doable on a CX or MTB (we did it on hybrids) Royal Canal

Paul

[landsurfer]

Bliar was carving out another photo opportunity.
He allowed the killers of the Police and Army to adopt a type of control they had never dreamed of.
Ulster, and all it was, good and bad, is now being edited out of history.
The terrorist commander of the IRA in Belfast was made the Minister of Education !!!!!
His deputy lived in the Republic of Ireland, sent her children to school there, and refused to speak to any of her staff in Northern Ireland in English !!!

I'm an Ulster Scot, a Protestant.
My family .. Orange Lodge and Royal Black.
I served with the RAF Regiment and with 72 SQN in Ulster on my 2 tours in the Province during the Long War.
I am possibly not the most objective person to discuss the "Troubles' with....lol

Lets get back to the good cycling stuff...

[landsurfer]

One of my favourite rides is along the coast of the southern edge of Belfast Lough and down the eastern edge of the Ards Peninsula.

Starting at Hollywood there is a tarmac path around the coast all the way to Bangor.
From Bangor there is a quiet urban route along the coast to Groomsport and a flat coast road, or cycle way, to Donaghadee and Ballywalter.
Some rolling small hills along the first section and stunning views at all parts.
About 25 miles and some of the best coast line in Ulster.

[gaz]

On my first solo tour, fond memories. Possibly not the Ireland you had in mind.

Wicklow Mountains, on honeymoon. Happy memories .

[Cyril Haearn]

We are a pair of Brits who retired to Ireland a couple of years ago (after living on Crete, in Greece). We cycle maybe 2000 - 3000 miles a year, most of it in Ireland. Our home is County Leitrim, the least populated county in the country. The roads are a joy - friends compare the traffic density to that of the UK in the 50s or 60s, a
..

Leitrim looks interesting. It once had a population of 150 000, five times as many as now. The largest town has fewer than 4000 inhabitants

I must go there sometime to see if it is almost as beautiful as Wales

[landsurfer]

We are a pair of Brits who retired to Ireland a couple of years ago (after living on Crete, in Greece). We cycle maybe 2000 - 3000 miles a year, most of it in Ireland. Our home is County Leitrim, the least populated county in the country. The roads are a joy - friends compare the traffic density to that of the UK in the 50s or 60s, a
..

Leitrim looks interesting. It once had a population of 150 000, five times as many as now. The largest town has fewer than 4000 inhabitants

That's because all the Polish went home when the Celtic Tiger had its whiskers singed ...

[pwa]

My Dad is Irish, and I first visited Eire (Republic or "The South") in the 1960s. His family come from a village with the hilarious name of Kilmacow, near Waterford, and when I first went there things were very basic. Some people still went round by horse and cart. Indeed, we hired a horse drawn caravan for a couple of weeks and travelled many miles that way. The roads were very quiet.

My feelings about the country (Eire) are a bit mixed, though. I've often taken a bike there and not used it much. I find the roads a bit hostile, with more aggressive driving than I am used to. And in the tourist hotspots like the Ring of Kerry there are too many coaches on twisty, narrow roads. Walking is not great either. There is no such thing as Public Rights of Way, so crossing farmland is more or less out of the question.

I have not been to "The North", but I am constantly glad that the Troubles are over. The peace process, of which the GFA was the first big milestone, has brought something approaching peace and sanity to Northern Ireland. There is still sectarianism up there, and while that remains the case there is always the potential for future conflict.

To understand the Troubles you have to get over the misconception that the only "bad guys" were the IRA, and that the Troubles were started by Republicans alone. The IRA did some terrible things, but their callousness came out of a history of subjugation. One of the early atrocities was Bloody Sunday, a stain on the history of the British Army. We all have lessons to learn from that era. When the Queen went to Dublin and expressed regret at the mistakes of the past I shed a tear of joy, because it seemed like we had well and truly emerged from a very dark tunnel.