On Monday morning (Sept. 11, 2024) we packed up and checked out of our Dublin Airbnb a little before 11:00. We took a taxi back to the airport and then got a shuttle to Budget Car Rental. We picked up our car a short while later and were on the road towards Belfast around noon.
While in Belfast, we met friends who live in the southwest of England and popped over to spend a few days with us and we visited the Titanic museum and took a Black Cab tour of Belfast to learn a little bit more about the Troubles.
Monasterboices High Crosses
Our check-in time in Belfast was not until 3:00 pm so we took a slight detour and visited Monasterboices High Crosses, which has the tallest Celtic cross in Ireland and remains of a round tower from a monastery dating from the sixth century. The cemetery and ruins at Monasterboice were just a short distance from the motorway and made for a nice late lunch stop. The site is definitely worth a visit as it contains several examples of well preserved Irish high crosses, including Muiredach’s High Cross is a high cross from the 10th or possibly 9th century. The ruins include a 28 meter, round tower which was built in 968 and damaged in a fire in 1098. It was used by the monks at the old abby as a lookout tower and to store food and church valuables. The door to round towers is often located high above ground level and is reached by a ladder that can be pulled up in the event of unwanted visitors.
Belfast
We arrived at our Belfast Airbnb just as Alan and Caroline were entering the flat. We unpacked, settled in a bit and ventured out for a few groceries. We then walked downtown to The Home restaurant for dinner and stopped by Queens University on the way home. The next morning we toured the Titanic museum with Allan and Caroline and then took a Black Cab tour to learn a bit about The Troubles. We had dinner in, which Allan cooked for us. He prepared a delicious roast chicken and potatoes that was one of the best meals we had on the trip.
