Carlingford is currently the home of President Joe Biden's Irish cousins. Great people. Just 8…read moremiles away. Carlingford is also a fine example of a medieval walled town, built at the time of the Normans in the 12th century. The Vikings had invaded Ireland in the 9th Century and historical records establish that they occupied Carlingford Lough. The name Carlingford is Scandinavian translating into 'Fjord of Carlinn'. The Normans arrived in Ireland in 1169 as allies of Irish King Dermot MacMurrough. By 1184 they had reached Carlingford. A Norman Knight, Sir John de Courcy claimed this part of Louth for himself. Sir John was a busy beggar. He arrived in Ireland in 1176 and by the time of his expulsion in 1204, he had conquered considerable territory, endowed religious establishments, built abbeys for the Benedictines (yes the monks that created champagne and benedictine), the Cistercians and he also built strongholds at Dundrum Castle in County Down and at Carrickfergus Castle in County Antrim. The very first historical reference to Carlingford dates to 1184 when Sir John gave the rights of the ferry at Carlingford to the Abbot of Downpatrick indicating that the harbour was in use as a ferry point. However, the town of Carlingford only developed after the castle known as King John's Castle was built. The castle today is a ruin, but it's still obvious what it was nearly a thousand years ago - a place of defence. As for its creator Sir John De Courcy, well he returned to Ireland, sailing across the Irish sea from the Isle of Man in July 1205 with Norse soldiers and a hundred boats. John and his army landed at Strangford and laid siege to Dundrum Castle in vain, because the defences he himself had made were too strong. King John then had John de Courcy imprisoned and he spent the rest of his life in poverty so the clerics he was so generous toward left him broke. He was subsequently released when he "crossed himself" to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. De Courcy died in obscurity just outside what is now Craigavon - I suppose anyone who dies there still departs in obscurity as the best thing about Craigavon, even a thousand years later, is still the road out of it.

As you drive into Carlingford King John's Castle sets the scene for the magnificent historical…read morevalue of this town. The views from the ledge are amazing and worth the bit of climbing to get up to it! Transports you back in time as you see all the way over to Warrenpoint and soak up the atmosphere from days gone by. Look out for the plaques dotted around to learn more!

Start by walking along the Promenade or Beach toward the Castle…read more Admire the broad view as it stretches and hugs the coastline. Step over to Fenella beach on the other side of the harbor and climb up a few rough steps to the pathway that circles the Castle. It's a very even path and there are great views of the ocean and rocks all around the Castle. You may even see a basking shark or the resident Dolphins. The pathway will take you round to the carpark and entrance. Now go inside, collect your audio thingy and scamper around the castle - but watch out for rabbit holes. The ruins are fantastic and there is not a bad view which ever way you turn. You will see the pathway below around the Castle. Doing inside and out with take about 1.5 hours. There are plenty of benches in the grounds for weary legs.

Next stop on our highlight tour of the Isle of Man, only an hour away from the capital Douglas, is…read morethe relaxed seaside town of Peel. One of the biggest draw cards to come here is Peel Castle. The proud remains of this stronghold dominate the harbour front and the view from the old castle walls is spectacular. The entrance to the vast grounds is through the old gatehouse. After paying 5 pounds at the ticket booth, you can explore the site on your own. An audio guide is included in the entrance fee and at various points you will find numbers that you can key into your device for a lot of interesting facts and figures. Luckily, the most famous resident of the castle Moddey Dhoo - the howling black ghost dog -was well behind bars and did not trouble the visitors, only a very friendly black cat showed up and was very keen to accompany people around the castle. So why should you come here? Well first of all, it is a great place to soak up the atmosphere, learn about the Viking heritage of the Manx island or about the early Christianization, but beside that it is also a great place to relax. We visited the castle on a bright sunny day and we walked around for nearly 2 hours sitting on the green grass, enjoying the views over the island and the Irish Sea, listening to our audio guides and chatting with other visitors. So, if you are into history and like ancient castles with a view, this place is a must on your Isle of Man tourist list.

It's beautiful in every way. A piece of engineering, a piece of Art and a piece of history. The…read morepaint job is immaculate, no disrepair here at all. I first tied to climb in 1974, made it to the second level and had to be brought down by a school dinner lady. Tried again yesterday 2025, made it to the second level again and was brought down by a kindly Scottish fella. Pablo climbed the spiral all the way to the top. Make sure someone is on the ground to get a picture of you because its one of the best photo ops in IOM. Gifts available at the ticket office. Walk on after to the Mine Exhibit, put on your helmet for a 30 yard walk into the mine, It was very wet inside so be prepared. This is a tourist attraction at its best.

The Great Laxey Wheel is one of the most quirky attractions you can find on the Isle of Man. On the…read moreone hand you are right - it is just a big (very big) water wheel - but honestly, even if you have seen it on pictures before you visit, you are still awed by the sheer sitze of this engineering feat of the Victorian Era. In a time when industrialization shifted from water power to steam power, a small band of engineers in the hills of Laxey resisted the changing times and started to build one of the biggest water wheels that the world had seen - and which is now the highest functioning water wheel in the world. But for what did they build it? The 22m high structure was built to pump water from the mines deep under the Snaefell Mountain and it did it for quite some time until it finally had to succumb to the bigger power - steam, and eventually the end of mining in this place. But the wheel was never dismanteled, and over the last years it was restored to old glory. So what can you see here beside of a f. big water wheel? The whole place is a Manx Heritage Sight and there is a lot information about the Wheel, the History and especially about the life of the Miners in that time. Everything is explained in great detail and especially the part about the miners is very interesting as you get deep insight into the life of miners, how dangerous the work was and what it meant to live without social security. Beside of this you can walk up to the top of the wheel and have splendid views over the surrounding area or you can explore a small mine shaft to get a better feeling what working conditions were like in this place. Yes, it is true that you can see the Wheel also from town without paying a penny for it - but the closer you get, the more impressive it is and with all the additional information and the view from the top it is well worth the money. So if you happen to be on the Isle of Man, you should make Laxey part of your itinary. The Wheel, the Snaefell Mountain Railway, the Electric Railway and an awesome tea shop give Laxey enough attractions to keep you occupied for a whole day!

It looks like a jewelry box but it's actually the Jaffe Memorial Fountain. Striking and brightly…read morecolorful it was originally erected in 1874 by Sir Otto Jaffe to honor his father, Daniel Jaffe. It was initially placed in Victoria Square but was later moved to the Botanic Gardens, where it remained until 2008 It is intricate and elegant, made of Portland stone with each of the smaller columns featuring a female figure that represents each of the four seasons. It stands at the Victoria Street entrance to the Victoria Square shopping center. The original yellow and white were apparently selected to reflect the aesthetic preferences of the Victorian era, as these were popular colors to symbolize purity and light and optimism. It is indeed a fountain but in September it was dry. I'm not sure if it is ever filled with water. [Review 1883 of 2024 - 866 in United Kingdom - 22905 overall]

I bet you've walked past this wee gem hundreds of times but never given it a second look, I'm right…read morearen't I? Well now it's time to be enlightened. This is the Jaffa Fountain, not named after everyone's favourite cake/biscuit but actually named after Belfast's first Lord Mayor Otto Jaffa. The fountain itself was actually built in 1879 and it was erected in its current location, but here's the strange part. As industrial and commercial Belfast grew it was moved out to Botanic Gardens - mature students might recognise it from those days. Once Victoria Square was commissioned the decision was made to bring the old fellow back to its rightful place. I for one am glad they did as I think it provides a welcome nod to Belfast's past in the centre of its current commercial renaissance.

Definitely more suited to children and teens. The videos felt old and tired and Manannon's voice…read moredreary. We were in an out in 30 mins. Good to do while waiting for Peel Castle to Open. The highlight was the Longboat that had sailed down a few years ago.

The second big Tourist Attraction in Peel is the House of Manannan. This large and detailed museum…read moreis the ideal place for a rainy day on the island - but even if the sun is shining, it is worth to come here and have a look at the very good exhibition. We came here on a sunny day and stayed much longer than intended because it was fun exploring the different rooms and stories behind the objects. The museum shows the history of the Isle of Man more or less in chronical order, but instead of using big boring signposts, the curator chose a more interesting approach. Each room depicts scenes from the life on the island. For example you can explore the interior of a Celtic roundhouse or a Viking longhouse, all with different scenes depicting everyday live. Some figures tell stories about how life was at this time and if you touch some of the exhibits there are short films about the history of the person linked to it. One of the most interesting exhibits is a real Viking ship. It was built in Norway and a crew of adventurous Norse and Manxmen sailed the ship down to the Isle of Man to commemorate the Millennium Year 1979 of the first Tynwald in 979. You can walk round the whole ship and read all about the 1500 mile journey and how the crew had to learn to live and think like real Vikings to brave the seas and overcome storms and even a capsize of the open boat. We really enjoyed our visit here and would recommend this place to anybody coming to the Isle of Man. You can learn so many new things about Celtic, Viking and Manx history and even have a lot of fun - perfect!

Helen's Tower is a local attraction and a bit of a Newtownards landmark. Situated way up high in…read morethe dark, vast, Clandeboye forest this tower is majestic and unfolds from the landscape looking almost ghostly. The walk up to Helen's tower starts out easy. Park at the corner on the main road (careful now!) and walk through the turn style onto the path. Simply follow your nose and you will come to a large green area, which quickly transforms into a very large pond with lots of ducks and swans - very pretty. If you keep walking for another while you will come to a crossroads and if you go right you will begin the uphill climb to the tower. The track isn't so clear from now on and you will need to stop every so often to put your head up in order to see the top of the tower and plan your path. The tower was commissioned by Lord Dufferin of Clandeboye , designed by Scottish architect William Burn and completed in October 1861. The tower was named in honour of Dufferin's mother, Helen Selina Blackwood, the Lady Dufferin. As I was writing this review my fiancé was yelling at me to mention THIEPVAL, so here goes - A close replica of Helen's Tower, the Ulster Tower, was built at Thiepval in 1921 to honour the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division who fell at the Battle of the Somme. A nice day out but you can't actually get into the tower itself and bring water; I was blooming knackered after the hike.

The Wikipedia entry for this place reads as follows -…read more "Helen's Tower lies in the woods of the Clandeboye Estate in Bangor, Northern Ireland. The tower was commissioned by Lord Dufferin of Clandeboye, designed by Scottish architect William Burn and completed in October 1861. The tower was named in honour of Dufferin's mother, Helen Selina Blackwood, the Lady Dufferin. A close replica of Helen's Tower, the Ulster Tower, was built at Thiepval in 1921 to honour the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division who fell at the Battle of the Somme. Clandeboye Estate was used for army training by the 36th (Ulster) Division during the First World War." This pretty much sums this place up, but it really is a nice wee walk and a nice way to spend a sunny afternoon. My lady loves these types of places and we have checked out Helen's Tower a couple of times and enjoyed it each time. A lovely part of North Down and well worth a look.

Kearney is a local treasure, within 3 miles of Portaferry lies the showpiece village of Kearney…read more This little village has been carefully restored to its former glory by the National Trust. The Trust owns and maintains the village that can only be described as perfect. It is a picturesque site that can boast coastal nature walks with views of the Isle of man, the Mourne Mountains and Scotland. The cottages have maintained their original character and The Trust provides a short Hostorical information briefing about Kearney. In the nineteenth century Kearney was a flourishing community, with fishing as the central occupation. Stories are told of a 'she-cruiser', crewed entirely by women, which set out to fish in the surrounding waters. Now Kearney is a place of beauty with outstanding wildlife on its shores. It has become a firm favourite with bird watchers with breeds such as Gannet, oystercatcher, rock pipit and shelduck all thriving on its shores. Kearney is the type of place that you could go and drift away from the hustle and bustle of life, it is a tranquil place for wildlife and people alike and the National Trust must be commended on its restoration of the Perfect Community. 5 stars!

When you live in Newtownards you will pass the building a million and one times but not really…read morenotice it - which is a real shame as this is a historical building and part of the history and heritage of Newtownards. These are the remains of a Dominican Priory founded in 1244. Hugh Montgomery established a newtown within the grounds of the old priory and this flourished and was used as a central area for the new market town. The restoration of the building began in 1609 by Montgomery and this can be seen within the building on a carved stone. The ruins of the old tower and part of this old building can still be seen. If you look closely you can see Montgomery's monogram ad some bible references etched into the stone. In 1988 part of the old door was restored by the Ulster Heritage Center and the door will be opened on request, it is worth a look as this is a fine example of our ulster-Scot heritage and was, at one time, a big tourist attraction.

As other reviewers have said The Priory is slap bang in the middle of Newtownards yet you could…read morepass it without even registering as an important part of our culture and heritage. Although the budget is tight down at the old Tourist board they could do with digging into their pockets and forking out for a few signs to properly promote this place. The reason I say this is that The Priory is actually a really interesting place, I did not realise the significance of this place until I paid it a long overdue visit. The Priory is an example of a Dominican (Black) Piory and is one of the only remaining examples in Northern Ireland. The Priory is worth a visit if only for the convenience of the place, whether you are a day-tripper or a local The priory will at very least give you an insight into the regions culture.

Exploris the Portaferry Aquarium is currently closed but that's not all there is to do in…read morePortaferry. On Saturday we took a day trip to Portaferry and we walked the Portaferry Trail along the harbour and past the historic Portaferry Castle. To be perfectly honest I didn't know this trail existed until we actually got to Portaferry (some promotion is needed). the trail is about 1.5 miles in total and it allows you to take in views of the breathtaking Strangford lough whilst also providing cultural and historical insights in to Portaferry town. This is an unmanned trail, you can pick up literature about the trail at the tourist information centre but apart from that you'e on your own. In all fairness the trail is well signposted with brass/bronze signs guiding the way. In terms of parking you can either park behind Exploris or near the ferry. There are no facilities on the tour, you'll have to find somewhere to grab refreshments in Portaferry town it's only a short walk so don't worry. This is a really nice scenic tour - perfect for a day trip. We brought the dog, although there's not much greenery for your four legged pals to enjoy so I suggest keeping them on the lead!

The monastery is a beautiful spot to wander and take in some history of Carlingford. Take a look…read moreat this 14th century gem on a bright day and you'll get lost under its' arches. What a lovely historical site.