Nigel's Photo Blog

Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland   Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland Tonight, I am posting information on of the most spectacular geological features in the British   Isles, namely the Giant’s Causeway on the north coast of Northern Ireland. This 3, 800 km2 site is Europe’s most extensive lava field and has achieved dual status of World Heritage Site ( UNESCO) and National Nature Reserve ( N.I. Government). The feature is a function of volcanic activity some 60 million years ago when the Atlantic   Ocean was being formed. It is believed there were three phases of basaltic lava flows separated by two periods of limited activity during which two red coloured strata were formed as a result of weathering and soil accumulation. The thousands of polygonal columns were formed as successive layers of lava cooled under pressure. The columns vary between 15-20 inches (38-51 cm) in diameter and up to 82 feet ( 25m) i...

  Red Bay Castle, Northern Ireland This evening, I am focusing on Red Bay Castle which is located on Northern Ireland’s Antrim Coast, near Waterfoot, which overlooks the Irish Sea towards Scotland.Location is about 30 miles NE of Antrim . This somewhat innocuous ruin belies a long and complicated history as summarised below, viz: The motte dates from the Anglo-Norman period of around the 12th century with the castle possibly built of wood. A new castle was built during the 13th century by two exiled Scotsmen, John and Walter Bisset. The surviving stonework represents the remains  of a castle built by Sir James McDonnell around 1561. McDonnell’s castle was burned to the ground by Shane O’Neill in 1565. Castle rebuilt by Sorley Boy McDonnell (1505-1590). Restored 1604 but destroyed by the forces of Oliver Cromwell in 1652. (Oliver Cromwell ruled the British Isles as Lord Protector from 1653 until his death in 1658.) Here is a video clip showing the castle in context of th...

  Dunseverick Castle, Causeway Coast , Northern Ireland This evening, I am focusing on the precariously positioned ruins of Dunseverick Castle which are located on Northern Ireland’s Antrim Coast, a few miles east of the Giant’s Causeway. Historically, Dunseverick was an important fortification in Ireland with Royal connections. A summary chronology is as follows: Has origins dating back to the 5th century and possibly earlier. Seat of Fergus Mor MacErc in 6th century. Held by O’Cahan family between 1000 AD and 1320 and again in the 16th century. Held by  McCain/ O’Kane until 1657. Destroyed by Cromwellian troops in 1650s. (Oliver Cromwell ruled the British Isles as Lord Protector from 1653 until his death in 1658.) All that remains today are the ruins of the Gatehouse. Some of the structure has succumbed to coastal erosion and collapsed into the sea. This site is close to the route of the Causeway Coastal Path. Dunseverick Castle

                                                        Antrim Town Centre This evening, I am reporting on Antrim in Northern Ireland. Antrim is a town and civil parish in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland . It is situated on the banks of the Six Mile Water (river) on the north shore of Lough Neagh. (Lough means lake.).  The town has a population of about 23,000.  It is the   county town   of County Antrim and was the administrative centre of   Antrim Borough Council . It is 22 miles (35 km) northwest of   Belfast   by   rail and 18 miles by road. The town impresses as prosperous with a wide range of shops, banks and churches.     ...

Introduction Northern Ireland is a compact region which offers landscapes, castles, geology, lakes, wildlife, film locations, a whiskey distillery, Irish culture, hiking trails, gardens and much more. Visitors at Giant's Causeway   Summary of Northern Ireland's history The Province of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, has a population of 1.8 million. Historically, Northern Ireland formed part of the Ui Neill territory. The Anglo-Normans arrived in 1169 and took control. During the 16th and 17th centuries Protestant settlers from England and Scotland were introduced and allocated land confiscated from locals. Ireland was partitioned in 1920 and 1922 leaving Northern Ireland (Ulster) within the U.K. In 1999 the Good Friday Agreement re-set the relationship between Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom. Following the 1999 settlement Northern Ireland has become a popular tourist destination and has much to offer in this respect. ...