We made it back; the return flight was okay. Full of the Ulster Hurling team so a bit boisterous and slightly strange, surrounded by beefy young men carrying these large wooden bat thingies. Aer Lingus have this process whereby, when you land they make you stay in your seat until the row in front/behind have collected their hand luggage and begun to exit. It’s fascinating, watching the passengers who, like me, aren’t used to this; they twitch and bounce, desperate to open the overhead, desperate to take their starter’s orders for the sprint… not… down the aisle. Passenger patience is not a thing, yet the Aer Lingus stewards did a good job, despite a couple of mavericks. I wonder if this is a post pandemic thing that applies generally or just another example of Irish fantasy.
I had plans to read on the flight; the weekend’s excesses had different ideas so I slept, waking up as the engine note changed to that awful screeching as it brakes and makes you pretty sure the whole engine housing will rip off any moment. It didn’t.
The weekend itself was excellent. On landing we took in Belfast and a couple of the Vet’s friends. Then we wandered around the botanic gardens and the Ulster museum. I even got to see this icon…
You need to be a fan of Derry Girls to appreciate this. It’s on display adjacent to the identity section on the Troubles and after. A proper hoot. This sets out the differences between Protestants and Catholics, as per the Derry teens – my favourite has to be ‘Protestants keep their toasters in cupboards’. It gives hope that they might now be at a point where humour can defuse tensions, even on a weekend of problematic elections.
From there, we’d hired a car to drive to our AirBnB at Killyleagh (pron: Killi-lay – I was corrected maybe ten times before it stuck).
That was Friday.
Saturday was wedding day. But that started at two in Finnebrogue (pron: Finni-bro) Woods so we pottered around Killyleagh in the rather unexpected, but none-the-less delightful sunshine. There’s a castle that looks like it’s dropped out of a Schloss catalogue, a delightful waterfront onto the sea lough and a fair few monuments and references to Sir Hans Sloane, born in Killyleagh and whose fame as a philanthropist and donator of goodies to start the British Museum is well-known. Perhaps the only tarnishing feature is a small plaque on the bottom of Sir Hans’ statue that tells us it was unveiled by Baron Killyleagh, one Duke of York. The man’s very ubiquity is most galling. I wonder how long that will survive.
Killyleagh was all round delightful, though the young man taking a piss against the door of the Spar grocer as we returned to our BnB after the wedding in the early hours of Sunday morning perhaps limited any fairytale element to our rose-tinted specs. And the wedding…?
It was all very enjoyable and in one sense we deserved a little breather. My fitbit decided differently, recording this…
…during Monday night. I know I like a good dream as much as the next writer, but seriously? I walked to Brighton and back? Too bizarre for words…
And let me end with a little limerick from our sponsors…
Dessie Dull from Little Snoring,
Was known for being deadly boring.
It became too much for Fanny Fun
Who blew him away with her father’s gun
And now he’s buried beneath the flooring.
TanGental 
Looks like a great trip and lovely wedding. Northern Ireland is a great place so beautiful and the people are fantastic!
Scenery and wedding looked amazing…. Did you drink that Guinness?
As an aside I love the Derry Girls it just great, love the blackboard and it’s all true!!! Hubby has to have the sub titles on as he can’t understand a word…
I can as clear as a bell. 💜💜💜
LikeLiked by 2 people
Funny that tuned ear thingy. I have no problem with the Derry Girls but give me a Southern drawl and I’m all ‘Eh? What?’
LikeLike
Yes I know what you mean, but do you mean southern Irish or American. I get on fine with all variations of Irish and Scottish but Cornish and Brummie those are my stumbling blocks. 🥺
LikeLiked by 1 person
American. Should have made that clear. Geordie for me. Can’t unpick Geordie.
LikeLike
Y. I. Man then do gan roond the hooded! It is not a foreign language it’s alien .
LikeLiked by 1 person
To me so true!
LikeLike
Lovely pics. It will be interesting to see what a change of government can do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love he blackboard – having been to a convent for 8 years and so on, it’s all true!
Is that 0% Guins or are you just holding it?
Looks lovely in the photos.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m minding it for Sam!
LikeLike
Hope you subliminally enjoyed the virtual trip to Brighton! Not quite as good as the Textiliste’s hour of swimming, though (🤣) !
LikeLiked by 1 person
No true. These bloody machines…
LikeLike
Ireland is just so beautiful and what a lovely day and setting for the wedding. I get the feeling that the plane flights were bearable and the days in Ireland made up for it. I, too, liked the toasters in the cupboard, and Catholic gravy is all bits! Not true – mine is smooth as buttercream.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read BISTO rather than bits!
LikeLiked by 2 people
My mother hated Bisto so I’ve never enjoyed the pleasure. Bits, though, I have confronted!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ah!!!!! Lumpy custard!
LikeLiked by 2 people
That has happened…
LikeLiked by 1 person
But you’re not an Irish Catholic! Who knows how they like their gravy! I survived flying so yes I think I’m now back on the pony.. and Ireland is beautiful and the wedding delightful
LikeLike
Love the butterfly tie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s cool isn’t it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Would be good on a bow tie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have never mastered that skill…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think it comes under the “Duties of a wife”. I shall now go into hiding!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heads down…
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful place and a wedding too. Could it get any better? I am happy you had such a great time, Geoff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not really it felt perfect. The only downside is I’m no sure where the next family wedding sits…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like there are still a few in the pipeline… hehe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A place on my bucket list! Thanks for the preview!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Go for it
LikeLike
Looks like a fun time (the date on the title said 2002 and so at first I thought I was coming to a flashback of 20 years ago)
love the wedding dress – well both the bride and groom seem to have very modern looks and that was nice to see what is “in” right now
(And all brides have a certain glow so I love the capture of her walking with partner) can feel the train of the gown drag and see her shoes and of course – see the glowing face –
Oh and the cupboards was good but my fav?
Catholics ❤️Mary
Protestants love soup!
Hahaha- true that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah thanks for the typo spot!! I’ll fix.
Yes the happy coule do have a glow don’t they.
And yes that board. I keep finding Jems.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊⭐️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hurling over the seas iwith air Lingus dragged up a different spark of memory for me. The Derry girls could be right as I too I keep my toaster in the cupboard. I do this because, I do not need tempting to drool at the thought of a hot buttered slab of freshly baked wholemeal rye than because I am protestant. Your weekend, it looks and sounds a fabulous shindig. So nice it is to see so many faces full of fun and the sun shining on all the beautiful people. Thank you for sharing it. Apart from the late night pisser, … without a pissoir so as to speak. Of course, it would be remis of me not make a nod to the castle, of course it was, who wouldn’t like a venue like that. P.S. rather rude your jaunt to Brighton, maybe the little people were as play.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it could have be a little leprechaunitis at work… not considered that!
LikeLike
😃🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never under estimate a little green man x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely picture record
LikeLiked by 1 person
It looks like the wedding was fabulous, Geoff. Loved the photos, and the blackboard was all true!
LikeLike