Crossing the Irish Sea

This little stretch of the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland became an important conduit to Ireland's history over the past 2,000 years.

This area was a region for trade that was even expanded to the Mediterranean Sea. Because the Romans did not penetrate Ireland, trade flourished without fear of their invasions. The Vikings did invade Ireland, however. The massive network of Ireland's rivers and streams made it perfect for the seafaring Vikings to establish settlements, which grew into towns and cities. The Vikings inter-married with the native Irish, which made the island a friendly and relatively peaceful place--until the 12th century, the source of all Ireland's struggles that would last well into the 21st century. 

These struggles began in 1170, about one hundred years after the Normans conquered England in 1066. The English began carve up Ireland to serve as gifts of land ownership to their loyal subjects. A patchwork of kingdoms emerged, and the Council of Kings was established. 

Rory O'Connor, the landless king of Lancaster, attended the wedding of O'Rourke, king of the Griffin Kingdom. At the banquet after the wedding ceremony, the eyes of Rory and the newly-wed wife of O'Rourke met and they instantly fell in love. They started a passionate love affair until one night the new bride climbed out of the castle window and ran off to England with Rory. O'Rourke was aware of what had happened, and he asked the English king to help him bring back his wife without success. 

Meanwhile, Rory wanted to earn the favor of the English king and regain the lands his father had lost in Ireland. He conquered several small kingdoms in Ireland, which he gave to the English king. For his reward, the king made Rory a member of the Irish aristocracy and gave him land. The English king also took control of Ireland. 

When the Vikings established settlements, they wanted to create towns and cities. They were never in the countryside. Two different cultures emerged as a result: the Anglo city people and the Gaelic rural people. Moreover, when the Irish crossed into England, their language changed from Gaelic to English. 

The Gaelic tribes never yielded to English rule or the language. When came the Protestant Reformation arrived, the towns and cities became Protestant while the people in the rural areas remained Catholic. Animosity between these two groups continued through the centuries until the 1919 when the home rule movement pressured England to grant Ireland independence. In 1922, the Republic of Ireland was established. Northern Ireland has remained a part of the United Kingdom, which also comprises England, Scotland, and Wales. 

 

Two societies emerged in Ireland: the rural Gaelic and the city people. (The zone buffering these two societies was called "the pale", which is the origin of the expression "going beyond the pale".) The landed gentry descended from the Gaelic kings. 

The 1700s and early 1800s was a very prosperous time for the Irish, and they had many modern amenities like gas lamps before most other countries did. Since the 1800s, Ireland has had the smallest of populations. When it joined the European Union in 1973, it became prosperous again and the fastest-growing country in Europe. Today, it welcomes immigrants, including the Ukrainians. The government is giving them work permits so they can get their lives back together. 

Two thirds of the drivers in Ireland don't have licenses to drive. They never took a test; they just picked up driving. 

Everyone here knows someone who knows someone.

 Sailing the Irish Sea

The most dramatic part of our journey across the Irish Sea was the ferry boat ride from Scotland to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The huge boat accommodated our bus, cars, campers, and semi-trucks. Amazing! Passengers went to the top two decks to relax, watch movies, take a coffee, or order a meal or snack.

                                             

I spent the first hour of our two-hour ride with Caroline, a woman from Perth, Australia. We sat at the front of the boat and enjoyed the smooth ride across the sea. Then we split up and toured the boat on our own. I met some jolly young people who worked in the cafeteria, and we took some photos.

The seating area and the brightly-colored stairway make travel comfortable. Directions to the decks is easy and color-coded. A playroom for kids sported a giant screen for writing messages.

 

Driving in Scotland to the Ferry Boat

The drive from our hotel in Glasgow to the ferry boat was interesting in that we not only made tracks, but we saw how people lived. Their houses are close together and their front yard consists of a parking lot (dirt, gravel, or pavement) and maybe a small garden or a patch of lawn. The houses were simple, one-story houses. Various renditions of this design were apparent in Ireland, Wales, and England as well.

We followed the western coast of Scotland, which would have been more interesting had the fog not blocked our vision. However, we passed through some small villages with a little history.  Many of these villages were founded by the Vikings and dotted with many castles.

 

Prestwick, for example,  is the only town in the UK Elvis ever set foot on. He was in the U.S. Army and his plane landed there for a brief layover.  

 

Robert Burns (1759-96) was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is one of the first to write in the Scottish language, however, he wrote his political commentaries in English.

We passed his birthplace in Alloway (just south of Ayr), a cottage that his father built. He was the oldest of seven children. There is a small museum there on him and his life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burns is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement. Celebration of his life and work became almost a national cult during the 19th and 20th centuries and a cultural icon in Scotland and Scots throughout the world. In 2009 he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a vote run by the Scottish television channel STV. He is seen to have been a major contributor to the Scottish identity.

 

Girvan has a reputation as the most miserable town in all of Scotland, according to a government survey. It was a fishing town that lost its industry through treaty arrangements with the formation of the European Union. Different countries could specialize in different industries. France, for example, specializes in farming. The Brits lost their fishing industry. Meanwhile, the Greeks and other European fishermen, came to the UK waters and fished out the seas.

Girvan also lost its place as a vacation resort once people realized that Spain had warm, sunny weather as opposed to Girvan's rainy weather. The town has been dying for years and it continues through massive unemployment.

 

Trump Golf Course stands right on the shore of the Firth of Clyde. The clubhouse is a big white structure. Even though no one on the bus reacted to this news, our guide informed us that the golf course has employed a lot of people who were once part of the fishing industry. Trump's mother comes from this area.

Ailsa Craig is an island in the Firth of Clyde that sticks out even in the fog. Its shape is like a current bun, but its really a volcanic plug. Ailsa Craig (meaning “Fairy Rock” in Gaelic) is a place of history, folklore and legend with “sea monsters, smugglers, prisoners, dragons, cannibals."

At one time Ailsa Craig was a haven for smugglers of silk, spirits, and tobacco in the deep caves of its western side. Evidence also suggests that the Romans were here as well as the Catholic Spaniards who sought to invade Protestant Scotland. A three-story castle was built in the 1400s to ward them off, the ruins of which can still be seen today. The best granite stones come from here, granite stones for the sport of curling. Winston Churchill plotted the D-Day landing on the island, and General Dwight D. Eisenhower was given the top floor of the castle in gratitude for his leadership during World War II. No one lives on the island these days, but people are allowed to visit it.

Russian War Memorial to the crews lost on Russian convoys during World War I.

 

 

 The Scottish Highlands

Big hills dominate the western coast of Scotland. The slopes are filled with little terraces. There are a lot of sheep (as there are everywhere we go on this tour) and hairy cows on green, green pastures. The houses and towns are built with rock. The brush hedges are orange-red at this time of year They grow in clumps like broccoli with green and yellow tops. Small streams of white water descends the hills and cliffs.

 

The hairy cows are called Highland Cattle. It is a hardy breed, able to withstand the intemperate conditions in the region. They are reared primarily for beef, and have been exported to several other countries.

 

 

The Scottish black-faced sheep are everywhere as well. They are bred principally for meat production. The wool is very coarse, with a fiber diameter of 28–38 μm and a staple length of about 250–350 mm. It is used for mattresses, for carpets, or to make tweed.

 

 

Resources

Andrew Speed, guide of CostSaver Travel Company

Robert Burns -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns#Alloway

Ailsa Craig -- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/scotland/ayrshire/the-scottish-island-you-never-thought-to-visit-but-really-should/ 

 

Scotland -- Stirling Castle

 

 

We were treated to a "Burns Supper", a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns (1759-96), the author of many Scottish poems. (These suppers are usually celebrated on the poet's birthday, January 25, but they can be celebrated at any time of the year, too.) The supper was modified for our group but below is a general outline of the way the supper is conducted.

Robert Burns (1759-96) was and still is a celebrated Scottish poet and lyricist. He is one of the first to write in the Scottish language, however, he wrote his political commentaries in English. Burns is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement. Recognition of his life and work became a national cult during the 19th and 20th centuries and he remains a cultural icon in Scotland and among Scots throughout the world. In 2009 he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a vote run by the Scottish television channel STV.  

The first Burns Supper was held in memoriam at Burns Cottage in Ayrshire by Burns's friends, on July 21, 1801, the fifth anniversary of his death. It has been celebrated ever since. Burns suppers may be formal or informal. Both typically include haggis (a traditional Scottish dish celebrated by Burns in Address to a Haggis), Scotch whisky, and the recitation of Burns's poetry.

A bagpiper generally greets the guests and serves as the host for the evening. We met ours at the statue of another great Scot, Robert the Bruce. Our host gave us a little history about Robert the Bruce before he led us to the supper--in the dark.

Robert I (1274-1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce, was King of Scots from 1306-1329. He was one of the most renowned warriors of his generation who eventually led Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against England. He fought successfully during his reign to regain Scotland's place as an independent kingdom. Today, he is revered in Scotland as a national hero. 

 

Once we were seated at our tables, our host said a few words of welcome and the reason for our gathering.

 

The supper starts with the soup course. Normally a Scottish soup, such as Scotch broth, potato soup, cullen skink, or cock-a-leekie, is served.

 

 

 

 

The next course was a ceremonial "bringing in of the haggis", similar to the photos below. A poem by Robert Burns about the haggis is read (see below).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Haggis is a savory pudding containing sheep's pluck (heart, liver, and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and cooked while traditionally encased in the animal's stomach.

Although the name "hagws" or "hagese" was first recorded in England c. 1430, the dish is considered traditionally of Scottish origin. It is even the national dish, as a result of Scots poet Robert Burns' poem "Address to a Haggis" of 1786.  

Nice seeing your honest, chubby face,

Great chieftain of the sausage race!
Above them all you take your place,
Belly, tripe, or links:
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm.

The groaning platter there you fill,
Your buttocks like a distant hill,
Your pin would help to mend a mill
In time of need,
While through your pores the dews distill
Like amber bead.  

His knife see rustic Labour sharpen,
And cut you up with practiced skill,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like any ditch;
And then, Oh what a glorious sight,
Warm-steaming, rich! 

When, spoon for spoon, they stretch and strive:
Devil take the hindmost, on they drive,
'Til all their well-swollen bellies soon
Are tight as drums;
Then old Master, most likely to burst,
'Thanks Be' hums.  

Is there one, that over his French ragout,
Or olio that would give pause to a sow,
Or fricassee that would make her spew
With perfect loathing,
Looks down with sneering, scornful view
On such a dinner? 

Poor devil! See him over his trash,
As feeble as a withered rush,
His spindly leg a good whip-lash,
His fist a nit:
Through bloody flood or field to dash,
Oh how unfit!  

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his sturdy fist a blade,
He'll make it whistle;
And legs and arms, and heads will cut,
Like tops of thistle. 

You Pow'rs, that make mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill of fare,
Old Scotland wants no watery ware
That slops in bowls:
But, if You wish her grateful prayer,
Give her a Haggis!

 At the line His knife see rustic Labour dicht, the speaker normally draws and sharpens a knife. At the line An' cut you up wi' ready slicht, he plunges it into the haggis and cuts it open from end to end. Then the host presents the haggis, as our host did below.

                                         

At the end of the poem, a whisky toast is proposed to the haggis, and the company sits down to the meal. The haggis is traditionally served with mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed swede turnip (neeps). We each received a small sample of the haggis on our plates. (Mine did not suit me as there was too much of a liver taste.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the meal is finished and its time for coffee, various speeches and toasts are given. Usually some Robert Burns poetry is recited or some aspect of his life is remembered. Our host played some songs on the bagpipes and explained how the instrument worked. 

                                                     

At the end, the host calls on one of the guests to give the vote of thanks, and finally everyone is asked to stand, join hands, and sing "Auld Lang Syne", a poem written by Robert Burns. 

We did not see either the inside or the outside of Stirling Castle because it was night time and we were in a rural area without much light. We had our meal in a restaurant down the hill from the castle. However, the Burns Supper was a delightful experience of Scottish culture and the food (except for the haggis) and entertainment were superb. It's part of what made Scotland fun and memorable.

For more information about Stirling Castle and its history, click here.

 

Resources

Stirling Castle -- https://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/stirling_castle.html

Robert the Bruce -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_the_Bruce

Haggis -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haggis

Burns Supper -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burns_supper#%22Address_to_a_Haggis%22

 

 

Scotland -- Edinburgh Castle

We spent a day in Edinburgh and found it to be an intriguing, vibrant city. One of the main attractions in the city is Edinburgh Castle, which is visible anywhere since it sits on top of a volcanic plug in the middle of the city.

Edinburgh Castle was built in the 12th century by King David I and served as a royal residence until 1633. By the 17th century it was used as a garrison and military barracks. It has been recognized as the national Scottish heritage place since the 19th century. As one of the most important strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle was involved in many historical conflicts from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century to the Jacobite rising of 1745. Research in 2014 indicates that the castle has been "the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world". 

The castle houses the Scottish regalia, known as the Honours of Scotland, and is the site of the Scottish National War Memorial and the National War Museum of Scotland. 

The castle entrance with posted guards. Below is a private bagpiper who plays for tourists in an area far from but leading up to the entrance.

 

 

 

Some other views of Edinburgh from the castle above it.

https://partyshopmaine.com/edinburg/why-are-bricks-in-edinburgh-black/

The castle's complex is a long, uphill journey of narrow streets and sharp turns.

Some decorative etching into a stone gate.

 

The castle was built on volcanic rock. These close-up show how rock and castle are joined.

 

The Great Hall was the chief place of state assembly in the castle. It measures 29 by 95 x 41 feet and is thought to have been completed in the early years of the 16th century under King James IV. It was converted into a barracks for Oliver Cromwell's troops in 1650 and in 1737 it was subdivided into three storeys to house 312 soldiers. It became a military hospital from 1790 until 1897 and then was restored in line with contemporary ideas of medieval architecture. The Great Hall is still occasionally used for ceremonial occasions.

 

 

 

 

Queen Elizabeth's presence is felt throughout the UK, including Edinburgh Castle.

 

 

 

 

 

Armor and Swords

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Margaret's Chapel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Margaret's Chapel is the oldest of all the buildings. It was built in the 12th-century by King David I (r.1124–1153) as a private chapel for the royal family. He dedicated it to his mother, Saint Margaret of Scotland, who died in the castle in 1093. It was used as a gunpowder store in the 16th century when the present roof was built and restored in 1851–1852.The chapel is still used for religious ceremonies, such as weddings.

 

Prisons of War

Hundreds of pirates and prisoners of war were once held in the vaults below Crown Square during the 1700s and 1800s. A re-creation of the prison illustrates the grim way of life the prisoners led in these cramped spaces.

The first prisoners were French privateers caught in 1758, soon after the Seven Years’ War began. Prisoners of war came from France, America, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Denmark and Poland. Most were sailors, many of them Americans fighting in the War of Independence. Caribbean pirates were also held. In 1720, 21 members of Black Bart’s crew were captured off Argyll. They had come to Scotland to retire. Instead, most were hanged.

Click here to see the short video produced by the Edinburgh Castle.

Scottish National War Memorial

The somber ambience of the Scottish National War Memorial was like most: sheer sadness over the loss of the young generation who came of age at a time they were obliged to give their lives in war. 

Over 147,000+ Scots died during the war (1914-19), which includes Scots who died in the trenches or at sea as well as nurses, about 500 munitions workers, the Merchant Navy, and many others.

The Memorial occupies a converted barrack block on the north side of Crown Square. Construction began in 1923 and opened in Edinburgh Castle in 1927. After World War II another 50,000 names were added to the Rolls of Honour.

 

One of the two sentries posted at the entrance of the Memorial.

 

Edinburgh Castle has become a recognizable symbol of Edinburgh, and of Scotland. Its stylized form appears on the coats of arms of the City of Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Famous Scots

 Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. His specialty was historical fiction. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, Waverley, Old Mortality, The Heart of Mid-Lothian and The Bride of Lammermoor, and the narrative poems The Lady of the Lake and Marmion. He had a major impact on European and American literature. 

 

 

 

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a Scottish writer and physician who created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped, and A Child's Garden of Verses. He suffered from serious bronchial trouble for much of his life, but continued to write prolifically and travel widely in defiance of his poor health.He is also known for his pilgrimage through the Cévennes Mountains in south-central France and writing the book, Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes, one of the first books to present hiking and camping as recreational activities.

 

Sean Connery (1930-2020) was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Bond's creator, Ian Fleming, originally doubted Connery's casting, saying that Connery (a muscular, 6' 2", and a Scot) was unrefined. Fleming's girlfriend Blanche Blackwell told him Connery had the requisite sexual charisma, and Fleming changed his mind after the successful Dr. No première.  

He attended the Edinburgh Art College and worked as a milkman to pay for his tuition. Many people claim he was their milkman.

 

 

 

 

Greyfriars Bobby (1855-72) was a Skye Terrier who became known in 19th-century Edinburgh for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner, John Gray, until he died on 14 January 1872. Gray was a nightwatchman, and police were required to have dogs accompany them during duty.

The story continues to be well known in Scotland, through several books and films including one by Walt Disney (1961). This commemorative statue is a tourist attraction where they rub the polish off the dog's nose. 

 

 

 

Resources

Scots who died in World War I -- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-46124327

Edinburgh Castle -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Castle