Day 7 & 8 Letterkenny and Derry/Londonderry - Ireland and Northern Ireland Open Borders

After hiking Mount Errigal (Karen) and golfing at Rosapenna (Chris) we head southeast to Letterkenny, County Donegal, to spend the night. We stay at Mount Errigal Hotel in one of their newly remodeled rooms and have a dinner of hearty pub fare downstairs and talk with locals at the bar.
We're up early the morning of Day 8, and drive northeast where we cross the border into Northern Ireland at Kildrum. We'll share some facts about the geography of Ireland, and some basics about the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Then we're onward to Derry/Londonderry and the old walled city on the west bank of the River Foyle.
We'll grab a quick breakfast at Foyleside Shopping Center (a primo place to park) then take a peek at the Derry Girls mural on the side of Badgers Bar and Restaurant just around the corner.
Then we'll head up to the top of the city walls, which date back to the 1600's. You'll learn about the seven gates, the stone bastions and the 22 existing cannons, from as far back as the 1500's. We'll walk the walls and gaze out over the landscape and city.
Join us as we go through St. Augustine's church (actually ON the wall!) on the site of St Columb's Abbey starting in 546 AD.
We'll take you to "the Diamond", where the roads intersect in the center of the old walled city of Derry/Londonderrry, the location of the WWI memorial.
Before we leave town we'll grab a coffee at a small local shop then head up to the Causeway Coastal Route for the next leg of our adventure!
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[@soukratt]

very nice 👍🏻

[@thissecondhalfadventure]

@soukratt. Very kind of you to say that!
Hope you continue to enjoy our videos! Thank you for watching and commenting 👍😀.

[@thissecondhalfadventure]

yes, both in Letterkenny and in Derry

[@TheWanderingIrishman]

Fascinating city. Funny how they had their cannons pointed straight at their own walls

[@thissecondhalfadventure]

I’m inclined to think that might be just a “display for tourists” error, since it’s said their walls were never breached.That, or there was some serious in-fighting!😆🇮🇪🇺🇸♥️

[@stevesandford1437]

For anybody that doesn't know, the city of DERRY in Northern Ireland is largely a CATHOLIC/REPUBLICAN city... (It's people generally identify as IRISH rather than BRITISH...) Even though DERRY is in Northern Ireland and thus governed from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it's citizen's generally identify as IRISH!!!!!
'LONDONDERRY' is what you call the city if you DON'T hold to that viewpoint... (Hence NOBODY CALLS IT THAT!!!!) The OPPOSITE of a 'REPUBLICAN' is a 'LOYALIST', as in loyal to the British Crown. (The reason the REPUBLICAN IRISH NATIONAL TRICOLOUR FLAG has an ORANGE panel is to honour that 'Loyalist' tradition...) We'd love them to join us but it's up to them...
(DERRY was the place where, in 1972, BRITISH PARATROOPERS opened fire upon a CIVILIAN CIVIL RIGHTS PROTEST MARCH and killed 14 people with many others injured...) Different times...
For travellers/tourists, it won't be a big deal these days... (The 'Irish Troubles' are pretty much over...) HOWEVER, for the tourist, it's best NEVER to talk politics in Ireland, ESPECIALLY in Northern Ireland.
And that city IS CALLED DERRY!!!! *Laughing!!!*
xx SF

[@thissecondhalfadventure]

@stevesanford1437. 😀 I think I’ve said this a couple of times to a few comments,but, your comments were very thoughtful and informative and educate us and the viewers!
Happy you’re watching! 😀👍

[@NikCan66]

Great trip

[@thissecondhalfadventure]

Thanks for watching. We enjoyed every day of our trip!

[@NikCan66]

@@thissecondhalfadventure your welcome and stay safe on your travels