St Patrick's Day in County Down, 2019

Today I'm remembering my trip to County Down in Northern Ireland, where I traveled in 2019 for research on my illustrated talks project Bronte Beginnings. I stayed in the small town of Rathfriland, but the trip took in days in Belfast, Newry, Downpatrick and more.

During my trip, I visited a variety of historical places, including churches and cultural sites, the childhood home of football legend George Best, and the surrounding countryside of Rathfriland, which includes the dramatic Mourne mountain range.


It seems like a different age now, a year or more into the era of covid, but my visit to Co. Down is a journey I very much intend to take again in better times.  The experience prompted a number of videos, such as this one which features a slideshow of the places visited, and includes a selection of shots from the Downpatrick St Patrick's Day parade.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRSmpSK65L4  I have added below this post a full list of all videos taken on the trip.

Below, at the birthplace of Patrick Bronte, with some of the people who shared with me the benefit of their knowledge in Co. Down, St Patrick's Day 2019. L-R: Uel Wright (descendent of Dr Wiliam Wright, author of The Brontes in Ireland), SZ, Bronte family descendent Anne McKee (nee Bronte),and primary school teacher and tour guide Kathleen McNiece.


Birkenhead to Belfast on the overnight ferry:


Anne Bronte reads poetry by Anne Bronte: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgvso6AG1c0

Uel Wright, descendent of Brontes in Ireland author Dr William Wright, talks about Wright's legacy:

Jason Diamond of the Bronte Interpretative centre, where Patrick Bronte first preached: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1uWDYm-vV8

From the St Patrick's Day parade and celebrations, Downpatrick: 








Cora Kelly and Conor Jones perform Whisky in the Jar:

Cora Kelly and Conor Jones perform Beeswing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSerCD5c5Jo

Cora Kelly and Conor Jones perform Dirty Old Town: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DldfyR9-qGY

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