Visiting Ireland

I have been in Ireland for the past few days(thus the lack of blog posts) after travelling over on the ferry on Monday I'm currently staying on my uncle's farm in County Monaghan(I might be a city dweller but I certainly have a love for the countryside and try to get over here regularly). My holiday also allows me the opportunity to get away from it all and with it being August an opportunity to have a rest. Where I'm staying at the moment has some wonderful places close at hand and yesterday I visited Carlingford Lough and went through the Morne Mountains passing the seaside resort of Newcastle and ending up in Downpatrick where I saw the reputed burial place of St Patrick.

Although I've been here many times before it's a country that I like to visit(I also have innumerable relatives here)and it has immeasurably changed for the better in recent years. Even visiting Northern Ireland(I'm staying two miles from the border) the changes are plain to see with none of the security checkpoints that used to exist and relative normality. Yes Government buildings, police stations, court houses are still surrounded by barbed wire, flag waving marking out unionist or nationalist area continues(a depressing sight) but compared to a few years ago it's improved considerably and I've no doubt will improve further in the years to come.