A New Home

We made the Great Northern Migration yesterday. It was a long drive, but we made a couple of significant stops – and one seriously insignificant one. We got out of Newcastle West just before 9 in the morning and arrived in Larne just after 4 in the afternoon. Here’s the path –

I do have to admit that it was handy that I had already driven to Dublin when I picked up the girls, since it is the exact same path up to the airport turnoff. However, just before getting into Dublin we decided we wanted to eat. The decision on where to stop? McDonald’s. We rarely ate fast food when we were in the US, so I honestly can’t remember the last time I was at McDonald’s. The chicken strips were not bad though!

Heading up the M1 out of Dublin, I had a stop planned to see another ancient High Cross. Actually, there are three at this location. Monasterboice (Gaelic lesson: monastaboika) is an ancient (5th century) monastery in beautiful rolling hills.

The West Cross is impressive. It is very tall (7 meters, almost 23 feet). The lower part is worn away (I suspect from people touching it…like I did).

Muiredach’s Cross is regarded as the most beautiful and well preserved of all the high crosses in Ireland. It’s shorter than the West Cross (5.5 meters, 18 feet). It’s in a somewhat protected area which may account for how beautifully preserved it is.

Shortly after leaving Monasterboice we crossed the border-

Looks like someone wanted to make a statement with a paint ball gun…It’s been interesting driving a car that shows speed in km/h only when speed is in mp/h. Kinda doing it by feel!

You could definitely tell where the old border crossing was, but it is completely open now. Let’s hope it stays that way. It’s strange how the roads and towns have a different feel to them. Not bad, just different. And the Union Jack flying everywhere!

When you let Google pick what roads to go on…

After crossing the border, we headed east to county Down. I had a goal. I figured out where the traditional grave of Saint Patrick is! No where else in Ireland claims his burial site, which is a good indicator of possible truth in this location. Christians have worshiped at this site for 1600 years, and a church has definitely been on this site since the 1100s. Likely there were earlier churches, but nothing remains.

This is a replica High Cross at the front of the Down Cathedral (original is on loan to a museum).

Part of what’s left of the St Patrick High Cross.

The Cathedral is pretty, but has been extensively modernized. It was in ruins by the 1700s, so the renovations are understandable. You usually won’t hear me say that😆. But the real reason we were here was around the side of the cathedral-

So you can brush up on your knowledge of St Patrick…the story that has nothing to do with green beer, green rivers (the person that is directed at knows exactly who he is!), or even Guinness!

We had planned to go to Carrickfergus Castle, which is only about 20 minutes from Larne – and then a day of traveling caught up with us and we were done being in the car! Oh…I didn’t share these photos:

The car was rather full. Since we were moving by car, we took a lot of extra stuff (things we had bought for the flat) and didn’t worry about packing neatly. But we are talking about buying another small suitcase for the move to France…we shall see.

Now we are in Larne, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, with a bunch of Euros (especially coins!) that we will still need next week when the Daughter and I fly to Berlin. I’ll probably get hit by a car crossing the street because I’ve gotten so used to being on the left…