Scarva - Newry

We always knew that today was going to be a tough 12 mile battle against the wind and rain, so all credit to the team:
L-R: Brian, Darren Moffett (in hat), Verity and Colin.

First stop was at the new cafe in Poyntzpass. This place used to be a courthouse - there wasn't much crime in the village 100 years ago but local drunks kept the court in business.
The most famous Poyntzpass villain was William Hare, who, along with William Burke, murdered 17 people in Edinburgh.
The pair made a small fortune selling the bodies for medical science before being caught.  Hare gave evidence against Burke and was amazingly freed.  He returned to Ireland and wisely lived a quiet life thereafter.

Brian and Colin are joined for coffee by
suspicious character believed to be relative of
William Hare (see above).

A sure thing for the 2015 Grand National?

As usual on these runs - any excuse for a rest.

Somebody's idea of a joke.  At my age, all hills are potentially fatal.

The end in Newry.  Soaking wet, freezing cold and tired - but happy to end another year of running and drinking tea.  The next run, in early January, should hopefully get us over the border. All welcome.
In the meantime - Happy Christmas to all BelfastDublinrun readers.

Portadown to Scarva

Portadown to Scarva

Today's start the Bann Bridge in Portadown.
It's a great off-road 18 mile run from here all the way to Newry but, thankfully, we are only going half way.

A gloomy institution, aka Portadown College - my old school.  Don't remember much about the place apart from innovations typical of the 1960s - daily lunchtime discos, a smoking room for senior pupils and R&B music legends The Interns playing at a school dance. 
Those were the days to be young.

The Point of Whitecoat, where two rivers and a canal meet.  Nobody knows how it got its name.

Moneypenny's Lock House - not much has changed here since the early days of the Newry Canal.   Lightermen allegedly used to swap coal for food with the woman who lived here.... bad news for the Portadown coal merchants who were paying for the cargo. 

The old Madden Station.  Not in a town but once a very busy place dealing with linen from the massive Gilford Mill, porridge from the factory in Tanderagee and live cows from local farmers.  The waiting room had the perfect combination of a coal fire and a machine selling the original (ie big) Frys Chocolate Cream bars.  Nowadays, no trains stop and the Dublin Enterprise zooms through at great speed.

Terry who?

The old canal basin at Scarva.  Try an afternoon here on a sunny summer Sunday, when they have brass bands and the cafe is open. 

In the vault of Fraise et Chocolat cafe in an ex-bank in Tandragee.  Subject to good behaviour, they are going to let us out in three weeks.  So the next run should be in early December.

Moira to Portadown

MOIRA TO PORTADOWN

A long 13 mile day at the office today - but what great weather.

Hard to believe but it's not a chateau in France, it's Brownlow House in Lurgan.

Inside looks pretty good too.   I've done little else for the past year but run and drink cups of tea - this place is as good as I've found so far.

Lord Lurgan owned Brownlow House and this is his pet dog Master McGrath.  One of Ireland's greatest 19th century sporting heroes, the greyhound is immortalised in song, commemorated in at least two statues and won enough money to allow Lord Lurgan to build at whole street of houses in London named McGrath Terrace.

Brian and I often seem to end up in graveyards - we are at an age where we are looking for a nice one.  This is the old Shankill Cemetery in Lurgan......

........  a place with an unusual grave.  Several hours after Mrs McCall was buried here, grave-robbers tried to steal her gold ring and they got a bit of a shock when she awoke and got out of her coffin. Her husband was even more surprised when she arrived back home.

Dog attacks innocent woman runner in Craigavon.

Man tries to catch innocent bird at the Secret Garden in Portadown.

Lisburn - Moira

Lisburn to Moira

Near Union Locks

A drunk man trespassing on the railway line (at 9:00am, what's the world coming to!) caused few problems with trains today.  But five of us eventually set off along the Lagan Towpath in Lisburn.

First history lesson.....  This is Blaris Old Graveyard where four men from the Monaghan Militia were executed for treason in 1797.   The story of the Blaris Martyrs is fascinating and a rare example of execution and burial in the same cemetery.

Problems on the Bog Road.   The combined brains of a solicitor, two teachers and one wise woman eventually found a way through.

Is this the place that gave its name to the song The Old Bog Road - recorded by two of Ireland's greatest Daniel O'Donnell and Hugo Duncan!

Odd characters outside a house.  Brian kindly agreed with the owner that he would call back to paint these two figures.  That'll not be cheap.

Trying to keep up with Verity and Colin - we might have to ban women and older men from future runs!

Down Royal racecourse...  an uncharacteristic bit of co-operation linked to the Battle of the Boyne. James II granted the patent for racing and William III presented money for a trophy.

Low point of the run - a closed pub.

Nice wee house near Moira.  They do B&B, may well have chickens out the back.

Coffee in Moira.....   a bit spooky. Our snooker playing friend, Darren Moffett, complete with bow-tie and four-pronged cue, amazingly appears in a cup of coffee.



 

Belfast - Lisburn

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BELFAST - LISBURN

Armed with a message from the Belfast Mayor, we set off to deliver it to the Dublin Mayor.  This unofficial effort to foster cross-border relations may not work; it's likely that there will be a new man in post by the time we eventually get down there.



We were given a warm send-off by a group of Taiwan tourists.

First stop the tropical green house at Botanic Park.  A great place to get warmed up during a run on a cold day - I once did 52 laps in there - but no need to go inside today.

We had expected to encounter some Lagan Valley AC runners but they must all have still been in bed. These Dub Runners were almost fully awake - but not running. 

Coffee stop at Newforge.  As usual, Colin easily won the race to get inside.

Strange activity at Dixon Park. Christmas shopping would be more fun.








Ballyskeagh High Bridge - was once used for public hangings.

Never did find Mark.  Possibly in pub.

The finish for today.  It's not Paris, not Amsterdam - it's Lisburn.