It’s giants and gins – In the Fermanagh Lakelands

Everything’s giant in Northern Ireland which is why their wee breakfasts, the famous Ulster Frys, are huge.

Greeted with a hearty ‘there’s a wee bit of food’ by a genial Ulsterman this morning at the Fermanagh Lakelands Tourism http://www.fermanaghlakelands.com event at the Spencer Hotel https://www.thespencerhotel.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwPG5y7SK5gIVhrTtCh23uAn1EAAYASAAEgKtqPD_BwE in Dublin I tucked in.

I washed it down with copious cups of tea and Boatyard https://boatyarddistillery.com G&T chasers, of course.

Well, it was 11am after all.

I guess this was the Northern Ireland Tourism board’s https://discovernorthernireland.com invitation to ‘Embrace a Giant Spirit.

The North of Ireland has always been close to my heart.

Even before I discovered, when researching my family tree, that the Murtys were Armagh weavers in the late 18th century.

My mum is proud Donegal and my Dad’s mum was a Tyrone lass which meant I was a regular visitor from Glasgow.

Our link is strong to this day with The Son and Heir now calling Belfast home.

So what of Fermanagh’s Lakelands… well they’re obviously a pleasure cruise for those who like to relax on Lough Erne which is all of us.

But most tantalising is that a boat runs to the front door of the Boatyard Distillery, Enniskillen.

Where you are treated to a 90-minute tour.

The best bit of which is that you get to drink three cocktails and three neat spirits.

In fact owner Gin Joe promised that he would have a James Bond waiting for you at the pier on arrival.

And to send you on your way he has a miniature and a branded glass to take away.

Joe is offering tours for £45.

Northern Stars

I’ll be back with more… on the most prized pottery on the island, which is on every Irish grannie’s shelf.

And the one stretch of the island where there is no border, soft or hard.

But before I pour The Scary One a Boatyard G&T for her birthday one of my famous Dad jokes:

‘I told my wife I had a crush on Beyoncé.’

”Whatever floats your boat,’ she replied nonchalantly,

‘No, that’s buoyancy,’ says I.

And here’s my homage to Belfast… Belfast Chilled.

And to juniper with the ginoisseur of Monaghan town… https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/monaghans-country-roads/. The Scary One’s a convert!

MEET YOU ON THE FERMANAGH LAKELANDS