If you’re here from my ramblings about our adventure around the Ards Peninsula, this was probably the highlight of our day. If you haven’t seen that post you check out it out here.
One of my favourite restaurants was Katch 27 in Kircubbin which I had previously written about here, here and here before, but I couldn’t believe I hadn’t followed up.
Katch 27 closed in 2019 before Leigh and David opened in The New Quays at Portavogie in early 2020. David was the former Head Chef of The Quays so it’s lovely for him to have come full circle.
One of my (slightly belated New Year’s resolutions) is to start writing again more, so I figured there was no better topic than a Valentine’s Day adventure around the Ards Peninsula with my wife.
I’ve realised that it’s been so long since I’ve written something here that I’ve gotten married to Laura and she’s managed to put up with being married to me for nearly 5 years at this point.
During my route planning (standard Duke of Edinburgh leader behaviour), I realised that our trip down the Peninsula would take us close to Movilla Abbey Cemetery.
Following on from my last post, this one covers the rest of my elongated celebrations from the North Coast to Prague…
On my actual birthday itself, we headed to the North Coast and I played some golf at the Old Course in Portstewart, for the first time in years. Thankfully I didn’t embarrass myself and I got round in a fairly acceptable score. It was then off to the Harbour Bar at the Ramore complex for dinner, finished off by a famous sundae at Moreilli’s in Portstewart – just for clarity, I didn’t want one but I was forced into it… ahem…
For those who don’t know, I hit the big 3-0 recently. I’ve felt a bit like The Queen recently as my celebrations have lasted nearly a month, but as they say all good things must come to an end.
Picture the scene … The decade is the 1940’s. The Second World War has been going on for a few years, but as a soldier all you have been doing is constantly training at your base in England. Spring 1944 comes around and you notice a change in atmosphere. Your training has been more intense recently, but no-one really knows why.
Traditions are what make Christmas special for a lot of people. For me it’s decorating the tree, helping my mum with her cooking, my Christmas Eve Chinese (weird, I know) and ‘Ireland in Christmas Praise’ by New Irish Arts.
Norma Harpur. This is a name that the vast majority of you reading this will not know. However, I have come to realise that what I write, if it helps me or just one other person, then it’s worthwhile doing. Norma died last week, aged just 62, surrounded by three of her friends, one of which was my mum.
My last tradition of the Christmas season took me to Lagan Valley Island in Lisburn for ‘Sinbad The Sailor’, the annual pantomime from the Lambeg Players. My first experience of their annual pantomime was way back in January 1993 and we have been going as a family ever since, with this year being my 25th outing.
I’m always wary of the term “amateur dramatics”, as The Lambeg Players are anything but amateurs. They were formed in 1966 by the late Clifford Boyd OBE and rehearse in Harmony Hill Presbyterian church. As well as their annual pantomime, they perform several plays throughout the year, including a week at the Portrush Summer Theatre.
Everyone has different things they do at Christmas, and that is what makes it unique for each person. My traditions vary from the oldies, such as my Christmas Eve Chinese (don’t ask), to my more recent ones, such as seeing ‘Ireland in Christmas Praise’, performed by New Irish Arts.
If you haven’t heard of New Irish Arts before, they were formed in 1994 by the very well known contemporary hymn-writer Keith Getty. They continue to go from strength to strength and now have several hundreds members in both a choir and orchestra and they formed a Youth Choir a few years ago.