“Man is a bundle of relations, a knot of roots, whose flower and fruitage is the world…”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
The first half of our evening in Donaghadee was a pleasant surprise. We were introduced to the quaint town, its unique beauty, and to the kind people who live there.
The second half of our evening was attending a special event to celebrate the language, culture, and culinary contributions the Ulster-Scots brought to this North Down Coast of Ireland.
Event tickets were sold with the option of dining at one of three restaurants, Pier 36, The Lighthouse, or Grace Neill’s. We chose Grace Neill’s as they had the most variety of food from which to choose. Dan and I like to get different dishes and share.
Ireland’s Oldest Pub
Grace Neill’s was established in 1611, known then as The King’s Arms. It held this name for over 400 years. Grace’s is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the oldest licensed pubs in Ireland.
Grace Jamison was born in 1818. The pub was given to her as a wedding gift when she married John Neill, then still known as The King’s Arms. Grace owned and operated the pub and was a prominent figure in the town of Donaghadee until she died in 1918, at 100 years old.
Grace left the pub as a legacy to her sons. To honor her memory, the pub was renamed Grace Neill’s after her death.
The ghost of Grace still lingers long after her physical presence has departed. The giant, old beams that line the ceiling, constructed from the timbers of old ships, maintain the warmth and ambiance the pub has offered travelers for over four centuries. Sailors, settlers, visitors, and local farmers found sanctuary inside the welcoming walls of this inn.
Entering the doorway is stepping back in time. Grace welcomed patrons to the inn with a kiss, whilst puffing away on her clay pipe. As you glance around the low ceiling, dark wood, bar area, alcoves bear the glass and stone bottled used by the bar in an era far gone by.
Grace’s spirit has not moved on. Ghost hunters have studied the inn as Grace continues to make herself known to staff members and guests. Many have witnessed over the years the scattering of books, smashing of glasses, lights and appliances switching on and off, and random unexplainable events.
Dinner and History Lessons
The unique part of the evening was the series of speakers scheduled between each course of the meal. We had local speakers regale and educate us with facts about the people, culture, and events that took place in the town.
We learned about the plight of the Scots, the famine and political upheaval that uprooted them from Scotland and forced them to help settle this wild part of Ireland. The speakers highlighted foods, traditions, and even the accents and language that contributed to forming the North Down Coast.
For our dinner choices at Grace Neill’s, I went with the Scotch Egg, Rump of Irish Lamb, and Scottish Fudge Two-Ways Sundae. Dan had the smoked salmon, lamb, and Crachan, an oat, cream, whiskey, and raspberry dessert.
Besides the explanation of common Scot derived terms you might still hear in this part of Ireland today, one of my favorite stories was about a well-known America sea captain that played a part in the history of this coast.
The Copeland Islands lie just off the northern Irish coast. A famous sea battle took place on April 23rd, 1778 involving none other than Captain John Paul Jones. Jones’s former occupation was pirate. The American Continental Navy hoped that his colorful past would be put to good use around the islands. They were not disappointed.
The mission: intercept twenty-one-gun sloop warship H.B M. Drake and its English captain Burden. Jones learned from a captured local fisherman that Burden had been dispatched to search for the English ship A.C.S. Ranger that had recently disappeared.
Jones had taken over the Ranger and converted it, but he held one essential item from the takeover, a British flag. Jones lay in wait just off the coast of Donaghadee. He flew the British flag. When Burden arrived on the Drake, he sent a crew of men over to inspect the Ranger because he saw the British flag. The men soon found themselves prisoners.
The two ships sailed onward until they were close enough for a verbal exchange. Not recognizing the ship because of the conversion James made, Burden yelled over, “What ship is that?”
Jones replied, “The American Continental Ship Ranger!”
As darkness set in, a powerful sea battle raged. Both ships fired their cannons for over an hour. While matched in size, speed, and gun power, Jones strategically attacked the Drake’s mast and sails and damaged her spar and rigging. Captain Burden lost his life and the H.B.M. Drake surrendered.
The Ranger sailed on, adding a victory for the American Navy.
A Delightful Evening
It’s not often that you can combine dinner and history. There is something fascinating about learning about the past and the troubles and tribulations that all humans have gone through at every point in history.
Battles have taken place in Donaghadee since the invasion of the Vikings. Local skirmishes raged between the British and settlers. Prominent families such as the Montgomery family built an empire around Donaghadee that included building castles, uprisings, fights over land rights, and young maidens being married off to uphold the family status.
Each piece of history fits together like a puzzle piece. When you look across the town and recall the stories, you see the town as a canvass. The curve of the harbor, the old buildings, and business, each represent a part of the story that built this town. Each adds its own shape and color to the puzzle. Every piece had its price.
Walking through the town, you can feel the history seeping between the cracks of the cobblestones. Visit the graveyard of the church built in 1629 by Viscount Montgomery, you can walk among the stones and read the names of those who lived 400 years ago and helped build the town.
One gravestone from the late 1700s gave remembrance to a young mother, age 31, who lost a 3-year-old and an 8-month old baby, testament to the difficulty life presented during those times. We will never know if she lost her life to illness or simply heartbreak. Her husband outlived his family by another 20 years.
I couldn’t help but wonder how difficult his life must have been after losing his family. Looking at the number of young children and infants in this cemetery, his tragedy was not unique.
We were told the last female descendent of the original Montgomery family still lives in the town of Donaghadee. She is an elderly lady living alone in a beautiful but modest home in the center of town. The town remains owned by her and will hopefully be passed to her descendants.
Return to Donaghadee
What started as a night out to a new town, enriched our feelings and appreciation for this country and its people. Each town and city we have visited has intriguing stories reaching back hundreds of years. The more you learn, the more you want to know. There is no fiction more fascinating than the true stories we have learned from this country.
Since our first time in Donaghadee was short and we didn’t have time to explore, Dan and I hopped back on the bus a week later. We got the right bus the first try this time, (we can be taught!). Once again, we say next to an elderly gentleman, the only other waiting passenger at the bus stop. Déjà vu.
He was a chatty Irish gentleman, classic in looks with his charming smile, twinkling eyes, plaid cap, and walking cane. He was eager to tell us about his life in Ireland. He had lived in the town of Bangor for 30 years. His wife had passed and he didn’t drive anymore so he had to take the bus to visit his two sons who live in Bangor.
He told us a few stories about his friends and family. Then, he told us that after living in Bangor for 30 years, the folks here still considered him an outsider. He originally came from a town much farther north. Apparently, the pride of towns and heritage is still rich in this country. We, as Americans, have been warmly welcomed by all.
We arrived at the same stop in Donaghadee as our first trip. We looked up to the hill above the town and immediately spotted the reason for our return. A small castle was perched on a prominent hill above the town. We had seen it on our first trip but didn’t have time to visit.
A short walk up the hill and we arrived at The Moat (motte), obviously not named for the type of moat we traditionally picture. After doing some research, as there were no placards or information posted about this site, we found that this hill had evidence of fortifications dating back to the Bronze Age. Fortresses had been built on this hill to ward off the invasion of the Vikings.
In 1818, this castle was built to store the explosives needed to build the harbor. This feat in itself was a battle as the builders did not own the waterfront. They were denied permission by the Montgomery family to build the harbor.
A lawsuit ensued. The case was built that the waterfront was in control by another entity when the lands were obtained by the Montgomery family. Since waterfront is supposed to be public domain, the harbor builders won the rights and the harbor became an important port for commerce and fishing in the years to follow.
We spent a lovely day in Donaghadee, albeit cold and windy. We were dressed in many layers and were still freezing. Sure enough, when we looked across the bay toward the lighthouse, we could see the die-hard Chunky Dunkers out for their daily swim. I can’t even imagine….
We may have been stranded for a year from continuing our sailing adventures around the world, but our stay in Ireland has taught us an important lesson. “Man is a bundle of relations, a knot of roots, whose flower and fruitage is the world.” You don’t need to travel the world to be amazed by what those before have accomplished, and by the incredible stories of those journeys. You just have to be willing to listen.