Shelli's blog: Holywood

Holywood is a little town that sits to the east of Belfast. They almost merge. We take a train through it every time we go to Bangor. When we got to Tesco for groceries it is just a few minutes away. Yet we have never visited it. So that has now been corrected. On Friday the kids and I got off the train in Holywood. I am so glad we did.

Holywood has the only surviving Maypole in Ireland. And early maps show it has sat on the same site since 1620's. I had read all this in the guide book and was determined to see it while visiting Holywood. But after walking the few streets for a while I just could not find it. I had made the mistake of leaving my map at home. I finally decided to do the girl thing and ask someone. The kids and I entered a Boots Drug Store and asked the kind lady at the till if she could point out the direction of the Maypole to us.

"The Maypole?" she asked "you don't mean the pub?"

"No," I assured her we just wanted to see the Maypole.

She said, "Come with me to the door and I will point it out to you."

Imagine my embarrassment when she pointed to what seemed to be a flag pole in the middle of the intersection right outside the store.

"There it is love", she said.

Oh my, it was funny. The whole thing gave the kids and I a good laugh. I got a picture of the Maypole just to show I found it, with some help. =)


Holywood Maypole

Johnny the Jig

Holywood Priory

The Priory sits on the site of a monestary founded in the early 7th century. The ruins visible today are of a 12the century Anglo Norman Augustinian Abbey. Henrey VIII dissolved the Priory in 1541 the land passed into the hands of the O'Neil family and then to Sir James Hamilton, First Viscount Clandeboye. Hamilton laid out the town of Holywood, with a maypole at the crossroads and most of the early buildings are clustered around the priory. The tower however dates from 1809 when this was the site of the town's church.

Holywood Priory

Old and New Priory

inside of the priory, graves

view of the Priory from the graveyard

St Colmcille's Church

This church dates back to 1872 when the congregation moved from St Patrick's. It had to be rebuilt following a fire in the 1990's. The original tower survived and still forms part of the church campus.