Regional specialties:• An Ulster fry – eggs, sausages, ham or fish with chips.
• Shellfish.
• Homemade vegetable soups.
• Irish stew.
• Dried seaweed.
• Home-baked cakes and pastries.
Regional drinks:
•
Guinness – a dark heavy stout with a creamy head.
• Irish whiskey, often drunk along with a bottle of stout.
•
Hilden – real ale produced at Lisburn.
The pubs are open all day Mon-Sat 1130-2300 and Sun 1230-2200 with half an hour ‘drinking-up’ time. Pubs in Belfast
often stay open until 0100 Thurs-Sat.
Note: A smoking ban is to be implemented in all enclosed public spaces, including pubs and restaurants, in April 2007.
NightlifeNorthern Ireland has a strong tradition for musical entertainment, from the toe-tapping live folk bands playing in crowded pubs to the soulful lyrics of Van Morrison and the world-famous talent of flautist James Galway. Visitors will be able to find something to suit, from the latest dance music in nightclubs to opera or classical concerts. Traditional Irish music in ‘singing pubs’ provides a good evening’s entertainment in many places, particularly Belfast and Londonderry. Special musical events include the summer
Jazz and Blues Festival in Londonderry and Limavady and the October
Ards Guitar Festival held in Newtownards.
There is also a wealth of theaters and art galleries located in and around Belfast, including the famous
Lyric Theater, where Liam Neeson started his career. There are summer theaters in Newcastle and Portrush, plus the
Riverside Theater at Coleraine. The
Belfast Festival at Queen’s (three weeks in November each year) is Ireland's biggest international festival. Other main venues for drama performances and concerts are the
Grand Opera House,
Ulster Hall,
King’s Hall and the
Waterfront Hall (all in Belfast), the
Armagh Theater and Arts Center and the
Millennium Forum theater in Derry and numerous regional theaters. Further information can be obtained from the Northern Ireland’s Arts Council’s monthly magazine
art.ie or from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (see
Top Things To See & Do ).
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