3 Best Sights in Northern Ireland

Beyond the West Bridge is Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, formerly Portora Royal School (it became co-ed in 2017), established in 1608 by King James I. On the grounds are some ruins of Portora Castle. Writers educated here included Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde, the pride of the school (until his trial for homosexuality). The life and writings of Beckett, the droll existentialist and arch-modernizer born near Dublin in 1906, is celebrated at the Happy Days International Beckett Festival; some festival events are held at the school, as well as other locations around Fermanagh over the bank holiday weekend at the end of August. The multidisciplinary festival incorporates literature, theater, visual arts, film, and comedy, and offers a chance to savor some of Beckett's killer lines, such as this one from Waiting for Godot: "Let us not then speak ill of our generation, it is not any unhappier than its predecessors."

Dominating University Road is Queen's University. The main buildings, modeled on Oxford's Magdalen College and designed by the ubiquitous Charles Lanyon, were built in 1849 in the Tudor Revival style. The long, handsome, redbrick-and-sandstone facade of the main building features large lead-glass windows, and is topped with three square towers and crenellations galore. University Square, really a terrace, is from the same era. The Seamus Heaney Library is named after the Ulster-born, 1997 Nobel Prize–winning poet who died in 2013. The McClay Library in College Park features a multistory open atrium, 1.5 million volumes, and the Brian Friel Theatre, named in honor of one of Ireland's most illustrious playwrights. The C. S. Lewis reading room on the first floor has a replica of the wardrobe door used in the film The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The Queen's Welcome Centre hosts a program of exhibitions and serves as a visitor information point. Guided tours are available but must be booked in advance.

With a student population of 25,000, the university has been making waves internationally for its research in many fields. In 2020 Queen's appointed Hillary Clinton as its new chancellor to serve for a five-year term. It is the first time that a woman has taken on what is a largely ceremonial role and has boosted the university's prestige. The Clintons first came to Northern Ireland in November 1995 when Bill, as U.S. president, was a key player involved in talks leading to the Northern Ireland peace process. In 2018 Hillary received an honorary degree from Queen's and a scholarship was set up in her name for postgraduate study in politics, human rights, and peace-building.

Part of the Odyssey complex in Belfast's docks, the W5 center underwent a £4.5 million revamp during 2020, and it takes a high-tech approach to interpreting science and creativity for adults and children. It offers scores of brand-new exhibits for kids to explore through games. Video displays and flashing lights enhance the futuristic feel, and you can do everything from exploring the weather to building houses, bridges, and robots. The Discovery exhibits for children under eight cover subjects such as spying, forensics, and nature. A huge multistory climbing structure called Climbit, a cross between a maze and a jungle gym, is a fun feature in the atrium for kids three and up.

Make your way to the upper floors for spectacular views over the city and beyond.