September/October 2023


www.nitravelnews.com


Belfast Whiskey Production Gets Underway With Stills Blazing After All These Years


Belfast Castle Maze Given New Lease of Life


Belfast Castle maze has been revived by a passionate group of volunteers from the Cave Hill Conservation Campaign. Officially opened to celebrate and welcome


the new millennium, the maze offers a unique experience for locals and tourists visiting the area. Over a two-year period, work has been


carried out to remove large overhanging trees, improve the walls and trails throughout the maze, plant new fruit trees and excavate a colourful mural that became buried in the ground.


THE LOCAL TOURIST | 57


Lough Erne Resort Launches New ‘Secrets, Mysteries & Pleasures’ Tasting Experience


LOUGH Erne Resort has launched a seven-course winter tasting experience, ‘Secrets, Mysteries & Pleasures’ for its 3AA rosette Catalina Restaurant. Created by Executive Head Chef Stephen Holland and team, the provincial menu reflects the Resort’s gastronomic offering, which is rooted in a simple philosophy


– sourcing, preparing, and


serving fresh food in season. The exquisite winter tasting menu will feature


the option to enjoy premium wines from around the world,


hand-


FOR the first time in almost 90 years, the production of whiskey is under way again in Belfast, on the site of the historic Thompson Dock and Pumphouse, the birthplace of the Titanic.


Drinks company Titanic Distillers has invested almost £8 million to convert the Pumphouse, a listed building in the heart of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, into the city’s first working whiskey distillery since the days of prohibition in the 1930s. Having been granted its


Distillers


License to produce spirits last week, the shiny new copper stills are now up and pouring at the distillery, under the watchful eye of Head Distiller Damien Rafferty. “We opened our doors to tourists


in April this year to allow visitors to explore the distillery and the site where Titanic last rested on dry ground,” said Damien, “but to finally begin production on site is an incredible feeling and a huge milestone, not just for us but for the city of Belfast. “A lot of time, hard work and investment has gone into this amazing project to date, but this week marks the culmination of all that – with the distillery and visitor attraction now both fully operational. “In many ways though, the job is


only beginning as we start producing a whiskey that the people of Belfast and Northern Ireland can be proud of, and one that will represent us well all over the world ,” he added. The new distillery will produce single


malt premium whiskey made from ingredients that have been carefully selected to produce the best possible flavour.


A unique house blend of malted barley and yeast is used to produce the ‘wash’ which is then distilled in the


three Forsyth’s stills, situated


on a mezzanine floor overlooking the Pumphouse’s original Gwynne pumping engines which are deep in the building’s pump-well.


Titanic Distillers Director Peter


Lavery reflected on what he claims is ‘a momentous occasion’. “It’s been quite a journey over the


past five years but we are thrilled to get our license and to start producing our own spirits on site,” said Peter.


”Whiskey has played an important part in the history of our city but there hasn’t been a working distillery here since the 1930s, so, as a Belfast boy, it really means a lot to me to revive this great distilling tradition – and help bring Belfast back to the forefront of Irish Whiskey production. “Once, we led the way globally – not just in shipbuilding but across many areas of industry, manufacturing and innovation,” he continued. “With our Titanic Distillers Premium


Irish Whiskey, now produced on this most historic of sites, we hope to do so again.” The Thompson Dry Dock first opened in 1911 to service and accommodate the massive White Star transatlantic liners Olympic and Titanic.


All of the original pump equipment and associated internal historic features in the adjacent Pumphouse have been retained and are available to view as part of the associated visitor tours, while the exterior includes a new food and beverage area. Stephen Symington,


Director of


Titanic Distillers, added: “This has been a real labour of love for all concerned over a period of more than five years – from the initial seeds, through the planning process and then the loving restoration of one of our city’s most historic and iconic buildings. “Our ambition, from the outset, has


always been to embrace the history of our distillery’s location to create a unique product and visitor experience, immersed in the spirit of Belfast’s industrial and maritime past and inspired by the people who worked in Belfast’s shipyard more than a century ago.


“However, outside of the site’s massive tourism appeal and historic significance, it is important to recognise that, from this moment forward, we are now a working distillery in which we will be producing our own products to build on our success to date and make the most of the growing global demand for Irish Whiskey.” Titanic Distillers at Thompson Dock


is within walking distance of Titanic Belfast, the world’s biggest Titanic exhibition centre and Northern Ireland’s number one tourist attraction.


Diona Doherty Brings Her Latest Comedy ‘The Hen Do’ to the Grand Opera House


THE side-splitting comedy The Hen Do, by the multi-talented NI writer and comedian Diona Doherty, is coming to a theatre near you! Alongside her Bossy wee sister


Ciara and her apprehensive mum Sally, Becky heads to Ibiza for her ‘away hen’. Between being put through their


paces by a ‘beefy’ Scottish aerobics instructor and spending the night banged up abroad, Becky’s ‘Hen Do’ inevitably gets wild. To top it all, Becky and her sister learn that their mum never had


the chance to have her own Hen Do and conspire to give their mum the time of her life. Will their mum ever be the same again, and will they make it back home in one piece? Expect glowsticks, cocktails, bangin’ tunes and chaos, as our loveable gang wade through dysfunctional family relationships and drink copious amounts of free tequila on this raucous roller-coaster ride of a hen do. So grab your girlfriends, feather boas, and join in the fun!


Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Ryan


Murphy commended the efforts of all those involved in the project. He said: “Te refurbishment and revival of the maze


by the Cave Hill Conservation Campaign is fantastic.


It’s a celebration of volunteerism


and is a shining example of the wide variety of different activities and sites available in our parks and open spaces. “Te project team have worked diligently


over the past two years to bring this unique feature of the Belfast Castle grounds back to life. Te maze is such an untapped visitor attraction which will undoubtedly play an important role in bringing tourists and locals to the area in greater numbers.”


The


picked from the luxury resort’ s private cellar where diners will be given expert insight into the inspiration


for each wine pairing.


mouth-watering food


tasting experience promises to “indulge the tastebuds and awaken the senses through a delectable combination of flavours, aromas, and creative artistry” says Executive Head Chef Stephen Holland. To make a reservation visit www. lougherneresort.com or call on 028 6632 3230.


Room2 Rest Your Head


SET to open it’s doors on October 16th 2023, a whole new accommodation offering is heading to Belfast. The real estate investor and developer, Lamington Group are full steam ahead to the opening of room2’s newest property in Belfast. room2 Belfast will be the Lamington


Group’s first property outside of England, and the fourth property in its portfolio. The property is located at 32-36 Queen


Street, or for us Belfast natives - right out the back of boots! With this prime city location, the property is ideal for inbound travellers seeking to explore Belfast at their own pace. It is also an ideal accommodation offering for locals looking to enjoy a mid-week break or a weekend getaway right on their doorstep. The Belfast property will adopt the


brand’s eco hometel identity. There are 175 bedrooms across nine floors, with a vibrant cafe, tea room, meeting and events space, a gym, bar, restaurant, and a spacious lounge area available. Flexibility is the key with the room2 property,


the Lamington Group are


committed for all guests to feel welcome at the property and also in Belfast. The property aims for guests to tailor-make their trip to fit their own needs. Whether you are staying for a night or for a full month, you will have the amenities to make the most out of your trip to Belfast.


With the seamless service and conveniences


of a hotel, as well as mattress menus and 24- hour stays with check in at 2pm and check out at 2pm as standard, the building will have a laundry room, and co-working areas. Each bedroom will feature a fully equipped kitchenette and separate living space. The room2 brand specialises in being an eco hometel brand, pioneering the way for a more sustainable accommodation offering. room2 Belfast is fully electric and includes occupancy-enabled rooms, two lab rooms, solar energy generation, 100% renewable energy, local sourcing of materials, products and artwork. Therefore, as well as supporting the local environment through their bold approach to a circular economy, room2 uses local suppli- ers where possible for all aspects of con- struction and design, such as using wood- work items sourced from within the city. For more information, visit room2.com or follow @room2hometels on social media.


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