The North —
Special Places to Shop
Derry
Craft Village, Derry City; St. George's Market, Belfast; inside the St. George's Market,
there is a colorful array of goods from fruits and fish to clothes and crafts..
The North of Ireland is known for its high quality crafts. What should you
look for? Pure Irish linen napkins, tablecloths, and handkerchiefs; Tyrone
hand-cut glassware, Belleek pottery; polished Mourne granite, blackthorn
walking sticks; and musical instruments such as harps, fiddles, drums, and
bagpipes — these are just a few of the North's signature products.
Belfast, in particular, is synonymous with shopping. The main shopping street is Royal Avenue, home of well-known names such as Waterstone's, Jaeger, and Virgin Megastore. Other hubs of good shopping are Donegall Place (Marks & Spencer, Habitat, Disney Store, and other international names); the Castlecourt Centre (over 70 shops under one roof including Debenhams, Eason & Son, Laura Ashley, Gap, and more).
Shops in Belfast city centre are open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with extended hours on Thursday evening. Most other towns close a half-day on one day per week (different from town to town) and small shops sometimes close for lunch. Some large shopping centres on the outskirts of towns stay open until 9 p.m. and often on Sunday. For a bit of local color, look for market days which are held in many country towns at least once a week.
Here are a few shopping landmarks to get you started:
Belleek Pottery, Main St., Belleek, Co. Fermanagh (tel. 028-6665-8501),
is known worldwide for producing delicate "basket weave" creamy white porcelain
china. Buy it throughout the island of Ireland or here at home base. Open daily
March-October, and weekdays only during November-February. Web site: www.belleek.ie
Buttermarket, Down Street, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh (tel.
028-6532-4499) is a unique craft complex housed in the town's former Buttermarket, dating
back to 1835. Shop in a 19th century atmosphere and watch local craftspeople at work, with
occasional traditional music, craft fairs, and street theater to enliven the experience.
Closed Sunday.
Craftworks, Bedford House, Bedford St., Belfast (tel. 028-9024-4465), is
a
great place to start a shopping spree. It provides a showcase for the work of individual
craftspeople from all over Ulster and has a wide range of locally made crafts — from
ceramics and contemporary Celtic-inspired jewelry to woodwork and glassware. Closed
Sunday.
Derry Craft Village, Shipquay St., Derry (tel. 028-7126-0329), is a
shopping and entertainment complex that is laid out in a cottage-style format portraying
life in Derry from 16th- to 19th-centuries. One of the most distinctive features of the
village is the individual style of the windows — each window represents a particular
period of Irish history and illustrates the various changes that have taken place in
design and appearance. Crafts range from Derry Crystal to hand-knit sweaters, linens, and
pottery. Closed Sunday.
Smyth's Irish Linens, 65 Royal Avenue, Belfast (tel. 028-9024-2232), is a
landmark shop for fine linens, dating back to 1860. It is run by the 4th generation of the
Smith family who still make linens at their factory at Peter's Hill in Belfast. In
addition to linens and damask, they stock hand-knits, china, and jewelry. Closed Sunday.
St. George's Market, May Street at Oxford Street, Belfast (tel.
028-9032-0202), is Belfast's original "Variety Market," dating back to the 19th
century. Situated opposite the new Waterfront Hall, the market was completely restored in
1999, and is open on Tuesdays and Fridays (from 8 a.m.), as a colorful outlet for fresh
fruit, flowers, fish, vegetables, clothing, crafts, and lots more.
Tyrone Crystal, Oaks Rd., Killybrackey, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone (tel.
028-8772-5335), is one of Ireland's oldest and best known crystal factories,
with a tradition dating back over 200 years. Buy the product here or anywhere throughout
Ireland. Open Monday-Saturday during April-October and on weekdays during November-March.
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