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From Belfast to Bellaghy and Beyond – Translink Poet in Residence Releases New Blogs
There will be travel blogs about Bellaghy and Castlerock
Niamh McNally is Translink’s Poet in Residence 2025
Reporter:
Staff Reporter
04 Sept 2025 11:33 AM
Email:
news@derrynow.com
Translink is inviting people to discover new places and stories through a special series of travel blogs by Poet in Residence, Niamh McNally.
Running each week until the end of October, the blogs capture Niamh’s journeys from Belfast Grand Central Station to towns and cities across Northern Ireland and beyond – from Dublin’s Abbey Theatre and Armagh’s Navan Fort, to Antrim Castle Gardens, Enniskillen’s lakelands, Bellaghy’s Seamus Heaney HomePlace, and the coastal charm of Bangor and Castlerock. Niamh visits very county, and lots of fascinating places in between.
Louise Doyle, Belfast Grand Central Station Manager, said “These blogs show Belfast Grand Central Station as a gateway not only to travel but to culture, history, and community life across the island. Niamh captures the heart of our network – the people, places and stories that make every journey meaningful.”
As part of our Poetry in Motion blog series, we’re joining the nationwide Railway 200 celebrations — a year-long programme marking 200 years since the world’s first passenger railway opened in the UK. This milestone is more than a historic anniversary; it’s a chance to reflect on how rail and wider public transport have transformed lives — shaping communities, opening doors to opportunity, and inspiring cultural and economic change.
Within this backdrop, Poetry in Motion Blogs celebrates how the Translink network continues to connect people to each other, to education and work, to culture and new experiences. Our Poet in Residence, Niamh McNally, captures these journeys in verse — charting the everyday stories of movement, belonging, and connection that unfold across buses, trains, and stations. Her writing reminds us that every journey is more than just travel; it is part of the shared rhythm of community life.
Niamh McNally, Poet in Residence, added
“What strikes me most on these journeys is how every trip sparks a story, and how accessible places are when travelling on public transport. Whether it’s a quiet conversation on the train, a hidden corner of a town, or a chance encounter with a stranger on the bus, those moments stay with me. I hope these blogs inspire people to explore and find their own stories travelling with Translink.”
Every blog points readers towards using the Translink Journey Planner, the go-to travel tool to plan their own Translink Adventures.
With the Journey Planner, passengers can plan Northern Ireland and cross-border bus, coach and rail journeys from any stop, station or address. You can see your next departures, get the latest travel updates across Metro, Glider, Ulsterbus, Goldliner, NI Railways and Enterprise services, and enjoy new features such as bike-and-ride and park-and-ride options, a CO₂ saving calculator, accessible planning and live Glider and Metro tracking.
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