Latest forecast

We have had a good fall of snow in the last couple of hours and it looks like there is more on it's way.

 Be prepared bring your wellie boots. Signs are covered with snow and you may not beable to read them but this is what you are looking for.

Welcome to Whitethorn Cottages with snow.

We now have no green grass left we are just white with snow.
Happy Saint Patricks day.

Celebrate St Patrick's Day

Be part of Belfast’s St Patrick’s Festival and enjoy exhibitions, music, talks, arts and crafts workshops, children’s colouring competition, tea dances and films all celebrating St Patrick. The festival highlight will be the annual parade and concert on Sunday 17 March 2013. Belfast City Centre will come alive with the annual carnival parade involving community groups from throughout Belfast, professional and amateur performers, musicians and acrobats. The parade leaves Belfast City Hall at 12noon and travels to Custom House Square where there will be a free outdoor concert from 1pm-3pm with an eclectic range of entertainment, including traditional Irish, Ulster Scots, pop and multicultural music and dance. 



St Patrick’s celebrations will also be taking place in St George’s Market with a weekend of family activities including dance displays and more. The Ulster Hall will be holding musical workshops, talks and literary sessions and a photographic exhibition, as well as St Patrick’s dances on Sunday 17 March.  Belfast’s Waterfront Hall will host the annual St Patrick’s Day concert in partnership with BBC Northern Ireland on the evening of Sunday 17 March. Free tickets to this event will be allocated by random draw. You can apply for tickets from 4-18 February 2013, through the BBC Shows, Tours and Events website www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours

There will also be a number of events happening within local communities to mark St.Patrick’s Day. These events are funded by the Council’s Good Relations Unit to assist local organisations to celebrate the day. 

The latest news

Mervyn Jess went along to meet Northern Ireland's latest celebrity

An abandoned dog, found in a sack on a Northern Ireland riverbank, has claimed a top award at Crufts.

Becky was a six-week-old pup when she was saved by passers-by, seven years ago.

She was adopted by retired teacher Margaret McKnight and at the weekend was picked by former Eastenders actress Pam St Clement as the champion mongrel.

The Scruffts awards have been going for 12 years but this is the first time they have been part of Crufts.

Margaret, from Bangor, County Down, told how the dog had been saved from extinction.

"A litter sack was dumped in the towpath near Lisburn and a couple of ladies saw the gentleman leaving the sack and they went over and lifted it," she said. "The rest is history.

"Assisi animal sanctuary got them all homed and I got the only blonde in the litter, which turned out to be Becky.

"I had her DNA taken a few years ago and she really is a mongrel of mongrels.

"She has a lovely personality and she is a really friendly dog.

"She is a 'pets-as-therapy' dog so she is used to meeting and greeting people.

"We have dogs in the charity who would go into nursing homes, units for people with Alzheimer's or special schools, all sorts of places where you don't normally have a dog."

Margaret also paid tribute to the Kennel Club for introducing the new category for mongrels to the competition.

"This is new, but it is wonderful that they have acknowledged this wonderful variety of dogs that are out there and that make super pets," she added.

"They might not have the breeding but they certainly have the temperament and the good looks."

Backing Belfast

Now the snow has disappeared, everyone is concentrating on encouraging people to visit Belfast and support the bars and restaurants and enjoy the shopping in the city. We have felt and upsurge in inquiries and hope that 2013 will be a year for lots of visitors and a good time for all.

The campaign aims to encourage people to vote with their feet, to come out and get behind 

retailers, restaurants and bars.

Already struggling with the recession and winter weather, many in the hospitality sector have been 

brought to their knees by weeks of flag protests.

For seven weeks, normal daily life has been disrupted by ongoing protests and rioting that have 

turned away vital custom and forced traders to watch profits plummet.

But we believe our city can bounce back. Today’s paper includes a series of deals and special 

offers to encourage people to come into the city this weekend.

Our campaign has received wide-ranging support from across Northern Ireland and beyond — from 

Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Peter Robinson, other senior politicians 

politicians, business groups and those in the entertainment industry.

And their message is unequivocally the same — please make a point of doing something to support 

the local economy, especially this weekend.

Snow arrives in Belfast

The snow arrives at Whitethorn 2013

We expect my tomorrow morning it will be a good bit deeper as there seems to be plently of snow falling now.

Latest pictures of the snow here at Whitethorn Cottages today. Both Belfast  airports are open.

Ten reasons to visit Northern Ireland

10 reasons
to love Northern Ireland.

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Northern Ireland is a great place to live, and we've got plenty of sights, sounds and people that make a difference to all our lives. We've decided to start a bit of a showcase of just why we all rock, and why you can continue to be proud to live in Northern Ireland. In no particular order here are 100 reasons to love Northern Ireland.

1) Our People

Recognised for our kind nature around the world, Northern Ireland people are a unique, beautiful, intelligent race far superior to other nations. Fact.

Seriously though, you won't find a friendlier more welcoming country, and for that we should be very proud.

Northern Ireland folk as you'll see later in this article have done some wonderful things both past and present, and for that reason, our people makes the list.

2) Our Wee Accent

The Northern Irish accent has been voted one of the sexiest, according to a poll and we've awesome folk like Jimmy Nesbitt, Barry the Blender, Christine Bleakley and *cough* Nadine Coyle?! (with her own dialect) speaking the native tongue as Northern Irish brand ambassadors around the world. Go Team!

3) Our sense of humour

Northern Irish folk are always up for a bit of craic and we don't take ourselves too seriously. We have a dark self-deprecating sense of humour, and we are pretty quick witted at times too.

Northern Ireland has its fair share of comedians, and funnymen, as you'll see later on.

We also beat England in 2005 in a football match (see David Healy) and we'll never let them forget it.

4) Irwin's Nutty Crust

Nutty Crust high fibre plain bread is well recognised and renowned as the perfect Northern Irish way to keep you regular.

Irwin's bakery is based in Portadown, and respected for it's nutritional benefits from Lord's and Ladies alike.

Both Nutty, and Crusty, its not unlike some of the wonderful people of Northern Ireland.

5) Our weather

The irish weather is a wonder in its own right. Generally speaking the way we tell the difference between a good and bad day is to measure the temperature of the rain.

To accompany the unpredictable nature of our climate, we've also developed our own rare collection of Northern Irish sayings to describe just how bad or good it is. Classics such as "She's lashing out of the heavens." or "It's bucketin' down." - (the rain is heavy), "S'terrible close." - (Humid) and "Sun's splittin' stones." - (Sunny), make it that bit more entertaining for tourists attempting to get the forecast from locals.

Foodies

Famous food from Northern Ireland. Doesn't get any tastier than these badboys.

6) The Ulster Fry

It is well known that an Ulster fry is a vastly superior national dish to a full English breakfast. So much so, that there's even a Facebook group dedicated to raising awareness on this matter of national pride. Perfect when you could eat the beard off Moses.

7) Tayto Crisps

If you haven't tasted the wonderous potato snack well, you aren't living the dream. It is widely known in Northern Irish circles that the magical potatoey snack are simply the best crisps IN THE WORLD. An inspired choice amongst many Norn' Iron snack fans, the classic crisp sandwich isn't complete without some Tayto Cheese and Onion.

Plus - you haven't yet lived if you haven't taken a wee trip to Tandragee to visit Mr. Tayto in Tayto Castle. What a guy.

8) Spuds

A staple of the Northern Irish diet, you simply can't bate a good 'owl feed a spuds. With Kerr's pinks to Queens best, they are all equally as dear, and close to our hearts.

Add to that, the fact that Tayto crisps just wouldn't be the same - Spuds make it in to our awesome list.

9) Dale Farm Lollipop's

No one can deny the revitalising and thirst quenching qualities of Northern Irish classics such as the Pear Picking Porky, Joker, Mr Frosty, Polly Pineapple, or Choc pop. All lollypops born and bred on this fine soil.

10) Maud's Ice Cream

Mauds Ice Cream originally started as a part of a family grocery business in Carnmoney, Co. Antrim. It was named after Maud, the head of the family business at that time and produces quite possibly the best honeycomb ice-cream known to man.

'Pooh-bear' is a Northern Irish delicacy mixing creamy ice-cream from local cows, with honeycomb chunks from local bees. Delish.

The perfect place for a walk today

         This morning along the sea coast the Coast the sun was shining and all was beautiful.
There was an increase in maritime activity as HM Coastguard, vessels, RNLI lifeboats,helicopers,search and sea rescur coordinators,Belfast Harbour, emergency services and local authorities took part in a live large-scale incident exercise, within Belfast Lough.