Shopping

Enniskillen has fine shops along its main street, which changes its name five times (East Bridge, Townhall, High, Church, Darling, Ann) as it runs the length of the town. Most shops are open Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm.

The largest shopping complex in Enniskillen is the Erneside Shopping Centre (tel. 028/6632-5705; www.ernesideshopping.com), a modern bi-level mall on Shore Road, just off Wellington Road. It stays open until 9pm on Thursday and Friday. The other principal towns for shopping in the area are Irvinestown and Lisnaskea.

The town's former butter market offers a nifty shopping experience. Dating from 1835, it has been restored and transformed into the Buttermarket, Enniskillen Craft and Design Centre, Down Street. There are various craft stores and workshops here, with occasional traditional music, craft fairs, and street theater to enliven the atmosphere.

Buying Belleek

If you're not a china expert, but you still want to bring back some Belleek pieces from your trip, here are a few tips to ensure that your purchases become heirlooms.

• The Belleek Heirloom Centre has the best selection of patterns from which to choose, giving you lots of options and a wide price range.

• At the center, all the china is displayed around the room. You walk around looking at all the pieces, then note the item numbers of those pieces you like. You take the numbers to the central counter, and they bring boxed china pieces to you.

• Make sure they pull the pieces out of the boxes so you can be sure they are what you expected.

• Take the pieces from the sales assistant and look at them closely. This is delicate china, and it can have tiny imperfections that you can only see by getting up close and personal.

• Be particularly conscious of the bottom of the piece -- look for tiny hairline cracks. We bought a lovely Belleek vase once that looked perfect, but leaked through a nearly invisible crack.

• If it looks good to you and you love it -- buy it!