Northern Ireland’s six counties (Antrim, Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Armagh and Down) offer some spectacular scenery. Its sea coast, particularly the Causeway Coast of North Antrim, with the world-famous Giant’s Causeway at its centre, is among the most attractive in the British Isles. Elsewhere, the Mountains of Mourne, the great loughs which are such a feature of the Province, country houses like Mount Stewart in County Down, castles, monasteries and ancient sites, all combine to place Northern Ireland among the most beautifully varied parts of Western Europe.

And yet this corner of Ireland was the only part of the island to experience the full impact of the Industrial Revolution and the great city of Belfast throve as a powerhouse of manufacturing and shipbuilding. The shipyards of Harland and Wolff, for example, built a whole succession of enormous vessels, notably the Titanic. This prosperity was, in turn, reflected in the city’s grand public buildings and monuments, which give Belfast appropriate dignity as a capital, including the imposing City Hall and the parliament building at Stormont.

Seen from above, Northern Ireland’s many glories are revealed in fascinating detail – its gentle hills, dramatic cliffs, ancient towns and vibrant industry, where the mystic past mixes with the absolutely contemporary to produce a remarkably diverse and endlessly fascinating landscape.

Skyworks is an independent production company specialising in top-end High Definition aerial filming. The company has become one of the world’s leading HD aerial archivers. On the television side, Skyworks produces a range of factual programmes, varying from series about history, landscape and heritage to observational documentaries.

Imprint: PiXZ Books. ISBN 978 1 906887 42 1, hardback, 110x155mm, 64 pages. Published July 2009.