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Northern Ireland's 14 Greatest Sports Stars

With the Euros in full swing, we're cheering on the Green and White Army as loud as we can...

National pride is at its peak, so we thought it would be a great idea to keep the patriotism going by taking a look at some of Northern Ireland's most notable sportspeople.

Here are a few of the top names. And if you have any more suggestions, be sure to let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

Rory McIlroy

Ah Wee Mac. This talented golfer has made us proud on many an occasion, as a four-time major champion - three of which he won under the age of 25.

Darren Clarke

Another amazing golfer on the list is Dungannon's own Darren Clarke. During his career, Clarke has won 22 tournaments worldwide, including the 2011 Open. He has also won two World Golf Championship events, defeating Tiger Woods in 2000.

Dame Mary Peters

Lisburn dwelling Dame Mary Peters is a Northern Irish legend, and most famously the gold medal winner in the womens pentathlon in the 1972 Olympic games in Munich.

Barry McGuigan

The Clones Cyclone is without doubt Northern Ireland's most famous and respected professional boxer and has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall Of Fame and the International Boxing Hall Of Fame for his achievements. At the height of his career in the 80's venues such as the King's Hall would be packed to the brim with fans travelling from everywhere to see him fight.

George Best

Probably the most famous NI sportsperson on the list is George Best - we even have an airport named after him! The professional footballer is known as one of the greatest in history, playing for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland team. In 1968 he won the European Cup with Manchester United and was named European Footballer of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year.

Alex Higgins

Belfast born Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins is one of the most iconic snooker players of all time. He was known as the people's champion and is one of only ten players in history to complete snooker's 'Triple Crown', winning the World Championship, the UK Championship and the Masters.

Paddy Barnes

Another much loved local figure is boxer Paddy Barnes. Paddy has won two gold medals at the Commonwealth games (2010 and 2014) and two Olympic bronze medals in his career; the first in 2008 and the second in 2012. He also has the great honor of bearing the Flag of Ireland Tricolor at the 2016 Olympic Games.

: via paddyb_ireland on Twitter

Joey Dunlop

Hailing from Ballymoney, the great Joey Dunlop was a world championship motorcyclist. He was regarded as a true working class hero and a legend in his field; being named as the fifth greatest motorcycling icon ever in 2005, by Motorcycling News. He was recognised with an MBE for his sporting achievements and also an OBE for his incredibly charity work for children in Romanian orphanages. Joey sadly died in Estonia during a race in 2000.

Pat Jennings

Newry raised Pat Jennings is a talented goalkeeper, playing for Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and the Northern Ireland team during his career. He had an incredible international footballing career, snapping 22 years. He played 119 games for Northern Ireland and made over 1,000 top level appearances in total. He won the FA Cup in 1967, the League Cup in 1971 and 1973, and the UEFA Cup in 1972

AP McCoy

Former horse racing jockey, AP McCoy recorded his first winner in 1992 at the age of just 17. He went on to ride a record of 4,358 winners and was a champion jockey 20 consecutive times - every year of his professional career.

Eddie Irvine

From County Down, Eddie Irvine is one the the most famous racing drivers with an outstanding career. In 1999, he has an incredible season, taking four victories and finished runner up in the Formula One World Driver's Championship.

Carl Frampton

Another respected 'People's Champ' on the list is Belfast boxer Carl 'The Jackal' Frampton. Carl is a former unified WBA Super-weight and IBF Super-bantamweight champion with a loyal local following behind him.

David Healy

David Healy is a Northern Irish former footballer and the current manager of Linfield. He is the all-time leading scorer for the NI team, with 36 goals and is also the joint goal-scoring record holder of the UEFA European Championship, with 13 goals. During his professional career he played for a number of clubs including Manchester United, Preston, Leeds United, Fulham and Rangers to name just a few.

Graeme McDowell

In Northern Ireland, we're certainly not short of talented golfers. Graeme McDowell is one of those top names. Most well known for winning the 2010 Open he has also won ten events on the European Tour and three on the PGA Tour. He represented Ireland at the World Cup and has been a member of the European Ryder Cup team three times.

Thanks for reading!

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43 Things Only Northern Irish Adults Will Remember

For a small country, Northern Ireland sure has a lot of history...

And we thought we'd get all wistful and nostalgic today by looking back at some of our wee country's most notable moments and memories.

If you can think of any more to add to the list, be sure to let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

43 Things That Only Northern Irish People Will Remember

1. Watching Give My Head Peace on a Friday night.

2. The horrific anti-terror TV ad that scares the bejeesus out of us all and ruined Cats In The Cradle forever.

3. The Kelly show.

4. The John Daly Show.

5. When May McFettridge was new on the scene.

6. School around the corner.

7. Getting sent home from work or school because of another bloody bombscare.

8. If you lived outside of Belfast, going to city was like going on a foreign holiday.

9. Police checkpoints.

10. Getting your bag checked going into Welworths.

11. When Welworths existed.

12. Leisureworld.

13. This slide at Newcastle.

14. Getting a beating with one of these if you gave your ma back cheek.

15. When the first McDonald's came to your town.

16. The In Shops.

17. When your TV just stopped working after 12 o'clock.

18. When you just had three channels on the TV.

19. When Jim and Our Elizabeth first arrived on the street.

20. When Catchphrase was presented by Roy Walker.

21. When Dale Farm lollies were 30p.

22. When a packet of Tayto was 30p and had that creepy Mr Tayto head.

23. These crisps.

And these.

24. Taz Bars.

25. Having Creamola Foam at birthday parties (which is now banned because it is basically crack for children.)

26. When Victoria Square didn't exist and there was basically just a tower block in its place.

27. When Bill Clinton turned on the Christmas lights.

28. Police 6.

29. When Eamon Holmes was just a wee young thing with a mop of dark hair presenting GMTV with thon Anthea Turner.

30. When Patrick Kielty was just a wee young thing.

31. Staying out playing Kerbsy until it was dark.

32. When the Westlink was even more of a nightmare than it is now.

33. When George Best played for Manchester United.

34. When George Best City Airport was just called Belfast City Airport.

35. Calling a doughnut a gravy ring.

36. When you were playing outside at tea time and your ma would open the front door and shout your name down the street so you would come in an eat your dinner.

37. Summer holidays meant a week at the caravan in Newcastle or Portrush, not going abroad.

38. When the lemonade man would come and deliver to you.

39. When you would leave your old milk bottles out for the milk man.

40. When dinner was not dinner unless there were spuds on your plate.

41. The wee fella from the Coleraine Cheddar ad.

42. Crazy Prices.

43. Yellow Pack items in Stewarts.

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14 Amazing Health Food Brands Based In Northern Ireland

Summer is well and truly here...

Which means the impending pressure of having a rock hard beach body is upon us.

But let's face it - no one can bare the thought of going for a run, munching carrot sticks and chugging coconut water in this weather. We'd much rather be enjoying a big old poke in the sun (with a chocolate flake and sprinkles, please and thanks).

So to help motivate you to get in shape for your holidays abroad, or your next trip to Portrush strand, we thought it would be a great idea to take a look at some of Northern Ireland's top health food brands, that aren't just good for you, but taste amazing too.

Get some of these names on your shopping list and you'll have abs in no time without even trying. We promise.*

*This is not an actual promise.

1. Forest Feast

Based in Portadown, Co. Armagh, Forest Feast are a supplier of healthy fruit and nut snacks that you've probably seen on the shelves of your local supermarket or corner shops. Their Street Food nut packs are a great substitute for a naughty bag of Tayto and their Sour Mango (a firm favourite among the NI Parcels gang) tastes just like Haribo!

Find them at Forestfeast.com.

2. Suki Tea

There is nothing better than a nice hot cup of tea (milk and two sugars if you're offering), but if you're gulping down multiple cups a day, you could be unwittingly adding a significant amount of calories to your daily intake. For instance, of you like your tea milky and sweet, each cup will contain around 50 calories!

Suki Tea, however, is a much healthier and more delicious alternative. Based in Belfast, they produce an enormous variety of ethically sourced loose leaf teas in an abundance of flavours.

Find them at Suki-tea.com

3. Linwoods Health Foods

Linwoods, based in County Armagh, produce these incredible varieties of super seed packs which are incredibly good for you. Put them in your porridge, on your cereal, in your yoghurt, use them to bake break or pour the packet directly into your gub if you want - they are jam packed with nutrients to fuel your body.

Find them at Linwoodshealthfoods.com

4. Abernethy Butter

In 2005, Will and Allison Abernethy decided to take their buttermaking skills, learned from previous generations, and turn it into a family business. Now based in Dromara, County Down, and sold in the likes of Fortnum and Mason (grocer to the Queen, don't you know), Abernethy is a well respected brand with many fans. Not only is it the most delicious, luxurious butter ever, but it is handmade and additive free and comes from grass-fed cows which is known to protect against colon cancer.

Find them at Abernethybuttercompany.com.

5. Keen Nut Butter

Bangor based brand Keen Nut Butter will be favourite among any peanut butter addicts out there. We swear, when you buy this stuff, you'll be tying your hands behind your back just to stop yourself devouring the whole thing with a spoon. Founder Aimee Beimers is a nutritionist and sought out to replace traditional sugar laden nut butters and spreads with something much healthier and tastier. And, by God, she achieved it.

Find them at Keannutbutter.com.

6. Skinny Malinkys

Skinny Malinky's are NI's premier raw cold pressed juice providers. And if you're in need of a bit of a detox or cleanse, this is the answer. The juices are full of yummy nutritious goodness to fuel your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs. Based near Titanic Quarter in Belfast, owner Paula uses NI Parcels to ship bottles daily to her hundreds of happy customers across the UK and Ireland.

Find them at Skinnymalinkys.com

7. That Protein

Created by Northern Irish nutritionist Darlene McCormick, That Protein gives you premium organic plant protein powders and superfoods in one product, completely natural and organic, cold pressed and pure. They are free from sugars, sweeters, GMO and anything artificial. That Protein have some irresistible recipes on their blog too, which will make you want to buy the whole range and try everything at once.

Find them at Thatprotein.com

8. Flavour First

We're all for convenience here at NI Parcels, so Flavour First's delivered fresh fruit and veg boxes are a godsend! Order your selection online from products grown on the family run businesses' Donaghadee farm. Your box will then be delivered to your home or work address. It costs from as little as £9 and delivery is free!

Find them at Flavourfirst.com.

9. Free'ist

We could probably all do with cutting some sugar out of our diets but stepping away from the biscuits and snacks to go cold turkey is a terrifying prospect. Thankfully, local brand Free'ist have created a range of yummy sugar free snacks to satisfy even the sweetest tooth. This means you can have your daily dose of chocolate, cookies or popcorn and not feel even the slightest bit guilty about it.

Find them at Freeist.co.uk

10. Oh So Lean

Oh So Lean are a Northern Irish company which provides premium low fat products including beef, chicken, turkey and pork as well as soups and sauces and easy cook meals. They also have a gluten free range to serve those with more specific dietary requirements.

You can find them at Ohsolean.co.uk.

11. Moditions

Moditions gluten free baked goods started out as a bit of a passion project when founder Christine wanted to create some delicious food for her coeliac husband. As interest in her food grew, a business was born and now her amazing baked creations are stocked in Tescos stores as part of their Local Choice options.

You can find them at Moditions.com

12. Heavenly Tasty Organics

Shauna McCarney-Blair started Heavenly Tasty Organics shortly after weaning her first child. She wanted to feed her baby the best, most nutritious and fresh allergy sensitive food but as there was nothing on the market, she decided to create her own. Heavenly Tasty Organics then became her newest baby and her delicious healthy foods for kids are now available nationwide.

Find them at Heavenlytasty.com

13. Mash Direct

Ah the humble spud - you can't beat 'em! If you're a fan of a good creamy mash, you'll love Mash Direct. Launched back in 2004 they are the market leader when it comes to convenient vegetable and potato dishes. If you're in a rush and on the verge of stepping foot into the takeaway for a portion of chips, Mash Direct could be the healthier alternative you need. Their products are made fresh on their County Down farm and are free from artificial preservatives and low in salt.

Find them at Mashdirect.com

14. Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil

Here's a fact for you - Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil was actually created by accident. When Leona Kane and her husband Richard were preparing dinner one night, they ran out of olive oil for the salad dressing. So, Richard brought up some unfiltered cold pressed rapeseed oil to use instead. They were immediately hooked to its gorgeous nutty flavour and developed the idea to create a healthy all-rounder oil for cooking, frying or making dressings. The company have gone onto win numerous awards and have a long line of fans, including Obama!

You can find them at Broightergold.co.uk

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Write For Us

Interested in writing for the NI Parcels blog?

We accept good quality guest posts on a wide range of subjects, so if you have some content you'd like to submit, get in touch!

About The NI Parcels Blog

NI Parcels is a Belfast based online courier service which helps small businesses and individuals save time and money on their parcel deliveries.

We also happen to have a pretty nifty blog. We know - parcel delivery doesn't seem like the most fun and exciting topic on the planet but many of our blog posts have been hugely successful and a handful have even gone viral!

While we do like to write about the courier industry, shipping and parcel delivery, we write blog posts on many subjects, such as:

What we're looking for...

So if you think you could write a great blog post on any of those subjects mentioned, here are a few things to bare in mind.

Originality

We will only post content that is original. This means it must be your own work and it must not be published on any other websites.

Value

The one thing we're looking for is value. If you want to write a post for us, it must add value to our audience. It must be worth reading. It doesn't matter whether it's funny, inspiring, informative or education - if it adds value in any way, we'll be happy to publish it.

Guest Posting Tips

Format

We prefer to publish posts that are over 800 words. It's also best to break your post into sections so readers can scan it easily if they have to. 'How To' and 'listicle' style posts are really popular among our audience, but if you have any other ideas, we're very open to them.

Links

You can include outbound links in your posts but ONLY if they add value to the reader. If you are including 10 links to your own website, just for the sake of linking to your website, we won't publish your content. If you're linking out, it must be to a good quality website and it must be beneficial to the reader. If you want a link to your website, we will put on in your author bio.

Images

You can include your own images, but they must be free to use. If you do not have access to your own images, that's no problem - we can source them for you.

If you would like to guest post for the NI Parcels blog, please send your ideas or completed content to our blog editor Katy: info@niparcels.com.

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21 Things Northern Irish People Do When It's Sunny

Let's be honest, it's not often that we're blessed with sunny weather in poor wee Northern Ireland...

So when it reaches over 15 degrees, you can be sure we're going to make the most of it.

15 Things Northern Irish People Do When It's Sunny

1. The taps come aff.

: The Sunflower Bar, Belfast

2. Sunbathing knows no limits.

3. Seriously, we'll do it anywhere.

Even outside the Mater Hospital, apparently...

: via @an_fear_ciuin Twitter

4. We start the day with a good tanning sesh in the garden.

5. The entire population then flocks to the shores of Newcastle or Portrush.

6. The entire city of Belfast ends up in the Botanic Gardens.

7. When it reaches a socially acceptable time to drink (after 1pm), we go to the nearest pub with a good beer garden.

8. It's too hot to eat food, so we feed on pokes.

9. And complain about how expensive they are nowadays.

10. Or we buy a bunch of Dale Farm ice lollies for everyone.

11. And complain about how expensive they are nowadays.

12. The entire day is spent talking about the weather.

13. The only story on the news is about our 'heatwave'.

And the front page of the Belfast Telegraph will undoubtedly list all the European countries we're currently hotter than.

14. You hear this at least 1,000 times during the day.

15. Even though we're delighted, we'll still complain about it.

16. People will blast horrendous dance music from their cars.

17. For tea it's either a barbecue...

18. Or a 'Northern Irish Salad" (ie. few leaves, coleslaw, ham, boiled eggs and chips)

19. You put about ten washes on because, let's face it, thon's quare dryin' weather.

20. Everyone and their ma will be posting pictures of their 'fun in the sun' all over social media.

21. Meanwhile everyone in work is counting down the seconds until the working day ends and reading posts like this to make time move faster... we feel ya.

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How To Save Money On Courier Costs - 10 Creative Tips

Sending parcels isn't cheap.

No matter whether you're posting a birthday present to a relative abroad one a year, or perhaps a small business owner shipping products daily - courier costs are ones we could really do without.

With that in mind, we at NI Parcels thought it would be a good idea to write an informative post with our tops tips for saving money on courier costs.

We understand that, as well as being an expensive task, sending parcels is often a boring, frustrating and stressful one too. Few people have time or motivation to sit down and research how to spend less on their deliveries.

So as it is our area of expertise, let us do the work for you and take a read of our Top Ten Tips For Saving Money On Courier Costs.

1. Be organised

Being well organised with your parcel deliveries can help you save some cash. We always recommend booking your deliveries as far in advance as you can and selecting the courier's Economy service instead of Express when possible, as it is considerably cheaper and in most cases, there is just one day difference in terms of delivery times.

2. Size matters

When booking a delivery with a courier, the price of your parcel will often be based on its size. For that reason, it's a good idea to package your item in as small a box as possible to keep the costs to a minimum. Just ensure that the box is not too small and can withstand the weight of the item it's carrying.

3. Weight matters too

Likewise, weight will affect the price, so remove any unneccessary items which may make your parcel heavier. For example, package your item with lightweight materials like bubble wrap or packing peanuts what will not add to the kilos.

4. Be accurate

You will need to be as accurate as possible when booking your parcel delivery with the courier. If your parcel is even just the slightest bit larger or heavier than you originally described, you could face unpleasant oversize charges or worse - the courier may refuse to collect your parcel altogether. We've seen this happen with parcels that are just 1kg heavier than they were claimed to be.

We recommend purchasing a set of shipping scales if you frequently send parcels as these are more accurate than other kinds of scales.

5. Buy packaging in bulk

Buying a single box every time you have a parcel to send can add up and contribute a significant amount to the overall cost of your deliveries. Buying packaging in bulk works out much cheaper if you do send items fairly frequently.

And, if you purchase quality packaging, you can reuse your boxes and save even more money in the long run.

6. Claim your VAT back

Taxable businesses should always remember to claim VAT back on deliveries at the end of the tax year. Just make sure to keep all your receipts!

7. Mind the excess charges

Always make sure that the price you are originally quote by the courier, is the final price you pay. Some couriers may add in fees for compensation, VAT maybe excluded from the end total or there may be an NI surcharge. Do your research to avoid nasty surprises on the checkout page.

8. Take out compensation

Speaking of compensation - always take it out to ensure your items are protected from damage or loss. If not, you may not be eligible for a refund or be able to claim anything back, forcing you to lose money overall.

Many couriers will offer a level of free compensation. For example, at NI Parcels, we offer £50 free compensation cover per item, which you can increase up to the value of £500 for a small additional fee, if you wish. Before choosing your level of cover, always check out the courier's list of prohibited items to ensure that your parcel contents are protected against damage or loss.

9. Stop driving to the Post Office!

It's not just the postage costs that put a dent in your wallet, when sending parcels, the fuel it takes to drive to the post office/depot and the time out of your day are also added expenses.

Avoid wasting time and fuel by using a door to door service that can collect the parcel directly from you.

1o. Use a courier comparison website

When we make a purchase of any kind, we tend to shop around (usually online) to find the best deals. Booking a courier is no different.

Never book with the first courier you come across - see which company offers the lowest price and the best value for money. The great news is that there are websites out there who do the shopping around for you - like NI Parcels!

We provide a courier comparison service which allows you to enter the details of your parcel and view a list of reduced rate quotes from top providers like Parcelforce, DPD and City Air Express. Booking with a courier comparison website like NI Parcels can be up to 80% cheaper than booking directly with the courier.

We hope this money saving advice piece helps you cut back on your delivery costs and if you have any questions, please get in touch with us and we'll be happy to help.

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17 Valentine's Cards For Northern Irish People

Roses are red, violets are blue, Norn Iron is a wile romantic wee place, so it is...

As well as providing the best courier service on the planet, us NI Parcels lot fancy ourselves as a romantic bunch.

So, we thought we'd put together some special Valentine's Day cards strictly for Northern Irish folk. Feel free to print out your favourite and send it to your significant other. We're sure their face will be a picture when they open that envelope...

1. One for the Corrie fans.

2. For the Trainspotters.

3. An old favourite.

4. For the thrill seekers.

5. For modern lovers.

6. For the cultured.

7. This will melt even a frostbit heart.

8. For those with a flare for politics.

9. For those with an eye for this UTV heartthrob.

10. For food lovers.

11. Anyone for dessert?

12. Now that's love.

13. You'll do WHAT?

14. Couple goals.

15. NSFW.

16. Talk about crazy in love.

17. And finally...

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11 Things All Northern Irish People Did At Halloween

The days are getting shorter, those cosy dark nights are drawing in...

So we think it's a perfect time to get a bit nostalgic and look back at all the things we used to do as wee Northern Irish childer at Halloween time...

1. Going round the doors trick or treating days or even weeks before Halloween night.

2. Preying on all the old people in the street who you knew would give you money.

3. This song:

4. At the end of singing the song in its entirety, you'd either get handed a bunch of coppers.

5. Or a handful of monkey nuts.

6. Getting a big sticky gub because of toffee applies.

7. Breaking a knuckle playing conkers but holding in the pain because you wanted to act tough and win.

8. You didn't need to go to the shops and spend a fortune on an expensive costume. Bin liner or a sheet = sorted.

9. Carving turnips because pumpkins are dear and your ma and da aren't made of money.

10. Nearly drowning trying to bob for apples.

11. Grabbing a handful of these and throwing about ten at once, in an attempt to create an explosion.

fun_snaps-421x360

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