Wednesday was one of those days that will stand out in my memory, the kind of adventure that combines the joy of LEGO with the thrill of travel, discovery, and meeting new people. The destination was the grand opening of the brand-new LEGO Store in Victoria Square, Belfast, and it didn’t disappoint.
Belfast: A New Brick in the North
After parking (at a rather steep £12 stg for the day, though well worth it in hindsight), I made my way into the Victoria Square Shopping Centre. Nestled in a prime central location, the LEGO Store already looked the part, modern, welcoming, and buzzing with energy. Inside, the atmosphere was electric. Staff were not just friendly, but impressively well-trained and enthusiastic. You could tell this was a team who had been preparing for weeks for this very moment.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Aodhàn, one of the team members, about their preparations. He explained how they had spent the last couple of weeks kitting out the shop, training hard, and getting everything just right. It was clear how much pride they took in the store’s presentation, every detail felt polished.
Later, it was Aodhàn again who rang up my purchases, carefully packed them, and handed me my two Grand Opening Gifts With Purchase (GWPs):
- 6588946 LEGO Belfast Grand Opening (158 pieces)
- 30669 LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Polybag
For an AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO), these were treasures worth the trip alone.
DreamZZZ, Pick-a-Brick, and a White Tile Surprise
Before I left, there was a Make & Take activity featuring the LEGO DreamZZZ Z-Blob. I was allowed to build three of them, one for myself, one for Luke, and one for Rose. Though they weren’t with me this time (more on that below), I couldn’t resist making sure they were included in the day in spirit.
This event was organised between LEGO and Brick.ie, the home of AFOLs in Ireland, and because it was a dedicated AFOL opening, I had to leave Luke and Rose with their Nana in Dublin despite their protests. They would have loved it, but this one was for the “grown-up” LEGO fans.
I also grabbed two full boxes of Pick-a-Brick. The wall was well-stocked and the selection couldn’t have been better for a Star Wars MOC I’m preparing for Dublin Brick Con in October.
Then came another unexpected treat. As I was preparing to leave, I was handed a 4×2 white tile printed with “I LOVE LEGO STORE BELFAST”, a small but unique keepsake. Along with that came a goodie bag containing:
- 40528 LEGO Store (likely to be the next big GWP release)
- 30635 LEGO Friends Polybag
- 30679 LEGO Marvel Polybag
- 30698 LEGO DreamZZZ Polybag
- 30677 LEGO Harry Potter Polybag
It was a generous bundle, and all of it is destined for safe-keeping in the Redmond’s Forge museum collection.
Talking with Northern AFOLs
As I soaked in the atmosphere, I spoke to a couple of northern AFOLs who were delighted with the new store. They told me how great it was to finally have a LEGO hub in Belfast, no more travelling to Dublin for exclusives, GWPs, or simply the experience of a LEGO brand store. You could feel the relief and excitement in their voices. This wasn’t just a shop opening; it was a milestone for the LEGO community in Northern Ireland.
Donegal Bound: The Three-Week Deal
With Belfast complete, my day wasn’t over. For the past three weeks I had been in contact with a seller in Donegal, carefully negotiating and making arrangements. The idea was to hold a large LEGO haul for me until I could make it north. With Belfast as the anchor for the trip, it was the perfect time to combine the two.
I had thought the collection would be in Lifford, Co. Donegal, but as sometimes happens with these adventures, plans shifted. The real meeting point turned out to be Moville, Co. Donegal, practically at the tip of Ireland, north of Derry, north of Muff, and just shy of Malin Head. Only Carndonagh is further north on the map.
A Sunset Trade at Moville
I pulled into the Centra and garage in Moville at 8:45pm, greeted by the seller and her son. In the fading evening light, we completed the deal in the car park. By the time I left, my boot and back seat were stuffed with LEGO sets, along with two Oxford sets and even a KRE-O set. It was one of those quintessential haul moments, a mix of excitement, satisfaction, and curiosity about what gems would be discovered once everything was sorted.
From Quigley’s Point or Moville, you can look northeast across Lough Foyle to McGilligan’s Point. As the sun was setting behind me in the west, the lough shimmered in that soft light that makes Ireland look like nowhere else on earth. It felt fitting to cap off the night with a slight detour further north to Malin Head, watching the last of the day fade over the Atlantic.
Southbound Journey: Midnight Roads
From there, it was time to point the car south again. I retraced my path: through Moville, through Muff, back into the North, passing Derry, Strabane, and Omagh, and then into the South again, with the familiar towns of Emyvale and Monaghan sliding past. Just north of Ardee, I turned east onto the N33, then joined the M1 for what should have been the quick run home.
But Ireland loves its roadworks surprises. After midnight, the M1/M50 interchange was closed, with road relaying underway. That meant a detour via the Airport interchange, onto the Old Airport Road, and finally joining the M50 at Ballymun. By the time I rolled into my driveway, it was early in the am. A long day, but what a day.
Two Counties Added to the Forge Map
The Forge’s map of Ireland, where we track every county from which we’ve brought home LEGO hauls, now has two new additions: Antrim (Belfast) and Donegal (Moville). Both were added in one adventurous northern loop, making this trip not only memorable but historic for Redmond’s Forge.
Final Thoughts
The LEGO Store Belfast opening was everything an AFOL could hope for: friendly staff, exclusive gifts, community spirit, and the sense of being part of something special. Adding in the Donegal haul turned the trip into a true LEGO odyssey, a journey that took me from the polished centre of Belfast to the windswept beauty of Malin Head, with a boot full of bricks to prove it.
LEGO is never just about the sets, it’s about the people you meet, the places you discover, and the memories you create along the way. This northern adventure gave me all of that and more.
Luke and Rose were there in spirit, and this morning I told them the story of the day their dad went north and returned with tales of Belfast, Donegal, and a car overflowing with LEGO.
