Belfast

[goats]

I didn’t know they had big gates they shut at night between Protestant and Catholic areas? How does that work? I’m trying to imagine a big gate between areas in Cardiff but it’s not happening or do they have gates on all roads?
What about the city centre, can they behave here or what? I’ve never been there but am quite intrigued to go someday

[IanD]

I didn’t know they had big gates they shut at night between Protestant and Catholic areas? How does that work? I’m trying to imagine a big gate between areas in Cardiff but it’s not happening or do they have gates on all roads?
What about the city centre, can they behave here or what? I’ve never been there but am quite intrigued to go someday

Exactly that. For many years there weren't gates that were safe to open. Back-to-back terraced houses could be pro IRA one side, backing on to pro UDA or UVF the other side. Not just gates across roads to separate communities but also walls, fences and barbed wire. Think Jerusalem and you've got the idea. I did a day trip (flew) from the Midlands with a school group to Belfast, once. A real eye opener. Ex IRA guide in the morning, handed over to an ex UDA at the peace line at lunchtime and then Stormont with ex IRA hunger striker, now politician, for the early evening. By coincidence, a relative was previously Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Transport. He only had one bus hijacked during his tenure although the Belfast-Dublin rail line was frequently the target of bomb scares. A fascinating city to visit with very welcoming people. Just chose the moment carefully.....and your guide(s).

[islandblue]

I didn’t know they had big gates they shut at night between Protestant and Catholic areas? How does that work? I’m trying to imagine a big gate between areas in Cardiff but it’s not happening or do they have gates on all roads?
What about the city centre, can they behave here or what? I’ve never been there but am quite intrigued to go someday

Went there three years ago. The city bus tour takes you to Falls/Shankill road area where there are Peace gates which are shut at night. The tour guide mentioned the tensions are lessened now but the two communities would rather stick to their own areas. The paramilitary style murals on the sides of houses have to be seen to be believed. The Titanic quarter is amazing and the original slipways where Olympic and Titanic were built have been refurbished as part of the museum. The local people are really friendly and Belfast City airport is only a 15 minute taxi ride to the city centre.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

I wasn't aware of this either. Bloody difficult to manage, I would think. What if you come back late, after a night out, and the gates are closed - you try to climb over or your produce ID and they let you in?

[billy.ronson]

Went to Belfast to watch Cardiff Devils, Taxi driver gave us a little tour en route to hotel showed us the peace walls and the gates mentioned on Falls road.

[Dave Blue]

I had the tour, very interesting. Such a shame it has been reignited by Brexit. Boris and his cronies have a lot to answer for.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I had the tour, very interesting. Such a shame it has been reignited by Brexit. Boris and his cronies have a lot to answer for.

Quite.

[Gofer Blue]

I had the tour, very interesting. Such a shame it has been reignited by Brexit. Boris and his cronies have a lot to answer for.

I'm not sure that's the reason - it may be the excuse. I rather think the recent funeral of the ex-IRA "intelligence officer" attended by leading Sinn Fein politicians has more to do with it. It wasn't just a funeral, more of a Republican demonstration which was guaranteed to aggravate the loyalist community (leaving aside the disregard for COVID restrictions). The fact that the PSNI were basically scared to interfere in case of stoking up more trouble says it all.

[Gofer Blue]

I went to Belfast and then on to Craigavon on a business trip. What I always remember was the murals on the walls and the Union Jack flags all over the place.

[light up the darkness]

A few years ago I had a rather bowel loosening moment in the Crown in the centre of Belfast. So much so that I have never felt the urge to return.

Lovely warm generous people but some scary fkrs around the place

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I booked flights to see Belfast on an independent day trip to see the murals before the so-called Peace Process kicked in.
It just seemed such an alien concept and fascinating in a macabre way.
One thing I remember was when the bus went from one side of the wall to the other, the football shirts being worn by the inhabitants being a major marker i.e. Celtic shirts and Rangers shirts respectively.
Many of the town and village names en route to the city from the airport seemed like a catalogue of locations associated with the troubles.
Very alien indeed.

[IanD]

I wasn't aware of this either. Bloody difficult to manage, I would think. What if you come back late, after a night out, and the gates are closed - you try to climb over or your produce ID and they let you in?

Very unlikely you would go for a drink outside your own community. The only things going over the peace wall were, and are, petrol bombs, fireworks, bricks and "waste". Predictably, Johnson selling Ulster for a Brexit deal, has facilitated opening old wounds. Such a shame as matters were much improved on the 70s to the 90s.

[xsnaggle]

A few years ago I had a rather bowel loosening moment in the Crown in the centre of Belfast. So much so that I have never felt the urge to return.

Lovely warm generous people but some scary fkrs around the place

The Crown is a great pub. Opposite what was the most bombed building in the world. Leadened windows, (like Dickens) still gas lamps inside and little snugs all though the bar. All those bombs and it never lost those very expensive windows.
Back in the day a loyalist pub, and a few metres up the road another pub, The Beaten Docket which was are republican as could be. Fascinating place Belfast but most of the old 'hard' areas have been demolished now.

[xsnaggle]

These people don't need much of an excuse to start trouble, specially when it is orchestrated by the boyos who only have money in mind. They use idealists to do their dirty work for them.

In the scottish independence thread a few posters commented that now the majority of ulster would vote for a united Ireland and don't want any troubles. I told them they were living in a dream but they don't believe me.
Maybe the last couple of weeks will give food for thought.

[elytillidie]

I booked flights to see Belfast on an independent day trip to see the murals before the so-called Peace Process kicked in.
It just seemed such an alien concept and fascinating in a macabre way.
One thing I remember was when the bus went from one side of the wall to the other, the football shirts being worn by the inhabitants being a major marker i.e. Celtic shirts and Rangers shirts respectively.
Many of the town and village names en route to the city from the airport seemed like a catalogue of locations associated with the troubles.
Very alien indeed.

Went there on a few ships quite a while back, some little things I remember. We used to drink in the Harland & Wolff Welders club, one of our lads wore a St Christopher in there one night, and was told in no uncertain terms to remove it. A member of a band who played there one evening told me they played Catholic and Protestant places, just had to remember to play the right anthem at the end. Some local drunkenly showed me one of the murals one night, said they wanted the soldiers out so they could murder every last Catholic b*stard; and there's me a Catholic. Leaving East Belfast in a taxi heading for the City Centre, we asked where the safest place was for us to go, he said East Belfast, though I found the centre to be a bit of a neutral place, like Glasgow. Near the Shankhill Road I was assured that I wouldn't get beat up for being a Brit, but could easily get beat up being a stranger in a rough area, which was a great comfort. It was an eye opener in those days.
Last time I went there was to renew my US Visa, got chatting to a young man waiting at the embassy, turned out to be Fernandinho of Man City.

[goats]

So basically the peace gates are only in one or two areas? Falls/shank hill etc? There not allover the city? Just in particularly lively areas?
I take it if you were a catholic you would only buy on certain streets or areas? So you don’t mix with Protestants. Crazy

[blue matt]

I shared a house with 3 Irish in Sydney, 2 were Prod's and the other guy a Catholic

I went over to see one of the Prod's a few times in the mid - late 90's, some of the pubs were mental, he wouldnt even go over the other side, Spent a good part of a few evenings singing " would you go a chicken supper bobby sands " in pubs and honestly being scared not to join in, then walking down the road and watching people launch rocks over the wall

it was truly a dangerous place imho

[ninian opinian]

I'm not sure that's the reason - it may be the excuse. I rather think the recent funeral of the ex-IRA "intelligence officer" attended by leading Sinn Fein politicians has more to do with it. It wasn't just a funeral, more of a Republican demonstration which was guaranteed to aggravate the loyalist community (leaving aside the disregard for COVID restrictions). The fact that the PSNI were basically scared to interfere in case of stoking up more trouble says it all.

Thanks to Cyril Evans Away Days who posted this on the Politics forum. Sums it up nicely.

To recap, to resolve the Withdrawal Agreement and ensure no border infrastructure between the UK and the EU in Ireland, Theresa May said there were two choices, a backstop keeping us in the Single Market and Customs Union until an alternative could be developed or checks on goods and food products between GB and Northern Ireland.

She said no UK Prime Minister could advocate the latter. The Conservative ERG rebels and Boris Johnson together with the DUP voted together to ensure the withdrawal deal failed and brought down May in the process.

Johnson as Prime Minister negotiated a withdrawal deal which included GB/NI border checks. He visited NI during the election campaign and said that there would not be any checks. The DUP supported the deal.

Johnson then negotiated the trade deal with the EU that confirmed these checks to ensure that non-compliant foodstuffs did not enter the EU via the border and goods did not evade any necessary customs tariffs or declarations. The DUP voted through the deal.

The new processes started kicking into life, including. guess what, checks between GB and NI. Shortages of many products on NI supermarket shelves because of the new bureaucracy.

The DUP cried this is not what we voted for or against. Loyalists started targeting customs infrastructure at Larne, threatening the people supposed to perform the checks. The DUP started a campaign to rip up the agreements made. People start taking to the streets. Johnson has gone to ground acting like it is nothing to do with him.

Simple really!

[IanD]

So basically the peace gates are only in one or two areas? Falls/shank hill etc? There not allover the city? Just in particularly lively areas?
I take it if you were a catholic you would only buy on certain streets or areas? So you don’t mix with Protestants. Crazy

Have a looksee:

https://www.virtualbelfastmuraltour....eace-walls.htm

[Jimmy the Jock]

So basically the peace gates are only in one or two areas? Falls/shank hill etc? There not allover the city? Just in particularly lively areas?
I take it if you were a catholic you would only buy on certain streets or areas? So you don’t mix with Protestants. Crazy

Thats how it is . It is fascinating to see . Despite that , Belfast is a lovely city. (Away from the rioters)

Glasgow is similar . You are either one or the other ....

[mrbluejay]

The Crown is a great pub. Opposite what was the most bombed building in the world. Leadened windows, (like Dickens) still gas lamps inside and little snugs all though the bar. All those bombs and it never lost those very expensive windows.
Back in the day a loyalist pub, and a few metres up the road another pub, The Beaten Docket which was are republican as could be. Fascinating place Belfast but most of the old 'hard' areas have been demolished now.

Think that was the Europa Hotel.

Had a few stays in Belfast, once with the boys, the rest for business. Always enjoyed it, good place for a weekend.

[FormerlyJohnnyBreadhead]

Lived there about 5 years ago (east Belfast). Some of the friendliest people I've ever met (bit of a paradox really) with a great sense of humour.

My social circle was made up of both Prods and Catholics who, while happy to have banter, just mainly wanted to get on with their lives.

I think it's a fascinating place with some great pubs, and the surrounding areas (especially on the coast) are incredibly beautiful.

Look forward to going back when "normality" returns.

[goats]

Thats how it is . It is fascinating to see . Despite that , Belfast is a lovely city. (Away from the rioters)

Glasgow is similar . You are either one or the other ....

Yeah and I haven’t even a clue what the difference is....
Never noticed it in Glasgow and I’ve been there quite a few times

[xsnaggle]

Think that was the Europa Hotel.

Had a few stays in Belfast, once with the boys, the rest for business. Always enjoyed it, good place for a weekend.

Yes the Europa.
In the eighties they used to have a fantastic trad jazz band in there on a Saturday afternoon, and it was a great time. All arguments suspended. The place was rammed and some of the girls.............Muscians would come from all over as guests. There used to be a trumpet player who drove up from Dublin to play every now and then and he was awesome.
There was an old Orangeman used to go every Saturday, he must have been about 80. In his suit and tie and wearing his bowler. When he left the band would stop whatever thy were playing and start playing 'New York New York' and he'd walk out sideways rolling his bowler up and down his arms from one hand to the other, to the standing ovation of everyone in the place.

Nexy day was back to normal. lol

[life on mars]

I'm not sure that's the reason - it may be the excuse. I rather think the recent funeral of the ex-IRA "intelligence officer" attended by leading Sinn Fein politicians has more to do with it. It wasn't just a funeral, more of a Republican demonstration which was guaranteed to aggravate the loyalist community (leaving aside the disregard for COVID restrictions). The fact that the PSNI were basically scared to interfere in case of stoking up more trouble says it all.

Not forgetting a huge crack down on the drug gangs and organisations over the last few months has not gone down well .


If it is Brexit its good to see the under 16's become politically aware


They love a riot or two .