Belfast

[goats]

Re: Belfast

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]

Re: Belfast

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]

Re: Belfast

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]

Re: Belfast

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.com/map-of-belfast-peace-walls.htm

[Jimmy the Jock]

Re: Belfast

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]

Re: Belfast

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]

Re: Belfast

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]

Re: Belfast

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]

Re: Belfast

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]

Re: Belfast

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 .

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: Belfast

I remember reading about an artist who had painted a paramilitary scene on the end of a terraced row of houses being invited to paint over it with a more peaceable theme after the Good Friday Agreement. He had agreed to do so but pulled out from the gig on the Friday before the Monday when he was to start it - the reason being that he didn't think he could paint faces having only ever depicted men in balaclavas hitherto.

[goats]

Re: Belfast

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 .

Notice it’s not that big a city either, smaller than Cardiff. Does it have more than one football team?

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: Belfast

I remember reading about an artist who had painted a paramilitary scene on the end of a terraced row of houses being invited to paint over it with a more peaceable theme after the Good Friday Agreement. He had agreed to do so but pulled out from the gig on the Friday before the Monday when he was to start it - the reason being that he didn't think he could paint faces having only ever depicted men in balaclavas hitherto.

I don't suppose he was much good at painting doves either...

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: Belfast

I don't suppose he was much good at painting doves either...

Consider the reputation and popularity of doves compared to pigeons.
And then take on board that they are essentially the same bird. They are known by the same scientific term and some languages such as German call them the same thing.
The word 'dove' has a Germanic root and 'pigeon' comes to us from Latin via Old French.

[Cyncoed Slumdog]

Re: Belfast

Belfast football teams.