Do you ever visit Northern Ireland?

pgj2015

I have been in Northern Ireland around 2 times my whole life. Id say I haven't been there in around 30 years, I have never even been in Belfast. I have been in Spain more times than Northern Ireland. I live less than an hour from the border.
I live around 2 hours from Dublin and visit there a lot.

I get the impression that the Northern Irish visit the republic a lot more than vise versa. I could be wrong though.



some people tell me Belfast is a great spot to visit, great night out etc, then others say its awful and you are made feel unwelcome. hard to know who to believe. I don't think I would feel comfortable driving up to Belfast, I would be thinking the car would be damaged for having Irish plates. sad really but hopefully we can move on and put all the sectarian $hite behind us in the future.

Ubbquittious

Rarely. It always feels eerie compared to Donegal




Donegal is way better

colm_mcm

The trick is to get a yellow rear plate. The locals can’t tell the difference between a NI plate and a ROI reg number, even though they’re completely different formats. They just see the yellow and know not to bother bombing your car.

Balmed Out

Twice as a child and another 5 times as an adult. Awful drive from Cork (used to be able to fly) but I like it particularly Derry.

washman3

colm_mcm wrote: »

The trick is to get a yellow rear plate

Which are totally illegal in the Republic of Ireland...

Thelonious Monk

Once. 2004 weekend in Belfast visiting some girls we met on a night out. Twice got sectarian abuse while just minding our own business because of accent. Belfast seemed fine actually apart from all that but i doubt I'll ever visit the north again.

Zebra3

Been there loads of times.

Derry is (well, used to be) a great spot for a night out. Birds very gamey.

gmisk

I do.
I am originally from county Antrim (glens of Antrim)
Folks still live there so normally up every couple of months.
Belfast and Derry both really fun for a night out and decent food.

Rustyman101

Been there a good few times, bit ropey back in the early 90s, was in Belfast with the family 2 years ago enjoyed it,did a black taxi tour found it v interesting if you have any interest in modern history, Belfast was buzzing nice restaurants, no grief or atomsphere, big difference, although does depend on where you go, was in ballycastle good few years ago, was a GAA night on in there so knew i was sound, go explore n enjoy, causeway coast is fab !

igCorcaigh

Years ago. 1990s.

Went to a great gay nightclub called Tokyo Joe's. Didn't feel sectarian at all.

Visited Anderstown too, in people's homes, same visit. Very welcoming. Big walls along the street with barbed wire.

Years earlier, in Belfast. The big "peace" walls/barriers to the big roads out from the city centre.

Late 90s, Enniskillen. Nice town. Very proper.

Can still remember that silent vibe from an elderly lady in the hotel foyer. Obviously didn't like the cut of our southern jib.

I also remember being on the "peace train" back in the 80s. Had to disembark at Newry due to a bomb threat. David Norris was there too. I must have been around 12 or so?

buried

Some fine prehistoric Megalithic sites up in Ulster that I liked to go and visit especially in County Down

pgj2015

Zebra3 wrote: »

Been there loads of times.

Derry is (well, used to be) a great spot for a night out. Birds very gamey.

I have actually met a few from Derry before, seem very sound and lovely looking women in fairness, great accent as well.

igCorcaigh

Balmed Out wrote: »

Twice as a child and another 5 times as an adult. Awful drive from Cork (used to be able to fly) but I like it particularly Derry.

I'd love to visit Londonderry

Alun

Pre- covid, I'd be up in the Mourne Mountains about twice a year hillwalking, and occasionally a few other upland areas. I've only been to Belfast once, and wasn't overly impressed.

FionnK86

Stayed in newtownbreda with Irish reg last year, no trouble except club closed mad early, what's the story there?

FintanMcluskey

Every time I visit I feel grateful to be from the south

Galwayguy35

colm_mcm wrote: »

The trick is to get a yellow rear plate. The locals can’t tell the difference between a NI plate and a ROI reg number, even though they’re completely different formats. They just see the yellow and know not to bother bombing your car.

Friend of mine is a trucker and they have yards in Dublin and Belfast, the trucks all have UK plates and he has a good laugh when he gets waves from the locals in loyalist areas.

pgj2015

colm_mcm wrote: »

The trick is to get a yellow rear plate. The locals can’t tell the difference between a NI plate and a ROI reg number, even though they’re completely different formats. They just see the yellow and know not to bother bombing your car.

is it true they immediately start throwing petrol bombs at your car the minute you leave the Republic?

Sky King

"Non iron shirts are the best so it is"

pgj2015

FionnK86 wrote: »

Stayed in newtownbreda with Irish reg last year, no trouble except club closed mad early, what's the story there?

Their government must trust the public even less than in the republic.

colm_mcm

pgj2015 wrote: »

is it true they immediately start throwing petrol bombs at your car the minute you leave the Republic?

In my experience, yes.

Plumbthedepths

Derry (LondonDerry) and Belfast are both lovely cities. I have family in the North and visit as often as I can. Enniskillen is another nice place, small but welcoming.

Mr. CooL ICE

Stayed in Portrush, did the Giant's Causeway and scenic coastal drive to Belfast and back to Dublin. Some cracking scenery. Absolutely beautiful drive.

Did a gig in Belfast. Took a wrong turn off the M1 and ended up on a road filled with union jacks and lined with army vehicles on alert. Got back outta there via the first roundabout I found and got to my venue. Made sure car was parked in pretty visible spot and was grand.

Aside from that, just a few trips to Newry back when it was worth it to shop.

igCorcaigh

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

Every time I visit I feel grateful to be from the south

I'm sure they will be a lot more friendly to us once we reclaim the six and impose Rome rule.

andekwarhola

Belfast and Derry are fine. Been there loads and lived in the former for a while.

I get that people feel uneasy - especially about the former - which is understandable but both cities (centres) have also felt safer generally to me than Dublin.

And Belfast has had quite a makeover and investment in the last 15-20 years.

There's places near to the city in Belfast that are a bit dodgy for tourists but that's the same for most cities, including Dublin, and is very obvious to see and avoid.

alchemist33

I've been commuting there for work for nearly 20 years and for the most part met great people. It doesn't deserve the abuse it gets in boards. Most of the people are much the same as the rest of us, regardless of affiliation, although the minority of tools can be very noisy. Someday they'll move away from segregated schools and politics and that will improve things.

For now, though, its got some lovely scenery and I'd recommend people visit there once it opens up.

pgj2015

I wonder could you get fake UK plates made up and put them on your car while parked outside overnight? or would you get into a lot of trouble if caught.

igCorcaigh

alchemist33 wrote: »

segregated schools.

Crazy how this still goes on, as is the control of the RCC over schools in the South.

odyssey06

A few scenic drives around Mourne coastal drive, lunch in Warrenpoint then swing by Sainsburys in Newry but always leave before sundown.

The view from Rostrevor towards Carlingford Lough is wonderful.

The ferry from Greenore to Greencastle is a nice way to arrive.

Samuel T. Cogley

Regularly these days but years back I popped my cherry so to speak.

Went up on business with a mate that knew Belfast quite well. We passed this fort thing surrounded by barbed wire and I naively asked "What's that?"

"A police station" was the reply. Kinda summed up the place at the time.

enricoh

Used to go clubbing up in portrush, bike racing at a few spots up there n had a few nights out in belfast. Never had any hassle I can recall.

Went to derry for a gaelic match a few years ago n went through a load of towns in mid ulster, one more grim than the next. The only investment in years were new paint for the kerbs!

rossie1977

Was in Enniskillen in February last year.

Dual wheels

One time about 4 years ago I went to to the giants causeway lovely spot but I got lost heading for Belfast and just didn’t feel safe, went into a filling station and the lad behind the counter didn’t want a bit of me, he must have been a unionist, another time I went to Derry (birds are very loose up there) and was at an atm with herself and we were saying to ourselves where will we go out and the lad behind us demanded we get into his car and he showed us all the best spots, he was obviously a republican
Generally it’s fairly cordial but I’m sure Iraq is like that too, you always can sense that underlying suspicion and sectarianism and you are always wary of the reg, to be honest I’m always happy when I get back across the border and I get a text on the phone to say welcome to the republic, different breed up there

igCorcaigh

rossie1977 wrote: »

Was in Enniskillen in February last year.

Nice town. Had a wander around. Visited the memorial to the victims of the terrorist massacre.

For such a small town, it must have had a huge impact. RIP.

cena

Ya, maybe once or twice a month from Galway to play ice hockey in Belfast. Not since last year. While I am here please press on the link. We are trying to get a rink built in Ireland.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/march-to-the-rink?utm_campaign=p_cp%20share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&fbclid=IwAR010DPdObpynbrmsPHxcaEDge-t_9IK_nfxAj1b4fWh_Iw7roYM1_BTXUg

Gregor Samsa

Only been 3 times. A day trip to Armagh when I was in secondary school (1990) and twice overnight in Belfast for an art exhibition I was in (1996/7). Liked it and always meant to go back again, but never got around to it. My wife was in college in Coleraine for a year.

Live in the west now, so it’s not so convenient (compared to when I was in Dublin) but we plan to bring the kids to Belfast at some stage.

ulster

Loads of times. But then again I'm near the border so it's a lot easier. Much harder for people from further South.

DrPhilG

Visit it daily, worked in "de black nort" for over 20 years, lived up there for a few too.

Then married a mucker and bailed out back to sunny Donegal.

Fairly regularly up in Belfast too as the wife has family in Holywood.

Darc19

gmisk wrote: »

I do.
I am originally from county Antrim (glens of Antrim)
Folks still live there so normally up every couple of months.
Belfast and Derry both really fun for a night out and decent food.

We might be related

Family from glenariff but left in 40's. Still relatives up there.

Parts are easy going, but too easy to meet the wrong person or some a-hole motorist who acts the dick cos you've a southern plate

Grew up beside the border, our nearest big town is in the North.
I go up every time I'm home.

SEPT 23 1989

Spent a week in Belfast during the summer with the family

Great experience

Last time I was up there was in the mid 90’s

Different planet now

Nekarsulm

Up across the border most weeks, to pick up the post ( ebay stuff, etc. Free postage within the UK, no Customs fees) and to get a couple hundred litres Kero. ( 45 cent a litre at the moment).
Usually a weekend in Belfast once or twice a year. Some nice affordable hotels, if you don't mind corporate/business places.
Buy a bit of farming stuff up there too.

The J Stands for Jay

enricoh wrote: »

Used to go clubbing up in portrush, bike racing at a few spots up there n had a few nights out in belfast. Never had any hassle I can recall.

Went to derry for a gaelic match a few years ago n went through a load of towns in mid ulster, one more grim than the next. The only investment in years were new paint for the kerbs!

The local politicans block any investment in the roads in case Free Staters or Fenians get to use them

The J Stands for Jay

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

. My wife was in college in Coleraine for a year. stage.

I hope she's managed to fully recover.

Stovepipe

I was up there at an airfield,deep in a predominantly Protestant area and I was welcomed and the boss sez," we don't talk religion or politics here, just flying". Suited me fine. Most Northies are decent people but you do meet a few twats, from either side.

gifted

A handful of times.....God the northern accent is awful......

gmisk

McGaggs wrote: »

I hope she's managed to fully recover.

Ah Coleraine isn't all bad it has the Jet Centre!

r93kaey5p2izun

I lived there for nearly a year. Other than that I have only visited once for a work related matter, and passed through getting a ferry from Larne once. I did not enjoy living there so overall it doesn't appeal to me to visit. I would like to visit Derry though, and never got the chance. It's just awkward to get to. The last time I planned a visit North was to shop in Belfast and visit the Titanic museum, but I cancelled due to the flag protests which were very tense at the time.

alchemist33

gmisk wrote: »

Ah Coleraine isn't all bad it has the Jet Centre!

I watched Braveheart there! Biggest laugh of the evening was when the Irish character said "Can I kill Englishmen?"

gmisk

Rogelio Chilly Vaccination wrote: »

I lived there for nearly a year. Other than that I have only visited once for a work related matter, and passed through getting a ferry from Larne once. I did not enjoy living there so overall it doesn't appeal to me to visit. I would like to visit Derry though, and never got the chance. It's just awkward to get to. The last time I planned a visit North was to shop in Belfast and visit the Titanic museum, I but cancelled due to the flag protests which were very tense at the time.

Larne is grim

r93kaey5p2izun

gmisk wrote: »

Larne is grim

Didn't see a bit of it tbh. Was only there to get the ferry over and back and it was dark coming and going.