Have you ever been to Northern Ireland?

SharpshooterTom · 13-12-2016 08:58PM #1

I'm just curious what percentage of people from the Republic have actually ever crossed the border up here into the north?

I was just thinking from my 16 years of living in NI, I've never actually been further south than Dublin. Infact the only time I have been further south than that was as a 10 year old (still living in England at the time) visiting my aunt in Tipperary, and other than that time I've never been that far south. Never been to Cork, Kerry, Clare and at least 10 other counties in the ROI. Pretty pathetic given I'm pretty well travelled globally (25 countries).

Now come to think of it, I don't hear that many southern accents up here in the north, it is pretty rare, its more common to hear an English accent or even a Scottish accent at times, even at my time at queens Belfast there were very few students from the south (a few from Monaghan and Donegal maybe).

Since I've a habit of starting completely pointless (possibly even inaccurate?) polls I thought I've do another one

, and I haven't seen a poll on this before so I thought I'd try it here.

Oh btw, for the purpose of the poll, just driving through it/not staying a night, counts.

Lady Spangles · 13-12-2016 09:01PM

I'm from England originally, but I live in Northern Ireland. Before settling in Belfast I travelled the whole country from coast to coast (this would be late 90s). During that trip I visited all 32 counties. Even back then, when the North was still a little turbulent on the political front, it stood out to me. Just loved the place.

Birneybau · 13-12-2016 09:02PM

Aye.

Reputable Rog · 13-12-2016 09:04PM

I've only 1 county left to visit on the whole island and it's proved very elusive. The 31st was elusive but I eventually cracked it.

Didas · 13-12-2016 09:07PM

Reputable Rog wrote: »

I've only 1 county left to visit on the whole island and it's proved very elusive. The 31st was elusive but I eventually cracked it.

Is it Leitrim?, because we're still debating whether that place actually exists

Birneybau · 13-12-2016 09:08PM

Reputable Rog wrote: »

I've only 1 county left to visit on the whole island and it's proved very elusive. The 31st was elusive but I eventually cracked it.

Brigadoon?

Skommando · 13-12-2016 09:09PM

It's only a hour up the road, but it might as well be a million miles away for all the real knowledge people in the republic have about it.

Widdershins · 13-12-2016 09:10PM

I have been to Northern Ireland. I met too many suspicious, nosy people to bother going back. There's a totally different atmosphere up there. It's understandable considering the history, and I also met great people. But it's offputting

mansize · 13-12-2016 09:11PM

Reputable Rog wrote: »

I've only 1 county left to visit on the whole island and it's proved very elusive. The 31st was elusive but I eventually cracked it.

me too- Kerry

Skommando · 13-12-2016 09:13PM

Widdershins wrote: »

I have been to Northern Ireland. I met too many suspicious, nosy people to bother going back. There's a totally different atmosphere up there. It's understandable considering the history, and I also met great people. But it's offputting

pretty ignorant and bigoted view of NI, exactly like you are accusing them of.

Widdershins · 13-12-2016 09:15PM

Skommando wrote: »

pretty ignorant and bigoted view of NI, exactly like you are accusing them of.

It was my experience. I'm not bigoted at all. I don't prejudge anyone in Northern Ireland. And it is true that they have had a turbulent history which could be affecting some peoples attitude. My friend from Down has said it himself. Is he ignorant too despite growing up in the place?

Having had a negative experience does not make someone bigoted. I'm not accusing ''them''-only the people I met who actually behaved suspicious and nosy.

theteal · 13-12-2016 09:19PM

Not been to much of it. Lived in Belfast and Bangor for a short stretch. Would have travelled through certain parts on the way to the gaeltacht up in Meenacladdy (spelling that in English is weird and possibly incorrect) as a nipper. I would like to go to Derry for a visit.

MilesMorales1 · 13-12-2016 09:22PM

Who hasn't been to Northern Ireland? Takes me longer to get into Dublin city than it does to get to newry.

Elemonator · 13-12-2016 09:22PM

Been quite a bit. I'll agree with other Boardsies, there are nice people everywhere but there was a slight undercurrent of something odd in the North. I suppose it comes from years of discord.

The Backwards Man · 13-12-2016 09:26PM

I've been down south quite a few times, suspicious nosy gobshites everywhere you go. If we weren't riding Dublin stupid for everything we can get out of yis I'd be happy enough if the threw our hat in with the North and built that fcuking wall.

SharpshooterTom · 13-12-2016 09:29PM

Fairly unanimous results so far, pretty impressed, if you ask the average English person, I would say most probably haven't, unless they were in the army here.

Reputable Rog · 13-12-2016 09:31PM

tonygun wrote: »

Is it Leitrim?, because we're still debating whether that place actually exists

Londonderry.

Widdershins · 13-12-2016 09:31PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I've been down south quite a few times, suspicious nosy gobshites everywhere you go. If we weren't riding Dublin stupid for everything we can get out of yis I'd be happy enough if the threw our hat in with the North and built that fcuking wall.

Did you get asked what you were doing down in the south on five separate occasions in five different businesses, in an unfriendly way

Actually I admit there's an element of it here too..I have heard locals speculating about ''what's the northerner running away from''.

I don't think they ask you to your face here though

I won't see any response, unfollowing this as people are far too easily offended where none was meant

Skommando · 13-12-2016 09:33PM

Widdershins wrote: »

It was my experience. I'm not bigoted at all. I don't prejudge anyone in Northern Ireland. And it is true that they have had a turbulent history which could be affecting some peoples attitude. My friend from Down has said it himself. Is he ignorant too despite growing up in the place?

Having had a negative experience does not make someone bigoted. I'm not accusing ''them''-only the people I met who actually behaved suspicious and nosy.

That's stereotypes for you, and you could not be further from the truth. Spend some real time there. I lived there for five years, and found them, in general, to be among the most honest decent hospitable warm hearted people you could meet.

SEPT 23 1989 · 13-12-2016 09:35PM

Their road finishing skills were a sight to behold the proper mix of asphalt and finished curbs but we caught up with them eventually

osarusan · 13-12-2016 09:36PM

Yes, few trips away and also on LOI football journeys.

A carful of Limerick fans on the way to and from Derry (or Finn Harps) is a bleak slice of life.

Not stayed long enough to really get a feel for the place though.

The Backwards Man · 13-12-2016 09:36PM

Widdershins wrote: »

Did you get asked what you were doing down in the south on five separate occasions in five different businesses, in an unfriendly way

Actually I admit there's an element of it here too..I have heard locals speculating about ''what's the northerner running away from''.

I don't think they ask you to your face here though

I won't see any response, unfollowing this as people are far too easily offended where none was meant

Na, they usually tell you to fcuk off back to the UK or some crap like that, kinda hard for somebody from Donegal to like, but just shows the general ignorance of many southerners:)

davo2001 · 13-12-2016 09:37PM

Yeah, was up in Coleraine in Co. Derry for a christning about 4 years ago, happened to me on the 12th July weekend, still alot of hate up there, and totally put me off the place, wouldn't be rushing back.

steddyeddy · 13-12-2016 09:37PM

Skommando wrote: »

pretty ignorant and bigoted view of NI, exactly like you are accusing them of.

Pretty accurate I'd say.

Atari Jaguar · 13-12-2016 09:38PM

Sorry OP... but I couldn't help notice you're missing a certain vital option...

NiallBoo · 13-12-2016 09:38PM

It's interesting.
Irish people often have a romantic idea of NI. An idea that only exists in people's heads but is what's real to them. Like how we secretly think Atlantis is a real place.

That place you hear about on the news though? That not real. Well if it is, it's somewhere else. Isn't that missing bit of the country that people have been longing for.

So why would you go up there? It's like some other country up there!

It is. And the cultural gap between the countries, how they've grown apart over the last 94 years really is huge.

So you back to your point. Irish and NIrish people tend not wander into the other country because really, they seem very, very far away.

The Backwards Man · 13-12-2016 09:38PM

osarusan wrote: »

Yes, few trips away and also on LOI football journeys.

A carful of Limerick fans on the way to and from Derry (or Finn Harps) is a bleak slice of life.

Not stayed long enough to really get a feel for the place though.

Why are you travelling through NI between Limerick and Ballybofey?

Elemonator · 13-12-2016 09:40PM

Reputable Rog wrote: »

Londonderry.

Only word in our spoken language to my knowledge that has six silent letters in front of it :eek:

osarusan · 13-12-2016 09:41PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Why are you travelling through NI between Limerick and Ballybofey?

No I wasn't.

Just that it's Derry's only rival in terms of a long, bleak journey home.

Bleak as in the last two times I went to Ballybofey, our striker broke his leg, and we got relegated.

Didas · 13-12-2016 09:42PM

NiallBoo wrote: »

It's interesting.
Irish people often have a romantic idea of NI. An idea that only exists in people's heads but is what's real to them. Like how we secretly think Atlantis is a real place.

That place you hear about on the news though? That not real. It isn't that missing bit of the country that people have been longing for.

So why would you go up there? It's like some other country up there!

It is. And the cultural gap between the countries, how they've grown apart over the last 94 years really is huge.

So you back to your point. Irish and NIrish people tend not wander into the other country because really, they seem very, very far away.

The poll on this thread suggests otherwise.

maudgonner · 13-12-2016 09:44PM

Atari Jaguar wrote: »

Sorry OP... but I couldn't help notice you're missing a certain vital option...

"Yes, but it was with Gerry Adams in a blacked out transit so I can't really talk about it"?

Have you ever been to Northern Ireland?

Have you ever been to Northern Ireland? 616 votes

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