Have you ever been to Northern Ireland?

maudgonner wrote: »

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

I'm not a Garda please keep talking

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

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.

I've been up quite a few times. Belfast and north Antrim.

Haven't been up north west though. Only county I've never been in the republic is Donegal. Need to remedy that.

The nearest I got to Northern Ireland was redhills in Cavan we were traveling by shanks mare and it was back when the border was patrolled.

Was up and down to Newry as a kid every fortnight in the 80s when sterling was very weak. Going through heavily fortified British army controls was unnerving but you got used to it. A couple of years back I did a roadtrip from Belfast right along the coast and then the ferry to Greencastle in Donegal. The Northern Irish coast is stunning and those who havent seen it are missing out.

Northern? You mean like the ilac centre?

tonygun wrote: »

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

Ah Leitrim, the mythical place that everyone's parents are from but where nobody actually lives.

It's where civilization started.

My mother was from Finaghy, just south of Belfast, so I had loads of relations in the North.

First visit on my own was in the late 70's, got off the train, met by an aunt, who decided to give me a walking tour of the Falls, Divis, etc, and me carrying a back pack, got some strange looks

Later in the 80's I was wandering around Belfast with a camera bag, camera, lenses, film, all the gear.
Went through one of the checkpoints and got searched by a policeman
He remarked about the camera etc and said, don't take any pictures of the Army Boys, them fu##ers will shoot you.
Just as well it wasn't a digital camera as I had been taking pictures of Armoured Cars, and Soldiers all day.

Then I went up to stay with a cousin in small village outside Belfast. Arrived early, and wandered into a random pub for a pint. With my broad Dublin accent, the atmosphere went very somber, and guys were reaching for the phone.
So I says to the barman, I am staying with my cousin tonight, I think he lives on such a road, and dropped in his wife's name and one of the kids
Atmosphere changed, and I get a free pint from the barman.

Strange times, thankfully all changed now.

Lady Spangles wrote: »

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.

Thats because you are from England.:D

XsApollo wrote: »

I drove through once from the the ferry in Belfast to home in the south on my bike.
I needed to stop for fuel
I didn't know where I was but stopped to ask 2 people I saw ,was there a petrol station nearby.
They didn't answer.
Met another couple walking bit behind them, said there a petrol station up the road in the village ,they gave directions.
Drove up got to the Main Street I'd say,
Every pole had union jacks ,footpaths and walls painted , flags everywhere.
I got some stares filling up, dunno if I was paranoid or what, but definatley felt uneasy being there and couldn't wait to get out :-D

I get the uneasy feeling. I drove through a very unionist area during July with union jacks flying off every spare space. You do very much feel like an outsider.

Having said that I was up in Belfast/Colraine a few times to compete in inter-varsities and had a great time.

One thing I'd love to see are those huge bonfires that they have each year. I don't think I'd be welcome there.