FrancieBrady wrote: » If that is in anyway a common or general experience of Belfast it is remarkable that it has a tourist business at all. We will weekend in Belfast and go there many times in the year for many many years, even during the conflict/war, and I have never been asked 'What are you doing here fella?'. You are remarkable to have experienced the 'cliched' Belfast on your first trip. Well done fella!
El Weirdo wrote: » Just BBC NI. The rest of the regions probably don't even know it's going on (with the possible exception of BBC Scotland).
RobMc59 wrote: » There's an Orange lodge here in Liverpool,they're marching today in Southport.
Cienciano wrote: » I was in Belfast a few years ago and literally the first guy we met in a pub gave us shít about "the troubles" and for being from the south. We were also with a girl from Limavady and he kept asking here where it was. He was from Belfast, so he obviously knew, but turns out he wanted to find out if she'd say "Derry" or "Londonderry" so he could start shít. That was in Laverys pub. No problem with the rest of the night there, but trying to pretend that everyone there is a nice lad who doesn't care about where you're from/political views/sectarianism is ridiculous.
citytillidie wrote: » Yep but don’t broadcast live on St Patrick’s day
FrancieBrady wrote: » I didnt try to 'pretend' anything. You can meet a ****head in any pub in any city in the world.
El Weirdo wrote: » Are BBC North West covering it?
timthumbni wrote: » Yes, every single year. It’s a huge event in the unionist community so rightly so.
Cienciano wrote: » Of course, that's why it was ridiculous for you to cast doubt on the previous posters story.
FrancieBrady wrote: » All I said was that it was remarkable that somebody had come across so many of the 'cliched' aspects of Belfast on a first trip, in comparison to my experience going back over what must be 40 years or more. It is remarkable is it not? For instance, how many tourists would get a 'dirty look' for saying they were going to the Shankill, when everyone in Belfast would know that the tours take you to both the Shankill and the Falls? Are Shinners in denial that the Shankill exists/has a history?
Franz Von Peppercorn II wrote: » It’s a supremacist parade that would be banned if it targeted any other ethnic group.
El Weirdo wrote: » Exactly. We went to the Bobby Sands mural and SF shop on the Falls and actually met Bik McFarlane who asked us where we'd been on our trip. He certainly had no issues with us saying where we went or what we planned to do. Same as when we spent a night out in the PD in Andersonstown - everyone we spoke to was giving us tips on what to do and where to see, including tours of loyalist areas.
DrPhilG wrote: » I realise that there are a few Unionist viewpoints here so I have a genuine question. What is with the unionist obsession with Ulster? "Ulster says NO", "For God and Ulster" etc etc? Is there some Unionist claim to Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, or do they legitimately not realise that a third of Ulster is in the Republic?
DrPhilG wrote: » I realise that there are a few Unionist viewpoints here so I have a genuine question. What is with the Unionist obsession with Ulster? "Ulster says NO", "For God and Ulster" etc etc? Is there some Unionist claim to Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, or do they legitimately not realise that a third of Ulster is in the Republic?
FrancieBrady wrote: » If you took the tour of the 'conflict' zones what exactly were you expecting? :rolleyes: Some of the pubs in Belfast are among the best in the country. I could visit a few in Dublin and make the same 'The pubs were sh*tholes' generalisation too. Good lord, your post is a classic. Too funny.
gooch2k9 wrote: » It's what they're taught, at least in Unionist areas. Northern Ireland is Ulster to them. No, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan were specifically excluded when NI was formed. Those counties skewed the demographics too much against Protestantism. I believe the entire province was to become NI but Carson ruled against those three.
Poor_old_gill wrote: » Can someone explain to me why they fly Union Jack, Nazi flag and Israel flag? The first I can understand but I dont get the other 2 and as a whole - the combo of flags seems ludicrous.
gooch2k9 wrote: » It's what they're taught, at least in Unionist areas. Northern Ireland is Ulster to them.
gooch2k9 wrote: » Carson ruled against those three.
FrancieBrady wrote: » I can explain 2. The UJ= obvious The Israeli flag = because themuns see an affinity with Palestinians. The Nazi one = ****ed if I know.
NIMAN wrote: » This YouTube clip will explain everything you need to know about flegs.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o8JqKxrloQQ
Poor_old_gill wrote: » It doesnt- I dont get the Nazi one and thats the most confusing. Wasn't a big part of the building of an Ulster identity the fighting of the German's in 2 World Wars? I just cant understand the Nazi one
DrPhilG wrote: » I just quizzed my other half (Derry girl) on this. Sure enough even though she was a "Haffa" (half a jaffa), she went to a mixed primary school and a Protestant secondary school and they were taught that Ulster was the 6 counties. I just find it nuts that in adulthood, and talking about educated men involved in politics at the highest level, nobody pointed this out to them. Carson had a pussy cat, it sat upon the fender. And when you pulled the pussy's tail it shouted NO SURRENDER. My wife's uncle was a devout Unionist and used to teach the kids that when they were wee, just to annoy their Catholic da. Lol
Poor_old_gill wrote: » Surely they notice the irony of the Nazi & Israel flags side by side?