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Just got back from Belfast

cancercowboy

So I was in Belfast for the last couple of days, I've never been to Northern Ireland before. After I saw how things are there I was filled with a huge sense of shame and regret.

Belfast is a beautiful city. It's clean, no litter to be seen. There a no scumbags or romas begging you fro change. No charity muggers harassing you. No roaming gangs of delinquent youths bothering you. Very little graffiti.

The city centre's architecture is gorgeous, and I didn't notice one store front empty. The arts and culture are heavily emphasized in the city centre and trendy restaurants share space with major retailers. The city centre is laid out beautifully and walking the streets unmolested was a real joy. Northern Irish people were working in shops and they were very friendly. I did not meet one rude person. Belfast is booming despite having a higher corporation tax rate than us. Why?

This, of course, contrasts significantly with my experience living in Dublin.

In Belfast Central train station there are couches and comfortable seating. The shop and the bar are open late, at least they were open until I left at 20:10.

When I got back to Connolly Station all the shops were closed, the only seating was blocked off and it was ridged steal seating. The place was filthy and of course the shop was closed, and you had no access to the ATMs. When I go downstairs the Luas is machines are vending tickets, and the sign says it will be there in 2 minutes, only to see it bypass the Connolly Station stop entirely. No sign informing me to get the Luas at the Busarus stop. I guess I am expected to be psychic. On my way home on the luas I see a horribly planned city, filthy, the streets lined with drunks and litter. When I get out of the Luas I see vomit and the same litter that was there when I left two days ago.

Dublin is in a right state. The shops that aren't boarded up, ost of them have crappy signs that look like they were printed then glued up. There is graffit everywhere and when i ask for directions people sneer at my Cork accent like they are so much better for being born Dubliners, like it's some great honor to be from this ****e hole.

We, as a people need to get some pride. We need to start cleaning up our communities. We need to stop expecting some one else to do it and just get on with with. We need to start putting some value on ourselves and our environment. It is in a state. Were wrong minded and stubborn about it. Maybe if we had a clean, organized, well panned city it wouldn't be such a struggle to get businesses to invest in Ireland.

Even during the boom Dublin and Cork City were tips, we were wildly rich but still living in filth.

After seeing Belfast I have never been more ashamed of being from Éire.

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TheDukeOfEarl

Belfast is just like any other city on this island.

cancercowboy

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

1) I've the biggest culchie head on me, no Dubliner has ever sneered at my accent.

2) I've never met an Irishman that called this country Éire.

3) You're right, Cork is a ****hole.

4) How did you mistake Belfast for Disneyland? In reality they're very different.

Point number on is direct conflict with point number three. I called it Éire to draw a distinction from Northern Ireland. I could have called it "The Republic" but I thought that was bit too Star Wars. Éire is the name of our country after all, if you've never hear another Irishman say it you have now.

orourkeda

cancercowboy wrote: »

Go yourself to Belfast city centre and tell me you aren't impressed. Tell me Dublin City center is cleaner. Tell me is better planned. Please prove me wrong.

I think youre overstating it somewhat. Belfast isn't all that much better than Dublin or Cork

cancercowboy

TheDukeOfEarl wrote: »

Belfast is just like any other city on this island.

No, no it's not. Chatting with several mates who have been there we are all of the same opinion that the city centre is much cleaner, better planned out, and far less vagrants.

sollar

You make alot of good points OP.

Belfast clean, dublin dirty... peoples fault and councils fault

Roaming gangs in dublin none in belfast... why is that happening?

Shop fronts all occupied and decent signage in belfast because they didnt have a crazy boom and bust like us.... badly run economy here.

NI Staff in shops in belfast unlike in dublin.... irish people too good to do them jobs:rolleyes:

I think we have just never demanded high standards here and we never really voted in decent well meaning people. Too much cute hoorism. Its hard to put your finger on but we don't run our affairs all that great here yet.

stovelid

rossie1977 wrote: »

you can get dinner and a pint for £5 in wetherspoons

If you're the kind of nutbag that would be caught dead in the place, aye.

P.S I lived in Belfast for years and don't agree with the OP. Dublin is three times the size of Belfast and no less architecturally distinguished than Belfast, being similar cities of origin. Plus the troubles ensured that Belfast was never going to have the amount of visible street crime that Dublin does.

KeithAFC

Don't orange ladies clean it up every 12th with litter pickers.. Let us clean up Dublin for yous

cancercowboy

orourkeda wrote: »

Dublin and Cork City centres are not as bad as you make them out to be

Go to Belfast and tell me that. I though they weren't that bad myself until i saw how clean they could be.

You know what, **** this. The lot of you are exactly what I am talking about, wrong minded and stubborn about it. Our city's are a ****ing tip, if you disagree you're blind or just an argumentative muppet.

One thing is for certain with attitudes like this nothing will ever change fot he better because the lot of you are content to live in your own filth.

Chris P. Bacon

KeithAFC wrote: »

Don't orange ladies clean it up every 12th with litter pickers.. Let us clean up Dublin for yous

Your probably not even from Northern Ireland,cut it out boy.

Chris P. Bacon

cancercowboy wrote: »

Go to Belfast and tell me that. I though they weren't that bad myself until i saw how clean they could be.

You know what, **** this. The lot of you are exactly what I am talking about, wrong minded and stubborn about it. Our city's are a ****ing tip, if you disagree you're blind or just an argumentative muppet.

One thing is for certain with attitudes like this nothing will ever change fot he better because the lot of you are content to live in your own filth.

Your only using Dublin and Cork as a comparison,what other cities in Ireland have you been to?

fonecrusher1

I was in belfast about 2 years ago....meh, its alright. Beautiful? nah no way i would describe it as that.

I dont know

In my 8th year living in Belfast now and I have to say I'm loving the place. The city centre has had a hell of alot of development in recent years and thats why everything looks so nice and clean.
Belfast still has all the problems you find in any other Irish city plus some more on top

orourkeda

cancercowboy wrote: »

Go to Belfast and tell me that. I though they weren't that bad myself until i saw how clean they could be.

You know what, **** this. The lot of you are exactly what I am talking about, wrong minded and stubborn about it. Our city's are a ****ing tip, if you disagree you're blind or just an argumentative muppet.

One thing is for certain with attitudes like this nothing will ever change fot he better because the lot of you are content to live in your own filth.

Why are you throwing a strop?

I just happen to think Cork and Dublin are not that bad as cities.

KeithAFC

Chris P. Bacon wrote: »

Your probably not even from Northern Ireland,cut it out boy.

I am from N.I. Not belfast though. :pac:

rossie1977

stovelid wrote: »

If you're the kind of nutbag that would be caught dead in the place, aye.

whats wrong with it?? seems like any normal 'spoons i have been to in the uk

Chris P. Bacon

KeithAFC wrote: »

I am from N.I. Not belfast though. :pac:

Whats the AFC in your username mean?

TheZohanS

Chris P. Bacon wrote: »

Whats the AFC in your username mean?

A.Fecking.Catholic

fonecrusher1

cancercowboy wrote: »

You know what, **** this. The lot of you are exactly what I am talking about, wrong minded and stubborn about it. Our city's are a ****ing tip, if you disagree you're blind or just an argumentative muppet.

Translation = agree with me or you're a muppet. Possibly one of the most retarded posts ive seen ever.

Celly Smunt

it's strange,only when you leave N.I back to the republic the sense of safety leaves you and you get greeted by a black cloud of worry and smugness.

stovelid

rossie1977 wrote: »

whats wrong with it??

It's akin to judging the cultural life of Dublin in Burger King.

orourkeda

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Translation = agree with me or you're a muppet. Possibly one of the most retarded posts ive seen ever.

Sums up my view on that post too

jive

i disagree man i was in belfast yesterday and this scummer stuck it in my arse while i was stumbling around in litter

orourkeda

jive wrote: »

i disagree man i was in belfast yesterday and this scummer stuck it in my arse while i was stumbling around in litter

Any use?

flas

rossie1977 wrote: »

got to agree with op, belfast at least the city centre is much nicer to look at compared to dublin, no homeless, no beggars, no junkies hanging around, really nice modern highrise towers going up along the river (ideas like that wouldnt get off the drawing board in dublin f**king NIMBYS), clean streets, clean buildings, cheap pubs, you can get dinner and a pint for £5 in wetherspoons

didnt these try and move into Ireland a few years ago and the publicans(politicians) put a hold on it or something? think i remember reading about it because i was just back from london and had been in a few for cheap pints and burgers and thought these would do a great trade with people after work in the likes of dublin! they seemed to be full of people in after work and tourists!

jive

orourkeda wrote: »

Any use?

I dunno I think some other nackbag spiked me diet coke at mcdonalds, what an awful city.

OPENROAD

Chris P. Bacon wrote: »

Whats the AFC in your username mean?

The Arsenal - Arsenal Football Club imo, assume I am correct Keith?

Celly Smunt

flas wrote: »

didnt these try and move into Ireland a few years ago and the publicans(politicians) put a hold on it or something? think i remember reading about it because i was just back from london and had been in a few for cheap pints and burgers and thought these would do a great trade with people after work in the likes of dublin! they seemed to be full of people in after work and tourists!

probably so,they used to do all you can drink for 2 hours for £10 in sheffield,good times

stovelid

Chris P. Bacon wrote: »

Whats the AFC in your username mean?

Arsenal I assume.

He should be a Linfield, Glens or Portadown man but they don't play in the champions league I guess.

KeithAFC

OPENROAD wrote: »

The Arsenal - Arsenal Football Club imo, assume I am correct Keith?

Yep.

TheDukeOfEarl

Ards FC ?