What is the most interesting fact about Northren Ireland that you didn't know?

anncoates · 07-05-2014 06:47PM

token56 wrote: »

Northern Ireland has some amazing places to visit, but Belfast is really not a nice city in my opinion.

Lived there for a few years in the mid to late 90s and while it's not the most attractive city, it's a great spot. Good people and a lot of soul. In some ways, it's actually very like Dublin before the Celtic Tiger soured it somewhat.

spodoinkle · 07-05-2014 06:55PM

Witchie wrote: »

My aunt, a nurse in the Erne attended to the victims of this crash and happened to know the family too. I remember being so upset about it all coz I loved MB back then.

Here's an interesting fact about NI for you, I was born there as were all of my siblings.

Enniskillen is built on islands and linked by bridges. It's a kinda Venice of the North of Ireland.

Irelands only island town!

ardmacha · 07-05-2014 07:04PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

They have their own language, Ulster Scots, as used by Jesus and the Apostles.

Except by Judas, who was an early prototype for Lundy.

Anyway on the most useless facts end of things, the most southerly point in NI is in County Down.

anncoates · 07-05-2014 07:11PM

The entire Scots lexicon was formulated over a entire July of phonetically transcribing mid ulster loyalist pub conversations.

Muise... · 07-05-2014 07:12PM

spodoinkle wrote: »

Irelands only island town!

Hear that? Limerick is sharpening its knives...

CrabRevolution · 07-05-2014 07:46PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

They have their own language, Ulster Scots, as used by Jesus and the Apostles.

Lesson 1 , read aloud in a Norlin Airlan accent.
http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/ABOUT-THE-ASSEMBLY/General-Information/Information-Leaflets/Ulster-Scots/

Is that really classified as a language? It just looks like badly mangled english.

Muise... · 07-05-2014 07:47PM

anncoates wrote: »

The entire Scots lexicon was formulated over a entire July of phonetically transcribing mid ulster loyalist pub conversations.

Aye. The Ministry of Silly Talks.

If you read it aloud, it sounds like you're taking the piss out of an accent, with some quaint little rural words thrown in.

awec · 07-05-2014 07:49PM

CrabRevolution wrote: »

Is that really classified as a language? It just looks like badly mangled english.

I think it's a dialect rather than a language.

Not sure though, I'm from mid-Ulster which wouldn't be an Ulster scots area.

Muise... · 07-05-2014 07:53PM

awec wrote: »

I think it's a dialect rather than a language.

Not sure though, I'm from mid-Ulster which wouldn't be an Ulster scots area.

It's a dialect. People from Ayrshire, whence it came, don't go round claiming to have their own language on Burn's Night - they just celebrate poetry in their own dialect. It's evidently political when you note that the push to recognise it officially only came when Irish was recognised on official NI documents, education etc.

Gott · 07-05-2014 08:07PM

awec wrote: »

I think it's a dialect rather than a language.

Not sure though, I'm from mid-Ulster which wouldn't be an Ulster scots area.

It is apparently considered a language (I guess so the unionists had their own version of Irish to get money for) even though it just sounds like someone speaking English in a thick Ballymena accent.

I didn't know the guy behind Cyanide and Happiness was from Coleraine until recently.

mfceiling · 07-05-2014 08:09PM

That 5% of pricks cause 95% of the trouble there.

I was born there and lived there for the first 25 years of my life. I'm living "down south" for 13 years now and guess what.......we're really not that different.

Plus they say "wee" an awful lot of the time.

Conall Cernach · 07-05-2014 08:09PM

Alf. A. Male wrote: »

I like it when people from Norn Iron refer to people from the south as Mexicans

This must be a recent thing. I'm from North Armagh and have never heard it but I have been living in Monaghan for 20 years.

MRnotlob606 · 07-05-2014 08:12PM

80s bars are not as popular there as they are down south

awec · 07-05-2014 08:14PM

mfceiling wrote: »

That 5% of pricks cause 95% of the trouble there.

I was born there and lived there for the first 25 years of my life. I'm living "down south" for 13 years now and guess what.......we're really not that different.

Plus they say "wee" an awful lot of the time.

Alright wee man?

Beanstalk · 07-05-2014 08:22PM

One of Derry's favourite staples is the Sausage Roll Bap.

Its...yes you guessed it! A sausage role, with butter, and sometimes brown sauce, in a bap. Some people really love it there!

Also, Derry is the only remaining completely walled city in all of Ireland, and one of the finest examples in Europe. Its a class wee place of late, and there's a great carnival buzz around it.

So why don't yous all stop stereotyping and see it for yersells?

fasttalkerchat · 07-05-2014 08:39PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

They have their own language, Ulster Scots, as used by Jesus and the Apostles.

Lesson 1 , read aloud in a Norlin Airlan accent.
http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/ABOUT-THE-ASSEMBLY/General-Information/Information-Leaflets/Ulster-Scots/

Newry has a local council building called Haughey Hall and in Ulster Scots documents its called "Hawhee Haw".

orangesoda · 07-05-2014 08:45PM

I know quite a lot about my homeland, especially ancient and medieval stuff.

The most interesting things I found out recently was that the Bronte sisters father was from Co.Down, they were descended from the Ó Pronntaigh clan in Fermanagh, a family of writers in the 17 and 18th centuries. Apparently one of the sisters had the ulster accent when she was at school.

Other fact is that Niall of the Nine Hostages ruled a kingdom, ranging from here to southern England when the Romans left, some say they might even have welcomed him. Niall may actually have been from Inishowen so that probably doesn't count.

orangesoda · 07-05-2014 08:52PM

Gatling wrote: »

Some dodgy bearded types live there

thank you. my beard is to reflect my gaelic heritage, when men used to shave their hair and beards they were seen to be following the English way of life

deseil · 07-05-2014 08:54PM

They say mind instead of remember.."do you mind the time we......" and most have very furrowed brows from scowling at people.

orangesoda · 07-05-2014 08:58PM

Tabnabs wrote: »

Nicholas Edmund Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the 12th Earl of Shaftesbury, aka, Baron Ashley of Wimborne St Giles and, finally, Baron Cooper of Pawlett owns Lough Neagh. All of it, it's all his, the 15th biggest lake in Europe, supplies 40% of NI's drinking water, one lad owns it all.

Suckers!

and I'd say very little of the lough shores residents know that or particularly care either

irish_goat · 07-05-2014 09:00PM

Beanstalk wrote: »

One of Derry's favourite staples is the Sausage Roll Bap.

Its...yes you guessed it! A sausage role, with butter, and sometimes brown sauce, in a bap. Some people really love it there!

They're great when you're hungover, definitely recommend people try them out.

mfceiling · 07-05-2014 09:01PM

awec wrote: »

Alright wee man?

Sorry i forgot another classic...

Anyone who is short will be greeted with "alright big man" and anyone tall will be greeted with "alright wee man"!!

Jagdtiger · 07-05-2014 09:02PM

Alf. A. Male wrote: »

I like it when people from Norn Iron refer to people from the south as Mexicans

Funny that, I thought El Paso was in Louth

marienbad · 07-05-2014 09:11PM

Conall Cernach wrote: »

This must be a recent thing. I'm from North Armagh and have never heard it but I have been living in Monaghan for 20 years.

I think it is a rugby thing - Ulster are the gringos and leinster the Mexicans

awec · 07-05-2014 09:58PM

marienbad wrote: »

I think it is a rugby thing - Ulster are the gringos and leinster the Mexicans

Both of these are better than the Munster one.

RDM_83 again · 07-05-2014 10:04PM

Jagdtiger wrote: »

Funny that, I thought El Paso was in Louth

Tijuana Buncrana, El Paso Dundalk

Not sure if this is true but Strabane apparently had the highest unemployment rate in Europe back in the 60's and 70's

Capt'n Midnight · 07-05-2014 11:58PM

Yellowman tastes better than Dulse.

Mr_Spaceman · 08-05-2014 12:19AM

You always know you're in a Protestant household because they keep the washing up liquid hidden under the sink, rather than in open view.

marienbad · 08-05-2014 12:26AM

awec wrote: »

Both of these are better than the Munster one.

Indeed, but correct me if I am wrong but 'the turnips' is really a Heineken Cup era custom whereas the Gringos vs The Mexicans has a much older vintage and used without rancour also.

Witchie · 08-05-2014 12:28AM

Mr_Spaceman wrote: »

You always know you're in a Protestant household because they keep the washing up liquid hidden under the sink, rather than in open view.

Jaysus so I'm a protestant now am I?

Often if I go somewhere and am told "have a wee seat there" I feel like saying "my arse won't fit on a wee seat, any chance of a normal sized one?" but I don't coz am from these parts so I find it kinda quaint that we use wee a lot.

I know we are not quite Northern Ireland but I found out recently that apparently Bram Stoker got some of his inspiration for Dracula while visiting with the Westenra family in Monaghan. He was staying at their house in what is now the Westenra Arms Hotel in the diamond in Monaghan and was looking across at St Patrick's Church which helped somehow inspire him.

Anyhoo back to discussing the lesser important Ulster places.

What is the most interesting fact about Northren Ireland that you didn't know?

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