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Aug 14, 07 at 10:55pmWill

Belfast
Capital of N.Ireland
Population of 500,000+
Pro Tanto Quid Retribuamus
"What shall we give in return for so much"

Quick Facts

The city of Belfast has been the capital of Northern Ireland since it's creation in 1920 by the Government of Ireland Act. Throughout it's creation it's seen the worst of the infamous troubles in N.Ireland. The city has a proud tradition in shipbuilding, along with linen and rope making. The worlds largest dock, Harland & Wolff, is located in the heart of Belfast. Belfast has 2 major religions in it's city; Protestant and Catholic, also both have been referred to as "Loyalists" and "Republicans", aswell as "Unionists" and "Nationalists". During WW2, Belfast was 2nd to London for being the worst hit city in Britain by the Luffwaffe. Every year on the 11th & 12th July, all across N.Ireland, band parades and bonfires are lit. This is mainly a protestant thing, but people across the world are attracted to it. Usually masked men fire shots into the air when bonfires are lit, this is called "a show of strength". This adds to the excitement. (I couldn't find an image with them doing it, but you get the picture with the image I found.)

Conflict

Belfast has seen a lot of conflict since it's creation in 1920. Most notably during "The Troubles". During these times, Army personnel aswell as armed gunmen from paramilitaries from both divides would be a common sight around the city. Wide spread rioting and public disorder was a regular occurrence during these times. Some people describe "The Troubles" as terrorism, civil war, guerrilla warfare and ethic conflict. These descriptions show how bad these times were, not only for Belfast, but for the whole of Northern Ireland.

Sport

Architecture and Buildings

Murals

Murals are seen all over Belfast. These are basically paintings on a wall sometimes showing paramilitary stuff. But recently people are trying to get more non-sectarian murals located in the city. Eg. N.Ireland's win over England. These are now common tourist attractions.

For other stuff like Culture, Politics, Economy etc. Have a look here. Hope this is alright

.

This message was edited by Will on Aug 16 2007.

Thread Recap (last 10 posts from newest to oldest)

Feb 18, 08 at 4:00pm
Irish Gamer

I didn't mean for this to turn into a Dublin vs. Belfast thread, but seriously, Dublin a tolerant city?! You're dreaming mate. I've walked down O'Connell Street in a Donegal GAA jersey and gotten abuse for being a culchie. My mates wanted to watch a Northern Ireland match in a pub in Dublin as part of a weekend there, and they were told to *bleep* off back North. Just because there are so many non-nationals doesn't make it tolerant.

And the amount of people on O'Connell Street doesn't make it safer. I've been confronted three times on that *bleep*ing hellhole by some heroin drug prick off his head asking for money for the bus home, which quickly turns into "gimme all your money". Not once, not ONCE, have I experienced that in Belfast. Not ONCE have I been called a culchie, or abused for wearing a GAA jersey. Obviously you don't walk down the Shankhill in a GAA jersey, obviously you don't walk down the Falls in a Rangers top: but all the same, you don't walk down O'Connell Street in a N.I top if you value your life.

The riots for the Ulster march a couple years ago prove my point, I know it was mostly young yobs, but unfortunately that's what inner-city Dublin is mostly made up of.

Belfast > Dublin. Any day of the week.

StylishIrish, when's the last time you heard of a sectarian attack in Belfast? You can get killed in Dublin just as easily for being a Protestant as you can in Belfast for being either Protestant or Catholic.

Feb 11, 08 at 6:32pm
Monkey Magic

quote Will
You're talking as if Protestants are the bad lot here,

i am not. it is a two way street obviously.

quote Will
You can sit there down South and bullshit about our city all you want dear, but until you actually live here and experience all the troubles the two sides have with each other, kindly *bleep*.

Ok, i may not know all the facts because i have not lived there for a long period of time. I am talking from my experience up there.
oh, and don't call me dear, your not my granny

Feb 11, 08 at 2:37pm
Monkey Magic

quote mycon
Belfast Airport is better value than Dublin Airport, that's for sure.

yeah lol

Feb 11, 08 at 2:19pm
Mycon

Belfast Airport is better value than Dublin Airport, that's for sure.

Feb 11, 08 at 2:06pm
Monkey Magic

quote Taker4ever
It's all about the Protestant Unionists keeping down the Catholic Nationalists, right? Wrong. Sectarianism exists on BOTH sides,

of course it does, nobody ever said it didn't.

quote Will
There are catholics in Belfast to you know. Step into the real world; You could walk down any street and get dirty looks or something else. You're just defending your neck of the woods in the case of putting down my neck of the woods. Like Taker said, if you're stupid enough to walk down a Loyalist street (or vise verse) clearly advertising your religion, then you probably deserve abuse for being such a *bleep*ing idiot.

firstly, i wouldn't advertise my religion. and secondly, that is the stupid thing, that i should be afraid of how i talk or what i wear when i want to walk down a street. i no people will say it's a utopian idea but so what!?

quote Will
There are catholics in Belfast to you know.

i know that, but there are definitely not as many.

Feb 11, 08 at 1:57pm
Taker4ever

In every country I'm pretty sure there are people who will be like that. Walking down the Shankill in your Celtic top isn't any better an idea than walking down The Falls in your Rangers top. It's common sense, really. Stay out of those areas unless you want to go looking for trouble.

I think the mistake you're making here is that sectarianism is one-sided. It's all about the Protestant Unionists keeping down the Catholic Nationalists, right? Wrong. Sectarianism exists on BOTH sides, and NEITHER side doing it should be acceptable. As I've already stated, there are safe and unsafe places to go in Belfast, the same as in any city. But generally speaking, it is a much more tolerant city than it once was.

Feb 11, 08 at 1:31pm
Monkey Magic

quote StylishIrish
Uh, are you serious? You think O'Connell Street is unsafe? Excuse me for a moment - bwahahahahahaha.

it's not at all unsafe.

quote Irish_Gamer
hereas I, being an Irish Catholic, have hung out in many Protestant areas and the worst I'd get is friendly banter.

yeah, it's really safe to be an Irish Catholic in Belfast.
i get really friendly looks when people hear the bit of an Irish accent in me. (shit, sarcasm doesn't work when typing)
either you are joking or you are a joke.

Feb 11, 08 at 11:28am
StylishIrish

quote Irishgamer
Nothing unsafe about O'Connell Street?! Are you serious?

Uh, are you serious? You think O'Connell Street is unsafe? Excuse me for a moment - bwahahahahahaha.

It's probably the most populated street in all of Ireland. Even at night it's packed. You are definitely not unsafe on that street. There's guards there all the time. Temple Bar maybe unsafe but O'Connell Street? Hilarious stuff.

quote Irishgamer
And I stick by the people are friendlier thing anyway, the amount of times me and my mates from Belfast get abuse in pubs when we're down for a concert and stuff, whereas I, being an Irish Catholic, have hung out in many Protestant areas and the worst I'd get is friendly banter.

The worst you'd get in Belfast is 'friendly banter'?! Who are you kidding? You're seriously arguing that people would get more abuse in Dublin than in Belfast? There's places in Belfast that would KILL you because of your religion. In Dublin it's estimated that 20% of the inhabitants are non-nationals.

Dublin is a very tolerant city. Belfast has a lot to do to reach the level of tolerance that exists in Dublin.

By the way I'm not knocking Belfast, just defending Dublin city against such ridiculous claims.

Feb 10, 08 at 8:15pm
Irish Gamer

quote Monkey_Magic
quote Irish_Gamer
Ten times the city that Dublin is, people are friendlier, it's just all-round a nicer city to walk around in. I feel safer walking up Royal Avenue then I do walking up O'Connell Street.
Theres nothing unsafe about O'Connell Street.
I have to say, i don't have a problem with Belfast and i like the place.
But i disagree with that whole post.

edit - and i, being an Irish Catholic, would feel very unsafe walking down Sandy Row, even today.

This message was edited by Monkey_Magic on Feb 09 2008.

Nothing unsafe about O'Connell Street?! Are you serious?

And I stick by the people are friendlier thing anyway, the amount of times me and my mates from Belfast get abuse in pubs when we're down for a concert and stuff, whereas I, being an Irish Catholic, have hung out in many Protestant areas and the worst I'd get is friendly banter.

Feb 09, 08 at 11:23pm
Mycon

I've been in Casement Park a few times and in the city itself. It's a cool place, a smaller version of Dublin.

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