You are so right DerryRed, the current UK government don’t care about NI, they used it for their political gain for Brexit and would discard the Northern Irish if they could. At least Biden is there to keep the status quo for now.
I read abit about the Paramilitaries in NI, all sides are a nasty lot. I watched a programme on ’ Mad Dog’ Jonny Adair, he was interviewed by the Journalist Donal McIntyre, years after the GFA was implemented. It was an eye opener to say the least. My first impressions were that he might have mellowed over the years and was very philosophical about things and admitted he did some wrong things in the past
I asked our Northern Irish TIA members lot, even the Protestant lot said he was a very bad egg in his own community and was banished to Scotland for his own safety.
What happened to those dreadful H block prisons, did they knock it down ?
I know if people could/would think rationally, a lot of problems wouldn’t existed or would have solved long ago. I feel sooner the Unionists/Protestants (is it wrong to judge them along the sectarian line!) realize that their future, and a good one at that, is with an United Ireland rather than United Kingdom, better it is for all concerned.
In someway the Irish Divide reminds me of the Pakistan-Bangladesh dilemma. Although the then East Bengal (later East Pakistan) was different to Pakistan in all perceivable ways, it was made part of Pakistan on the flimsy ground that both region were Muslim majority.
Is there any other major differences between Irish and Northern Irish aside from the Catholic or Protestant divide?
Maria, indeed, paramilitaries are nasty pieces of work no matter what side they’re on. I know many people who suffered from both sides, one family I’m very close to literally from both. They were intimidated out of their house in the late 70s by loyalist paramilitaries and their family business was bombed out of existence a few years later by the IRA.
I think they might have kept a few of the H block huts standing as there were plans to do some kind of museum but I think that has been ditched for now. Could be wrong.
Iftikhar, if only it was so simple, and the unionists would argue the opposite, why can’t the nationalist population in NI(UK) just accept that they’re British and stop whining and aspiring to a united Ireland.
Personally I want a united Ireland but would be very uncomfortable living in a country where a large portion of the population felt that they were disenfranchised. The majority of my work colleagues (that I know of) are from unionist backgrounds and I have no desire to see them feel that their Britishness is being threatened.
As for the major differences, it is mainly religion (even though we’re all Christians😂) but many social and cultural norms hang off religion here.
There are also other more subtle differences, the way we pronounce the letter H is a famous one, and tray bakes are another you always know you’re at a protestant wake or event when they bring out the tray bakes
I remember reading Joan Lingard novels and it was about Belfast in the early 1970s, I learned alot of the lingo from both sides, what each side called each other in colloquial terms. It was about a Catholic boy dating a Protestant girl. At times, it painted a romantic view with trips to the beautiful countryside, but the difficulties in dating, which had to be conducted in secret. Then, in the end, they had to leave NI to get married in London, to have a peaceful life.
It gave me a little insight, what life was like, you didn’t walk in certain streets in Unionist or Nationalist areas. You couldn’t really make friends with the kids from the other side of the divide, even if you wanted to. Also, on top of that the bombings of Catholic houses and premises and shootings of Protestants and British military presence didn’t help.
What I also observed was, the TIA Northern Irish guys from both sides had a very realist, to the point sense of humour, even when they were arguing the Politics of NI, it was very unique style of humour, only they could understand, which set them apart from everyone else. Even though they came from different sects, they understood each other and were the same people and had similar cultural traits of Northefn Irish culture. If that make sense.
Its abit like Northerners, even if someone is from Liverpool and someone else is from Manchester and they met in say USA or Thailand, they have a connection, due to having a similar culture, humour, mannerisms and they are from the same region, then a Londoner.
Anyhow, it seems much more peaceful and tolerant place now, with International Businesses setting up offices, filming of top tv shows like Game of Thrones, G20 conference. NI has come a long way and hopefully will flourish more economically and culturally.
Only to a degree. Nationalists very rarey call it Londonderry, many unionists call it Derry in everyday speak but would use Londonderry in official terms. Hard line unionists always use Londonderry and would in years gone by have even corrected people who use Derry.
Yea, pretty much Maria. It’s never been much of an issue tbh except if you were in some areas. If there’s an Irish tricolour or a Palestine flag flying nearby, best call it Derry. If there’s union Jacks, red hand of ulster, Israel, orange order, UVF flags and the kerb stones are red white and blue, say Londonderry
That narrows it down abit then, for the future tourist in me
Can’t I say without saying the name, which road leads to the city centre next which has a specific famous building, like the town hall. Then, I can avoid saying the wrong version to a local, ( since I won’t know which denomination he/she is) if I ask for directions.
Just take DerryRed’s Picture Maria and point to it when asking for directions :0)
Remember when I was in Coleraine once and needed to get to a place called Ballymoney… Anyway it was before SatNav’s, it was getting late and becoming really dark and I had lost my bearings somehow with the numerous country lanes all looking the same…
Going round in circles I went through this same little village about 3 or 4 times… There was a little grocers with the guy closing up and turning the shop lights off…
Jammed on the brakes and ran back to ask him for directions… “What’s the quickest way to Ballymoney from here mate”
He looked at me as though I had 10heads or maybe I had just surprised him with my accent…
Looks me up and down two or three times, but I could see the cogs working behind his eyes. He says “Are you walking or have you got a car…?”
I points to my car (which he obviously didn’t hear screech to a halt)… I said " In a car"
He looks me up and down again, and says… “Yes that’s the quickest way…” and then proceeds to walk off…!!
To this day i still can’t decide if he was taking the P*** or just giving me a straightforward logical answer to my question…!!!
Have fun over there Maria :0)
A little bit of heaven
Fell from the sky one day
And nestled on the ocean
In a spot so far away
And when the angels found it
It looked so sweet and fair
They said suppose we leave it
For it looks so peaceful there
So they sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow
It’s the only place you’ll find them
No matter where you go
Then they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand
And when they had it finished
Sure they called it …Ireland
you always know you’re at a protestant wake or event when they bring out the tray bakes
. I will take the good old fashioned