Any other 2+2ers from Northern Ireland?

[patrick_mcmurray]

PM / post

[tom441lbk]

no, but i'll have a drink with you sometime

[whiskeytown]

Check with MIke Haven - I think he's from Northern Ireland -
Moderator of the Internet forum...

RB

[patrick_mcmurray]

Just having a Jamesons right now Tom, let me know when you get over here : )

THanks whiskeytown.

[partygirluk]

Voltron87 is either from there, or his parents are I believe.

[Voltron87]

My extended family is from NI, or grew up in NI and moved to other parts of the UK. my dad grew up near the ormeau road for anyone who knows the city. i lived there for about 2 months last summer, had an amazing time. its not a big tourist attraction for reasons from 20 years ago, but now its a totally different place. its definitely helpful to know someone from the area though. theres a lot of cool stuff to see and the people are genuinely friendly, im sure a lot of people would have a great time learning the history/geography of the city and could take 50 rolls of film of murals and that stuff. i did.

its not commericialized towards tourists at all, unlike parts of dublin, which are designed for american tourists and their stupid stereotypical idea of irish culture and bars, which is [censored] disgusting to me.

I'm not exactly from Belfast, but my mother is (near Cregah road) and we lived there for a year or two when I was a child (9/10) and made regular visits to grandparents, uncles aunties and cousins. I've been back a couple times as an adult too.

Belfast is great, although it does definately help to have a local contact. The people are generally friendly, and love tourists, just don't say any dumb Irish-American crap about the Troubles.

I had much more fun being a tourist there than in Dublin on my last visit (in both cases I was staying with friends of the family).

[patrick_mcmurray]

Thanks for the replies! And let me know when you are next over..

Of course I know the Ormeau Road and the Cregah Road - in fact my parents grew up in and around those areas.

Belfast has definitely changed a lot over the past decade, and for the better. Its much cooler and more cosmopolitan now than it was. Some nice bars : ) North Coast, Donegal and Dublin all within striking distance...there, i've done my bit for the Tourist Board!

But you're right to advise people not to comment on "the Troubles" because you don't know who you're talking to or what they've been through. Also, better not ask if that person is Prot or Catholic.

Anyway thanks for the replies, and more generally, if any 2+2er is in NI then PM me and I'll take you here

http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/images/photos/belfast/crown.htm

for a guiness : )

[whiskeytown]

I'm part Irish and I consider myself a student of the music.

At one time, I started reading a history of the I.R.A. to acquaint myself fully on the topic.

I quit reading - I figured the amount of effort and grief into the topic would make me feel bad. It doesn't play a tremendous role in Irish music - a lot of Irish bands didn't get too political around here - just a couple rebel songs now and then.

Just seemed like it was a study of the past when a study of the present seemed much more interesting.

Like the Corrs? - Holy hi yi yi ya...

But you get the idea. That reminds me - I need to start practicing violin again so I can take Irish fiddle lessons -

RB

I am. Live in Coleraine. Going to Queen's Uni next year ^_^