To think Belfast is a dirty, stinking hole?

[TripleSeptic]

We were in Belfast yesterday.

Not for PRIDE, but we couldn't get back out because of the roads closed for the parade, so ended up staying much longer than expected.

I'm not local, but used to work in the city centre approx 10 years ago. It was buzzing constantly, dirty from smoggy buses, but good mix of shops, bars, places to eat etc. Not metropolitan, just respectably busy.

Yesterday, everything smelled like piss. The Deers Head has been bastardised with black gloss paint. Royal Avenue looks like something out of The Walking Dead, no Nationwide, Premier People, Argos, Subway, Alliance and Leicester, ALL gone. North Street actually looked more attractive than Royal Avenue!!

But oh my god, the smell of piss!! Everywhere!!

If we were showcasing our country yesterday for Belfast Pride, shouldn't someone have run round with a duster and Hoover first?

Is this a Stormont thing, or is it because everyone shops online? Is it because of the Primark fire, or did someone use Royal Ave for nuclear weapon testing? Pretend you're explaining to someone from outer space!! WTAF happened the town? How can we fix it?

When I think of all the cruise ships stopping here, and its revolting!! Its an embarrassment!! At the very least yesterday, the parade should have bypassed Royal Ave. I know the NI folk love a "traditional route", but you don't bring visitors into your house and give them tea in the bathroom, you usher them into the good room and shut the door an the messy ones!!

I don't know when the stench of piss will leave my nose, and my heart broke for the Writer's Square, weeds growing through it, no longer a sanctuary or an inspiration, just another grimy, neglected, waste.

Disclaimer, I know there are nice bits, but there is no point in making nice bits if you let the bits that WERE nice, turn into shitheaps. There are more shitheaps than before now.

Oh, don't start.

What? I’m not Irish and I don’t see why it’s wrong to point that out.. I don’t think this thread is Irish bashing in any way and it couldn’t because Northern Ireland isn’t Ireland. There is a difference, in fact many differences. I’m not in agreement with most things over here but come on, it’s not difficult to figure out that we aren’t actually Irish. You wouldn’t call someone from Dublin British, would you?

Northern Ireland is Irish. And British. It’s not difficult. Don’t be goady.

If you're actually from NI you know full well that half the population of Belfast would define themselves - and NI - as Irish. So don't play the wide-eyed innocent.

But surely we are Irish in the same way that someone from Scotland is Scottish?

My granny and granda (who obviously have been dead for a few years!) were born before partition, but in the same town as me. They were Irish and the location didn't change so surely I'm Irish too? I'm from the most stereotypical unionist background you could imagine but I don't see any contradiction. People in East Germany and West Germany were still German.

Ah feck off you goady fucker. The people of Northern Ireland are British AND Irish being born on the island of Ireland, while living the north which is currently part of the UK. It's not hard to fathom. That's why we can have both Irish AND British passports, or just one of those depending on our inclination.
And why we don't need that fecking hard border to mess things up at the point when we're finally living mostly in peace.

Is this some weird bot thread or something? Designed to make people think Belfast is vile so it doesn’t matter if we drop awkward old stinky NI off a cliff?

I was in Hampstead yesterday, at the south end green end. The bins were overflowing, the air was thick and dirty with diesel fumes, people were shoving and pushing outside the royal free and there were several very out of it people begging for money. Not to mention I saw someone mount a pavement there recently and steal a phone out of a not-very-well-off-looking woman. Plus there was an armed police and helicopter intervention a few streets down the other night.

Would it be ridiculous of me to come on going ‘Ewwww HAMPSTEAD is such a DIRTY DISGUSTING HOLE, how can people BEAR To live there???’ Yes it would. And massively inaccurate when viewed over the whole picture, as Hampstead is considered one of the most lovely places to live, and rude.

Very strange, OP.

PS I love Hampstead
PPS I love Belfast too. Those hills!

Besides, if you've been on here any time at all, you'll know that the posters who spout the anti-Irish crap don't give a shit about Northern Ireland's constitutional complexities. And if you're a NI unionist, that should bother you most of all. (From ROI, live happily in NI, agree there are differences that my nationalist in-laws would sometimes prefer not to notice.)

I agree with all the points raised. I’m from Northern Ireland but I did not grow up here. I moved back in 2013 and didn’t grow up with the hate etc and didn’t understand why saying Irish wasn’t okay. I guess you can see what side I’m meant to be from just from saying that. We are from Northern Ireland and I would be fine with saying Irish but we just aren’t, at least I didn’t think we were. We don’t share much with the south (if I’m wrong please correct me) in regards to healthcare etc so I’ve always seen us a different from one another. I’m not being goody I thought I was saying something correct. I give up though, if I say I couldn’t give a shit about someone’s religion I’m warned that there are those who do and I can’t be fucked with it all. Especially if things go back to how I’ve been told they were, sounds terrifying. I know very little about the politics over here, I just thought I knew that we weren’t Irish but clearly not.

Someone on Page 1 said this was sad to read. I agree.

Ok it’s not a big deal but just seen it mentioned that there’s no subway... we went two months ago and went to two different subways! All is not lost...

Love the accents of Northern Ireland, too. The best poet ever was born in NI. That’s good enough for starters. Yeah, yeah, I know this is not strictly about Belfast. oh and Queen’s University is excellent.

atomicnotsoblonde We stayed at Jurys Inn which was two mins walk from Europa Bus station. Very easy, quick and cheap bus ride from George Best City airport to the Europa Bus Station. You can book it in advance too. Easy walk from Jurys Inn into town centre but also a few bars closer by too.

It’s definitely in Belfast.

Wtf? I'm from NI and I bloody well AM Irish. Not one person in ROI is more Irish than me. So kindly stop trying to tell me and others that we are not.

I worked and lived in Belfast for years and adored it. I only left because I wanted my children to grow up in the countryside as I had. But I still miss it and will always miss it I think. It is a wonderful city. I've been all over the world but Belfast would have to be my No1 city, although I know I'm biased,

I love Belfast. The shopping area of the city centre is pretty shit to be fair, but so fucking what? The view from Belfast Castle out across the city and the loch on a clear day will never not bring joy to my heart.

Also, must we do the Irish and British thing? The city is both and that is to be celebrated.

Wtf? I'm from NI and I bloody well AM Irish. Not one person in ROI is more Irish than me. So kindly stop trying to tell me and others that we are not.

I worked and lived in Belfast for years and adored it. I only left because I wanted my children to grow up in the countryside as I had. But I still miss it and will always miss it I think. It is a wonderful city. I've been all over the world but Belfast would have to be my No1 city, although I know I'm biased,

Queen’s.

Pimmhead

Can you explain to me how that is? Clearly I don’t get it. Aren’t we part of the UK whereas Ireland is not? We are British and they are Irish. Am I seriously wrong on this? Can someone point out why, I don’t want to be spouting incorrect information I’d rather be informed on what’s correct.

People in NI are in the island of Ireland. Ergo they are Irish.

Much like someone from Scotland is Scottish, but can also identify as British

Scotland is geographically connected to England and Wales.

If people in NI were not Irish they would not be Irish citizens by birth and eligible for Irish passports.

I’m baffled and I’m probably being extremely thick here but, over here we say we are British or northern Irish the distinction from just Irish is made, we wouldn’t say we are English because we aren’t, just like Ireland can’t say they are British but we can. I’m so confused now. I’ve always seen Ireland and Northern Ireland as two different places with their own rules etc. We may be connected by land but that’s it, if we were to unite for example then one side has to give up their ways for the other right? Or somehow negotiate it’s not simple so how can we say we are the same? I’m probably over complicating it but I blame that on those around me that have explained things these ways. I’m always arguing against most things but thought this made sense.

Aaarrgghhh I'm sorry but you don't get to plead ignorance here. I'm not from NI originally either but when I moved here I took the time to do some reading and try to understand what is clearly a complex situation. It's not hard to get your head around. I'm not sure I entirely believe you're not being goady but if you're really not, you need to read some books.