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.

Sorry I didn’t read up all about over here, I thought the information I was given by family was correct. Clearly not then. I may not have grown up here but I’ve been coming here every year my whole life until I moved over. No one told me all the history of Northern Ireland and we don’t get taught about it in England so I just relied on what others have said. Anything I have googled it’s always been that we are not Irish, we are Northern Irish because we aren’t the same as the south and we can also use the term British.

over here we say we are British or northern Irish

You keep talking like you're speaking for everyone in NI and you're not. Maybe your immediate family and friends define themselves as British or Northern Irish but around half of people living in NI define themselves as Irish. Because they live on the island of Ireland. How can you possibly have lived here for more than 5 minutes and not know this?

Okay you are definitely being a GF. People from NI have every right to define themselves as Irish. They can get Irish passports. Those rights are protected by law. You've heard of the Good Friday Agreement, right?

I'm so glad the majority of responses on the thread are disagreeing with the OP. It's beyond rude and offensive to call anywhere a dirty, stinking hole anyway!! Belfast has been through so much and has come out the other side a lovely and vibrant place. It's such a shame we have people like this sharing such ridiculous comments along with a total ignorance about NI's history. It's very depressing to read.

“It’s always been that we are not Irish” ———-!!!!!! I’m sorry, but you really need to educate yourself about the country you live in. Growing up in England no excuse. People in NI can consider themselves as Irish, Northern Irish or British. Or all three or two of those or whatever.

I’m probably over complicating it

Yes, you are. They are two separate countries politically. But they are both on the island of Ireland therefore there is no contradiction in saying that you are Irish if you are from N Ireland, regardless of political viewpoint or religion or whatever. As I said earlier in the thread, there was no contradiction in saying someone was German whether they were from East Germany or West Germany, back before they were re-unified. And they could scarcely have been more different.

People in NI have the right to identify themselves as British, Irish or both. Your family members are 100% entitled to assert a solely British identity for themselves and to expect that to be respected. The problem is if that's assumed to apply to everyone else in NI too.

I thought the information I was given by family was correct

Ah, I see the issue. Are you related to Jamie Bryson?

over here we say we are British or northern Irish

No “we” don’t. You might, some of us say we are Irish. Some of us say we are British. And some of us say we are Irish and British. I don’t know anyone who refers to themselves as northern Irish.

Okay, apologies on saying “we” I’m so used to saying it and I know it’s wrong. I do know that a lot of people over here would class themselves as Irish I just thought it was technically wrong. I used to argue that we are Irish because we are on the same Ireland but I got shot down for that so I assumed I was wrong. I may have to pick that argument back up again then. I’m not gonna lie, I’m no contact with my mum these days as she is a bullshitter and clearly this is something else she bullshits about. She went from slagging off catholic’s to now wearing the Irish flag fs, I should revise everything she has ever told me. I can only apologise and I really wasn’t trying to be a dick or goady.

I don’t know anyone who refers to themselves as northern Irish.

Really? Must be my small circle then but it’s always how I’ve heard those I know describe it. Maybe I'm in a particular area, I don’t know.

Ah, it’s people from NI who identify as British but live or work in London or elsewhere that I have heard refer to themselves as Northern Irish. Possibly because people here rarely describe themselves as British. I think people who consider themselves Irish just say that.

Cyberworrier

I think that could be it. I’ve always had to say Northern Ireland because if I don’t people think I meant Ireland. Maybe now I’m back over here I don’t need to say that. I’m going to go back into my little world of just me because clearly I don’t even understand the country I live in.

I've nothing to add to all of the previously stated merits of Belfast (and they're all true!) but the worst thing about the OP was to state it stinks of piss - that is just an outright lie, which makes me very suspicious about the reason for the post....

I know, gin such a weird one, the streets normally are pretty sparkling etc compared to eg London, simply because much fewer people and much more rain pounding down to clean them! Vg air quality too.

While we like Visiting Belfast and have done for 20 years it was never a "show place" city. The tourist facilities that are there seem to be well funded and its in the "nice place to visit" category.

I do know that a lot of people over here would class themselves as Irish I just thought it was technically wrong.

I swear to God, @Aaarrgghhh : don’t me get the law out again; not after the recent thread about the Orange Order. 🙄

@beanaseireann the thread has moved on a bit but if you like the location of Malmaison you might enjoy Bullit(t?) which is only down the road. Opened about two years ago, really nice and has a lovely rooftop bar.

Thanks TheCraicDealer.
Im on The Bullet hotel's email. It's literally across the road from The Malmaison.
The Merchant is nearby too.

Did the OP say where she's from ?

I love Belfast. We are rugby fans and so sometimes get to come over to Ravenhill following our team. I can’t wait to take my kids over there. We’ve made some fab friends through the rugby and have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves over here

We were in Belfast last summer and loved it all. It's small enough city to get around and has a great vibe. We live in London and thought Belfast was much cleaner in general.

It's always been a septic tank , one can just imagine the smell before during and particularly after an event such as this.

Donald? What are you doing in Ireland?

Folks, I dont think you are going to get through to someone who has clearly never watched the news, never heard about Brexit or the GFA and never wondered about the society they have lived in for the last 6 years.

I live in Belfast and while it isnt a stinking shithole, it is worse than it was before because the only proper hardware shop in the city centre has closed. It's now another fucking coffee and toastie shop. In a street full of coffee and toastie shops.

I needed a tap.

Ah be fair. It's not just toasties in that street. There's Escape Rooms as well.