Northern Ireland - how do you perceive it?

[TheBelleOfBelfastCity]

Genuinely just curious. I was born and raised in NI, opinions on MN seem to vary wildly from no go zone to friendly and welcoming. Trying to got a sense of what the most common thoughts are.

Have you visited? Maybe even thought about doing so? What was your opinion?

Again you are being naïve. I am a prod who is open minded and I will never be truly accepted in the republican area in which I work. Whether you like it or not the impact of the trauma here means that people will still categorise you as Protestant.

Mate, your history knowledge is as sketchy as anyone's I've ever encountered.

And I was not saying it's a province of Ireland!!!!

Wtf?

It is a country in its own right

Are you saying NI is a country in its own right??

If so, that's the only correct thing in your post.

I've been and loved it, however I'm not from the UK or ROI so don't have any "baggage" so to speak.

In the same way your daughter will be too due to the various cultural indicators she will have. For example I assume played hockey/ didn’t go to a Catholic primary school/ holiday locations/ ability to speak any Irish.

Visited two years ago- we stayed near Castlerock and visited, amongst other places, Londonderry/Derry, Belfast, Coleraine.
We only remember friendliness. We particularly liked Londonderry (the journey on the train from Castlerock is beautiful). We saw that there was an open day at an old Protestant church and we went in out of curiosity. A church member showed us round, he was so interesting and talked about the worst times of the troubles, when he lost friends, without bitterness.
Obviously we were just tourists and in no way experts or knowledgeable, but we took home with us the impression of a welcoming country, coming to terms with its difficult past.
I did wonder beforehand if an English accent would cause tension but we didn't notice any.
I'd be interested to hear if others have had the same experience.

Oh, curious how holiday locations differ?

Never been (I’m English), no particular desire to go as there’s nothing that attracts me to visit over other destinations - UK or abroad.
Don’t know if all the stuff on the news in the 80s and 90s when I was a child/teenager has put me off subconsciously.

Yes of course it is. It was colonised by the Brits and is now and has been for a verrrrrrrrrrry long time been known (well for most of us) as a country. One island, two countries, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Not Southern Ireland, not Republic of Ireland and not Eire, just Ireland cos we also are a country in our own right. Similar you would think and assume anyone with a logical brain and an education sees Wales and Scotland who are directly connected to England as different countries yet one island but the there is a clearly small amount of knowledge about this - outside of the countries of Northern Ireland and Ireland who were directly affected by the colonisation.

the journey on the train from Castlerock is beautiful

Michael Palin ranked it as one of his worlds best train journeys, I think.

It’s going to be DD’s commute to uni next year! She’s very lucky

Yes of course it is. It was colonised by the Brits

What was colonised by the Brits? What's "it"?

This is one of the things that had me wtd'ing about your understanding of history.

Portrush VS Ballycastle
Santa Ponsa and parts of Algarve also very popular with Catholics more so than Protestants

Mate.. urgh sorry its an English term I actually shudder at but no my history is fine. I was born and raised in Ireland which is where we learn the correct terms for things on both ends of the island which has now two countries on it and we learn the facts of the genocide that happened and not refer to things as 'the famine'. Perhaps I misquoted you or the other way around but while we are on opposite ends of the island here I think we are on the same page technically.

I used to do it as a commute, now just to visit home.

Myself and the train conductor looked at each other almost emotionally once, when the train exited the tunnel beside Downhill beach, and agreed it never gets old.

I hope your DD gets on well.

The 6 county country you are talking about. Obviously.

Not been yet but I’d love to go

urgh sorry its an English term I actually shudder

Yes your views were obvious enough in your use of the word "Brits", without your performative shuddering at a perceived British term.

but no my history is fine

It's as good as your punctuation.

Interesting thanks. The Algarve is very popular with Irish people alright.
Where are Protestants more likely to go? Maybe Costa del Sol, I think it's quite British?

What did the "Brits" colonise?

Have a wee think now.

I am from London. Went to visit a friend there a few years back, and had one of my best holidays. Welcoming people, great beaches and scenery and lovely eateries.

Spain and Greece. Obviously prods do go to Portugal but from my observations with friends it is definitely more popular with Catholics

and we learn the facts of the genocide that happened and not refer to things as 'the famine'

The two are not mutually exclusive, you know.

Try thinking in something other than black and white.

Had a visit to Belfast about 18 months ago, the taxi driver from the airport was ok, but my god, he launches into a history lesson about the troubles, It was heavy going. Then the next morning the breakfast room in the hotel was facing this giant mural about King Billy.
I don’t think NI has moved on as much as some people think.
However, I would return to visit a more rural area, which I think would be more relaxed .