LIVING in Ireland

DannyOH · Newbie

LIVING in Ireland

Michele Erdvig · Host

DannyOH,

Welcome to my forum! Glad you made the crossing over from AllExperts.com to here. Feel free to join in and offer advice, etc. All are welcome and I'm sure that you opinions and advice about Northern Ireland will be invaluable. If you look around the forum a bit you will find it is getting pretty active again after the holidays with people planning their trips to Ireland. There are also many forum regulars who check in from time to time.

Many people are hampered by the actual time they have in Ireland and just follow the usual tourist track. I often find that because of this they make repeat visits to Ireland so that they can then see other areas. It is probably the repeat visitors or those who have a connection to NI who will then visit NI.

I often get questions about how safe it is to visit NI. Since you are right there on the spot all the time you are an excellent source of info about that. I always enjoy the short time I get in NI each year (if only there was more time and money!). You live in a beautiful and peaceful corner of the world!

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

DannyOH, welcome to our gang of Ireland-lovers here on Michelle's great forum! I usually post questions on the other side of the forum, as I'm planning my first trip to Ireland for July 2006. But I'm glad to have found you here...just popped in to see what was new under trip reports.

As you live in south Armagh, that's interesting. My grandmother was born in what was Tannaghmore West in Lurgan, County Armagh, then moved to Belfast with her family and lived there until emigrating to America in her late teens. We will have 4 nights in Northern Ireland on our trip...2 nights in Belfast and 2 nights in Bushmills.

Wish I had more nights in Northern Ireland but we are also visiting the Republic of Ireland: County Kerry, County Clare, County Mayo.

I have a few questions and I'd be pleased to hear your info and opinions:

BELFAST ORANGEMEN'S PARADE:
I understand Belfast sometimes has tensions arrising around the time of the July 12 Orangemen's parade. We'll be in Belfast after July 20, and I'm wondering if that is far enough removed from the July 12 tensions? I also heard sometimes businesses close after July 12 for a bit as locals use the time for their holidays. Do you think Belfast will be back to normal after July 20? (That's only a bit more than a week after July 12.) If Belfast isn't a good place to be in July, we could alternatively stay in nearby Newtownards/Bangor area.

Right now I am considering staying at Ash-Rowan Townhouse on Windsor Avenue, between Lisburn and Malone roads, which is within walking distance of the Botanic gardens but apparently on a quiet street. However although it's recommended in several guidebooks, I haven't found a single internet soul who has stayed there...probably their guests must not be internet people I must conclude. Do you know the area and would you say it's a safe area?

BELFAST AND NEARBY:
While in Belfast I hope to visit the Botanic Gardens, some good local restaurants and pubs (any recommendations?) and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra. Also hope to drive over to Lurgan area and see if anything historic is left in that area. Not sure if I'll find any trace of the old Lurgan area that my grandmother lived in.

I did hear Armagh has some historic areas of the city. Any recommendations in particular if we have time to drive over your way?

We love to eat good local food, just like we do at home...want to avoid tourist food. Any places you recommend?

How interesting that you moved from New York City to south Armagh, where "your people" came from. What do you miss and what were you glad to leave behind? What did you gain? If you don't mind my asking?

Thanks for any info and advice you have time to give me.

DannyOH · Newbie

Hello, Melisa5. With the exception of the heat of the troubles in the seventies, I have never regarded Belfast as being unsafe to visit at ANY time of the year. Like I said, Tourists--in particular Americans--stick out. (God help us, we can't help it!) I've been here all this time and I still stick out! Never lost my accent, you see. A handy too in the circumstances. No. Even though the 20th is still in the middle of the "maching season" and even though a few Loyalists tend to go a little loopy at that time of the year, I would not consider the situation "dangerous". These are ordinary people just out to have a good time (as they see it). Being a republican myself (I am after all, an American) I have even considered a few times going to an Orange parade myself, just to get a feel for the atmosphere close up. Had I been a little less lazy, I would have done. I've even often walked down the Sandy Row, without fear--but with the sense, also, not to be waving a tricolor at the time, or to wear an Emerald Green hat!) Like I said, don't look for trouble and you won't find it. In any event, the Malone Road area, being the Queens University area is historically neutral territory. (Upper-middle-class section--above such common things as causing trouble.) Simple advice, and for anywhere up north: If you see curbs painted red, white, and blue--go somewhere else. (You won't see too many instances.)

The world has never understood. Personally, I regard the situation here (-I emphasize again, as it WAS) as akin to Chicago in the ninteen-thirties. Small self-intrest groups with guns intent on wiping each other out, and who thus get all the ink, but for the rest of us ordinary folks who just get on with our lives, it has little or not impact. If you don't go looking for trouble, you won't find it. (There still are a few bits of this now and then, but so thin on the ground, and so broadly inconsequential, that it doesn't bear thinking about. My brother lives in Manhattan, and far from him worrying about me--I worry about him!

The thing is, Ulster, basically, has only had this one king of trouble. The level of ordinary crime here is so low as to be effectively non-existent. (A few years ago, my wife and I went away for a four day weekend, only to come home and find our front door wide open--I had forgotten to close it--and everything in tact!)

Sadly, I can't really make any recommendations as to good food in Belfast. Good restaruants are everywhere these days. Aside from that, I have to say, I rarely go to Belfast anyway, as my focus tends to be to the south. (Speaking of south, I recommend you avoid DUNDALK (Co. Louth) after 9PM--AND LIMERICK altogether. Dangerous places. Even my son doesn't like going to Dundalk at night. Since Ireland has become so wealthy (who would'a thunk it?) it has attracted a thriving drugs trade. Belfast--no real problem. Belfast is so changed, I'd probably get lost in it today. Not the same city at all, of even twenty-years ago. Modern. Good shopping. Compact. For some reason, though, they put their zoo on the side of a very steep hill. Bring your climbing gear! Have never seen the Transport Museum, but know people who have. Well worth it! If you like Castles, Carrickfergus castle, further north, is the one to see. Haven't been in Lurgan for AGES! (Always thought of it as a bit drab--sorry to all you Lurganites!)

Armagh is a museum in itself. Hard to point anything out which is of particular interest. It's odd, but I am so used to looking at such things, I no longer see them as "Special"--which you might consider a downside to living here. Better to visit often.

If you are a cave person, the Marble Arch Caves in Fermanagh are well worth a visit.
Going south from Belfast, you will pass through Newry (my local town, north of the border), which has its own charm--but a town east will take you to the "Medieval" viallage of Carlingford. "Medieval" may be pushing it a bit, but only a bit. It still has much of the genuinely medieval about it--and Carlingford is famous for its food. Eat there!
Round the Cooley peninsula, is another restarurant: Fitzpatricks. Charming place, equally well recommended.

Best Dublin restaruant, Luigi Malones--in Templebar, in the shadow of that upside won pyramid they call the Bank of Ireland. 5-star food. Three-star prices. (No. I am not related to any of these people.)

What do I miss, gain and what was I glad to leave behind? I miss being a part of all the things that have happened in America since I left. These last ten years especially, every incident that takes place and for which I am not there, MAKES me more European (by default) and a little less American. What do I gain? A greater world-view. (Americans could use more of that.) I miss looking at an American soldier and no longer being able to feel proud. (Sorry for getting personal, but those idiots in Abu Graib prison have stolen something from me of the utmost value. My honor as a soldier.) I will never forgive them.

I have always said that the Irish have more talent per square mile than any culture on earth--and I still believe it. Also, when humanity sorts itself out and finally decides on "the best overall way to look at life--not too silly, but not too serious", the entire world will find itself having become Irish!"

Hope I've helped you out.
Nice talking to you,

DannyOH

Melissa5 · Guru

DannyOH, and you still spell like a New Yorker too..."maching season"

Okay, I will go someplace else if I see curbs painted red, white, and blue...but why? Good thing you told me or I might think they were a special parking spot just for me. (You know American flag, red, white, and blue...)

Thanks for recommendations of the places to avoid and also the restaurants and sites to seek out.

I am sure that humanity around the world will never tire of squabbling about the best overall way to look at life. I am still trying to figure that one out myself, and the more I travel the broader my viewpoint becomes. Don't fret too much about politics, Danny. All we each can do is make sure we're proud of our own actions today. And I wish everyone had the philosophy of "I don't know everything yet," wouldn't that be great?

I just read somewhere that the Irish have increased their drinking by 40% over a certain period of time. I was curious about exactly how did they measure that, if it was really true, and how did they know it was the Irish and not the tourists? Have you noticed differences between Irish and American attitudes about drinking and patterns of drinking, and any differences between Northern Ireland and the Republic? My daughters and I have been interested in cultural differences on drinking ever since we took our trip to Italy in June 2004.

As you know we have the 21-year-old drinking age here and we sure seem to have a lotta problems with underage youths drinking too much, drinking and driving, and other problems associated with youths drinking (crime etc.).

Here in California where people are driving 80 miles per hour on our tangle of freeways, it's not a good place to drink and drive that's for sure...People think we have earthquakes but you're more likely to get killed by a drunk driver.

So Armagh is a museum in itself? Sounds like an intriguing place with history 'round every corner. I like those sorts of places.

Have an excellent weekend! Thanks for talking with me about Northern Ireland.