Tá mé i mo chónaí i mBéal Feirste
I live in Belfast
A charming wee city steeped in a Troubled history.
Belfast, where the street signs are written in English or Irish.
To visitors it might go unnoticed but for me it’s another sign of “us and them”.
The “great” divide of “us and them”.
Protestant or Catholic
Loyalist or Nationalist
British or Irish
DUP or Sinn Féin
The tribal voting when will it Bloody stop.
The Good Friday Agreement may have ended The Troubles.
Violence no more, except the lingering possibility on those days.
Twelfth of July or Paddy’s Day,
some may add “Happy” in a different way.
To the world it’s described as a low-level-war
but for some it was a 30-year war.
It’s meant to be over now
but it’s apparent everywhere
and it isn’t going anywhere.
They say, “things have changed”
and sure, the big iron gates to enter the city are long gone
but two decades later there’s still more than 100 barriers.
The Peace walls built to keep the two communities apart.
They speak of integration, progress towards inclusion
but the excessive flegs in all four quarters of Belfast say it all.
I offer an interesting perspective perhaps for I fell in love with one from the other side.
I switch with great ease between my different families.
“I’m British”
“I’m Irish”
but who am I really?
I was brought up Protestant
but I’m not proud to say I’m British.
I’m not a Catholic
but I’m proud to say I’m Irish.
I dread the conversation of “us and them”
for I blend with great ease
but who am I really?
A charming wee city steeped in a Troubled history.
A difficult city to navigate
yet I can’t help but love it
for this is my wee city!
We love a good slanging,
and the craic is dead on.
I’m squandered by our “leaders”.
To both parties I say,
catch yourself on and wind yer neck in.
We have our differences, but we are a friendly bunch.
As strangers we will join in in your conversation whether you like it or not.
You should beware of our wildly offensive, take-no-prisoners sense of humour.
You’re a melter
She’s boggin’
He’s a buck eejit
You’re a milly
You can’t take it personally,
it’s just our ruthless humour
and ya just gotta love that Norn Iron accent.
Belfast, with its seven quarters it makes no sense.
An obvious attempt to move away from the four divided sectarian quarters:
East, West, North or South.
Cathedral Quarter enriched in our drinking culture where everyone gets steamin’.
Gaeltacht Quarter where the Irish language is most spoken.
Queens Quarter named after Queen’s University.
Linen Quarter labelled after the old linen trade and warehouses famous now for its cultural venues.
Titanic Quarter includes the skyline of the Samson and Goliath cranes and the dock of the brave but fallen Titanic.
Market Quarter where only one of fourteen markets remain:
St George's Market as popular as ever with weekly live music despite the lingering smell of freshly caught fish.
Library Quarter known by the local LGBT+ folks as the Gay Quarter but famous for its newspapers.
The Belfast Telegraph or Irish Times
Inclusive division, it’s everywhere.
Come visit for a poke or an Ulster Fry.
You’ll surely get a friendly Bout ye’ as you saunter by.
A reflection from a 32 year old who was 8 when the Troubles ended.
