Mainland Brits, how many of you have been to N Ireland?

[MiniMan64]

funinhounslow said:

Thanks for all the replies- most helpful. Just to clarify, I wasn't concerned about being attacked or injured or anything, just wandering into the "wrong place" and getting a bit of grief - like the bloke who mentioned getting a bit of attitude in a petrol station because his rental car had Eire plates.

10-20 years ago maybe, not now.

Pre-Good Friday my parents hotel had windows put in for flying an Italian flag (some people aren't too good with colours)

These days I serious doubt an Irish plate would cause a raised eyebrow, plenty in and out of our place (tourists and family) in a village usually buried in red, white and blue and no one cares.

[Blown2CV]

i have, my ex was from there. It is beautiful in places, clearly a very interesting heritage in others... not too much traffic etc. It's not exactly super riveting and party central like parts of Eire, but i dunno if there is enough there to sort of plan a holiday around.

[SteveCat7]

Interesting thread, as I moved over here from the "mainland" 20 years ago (wife is from here originally). I think there are a lot of misconceptions about NI from those that have never been, and the place has changed immensely in the time I have been here. However, I can understand the emotions of those who visited in uniform in the bad years and didn't find certain locals friendly at the time ...

I can honestly say that in 20 years of travelling all around NI (and the Republic) for work, I have never found myself in an uncomfortable situation (OK, I was refused service once at a petrol station in Crossmaglen in the early days, but I did have a 'very' English accent and should have known better).

It is a truly beautiful place, and the locals are in my experience extremely friendly to visitors. The attractions (Coast Road - a "must do", Titanic Centre, Bushmills Distillery, the Mournes, etc.) are well worth coming over to see, especially if linking in with travel "down South". The depressing tribal allegiances and general incompetence of local politicians isn't something that will affect visiting tourists (just pity those of us stuck with them). That said, for those that don't know the place well, probably best not to aim to visit over the 12th July weekend, as the traditional celebrations sometimes get a little out of hand. In fact come soon, before they stick a border in again and the place goes totally to sh*t ...

[Blown2CV]

i think if i lived in NI regardless of my political leanings i'd be pretty pissed off with people continually referring to the rest of the UK as 'mainland'

[SteveCat7]

I agree totally. That's why I put it in quotes - it's a commonly used term.

[iphonedyou]

Blown2CV said:

i think if i lived in NI regardless of my political leanings i'd be pretty pissed off with people continually referring to the rest of the UK as 'mainland'

Doesn't bother me (but then I use the term myself, so it wouldn't!).

The economics and politics pisses me off. Naming conventions - meh.

[K50 DEL]

K50 DEL said:

Going for the first time in a few weeks... my Mum spent her formative years in Londonderry but hasn't been back to NI since 1958 so my Sister and I are taking her for 10 days...

Looking forward to it, giants causeway etc etc

So, this is looking like our itinerary for the trip, hopefully I've not missed much!

Torr Head
carrick a rede bridge
giants causeway
dunluce castle
downhill demesne
Derry itself
Culdaff
Linsfort
Bloody Foreland
Glencolumbkille
Armagh: Cathedral
Georgian Mall
Springhill
Lough Neagh
Belfast
Florence Court
Carrickfergus Castle

[Robertj21a]

iphonedyou said:

Doesn't bother me (but then I use the term myself, so it wouldn't!).

The economics and politics pisses me off. Naming conventions - meh.

It was the politics, the religion, the marches and the preoccupation with alcohol that did my head in.

[ooo000ooo]

K50 DEL said:

So, this is looking like our itinerary for the trip, hopefully I've not missed much!

Torr Head
carrick a rede bridge
giants causeway
dunluce castle
downhill demesne
Derry itself
Culdaff
Linsfort
Bloody Foreland
Glencolumbkille
Armagh: Cathedral
Georgian Mall
Springhill
Lough Neagh
Belfast
Florence Court
Carrickfergus Castle

Giants Causeway - despite what it says, the entrance fee is only for the visitors centre, you can walk round the side and over the roof of the building to access the causeway its self. To avoid paying for the carpark, park in the hotel carpark and go in for a cup of tea/coffee then to causeway.

[K50 DEL]

Cheers....Giants Causeway is NT I think so as we're all members I think it's free for us anyway.

Looking forward to the trip now, just hoping for anything other than rain!

[ooo000ooo]

K50 DEL said:

Cheers....Giants Causeway is NT I think so as we're all members I think it's free for us anyway.

Looking forward to the trip now, just hoping for anything other than rain!

Carrick castle - sometimes they have stuff on in the castle, sword fighting archery and stuff. Usually on a Saturday. There's usually 1 day a year when it is free and there's a load of other stuff on in the town - pole jousting etc. Call into Dobbins Inn for a pint, check out at Nicholas church if you like old things. There's a small museum behind the town hall and a gas museum (haven't been to it though).

[battered]

Confusing UK and Britain will get you more than a dirty look around there. "Mainland Brits" is just the sort of language to get you into trouble.

I've never been, I've worked in Eire, holidayed there, and been all over the rest of the UK.I'd like to go.

[MiniMan64]

ooo000ooo said:

K50 DEL said:

So, this is looking like our itinerary for the trip, hopefully I've not missed much!

Torr Head
carrick a rede bridge
giants causeway
dunluce castle
downhill demesne
Derry itself
Culdaff
Linsfort
Bloody Foreland
Glencolumbkille
Armagh: Cathedral
Georgian Mall
Springhill
Lough Neagh
Belfast
Florence Court
Carrickfergus Castle

Giants Causeway - despite what it says, the entrance fee is only for the visitors centre, you can walk round the side and over the roof of the building to access the causeway its self. To avoid paying for the carpark, park in the hotel carpark and go in for a cup of tea/coffee then to causeway.

Get the steam train up and make a trip of it.

[Mastodon2]

battered said:

Confusing UK and Britain will get you more than a dirty look around there. "Mainland Brits" is just the sort of language to get you into trouble.

Are you sure? I've been to NI for work and spoken to plenty of locals there about the "mainland", they used the term themselves and none took offence when I used it. That said, I'm sure there are some areas / parts of society that still hold a lot of ill will over the past and would probably not be impressed by my obviously English accent.

If you've not been to NI/ROI you're not missing much, I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to go on holiday there, there are prettier places on the mainland.

[battered]

Yes, I am sure, but only because saying the 2 words "mainland" and "britain" together betrays that you are confusing "UK" and "Britain". If you are British you must be from the mainland of the UK. The UK is the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" as I was very forcibly reminded when I made the mistake of describing NI as "part of Britain". I only did it once.

[The Mad Monk]

battered said:

Yes, I am sure, but only because saying the 2 words "mainland" and "britain" together betrays that you are confusing "UK" and "Britain". If you are British you must be from the mainland of the UK. The UK is the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" as I was very forcibly reminded when I made the mistake of describing NI as "part of Britain". I only did it once.

Partly right, and partly wrong.

If you are from the U.K., which includes Northern Ireland, you are British.

Yes you may be Irish as well, but you are still British.

[battered]

I don't think so, and the (Catholic) NI man I spoke to some years ago had very strong views on the subject.

Have a read at the wiki, I just have and it's complex, with rule changes depending on birth date. NI citizens can be Irish or British or dual nationality. However they are not automtically also British if they decide to claim Irish nationality. They are Irish, and that's all.

[Eric Mc]

The Mad Monk said:

Partly right, and partly wrong.

If you are from the U.K., which includes Northern Ireland, you are British.

Yes you may be Irish as well, but you are still British.

Being British is not reliant on you being from or living in Great Britain.

[The Mad Monk]

battered said:

I don't think so, and the (Catholic) NI man I spoke to some years ago had very strong views on the subject.

Have a read at the wiki, I just have and it's complex, with rule changes depending on birth date. NI citizens can be Irish or British or dual nationality. However they are not automtically also British if they decide to claim Irish nationality. They are Irish, and that's all.

If this is the Wikipedia item to which you refer:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_of_Northern_I...

Lots of references in there to people identifying with one nationality or another. Nationality is nothing to do with how you feel, it's decided by law.

If you are a citizen of Northern Ireland, then you are a citizen of the United kingdom, and if you are a citizen of the United Kingdom, then you are British.

That's it. Full stop.

[Robertj21a]

battered said:

I don't think so, and the (Catholic) NI man I spoke to some years ago had very strong views on the subject.

Have a read at the wiki, I just have and it's complex, with rule changes depending on birth date. NI citizens can be Irish or British or dual nationality. However they are not automtically also British if they decide to claim Irish nationality. They are Irish, and that's all.

.....and this only goes to show one of the reasons why there will always be 'issues' in NI. It is so, inevitably, bound up in religion that there will always be more disagreements, over more issues, in NI than the rest of the UK/Ireland/Britain.