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

[Eric Mc]

That's the the thing. It's not, and has not been for a long time, anything to do with religious matters at all. It'sall about identity and culture. If you get a Northern Ireland Unionist and a Northern Ireland Catholic in a debate, they will have plenty to debate about but virtually none of it will be to do with theology or religious practice.

[Robertj21a]

Eric Mc said:

That's the the thing. It's not, and has not been for a long time, anything to do with religious matters at all. It'sall about identity and culture. If you get a Northern Ireland Unionist and a Northern Ireland Catholic in a debate, they will have plenty to debate about but virtually none of it will be to do with theology or religious practice.

Quite - not the religion as such. However, the Scottish 'identity and culture' appears to cope much better.........without the religious overtones.

[vikingaero]

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

If you have time then visit Cardonagh/Malin Head. There's a cafe/toilets at Northern Lights which is part of the Malin Head Community Assoc that serves decent coffee and lunches/snack food. Close by is the Doagh Famine Village which I thought would be a bit st, but it turned out to be fascinating - especially that they only got electricity in the late 80's.

[slow_poke]

K50 DEL said:

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

Culdaff
Linsfort
Bloody Foreland
Glencolumbkille

What, no Glenveagh National Park? Plus, you might as well do Slieve League as well, seeing as you're down in Glencolumnkille. Remember, the closed gate there at the first carpark doesn't mean anything. If you want to save a 1 hour walk up, just open the gate and drive on through. Close the gate after you, though.

[bloomen]

Robertj21a said:

Quite - not the religion as such. However, the Scottish 'identity and culture' appears to cope much better.........without the religious overtones.

That very much depends on where you go. There are parts of Scotland where sectarianism is virulent. My 'ethnicity' is the first thing thats been questioned in quite a few situations.

[nicanary]

bloomen said:

Robertj21a said:

Quite - not the religion as such. However, the Scottish 'identity and culture' appears to cope much better.........without the religious overtones.

That very much depends on where you go. There are parts of Scotland where sectarianism is virulent. My 'ethnicity' is the first thing thats been questioned in quite a few situations.

Especially in Glasgow and the surrounding area. Orangeism is rife, the second biggest in the UK after NI.

Although the Orange Order has lodges all over the UK (supposedly) and often visit NI for the 12th July, I've never ever seen a demonstration or parade in England. Have they ever taken place, indeed would the police give permission?

[K50 DEL]

Thanks for the tips on additional sights, I'll try and fit them in as well....

I noted the gate on Google street view and wondered if it was a red herring, cheers for the confirmation!

[Ian Lancs]

nicanary said:

Although the Orange Order has lodges all over the UK (supposedly) and often visit NI for the 12th July, I've never ever seen a demonstration or parade in England. Have they ever taken place, indeed would the police give permission?

There's one in Southport most years for the 12th.

[CubanPete]

Went to a friends wedding a couple of years ago.

It wasn't exotic, but we had a great time. Her brother was the town mayor and a great character. Had a couple of great nights out and people were friendly and welcoming, though he did say we wouldn't have had an as comfortable time if we had been drinking without the companionship of a revered local!

[nicanary]

Ian Lancs said:

nicanary said:

Although the Orange Order has lodges all over the UK (supposedly) and often visit NI for the 12th July, I've never ever seen a demonstration or parade in England. Have they ever taken place, indeed would the police give permission?

There's one in Southport most years for the 12th.

Thanks. I'd heard there was one in the Liverpool area, and possibly this is it. Why on earth would an English lodge do that, or is it expatriate Ulstermen? The Boyne means nothing to most UK residents.

[Blown2CV]

Ian Lancs said:

nicanary said:

Although the Orange Order has lodges all over the UK (supposedly) and often visit NI for the 12th July, I've never ever seen a demonstration or parade in England. Have they ever taken place, indeed would the police give permission?

There's one in Southport most years for the 12th.

I grew up there, and i remember getting caught in the middle of that when i did my work experience in a ford dealership when i was 14. When I left the house that day I felt I looked incredibly smart in my green blazer (yes, i know it sounds nerdy)... i was panicking that it might get seen as inflammatory. They basically just used to get utterly smashed in local pubs and verbally abuse/fight people. Pretty sure most of them were doing it as some kind of fked up away day thing.

[nicanary]

Blown2CV said:

Ian Lancs said:

nicanary said:

Although the Orange Order has lodges all over the UK (supposedly) and often visit NI for the 12th July, I've never ever seen a demonstration or parade in England. Have they ever taken place, indeed would the police give permission?

There's one in Southport most years for the 12th.

I grew up there, and i remember getting caught in the middle of that when i did my work experience in a ford dealership when i was 14. When I left the house that day I felt I looked incredibly smart in my green blazer (yes, i know it sounds nerdy)... i was panicking that it might get seen as inflammatory. They basically just used to get utterly smashed in local pubs and verbally abuse/fight people. Pretty sure most of them were doing it as some kind of fked up away day thing.

That sounds very much like a typical 12th. Animals.

[AstonZagato]

I've been to most major cities in the UK. Never to NI though.

[Ructions]

Recruitment officer: So have you any previous engineering experience?
MacAuley:...

[Johnniem]

Me, 'so I did'. Liked Belfast!

[nicanary]

Ructions said:

Recruitment officer: So have you any previous engineering experience?
MacAuley:...

Someone set fire to it last night - sadly, there's plenty of time to rebuild it. I doubt it was a republican who performed the arson, most likely another East Belfast bonfire builder trying to make sure their's was bigger and better than this one. That's how petty it gets.

[Ructions]

nicanary said:

Ructions said:

Recruitment officer: So have you any previous engineering experience?
MacAuley:...

Someone set fire to it last night - sadly, there's plenty of time to rebuild it. I doubt it was a republican who performed the arson, most likely another East Belfast bonfire builder trying to make sure their's was bigger and better than this one. That's how petty it gets.

Maybe it was David https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9K_hMsrwRA

[Watchman]

I love the place.

I first went there in the early 90s with a good friend who had moved to the mainland from his hometown of Ballybofey in Donegal. Between Christmas and NY for a number of years my friend would encourage me and another friend to do "the triangle" which was a drinking night in Donegal (mainly Letterkenny), Dublin (staying in Jury's Hotel on Lansdowne Rd), and Belfast.

I have had some of the best, most cheerfully fun nights ever in Belfast where my English accent only ever drew the curiosity of the locals - never anything negative.

I also went to Monaghan. My mother's maiden name was Monaghan although we cannot trace our family back to any Irish descendants. Even so, I think I'm the only one from our vast family that's ever been.

Later, when I had a Caterham, a group of us from Se7ens.net were invited over by another friend for a weekend where we landed in Belfast, drove to his hometown in Newtowards, had dinner in Belfast castle, did a trackday at Nutts Corner, then drove over to the west coast via Newcastle and Sligo, and back across to Belfast via the north coast and The Giant's Causeway, Portrush, Portstewart, Downhill, and back into Belfast

We drove hard and fast, and only ever witnessed the very best of people. Mind you, Se7ens do bring out the best in people.

We did it again a few years later. Totally wonderful.

The last time, we all met up to bid farewell to that friend who was dying of cancer. We had a weekend staying in the golf hotel at Templepatrick to the north west of Belfast. Beautiful place, great roads, fabulous company but terribly sad occasion. My friend only lasted a couple of months after that. We all miss him dearly.

[miniman]

Smiler. said:

FG Wilson factory in Larne.

Exotic it wasn't.

We had a meeting over-run so we'd never get our flight back. We bloody did, though, via the factory driver and a knackered Previa and possibly the scariest drive ever.

[Eric Mc]

Watchman said:

I love the place.

I first went there in the early 90s with a good friend who had moved to the mainland from his hometown of Ballybofey in Donegal. Between Christmas and NY for a number of years my friend would encourage me and another friend to do "the triangle" which was a drinking night in Donegal (mainly Letterkenny), Dublin (staying in Jury's Hotel on Lansdowne Rd), and Belfast.

I have had some of the best, most cheerfully fun nights ever in Belfast where my English accent only ever drew the curiosity of the locals - never anything negative.

I also went to Monaghan. My mother's maiden name was Monaghan although we cannot trace our family back to any Irish descendants. Even so, I think I'm the only one from our vast family that's ever been.

Later, when I had a Caterham, a group of us from Se7ens.net were invited over by another friend for a weekend where we landed in Belfast, drove to his hometown in Newtowards, had dinner in Belfast castle, did a trackday at Nutts Corner, then drove over to the west coast via Newcastle and Sligo, and back across to Belfast via the north coast and The Giant's Causeway, Portrush, Portstewart, Downhill, and back into Belfast

We drove hard and fast, and only ever witnessed the very best of people. Mind you, Se7ens do bring out the best in people.

We did it again a few years later. Totally wonderful.

The last time, we all met up to bid farewell to that friend who was dying of cancer. We had a weekend staying in the golf hotel at Templepatrick to the north west of Belfast. Beautiful place, great roads, fabulous company but terribly sad occasion. My friend only lasted a couple of months after that. We all miss him dearly.

Jonty Lyons?