Mainland Brits, how many of you have been to N Ireland?
Discussion
Eric Mc said:
Watchman said:
Eric Mc said:
Jonty Lyons?
Yeah. One of the best humans I have ever known.In Johnty's case, he was the same in person as on the internet, but his internet presence sometimes rubbed people up the wrong way because they didn't know the person. If they had, they would have excused him the bluntness and sense of impatience he sometimes portrayed.
Anyway, the island of Ireland is no different to anywhere else. There are beautiful places and people, and s
t places with sthead people. I have been lucky to have always seen the positive when I have visited.Edited by Watchman on Wednesday 5th July 22:02
K50 DEL said:
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!
Well, we had an absolute blast, managed to see everything on my list, everything suggested on here as well as an unscheduled day in the Enniskillen area.I noted the gate on Google street view and wondered if it was a red herring, cheers for the confirmation!
In fact, the only thing we didn't get to was Slieve League as I got a puncture on the Bloody Foreland and had to sort that out instead.
Over 10 days and 2000 miles we met the friendliest of people, saw some scenery to rival anywhere in the World and drove some fabulous, uncluttered roads.
In short, all 3 of us absolutely loved the place and Mum's giving serious consideration to moving back.
In 1974 I was a young tanker driver for Castrol Oil.
Somehow I got press-ganged into doing a job to Northern Ireland from the depot that I worked out of, in Rotherhithe, South London.
Initially, the job involved driving an artic loaded with 5000 gallons of insulating oil to Liverpool, taking an overnight ferry to Belfast, then driving to Coolkeeragh power station, near Derry, to deliver it.
Piece of p**s, I thought, troubles or no troubles.
First rude awakening that I got was in Dungiven, County Londonderry, (don't know if that should be called County Derry).
As I reached the town, maybe 20 miles before Derry, I was jonesing for a bacon sandwich.
I saw a cafe, but in those days, the roads were lined with 45 gallon steel barrels, to stop cars with bombs in being left I guess, but with the impetuosity of youth, and the prevailing attitudes of Brits abroad, "local rules are for locals, not me", I just parked the truck and started to climb down from the cab.
Next thing I heard was a shout of, "Oy, you! Silly bo***cks, where d'you fink you're goin'?"
I looked over my shoulder to see two British soldiers, with rifles, one rifle almost being levelled at me.
As I stumbled through a grovelling explanation, they recognised my London accent and relaxed a bit.
They tore me a new one, and sent me on my way, severely chastened.
If that wasn't enough to make me realise that I'd been a tad hasty accepting this job to Ulster, when I got to the power station there was a message to call my London depot.
It had been decided that three more 5000 gallon tanker trailers were going to be ferried from Stranraer to Larne, from our Blantyre, Scotland depot, and I'd been nominated to drop my empty trailer at the ferry port, and take the three others to the power station over the course of the next three or four days, deep depression.
After ascertaining that Larne was strongly Royalist, I opted to stay there every night until the job was done, and then skedaddle back to England as quickly as I could.
Even in Larne I hesitated to open my mouth, because of my accent, and restricted myself to quietly asking for double vodkas in the pub that I stayed at, although the guv'nor said, "With all that hair you've got, no one will think you're in the army, you look more like you're in The Eagles!"
Somehow I got press-ganged into doing a job to Northern Ireland from the depot that I worked out of, in Rotherhithe, South London.
Initially, the job involved driving an artic loaded with 5000 gallons of insulating oil to Liverpool, taking an overnight ferry to Belfast, then driving to Coolkeeragh power station, near Derry, to deliver it.
Piece of p**s, I thought, troubles or no troubles.
First rude awakening that I got was in Dungiven, County Londonderry, (don't know if that should be called County Derry).
As I reached the town, maybe 20 miles before Derry, I was jonesing for a bacon sandwich.
I saw a cafe, but in those days, the roads were lined with 45 gallon steel barrels, to stop cars with bombs in being left I guess, but with the impetuosity of youth, and the prevailing attitudes of Brits abroad, "local rules are for locals, not me", I just parked the truck and started to climb down from the cab.
Next thing I heard was a shout of, "Oy, you! Silly bo***cks, where d'you fink you're goin'?"
I looked over my shoulder to see two British soldiers, with rifles, one rifle almost being levelled at me.
As I stumbled through a grovelling explanation, they recognised my London accent and relaxed a bit.
They tore me a new one, and sent me on my way, severely chastened.
If that wasn't enough to make me realise that I'd been a tad hasty accepting this job to Ulster, when I got to the power station there was a message to call my London depot.
It had been decided that three more 5000 gallon tanker trailers were going to be ferried from Stranraer to Larne, from our Blantyre, Scotland depot, and I'd been nominated to drop my empty trailer at the ferry port, and take the three others to the power station over the course of the next three or four days, deep depression.
After ascertaining that Larne was strongly Royalist, I opted to stay there every night until the job was done, and then skedaddle back to England as quickly as I could.
Even in Larne I hesitated to open my mouth, because of my accent, and restricted myself to quietly asking for double vodkas in the pub that I stayed at, although the guv'nor said, "With all that hair you've got, no one will think you're in the army, you look more like you're in The Eagles!"
I was in Lisburn the other day and was quizzed on where the T on my Irish registered hire car was from (North or South Tipperary). Did not occur until a few minutes later as I drove past scores of Union Jacks that there might have been more than I first thought behind the questions...
surveyor said:
I was in Lisburn the other day and was quizzed on where the T on my Irish registered hire car was from (North or South Tipperary). Did not occur until a few minutes later as I drove past scores of Union Jacks that there might have been more than I first thought behind the questions...
I'm from Northern Ireland and don't know what more might be behind that question!
Visited RFD who are into Life saving kit back in the late eighties. Not the best time to visit. Seemed a nice place just didn't wan to to hang around. Taxi driver out of the airport pointed out the humongous humps in the road and stated that if he had a flat tyre he couldn't stop until he cleared the fence. SAS in the area took a dim view of anybody stopping.
iphonedyou said:
surveyor said:
I was in Lisburn the other day and was quizzed on where the T on my Irish registered hire car was from (North or South Tipperary). Did not occur until a few minutes later as I drove past scores of Union Jacks that there might have been more than I first thought behind the questions...
I'm from Northern Ireland and don't know what more might be behind that question!surveyor said:
It was a bizarre conversation. It was only this thread and the flags that made me wonder whether it was more than idle curiosity. He's still none the wiser as I don't have a bloody clue other than the came from Hertz at Dublin...
TS is Tipperary south, TN Tipperary north, not sure if T on its own is from there but will be there tomorrow so can check.ooo000ooo said:
surveyor said:
It was a bizarre conversation. It was only this thread and the flags that made me wonder whether it was more than idle curiosity. He's still none the wiser as I don't have a bloody clue other than the came from Hertz at Dublin...
TS is Tipperary south, TN Tipperary north, not sure if T on its own is from there but will be there tomorrow so can check.surveyor said:
ooo000ooo said:
surveyor said:
It was a bizarre conversation. It was only this thread and the flags that made me wonder whether it was more than idle curiosity. He's still none the wiser as I don't have a bloody clue other than the came from Hertz at Dublin...
TS is Tipperary south, TN Tipperary north, not sure if T on its own is from there but will be there tomorrow so can check.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration...
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. MacAuley:...
Zod said:
My best mate (Purdysburn and Methody) and a girlfriend (Holywood and Victoria College) at university were both from Nor'nIre. Both proddies, when I'm the other. I felt welcome there, even in the late 80s, other than in South Armagh (and that hasn't improved much, even now).
I lived in Purdysburn until about six years ago when I moved to London (back in Belfast now though) and went to Methody! Thought I knew you for a second there, Zod!The Crack Fox said:
Interesting thread.
My elderly parents have always wanted to see the Giant's Causeway. They're chatty people and always seem to end up having coffee with some farmer up a remote hillside whenever they go on holiday abroad (yes, I know NI isn't abroad). They have East midlands accents and are thoroughly inoffensive, but I do wonder if they'd get any stick if they wandered into the wrong pub in the wrong town in NI somewhere and asked for a cuppa.
Am I worrying too much?
They'll be fine, probably even if they call everyone "meduck" My elderly parents have always wanted to see the Giant's Causeway. They're chatty people and always seem to end up having coffee with some farmer up a remote hillside whenever they go on holiday abroad (yes, I know NI isn't abroad). They have East midlands accents and are thoroughly inoffensive, but I do wonder if they'd get any stick if they wandered into the wrong pub in the wrong town in NI somewhere and asked for a cuppa.
Am I worrying too much?
The Crack Fox said:
Interesting thread.
My elderly parents have always wanted to see the Giant's Causeway. They're chatty people and always seem to end up having coffee with some farmer up a remote hillside whenever they go on holiday abroad (yes, I know NI isn't abroad). They have East midlands accents and are thoroughly inoffensive, but I do wonder if they'd get any stick if they wandered into the wrong pub in the wrong town in NI somewhere and asked for a cuppa.
Am I worrying too much?
They'll *probably* be alright.........My elderly parents have always wanted to see the Giant's Causeway. They're chatty people and always seem to end up having coffee with some farmer up a remote hillside whenever they go on holiday abroad (yes, I know NI isn't abroad). They have East midlands accents and are thoroughly inoffensive, but I do wonder if they'd get any stick if they wandered into the wrong pub in the wrong town in NI somewhere and asked for a cuppa.
Am I worrying too much?
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