View Full Version : Vacation in Northern Ireland?
It appears that in about a year or so I may be capable of leaving the United States for once in my life. I want to go to Northern Ireland. I understand (I think it was from the CIA factbook but I'm not sure) that Northern Ireland is 98% white. However, I know how my own country manipulates statistics and am aware that this figure may be equally deceptive. I am not trying to be a jerk but I just want to see where so many of my ancestors lived without having to be around a bunch of immigrants. Can anyone suggest a spot to visit for a few days? Money is an issue but I'd rather just stay in the States than leave my dogs and cats alone to see multi-cult in another country, especially one that my family lines are so closely connected to. Thanks for any reply.
Edit: I also don't want to go to any area that has even a small proportion of whiggers or the "chavs" I've been hearing about. Thanks.
Geist
02-16-2007, 12:18 PM
This depends on which side of the troubles your ancestors fall under?
This depends on which side of the troubles your ancestors fall under?
Dizzee,
They were Protestant colonists. However, I do not consider myself qualified to form an opinion regarding what side to take in this issue and I certainly am not planning to go to start trouble. People wouldn't actually accost me about it...would they? I have nothing against Catholic Irish or their descendants (except Ted Kennedy).
Geist
02-16-2007, 12:32 PM
Dizzee,
They were Protestant colonists. However, I do not consider myself qualified to form an opinion regarding what side to take in this issue and I certainly am not planning to go to start trouble. People wouldn't actually accost me about it...would they? I have nothing against Catholic Irish or their descendants (except Ted Kennedy).
It depends. Whatever you do do not enter a Catholic Irish area and discuss anything political whatsoever. In that case you might be better off checking out Belfast which is one of the more mixed areas in terms of the two cultures, and even does tours of the murals etc. relating to the troubles. I imagine it is more diverse than other areas in the North, but from Belfast you can travel out to the countryside and all that. Either way it should be a good trip. I have personally only been there for shopping as from my perspective its only up the road although still a different country, but I did find Derry the most interesting place of all. However this is coming from a Catholic Irish perspective so the interest was nationalist in essence.
Thanks! I'll do some research on Derry.
Heavens to Betsy
02-17-2007, 12:16 AM
I went on a couple of camping holidays to Newry, Co. Down when I was a kid. We used to visit a Catholic family my parent's met in France years ago, I mention this because the Catholic family in question were best friends with a local Protestant family. I offer this as a completely unconcoxtualised indicator that the Catholic/Protestant divide isn't as bad in Newry as it might be else where.
At anyrate I think I remeber nice scenery and mountains and whatnot in the area (although I could be confusing it with anyone of a number of Irish towns my parents took me camping to between the age of thee and fifteen).
I went on a couple of camping holidays to Newry, Co. Down when I was a kid. We used to visit a Catholic family my parent's met in France years ago, I mention this because the Catholic family in question were best friends with a local Protestant family. I offer this as a completely unconcoxtualised indicator that the Catholic/Protestant divide isn't as bad in Newry as it might be else where.
At anyrate I think I remeber nice scenery and mountains and whatnot in the area (although I could be confusing it with anyone of a number of Irish towns my parents took me camping to between the age of thee and fifteen).
Thank you! This is particularly helpful to me because most of my N.I. ancestors settled in Antrim and Down. I will most definitely research Newry. I do want to emphasize that I don't want to start anything with Irish Catholics. I've got nothing against them and I don't want to go to socialize anyway. I just want to find boarding where I can drink myself silly by night, and then walk around and keep to myself during daylight and see where my ancestors lived. Thanks again!
Masty
02-21-2007, 10:33 AM
I just want to find boarding where I can drink myself silly by night, and then walk around and keep to myself during daylight and see where my ancestors lived.Its all good fella. I've travelled all 'round Northern Ireland, and 2 particular areas struck me with their sheer beauty. County Antrim, 'cause its where I grew-up, and the Enniskillen area of County Fermanagh. You'll enjoy yer-sel', theres usually a pub every 20/30 yards or so.
Images of County Antrim thread:
http://www.thephora.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16082
Its all good fella. I've travelled all 'round Northern Ireland, and 2 particular areas struck me with their sheer beauty. County Antrim, 'cause its where I grew-up, and the Enniskillen area of County Fermanagh. You'll enjoy yer-sel', theres usually a pub every 20/30 yards or so.
Images of County Antrim thread:
http://www.thephora.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16082
Masty, those images sold me. I noticed a Carrickfergus Castle. As I recall my favorite U.S. president Andrew Jackson's parents came from there (Carrickfergus, not the castle). Would that be a pretty interesting place to focus on? If I could ask for one more bit of advice, are there any parts of Antrim I'd want to avoid, just to make sure that non-whites don't screw up the one and only time in my life that I'll be able to leave the U.S.? Thanks!
Masty
02-22-2007, 10:43 PM
Masty, those images sold me. I noticed a Carrickfergus Castle. As I recall my favorite U.S. president Andrew Jackson's parents came from there (Carrickfergus, not the castle). Would that be a pretty interesting place to focus on? If I could ask for one more bit of advice, are there any parts of Antrim I'd want to avoid, just to make sure that non-whites don't screw up the one and only time in my life that I'll be able to leave the U.S.? Thanks!Its still posible to travel to Northern Ireland and NEVER meet an ethnic. Its not the racist capital of Europe for nothing, ye know.
Carrick kicks ass. Especially 'round the 12th of July time of year, infact - either be in Carrick OR Belfast on the 12th of July it-self, plan yer trip 'round that time of year. Superb.
Yer welcome.
shanemac
02-27-2007, 04:50 PM
For whatever reason this thread reminds me of this song...
http://www.wilrecords.com/lerockstore/pochettes/ts/deadkennedys_holidayincambo.jpg
For whatever reason this thread reminds me of this song...
http://www.wilrecords.com/lerockstore/pochettes/ts/deadkennedys_holidayincambo.jpg
Might I ask why?
stannis
02-28-2007, 04:11 PM
Dizzee,
They were Protestant colonists. However, I do not consider myself qualified to form an opinion regarding what side to take in this issue and I certainly am not planning to go to start trouble. People wouldn't actually accost me about it...would they? I have nothing against Catholic Irish or their descendants (except Ted Kennedy).
Well you'd better make up your mind. Virtually all people in the North seem to be on side of the divide and they might look askance at a descendant of Orangemen (if you'll excuse that phrase) who doesn't side with Unionism. Or, you could try to live in a mixed area. Or far better, move to the Republic instead.
Well you'd better make up your mind. Virtually all people in the North seem to be on side of the divide and they might look askance at a descendant of Orangemen (if you'll excuse that phrase) who doesn't side with Unionism. Or, you could try to live in a mixed area. Or far better, move to the Republic instead.
I'd better make up my mind, huh? Someone just wants to visit (not live in) a country and keep to himself and he has to be pressed into a war? Well OK then--I choose orange.
I am not intimidated by what you are telling me. I have spent over three-quarters of my life in 80%+ (usually 90%+, and for a little while, I lived on a road that was over 99%) black areas and I'm no stranger to people behaving violently toward me. I'd like to get away from it for just a few days and see where my ancestors lived. If you have the gall to insist that I spend those few precious days fighting then you have lost any and all rights to ever call American tourists obnoxious.
EDIT: As an aside, the fact that the ultra-pro-unionist Masty not only welcomed me to NI--after I made it quite clear that I didn't want to get into political debates about Protestants v. Catholics--but even supplied information about places I might go, shows your claim that Orangemen will accost me for being apolitical is a lie.
Geist
02-28-2007, 05:21 PM
Nobody is going to accost you for being a Protestant etc. Its a fairly normal place these days. You can even get busrides into the various places to see the nationalist or unionist areas and their history.
Nobody is going to accost you for being a Protestant etc. Its a fairly normal place these days. You can even get busrides into the various places to see the nationalist or unionist areas and their history.
Dizzee,
You mean the areas with the murals, etc? Would Belfast be the best place to see them? I'd very much like to check those out if I get the chance. Thanks.
Geist
02-28-2007, 05:34 PM
Dizzee,
You mean the areas with the murals, etc? Would Belfast be the best place to see them? I'd very much like to check those out if I get the chance. Thanks.
Areas with murals indeed. Belfast is the place though Derry is another interesting one. Bus tours pretty much operate all the time. Worth checking out for a bit of history.
stannis
03-01-2007, 12:53 PM
[I'd better make up my mind, huh? Someone just wants to visit (not live in) a country and keep to himself and he has to be pressed into a war? Well OK then--I choose orange.
I am not intimidated by what you are telling me. I have spent over three-quarters of my life in 80%+ (usually 90%+, and for a little while, I lived on a road that was over 99%) black areas and I'm no stranger to people behaving violently toward me. I'd like to get away from it for just a few days and see where my ancestors lived. If you have the gall to insist that I spend those few precious days fighting then you have lost any and all rights to ever call American tourists obnoxious.
Grow up. I wasn't trying to 'intimidate' you, but at least you revealed your true colours. I never called American tourists obnoxious either. I said one thing and you read something completely different into it and got bent out of shape. You could do with a personality improvement.
shanemac
03-01-2007, 01:17 PM
Might I ask why?
Vacation in Northern Ireland / Holiday in Cambodia... there's kind of a common theme there. :)
As regards to your visiting Northern Ireland, I think it's great that you have an interest in revisiting your ancestors homeland. I've never been to Ulster, but I'm sure you'll have no problems there.
Do you know that in the whole of the Northern Ireland troubles (over 30 years) only about 3,000 people died... that's somewhere in the order of the number of people killed in Los Angeles every year. The point being that even in the worst days of the NI troubles, it was never really as bad as people made out... more a media beat up than a real war-zone.
Thanks Shanemac. I'm gonna try to have some fun. I won't ever get a chance to leave the US again, and it's going to be a pleasure to visit your country.
EDIT: I mean the country next door to you...whatever. Maybe I can get enough time to dip into the Republic.
Grow up. I wasn't trying to 'intimidate' you, but at least you revealed your true colours. I never called American tourists obnoxious either. I said one thing and you read something completely different into it and got bent out of shape. You could do with a personality improvement.
Ironic that someone that translates "Vacation in" into "changing residence to" would berate me for a lack of reading comprehension.
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