Northern Ireland - Derry and Belfast

Derry is the name of the city if you are an Irish nationalist (majority are Catholic) and believe that Northern Ireland should unite with the Republic of Ireland and become one island nation. Londonderry is the name of the city if you are a Loyalists (mostly Protestants) who wish to stay part of the United Kingdom.  As it turns out the Nationalists(Catholics and others) are gaining political ground in Northern Ireland and are very close to a majority. It is likely that a vote to unite Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland may happen in the next decade or two. 

Belfast is the largest city in Northern Ireland and along with Derry were the centers of most of the violence during "The Troubles". 

 

Derry.... The political struggles are evident throughout the city.

Walking tour of the Derry City Walls built in early 1600s. It was the last walled city built in Europe. 

Within the old city walls of Derry is St  Columb's Cathedral built in 1633

Cannons were the heavy armament of the 1600s

High walls and cannon placements that surround the old city

 

From the wall, you can look out over this Catholic neighbor and see Bobby Sands mural.

Walking the wall

Our tour group of 35 at the city wall

 

 Mural of the "Derry Girls" ..... The sitcom is set during the last years of the  "The Troubles" in 1990s around a group of girls going to a Catholic Girls School.  Sally and I watched a couple of episodes. Be warned, this is not a sitcom for children. 

 

On to the Maldron Hotel in Downtown Belfast .....

Dinner at Robinson's in Belfast

Murals making political statements are commonplace in old town Belfast

Nationalist heroes that died during a hunger strike in prison.

Bobby Sands was a very popular nationalist hero who was elected to parliament while in prison.

Peace Wall separates predominately nationalist Catholic Belfast from predominantly Protestant Loyalist Belfast.

Sally leaving her message on the Peace Wall

Leaving a message on the Peace Wall

Mural condemning the violence of the IRA - obviously this is a Protestant Loyalist neighborhood 

 

Must be a Protestant owned business

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Urban beekeeping - Bee hive on a rooftop near our hotel

Shipyard where the Titanic was built.

Titanic Museum was amazing. Definitely, a must see if you visit Belfast.

This map shows the route of the voyage of the Titanic. The Titanic Museum was awesome.

Dinner at Brennan's bar while being entertained by the hen party in the next booth. Guinness, 60s music and staying out late (after sunset).