36 thoughts on “Just William

  1. Cú Chulainn

    When you think about it: unionists are just frightened little people.. (horrible ones in the main, don’t get me wrong) afraid to grow up.

    1. Bitnboxy

      +1 Total siege mentality. How insecure do you have to be stick that behind you during your Zoom call?! This doesn’t scream confident unionism to me.

      Indeed, to me (and most of England) Paisley is Irish but fully entitled to hold British citizenship as per the GFA.

      1. Janet, dreams of an alternate universe

        I’d say it’s so much part of the furnishings he doesn’t even notice the same way sacred heart pictures etc are in all the houses I was in in limerick for example

        1. scottser

          there’s that lovely unionist myth they perpetuate, that billy’s horse was called ‘belle’ and that belfast was named after him urging his horse to go faster.
          obvs belfast takes its name from the gaelic for ‘mouth of the sands’.
          our northern cousins are hilarious sometimes..

          1. Janet, dreams of an alternate universe

            never let the truth get in the way of a good story, that particular trait is common both sides of the border :)

          2. RuilleBuille

            My favourite bit of unionist nonsense was from councillor Ruth Paterson who said St Patrick was a protestant – fully eleven hundred years before the reformation.

  2. Charger Salmons

    I had the misfortune to watch this three-way shouting match and all it showed was what a lightweight Claire Byrne really is.
    The only person talking any sense was Doctor Doom, specifically if you want the DUP to come on board stop insulting them all the time.

  3. Joe F

    “Stop insulting them all the time”????? That’s a bit rich coming from you Admiral, you have a PhD in that.

    1. Broadbag

      @JoeF does this sound familiar: “Each time he goes on about the virus in his unbalanced way, I’m going to reply to him, sorry! If he makes normal posts I’m not going to have a go at him.”

      It’s a normal post, it’s not about the virus, give the lad a break ffs, this is so utterly tedious.

  4. daveo

    i went to belfast for the first time ever in 2019. i was so looking forward to it, titanic experience, tour, see the street art on the walls.

    i wont be going back in a hurry. a few rotten comments made really spoiled it.

    NI should be ignored for at least 50 years. We could give them a wave or a smile in 50 years time and see if they have gotten any better. we are adding fuel to the fire by talking to them. a bit like Trump. if we ignore them, it will make it all better.

    1. Bertie blenkinsop

      Not to be contrary but that’s the exact opposite of my experiences in Belfast.
      I always find it a really enjoyable, friendly city to visit.

      1. daveo

        No.. feel free to counter argument.

        i think people vote with their people in the Republic vote with their feet. every summer, people from dublin head to cork, galway, kerry etc for their holidays. Very few people from dubln head to Bangor or similar areas of northern ireland. when i was up in the north in 2019 i noticed very few cars with a republic of ireland registration plate. and it wasnt during marching season.

        1. Mr. T

          Plenty of “Southern Irish” live in a little bubble and still think that the North is a warzone and that you will get shot or bombed should you venture past Dundalk.

          Also given how detested Dublin holidaymakers are the country over, it’s no surprise that those who do holiday in Ulster aren’t screaming it from the rooftops. We dont want yousuns coming up and spoiling it

          1. Bitnboxy

            No such thing as “southern Irish” – whatever part of the island one is from – you are Irish and that is what we all know and believe to be the case as well as most of England. Nothing stopping some Irish holding British passports and claiming British citizenship as set out in the GFA but there is no such nationality, cultural or otherwise, as southern or northern Irish. A fallacy and a fantasy.

          2. delacaravanio

            Many unionist politicians in Northern Ireland, especially the DUP, send a hostile message to the outside world.

            If Ian Paisley was on a Zoom interview with the Indian national broadcaster would be have a painting of the battle of Plassey behind him? Do you think that might put people off visiting?

            Northern Ireland looks inwards and backwards. The Republic of Ireland looks out and forward.

          3. Bitnboxy

            @Cian- no, the term “southern Irish” makes utterly no sense unless he is confining this geographic indicator to Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Wexford. If he is referring to anything south of Newry, then it is a ridiculous term.

      2. Charger Salmons

        I’m with you on that Bertie.
        I’ve always found Belfast people perfectly sound whenever I’ve been up there for the rugby or cricket or to see a band.
        Being a Tan I also couldn’t tell you who was a Protestant or Catholic so never had to go with any pre-conceived notions.
        Not that it would a ha’p’orth of difference anway.
        I remember once catching a Jet2 flight from there to Greece and when I got on the plane I was surrounded by a gang of tattooed,muscle-bound lads with short cropped hair.
        Turned out they were RUC tactical firearms fellers off on a stag and they were great crack.

        1. daveo

          yeah but everyone is going to be great craic and in great form on a stag.

          in belfast, i got shouted at for parking my car in a loyalist area. got told to wait for the next lift in the 5W amusement park. We had really rude staff in a cafe (noted others in the cafe got treated alot better) if i met these people gong off on a holiday id say they would be nicer.

          the majority of belfast people might be sound, but there is an underlying anger that vents itself. and its not pleasant.

          1. Cú Chulainn

            He didn’t need to be Janet. I’ve had occasions pre, during and post armed conflict. Yes there are some nice people, but many many more who are not and enjoy exuding a menacing stance to people from the Republic. It is a deeply divided and self destructive society. It’s a full hundred years they need to come right, I reckon anyway.

    2. Cian

      I’m with @Bertie

      I’ve had a number of very pleasant family short-breaks in Belfast over the last 10 years – and found the locals to be very welcoming [well in the hotel, Titanic, W5, restaurants].

      I also did a lot of work-trips up there in the late 90s [1-4 nights] and never had an unpleasant experience (hotels/restaurants/pubs/cinema/shops).

      1. scottser

        that’s been my experience of belfast also. having said that, derry city is better craic and the drives into donegal and around the north antrim coast from there are just gorgeous. ballycastle is a personal favourite.
        it’s one of the island’s best kept secrets.

    3. ce

      Always had a great time in Belfast – even during times without the ceasefire

      Idiots everywhere, you had the misfortune of running into the entire Belfast quota that day

  5. Shitferbrains

    ” The Republic of Ireland looks outward and forward ”
    I nearly choked on me soda farl reading that ! Not for the first 60 years of its existence it didn’t as witness the women telling their experiences on Liveline. And FYI Billys’ horse was black and the original painting is owned by Lord Belmont in Enniskillen.

    1. Janet, dreams of an alternate universe

      lol, it’s mad how many people believe their own propaganda….great bunch of lads ;)

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