On our trip to Ireland we flew into Belfast. After renting a car and before setting out to Donegal to visit our friends the Dolans, we took some time to drive around Belfast, to try and get a sense of the city and "the Troubles" it has seen during the past century.
The Catholic (a.k.a. Republican, Nationalist) part of the city is centered around Falls Road, while the Protestant (a.k.a. Loyalist, Unionist) part is centered around Shankill Road. Both roads run east-west from the city center, with a large wall (the "Peace Line") in between, separating the two sides.
The look of the wall has improved since we last saw it 17 years ago. Trees have been planted, signs of hope have been posted, and it's now possible to go from one side to the other through several unmanned gates that are open during daylight hours.
It's easy to tell which side of the wall you're on. Large murals decorate the sides of many buildings and walls proclaiming allegiance to one side or the other, along with references to the paramilitary groups "IRA" (Irish Republican Army) or "UVF" (Ulster Volunteer Force).
Scenes from Falls Road (Catholic):
Signs and murals on the Catholic side are often written in Gaelic.
Another way to tell which side you're on is by looking at the flags and colors
(green white and orange for Republican, blue red and white for Loyalist).
Loyalists also have an affinity for the ancient English flag (white with a red cross).
And notice the reference to "UVF" inside the logo below.
As I read the first few sentences of this plaque along Shankill Road, I was thinking
"good thing I didn't wear my McFarland t-shirt today":
Hope lies with future generations. If you're not old enough to remember,
maybe you can start to let go of the past.
maybe you can start to let go of the past.
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