Becks and the Cities

We started our morning off with a Black Cab Tour of Belfast, which promptly picked us up from our B&B at 9 am. Our taxi driver was really passionate about the history of the Peace Walls, so we knew he’d be a great guide for the political mural tour. Unlike typical tour rides, this one wasn’t a cheery depiction of the city I was visiting. It was actually quite dark- which I loved. I always want to know the real history of an area versus the touristy fluff.  On our tour, we learned about the disputes between the Republican/Nationalist Catholics/Irish and Loyalists/Unionists Protestants/British. As an American, I had no idea the issues between the two groups were ongoing.

The political murals represent a graphic story of “The Troubles.” The Troubles were considered a low-level war that began in the 1960’s. Although this period of time occurred all over Ireland, it was heightened in Northern Ireland. The major issues were not religiously fueled, but politically and nationally. The Unionists Protestants wanted Northern Ireland to stay with the UK, but the Nationalist Catholics wanted to leave and join a united Ireland.  Authorities tried to shut down the protest campaign but were suspected of police brutality. There were issues, including several riots, targeted political violence, and segregation.

We were taken to the Peace Line, which is a barrier constructed in urban areas like Belfast, Derry, and Portadown. Constructed in 1969, the wall was built to keep Nationalists and Loyalists apart. The goal was to minimize inter-communal violence, and due to its effectiveness, the walls has only grown longer today.  Not only did the wall literally divide the communities, but it still remains an area with occasional violence. The Catholic houses that sit flush to the wall have metal cages covering their backyards and windows.

These cages were built to keep anything harmful that could be thrown over the wall, like bricks, bottles, and stones. As a result, the walls have become taller, too. In the Shankill and Falls section, the walls are around 30 feet tall! On the Protestant’s side, the houses were built slightly off the road, providing distance between potential harm. In 1998, the Good Friday agreement was signed for peace. Oddly enough, as peace between the two became known, the demand for walls actually went up! Today, the walls are covered in graffiti and art. Many encouraging words of peace are written as well, and we had to take part! Our tour guide mentioned how Morgan Freeman was recently there creating a documentary on the walls (I’ll be looking out for it!). Despite the decrease in feuds, the Catholic sector still closes its gates at night.

Our guide was Catholic, and proud of it! He did cross over to the Protestant side to show us a few murals.  While we were there, he told us he wouldn’t get out of the car, but we were free to roam about. When we asked why, he drew attention to why he was wearing a blue jacket. But this wasn’t just any blue- this was Union Jack blue. He was trying to blend in! (We think all the cab drivers are Catholic!) Although the younger generation doesn’t care about fighting as much, mostly due to not being as religious or political as the older generations, it still felt like there was a lot of tension. They live “peacefully” but hate each other, too. It doesn’t add up or act as a sustainable place to co-exist.

Our cab driver dropped us off at the Ulster Museum. We started on the 5th floor (art) and worked our way down. Each floor was a collection of either art, nature, or history. A little something for everyone. Since I’m currently in Northern Ireland while the last season of Game of Thrones is airing, there are several Game of Thrones references. The museum had an entire tapestry created by a fan who had pieced together major scenes of the famous series. When we finished, we grabbed a bite to eat in the museum lobby. It was rainy and 40 degrees, so being outside was quite miserable.

We hopped into the botanical gardens to warm up. Once warm, we braved the colds and trekked to. St. Anne’s Cathedral.

However, when we entered, there was an event being set up! Admission was free, so we just roamed around. Afterwards, we stopped in a bookstore and City Hall. We only had 30 minutes to tour since it was closing for the day. We grabbed food at an Indian restaurant and walked back to our bed and breakfast. I was so exhausted when we made it back to the room- I walked 12 miles in MULES… and I was cold. But I did it.

I am so excited to talk about Day 4! I have some really cool places planned. Check back here soon!