An Enlightening Day in Belfast

Today we started our day with a Black Cab Tour of Belfast. Even before we begin our guide Damian has some pertinent points to explain about the history of this part of Ireland. As we drive through the streets of Belfast he gives a commentary on the history and current climate.

We started in the Royalist area of Shankil Rd, the attachment to the UK is obvious with the plethora of Union Jacks adorning houses. The homes are terrace in style and the house at the end of each row of terraces is decorated with a mural, most of which are of leaders in the various loyalist groups like the UDA, ( Ulster Defence Association), who all died violently. The most chilling mural was of a masked gunmen pointing a rifle, he is known as the protecter. Bizarrely it was funded by a European arts commission. Like the Mona Lisa as you move from side to side and towards the mural the rifle barrel follows you. Damien provided insight into the loyalist groups and the violent infighting that also occurred.

This is the mural where the barrel of the gun follows  you like the Mona Lisa, very disconcerting.

The next stop was the peace walls,  erected by the British to separate the Loyalist and Republican areas. In total they run for some 21kms, they have gates which are closed at the end of a day and are marked by murals, signatures and the evidence of fire bomb attacks. The continued existence of these walls and the desire of both parties that they remain in place was the most sobering aspect of the tour.

Peace Wall

The unpainted piece is where a molotov cocktail had been thrown at the wall.

We added our names and a message along with thousands of others and near where we signed were the signatures of Geoffery Rush and Rhianna. It was an amazing experience which actually brought me to tears as it is unbelievable to think that there is still so much underlying tension.

Geoffrey Rush's signature

My message

Peter's message

We then progressed to Falls Rd the Republican area, here we found memorials in discrete area marking the names of both IRA and civilians killed in the 'troubles". Too many names and some far too young. We also saw a wall dedicated to political activism, most of which was not related directly to Ireland.

Catholic Area mural

Memorial in the Falls Rd

At this time Damian showed us the rubber bullets that were used in "The Troubles" and they are so big that I can't even imagine the damage they would do.

Overall the tour was fascinating, sobering and left us both with a touch of despair. Twenty five years after the Berlin Wall came down, walls still exist in Belfast and will do for some time.

After what was a fantastic tour we make our way to another amazing site the Pumphouse and Dry Dock where the final fit out of the Titanic took place. As we made our way around the pump house you can imagine what it would have been like at the height of it's working life. Peter recognises some of the instrumentation used as it has been left from when the pump house finished it's working life.

The Pump room 

The instrument panel that Peter recognised

As we do our own self guided tour it is very interesting to see again the enormity of the mechanics needed to build and fit out this gigantic ship. We walk down into the graving dock and it is enormous. You just can't imagine it unless you walk through it yourself. The blocks that the Titanic stood on are still in place in the dock and they are in pretty good condition. We spend about an hour there just absorbing all that the site has to offer.

The Graving Dock

The blocks on which the Titanic sat in the graving dock.

Another view of the graving dock

We make our way back into the heart of Belfast to have a drink at an iconic bar, The Crown Bar and Saloon. It has booths which have carved wooden doors and carved figures atop all the booth openings. It is very ornate and quite the experience. 

 We make our way back to the hotel and have dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant just down the road. 

Tomorrow is Scotland!