Travel with Terri
Belfast, Ireland: From Troubled to Tremendous
By Terri Marshall
Photos by Gregory Holder
For many years Army checkpoints circled the city of Belfast. Bombings and violence were part of life in the capital city of Northern Ireland as The Troubles, a civil conflict between its Roman Catholic and Protestant populations, raged on from 1969 until 1999. Not surprisingly Belfast was not considered much of a tourist destination throughout those troubled years. Today, however, Belfast is transformed. Gone are the Army checkpoints, peace has taken over the city and although there are certainly numerous political murals and reminders of its troubled past, Belfast is a must see destination in Europe.
In order to truly appreciate the transformation of Belfast City, I believe it is important to witness the evidence of its troubled past along with the urban regeneration of the Titanic Quarter, the Queens Quarter and the City Centre. The best way to learn about all of this is to take a world famous Black Taxi Tour. Unlike a group bus tour, your Black Taxi Tour will be customized to include the places you most want to see and each driver is a certified guide with the Northern Ireland Tourism Board. Not only will you come away informed, you are guaranteed to be entertained! Our guide, Billy Scott, grew up in Belfast giving him a unique perspective of the city’s transformation. Billy took us to the destinations covered in this article. His wit and humor were a bonus – plus the black taxis look really cool! http://www.gotobelfast.com
Belfast has seen more than its share of industrial accomplishments. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Titanic Quarter. The Harland and Wolff shipyard is the location of the world’s largest dry dock. Its giant cranes – known as Samson and Goliath – make an imposing statement to this effect against the Belfast skyline. It is here that the ill-fated Titanic was built and where she left her last footprint on dry land. Some of the world’s largest super tankers were also built here as was Titanic’s little sister, the Nomadic. Used as a tender for the Titanic and the Olympic, Nomadic ferried First Class passengers including Benjamin Guggenheim and the “unsinkable Molly Brown” to the Titanic for her maiden voyage. She is currently being restored to her former glory and will be completed for Titanic’s 100th anniversary in 2012. This will coincide with the opening of a high tech Titanic experience exhibit. Currently there are several tour options available to help you experience the birth of this great ship. http://www.titanictours-belfast.co.uk/
Belfast is a Victorian city rich in architectural heritage. The city centre is home to numerous Victorian and Edwardian landmark buildings. The Custom’s House is a spectacular example of 1857 Italian architecture. Formerly known as “Speaker’s Corner”, the steps of the Custom House was the place people would go to speak about everything from politics and religion to the evils of ping pong! Today the site is one of Belfast’s major venues for outdoor concerts and festivals.
The Albert Memorial Clock is located nearby in Queens Square. Constructed from 1865 to 1869, this 113 feet tall clock tower is one of Belfast’s most famous landmarks. As a result of being built on wooden piles on marshy land around the River Farset, the top of the tower leans four feet off the perpendicular giving Belfast its own leaning tower!
Finished in 1906, Belfast City Hall was built to reflect Belfast’s city status which was granted by Queen Victoria in 1888. This magnificent classical renaissance structure reflected the great ambition and optimism of Belfast at the time. There are several connections between Belfast City Hall and the Titanic including a Titanic Memorial, sculpted by Thomas Brock, which pays tribute to 22 men who lost their lives on the ship. Free public tours are given Monday through Saturday. http://www.discovernorthernireland.com
The extremely ornate Crown Liquor Saloon, designed by Joseph Anderson in 1876, is often referred to as the world’s most beautiful bar. Built in the Victorian era, the saloon has ten cozy and elaborately carved wooden booths referred to as “snugs”. Inside each snug there are gun metal plates for striking matches and an antique bell system used to alert the bar staff when the drinks were empty. These Victorian snugs have witnessed everything from revolutionary plotting to ladies engaged in non-Victorian behavior! http://www.crownbar.com
The Grand Opera House is the place to go for performing arts in Belfast. The architecture has a distinctly oriental theme and was completed in 1895. Located next to Hotel Europa – the most bombed hotel in the world – the Grand Opera House was also bombed several times during The Troubles but has now been restored to its former glory.
Belfast is famous for its many wall murals across the city. There are paintings of sports legends, the Titanic and of course many religious and political murals. The Shankill District and the Falls District
is a small area of Belfast which, during The Troubles, was the center of the extreme hatred between the Protestants and the Catholics. It is here that you will witness the disturbing reminders of the violence the residents endured for so many years. It is a sobering experience to watch children walking from school past murals of machine guns, blood and violence. However, some of the more violent murals have been replaced with positive scenes in recent years in an effort to encourage renewal. Between these areas stands the Peace Wall. Originally built as a divider between the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods, the wall sections had gates which were closed at night to control the violence. In 2009 graffiti artists were called in to paint the Peace Wall and today it is covered with messages of peace and encouragement from people all over the world including the Dahli Lama, Bill Clinton and your travel writer! It is a moving experience to stand where there was once so much violence and read all the messages of peace and hope.
Despite its troubled past, Belfast residents have great pride in their city. New construction is everywhere and there is a clear focus on bringing tourism to this great city. There are numerous
lodging options ranging from bed & breakfasts to hostels to elegant hotels. The Malmaison in Belfast’s city centre has created a sexy stylish hotel in a former seed warehouse. The hotel is a beautiful blend of the old and the new – just like Belfast City. In fact, the hotel’s tag line, “Dare to be Different”, is appropriate not only for the hotel but for the entire city of Belfast. http://www.malmaison.com/
Belfast is different. The people are genuine, warm and resilient much like the city they call home. Transformed from troubled to tremendous, Belfast is a place you do not want to miss!
Terri is a freelance writer with regular columns on travel, chocolate and bar reviews. She is busy each month visiting new places to bring unique travel destinations and events to you. Yes, it is a sacrifice – but she is willing to do that for her readers! You can see more of Terri’s writing at www.examiner.com where she is the National Chocolate Examiner and at www.barzz.net. You can contact Terri at [email protected]