META name="verify-v1" content="i1TVJEv2OOOg+fzf1aEgIJ1srnyAsn3jT1UDDDhjUU4=" />

Sunday, July 31, 2005

Where's The War?




I'd been in Northern Ireland a whole week now and not once had I been shot at or blown up - what was going on? In fact I hadn't even seen a blown up house or blood spattered pavement. To be perfectly honest the only difference was the curbstones were painted in tribal colours and in some areas the houses had murals painted on their gable ends.

The area I was based in was primarily loyalist although not hardline like some areas. We could leave the camp and go out socially although this was restricted by in-bounds/out of bounds areas. In fact we could lead a pretty normal life.

Which is exactly what 99% of the population of Northern Ireland were doing. Even 10 years ago the outsider perception of Northern Ireland was based entirely on media reports of The Troubles. I had made the mistake that countless others had done of thinking that everyone I met was going to be a member of the IRA, the UVF or any one of the other terrorist groupings around at the time. It's probably worth remembering this after the recent attacks on London.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm from Northern Ireland so i know what it is really like. People should not believe everything they hear on the news. You should have an open mind. With you writing this maybe people will realize its not a bad place to go and see. Thanks.

10:05 am  
Blogger The Ayatollah Of RocknRolla said...

I have visited the North and the people are decent and friendly, much like us Jocks really!

11:05 pm  
Blogger Unknown said...

As promised, Nike Roshe Run Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell donated his first game paycheck to the Dallas Nike Air Max 2015 Shoes Fallen Officer Foundation as penance for posting a wholesale nfl jerseys “disturbing nfl jerseys store and unacceptable” drawing on Instagram of Nike Free Run a hooded NFL Jerseys man slashing a handcuffed and cheap nfl jerseys kneeling police officer’s throat in Nike Air Max 90 July.

12:02 pm  

Post a Comment

<< Home

Milblogging.com Top of the British Blogs