Conference tallis::celt

579.0. "West Belfast" by KERNEL::DICKSON () Fri May 19 1989 13:11

    
    Hello again,
    
    I am writing this in response to a request in 572.5 from Paddy!
    
    So here goes:-
    
    I spent most of my school life in Andersonstown and my mothers family
    lived on the Falls Road so I spent some time there also. 
    
    My impressions of Andersonstown were mixed. i went to De La Salle
    Secondary school which was run by De La Salle brothers. The education
    was excellent if strict. For religious men they sure had a hell
    of a punch! But I enjoyed my school days. 
    
    The school was situated in a housing estate (council owned and all
    the tenants paid rent). Most of the children at the school came
    from the estate. When the troubles really started to get bad in
    1969 I remember having to negotiate burning barricades to get to
    school.
    
    The Army soon came into the area and where at first greeted with
    glee and given tea and sandwiches etc but that didnt last long.
    
    One of the memories that still stays with me is "Silver City", an
    Army post built out of corrigated iron opposite the school. From
    here the soldiers when out on patrol. The normal lunch time activity
    was for the soldiers to drive out of the "fort" and past the school
    in "Pigs" (Armoured personnel carriers). This prompted the kids
    in the school to through stones at them. (I never took part!).
    This was basically the soldiers way of trying to break up the boredom
    of life stuck in the fort and the kids to vent there emotions on
    the "Brits". 
    
    The fort is'nt there anymore.
    
    Most of the houses had lights in the porches so that Army foot patrols
    at night couldnt hide behind hedges or in the porches. Also most
    families had dogs which barked at the soldiers which again meant
    that the couldnt find cover. (Whilst understanding the depth of
    feeling held by the "republican" people in the area, I always felt
    sorry for the troops many of whom were'nt much older than I was
    at the time. If someone did decide that they wanted to shot at them
    they really were like fish in a barrel).
    
    Something that many people find a paradox (I certainly do), is that
    the people are VERY friendly. 
    
    The most common form of transport (other than peoples own cars) is the
    black taxi's that run up and down from Belfast town center through
    the Falls and Andersonstown to Twinbrooke. These taxi's (it is commonly
    know) work under the agreement of the local IRA and contribute an
    amount of their taking to remain on the road!. (to digress for a
    moment, a good friend of mine who happened to be a protestant, what
    kidnapped on the way to college one day by one of these black taxi's
    and was found later in the day shot in the head. His only crime
    was to want to better himself by going to college, unfortunately
    for him the only college that did the subjects he wanted was in
    a Catholic area).
    
    If I was recommending a place to go on holiday in Ireland I wouldnt
    recommend West Belfast. August time is riot time, normally. Basically
    because the kids are on holiday from school. 
    
    If you want to go to some nice places in Ireland I would recommend
    the Giants Causeway in northern Ireland which has some of the most
    unusual rock formations you will ever see. Also for miles of unspoilt
    beaches and glorious Irish music and Guiness that taste like it
    was handed down from heaven then go to Bunbeg in Donegal.
    
    I have to go now and do some work, if you want any info on anything
    else just ask, I will be happy to contribute.
    
    Best Regards
    
    Michael
    

    
    
    Michael,
    
       Thanks for the information..... I will most likely be staying
    with my family on Willowvale Rd.  I am sure it will be a Very
    interesting week. I will be doing quite a bit of the tourist(y)
    stuff while I am there.  I will be up in Derry visiting some friends
    also.  There is a Culbert castle that is in a ruins state I'll be
    visiting.  I plan to visit as many of the local sites as time allows.
    So feel free to give me a list of the places I should see.
    
    Oh ya I'll be visiting the South and the Northwest while I am there.
    I'll be on holiday for in Ireland three weeks. I do plan to PARTY
    so if anyone cares to set something up I am sure keVin
    and myself are more than open to a PISS UP or two.  We get in the
    27th of July.....
      
    
    paddy

    As luck would have it Paddy I will probably be in Boston on that
    date.
    
    Not to worry , I'm sure that in Ireland you wont be short of someone
    to have a drink with!
    
    Michael