Our Neighborhood.

We arrived in Belfast Friday, July 1. Apparently we arrived at a very special time—the start of Marching Season leading up to July 12th. I also was unaware that our flat is just outside the area known as Sandy Row. Sandy Row is a Loyalist area where Protestant/Catholic separation and animosity linger. Here, in Sandy Row, the Union Jack outnumbers the people, and the curbs are painted the red, white, and blue colors of the British Flag.
There is a mural at the other end of the neighborhood that sends a message this is a Loyalist area. A similar mural can be found at the border of Londonderry—or “Derry” as the Republicans call it.
For those who are unfamiliar, Republicans are overwhelmingly Catholic and have ancestral roots in Ireland. They promote unification with the Republic of Ireland to form a single nation on the island (Think IRA). Loyalists tend to be Protestant and their ancestral roots are from England and Scotland. In 1690, Catholic King James was defeated by Protestant William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne. This defeat established Protestant dominance over Ireland. This battle took place on July 12, and that is what is being celebrated now.
Since that time, the indigenous Irish Catholic population was subject to harsh discrimination—not permitted to own land, hold public office, be employed in certain professions, or become educated. It was punishable by death for a protestant and a catholic to be married. These harsh practices waxed and waned over the years until the Irish Republican Army, under the military command of Michael Collins, won independence for the 26 counties to the south, but lost 6 of the counties to the north in what was traditionally known as Ulster.
What was known as “the Troubles” began in 1971 when the Catholic areas thought that the British police force did not adequately protect them. They formed a paramilitary group—the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to protect their neighborhoods. On the other side, Protestants formed the Ulster Defense Force (UDF) to counter what they perceived as the IRA threat. Over the next 27 years, atrocities occurred on both sides with Northern Irish civilians accounting for the vast majority of the casualties.
Obviously this explanation lack depth, but I’ll explain it better as I understand it more.
Sandy Row was where a unit of the UDF operated. Much of its past “glory” is in evidence at the Royal Bar. Inside UDF flags and slogans adorn the bar. Helen and I went in for a pint the day we arrived. For the most part, people are very careful not to overtly express political/religious view, sometimes even saying things like, “I’m not saying they’re always the bad ones and we are the good one, but . . .”
We were invited back the next night for a Mini 12th celebration. “Are ye comin’ ta see the bonds?” we were asked. There are six Orange order groups in Sandy Row. Each order has a marching band (or bond as the locals pronounce it). On the evening of the 2nd, food and souvenir booths were set up, the streets were blocked by police, and each of the six bands marched through Sandy Row.

You can see a video of the parade HERE.
It was actually a good time. While we were not completely comfortable with the politics of it all, the people were very pleased we had “taken an interest in our culture.” Once they found out we were Americans, we couldn’t buy another pint all night. “Pint that man” is my new favorite expression.
On the 11th, we are told, there will be bonfires in all the loyalist neighborhoods throughout Belfast. I look forward to writing about that.