Blogs from Norn Iron.

I just love them. In the old days the only differing of opinion on subjects relating to Norn Iron seemed to be confined to the forum Slugger OToole. Now with more people blogging it's refreshing to see some of the old subjects we shouldn't be talking about, cause Tony Blair fixed everything, being blogged.

The subject Stroke City, as Gerard Michael Anderson calls it, is being discussed. Gerard Michael Anderson is a disc jockey working for the British Broadcasting Corporation. He lives in a city near Donegal by the River Foyle.

Firstly the Shouting Derry Man...

A quick article on the BBC describes how a tourist was seeking to catch a bus from Belfast to Derry she was told by a moron employee at the Europa Bus Centre in Belfast that “"no buses run to that place".

The confused tourist was left to catch the train from Belfast to Derry buy funnily enough the train service is also run by Translink, so no matter what they wont loose out in any customers. Translink apologised to the tourist for any inconvenience caused which was really nice of them.

Many people outside of Derry don’t realise that Derry & Londonderry are that of the same city which can cause confusion for tourists. When a local transport company, such as Translink, refuse to recognise either one or the other city name they aren’t really providing a service to the community or the tourism industry.

There is no more room for this crap in the North of Ireland, especially when it comes to a public transport company. For one thing, I’ll be boycotting every service run by translink and will no longer recommend their services to any tourist that I speak with, clearly this organisation is NOT tourism friendly.

Now, a differing view from What Need of Further Lies?

It’s Londonderry!

John Dallat is demanding an explanation after it emerged that tourists seeking to buy tickets to somewhere called “Derry” are being told that no such place exists.

Mr Dallat should be aware that as recently as January of this year the High Court ruled that there is indeed no such place in Northern Ireland.

In fact, there has been no “Derry” in Ulster since 1613 when a city which formally bore that name was renamed Londonderry.

Turning up in Belfast asking for a ticket to “Derry” is the equivalent of someone in Moscow asking for a ticket to Stalingrad, a city which ceased to exist in 1961 when it was renamed Volgograd.

However, I do have some sympathy with the tourists. In my opinion Translink staff should have the manners to explain that the city was renamed almost 400 years ago instead of telling them “it doesn’t exist”.

And speaking as one who has personal experience of the staff in Belfast Central I have to say that this display of a lack of common courtesy does not come as a surprise.

Reminds me, of a Loyalist song I've heard sung...

Derry's Walls

The time has scarce gone round boys, three hundred years ago
When rebels on her Derry's walls, thier faces there not showed
When James and all his rebel band came up to Bishops gate
With heart and hand and sword and shield, we forced them to retreat

They'll fight and don't surrender, but come when duty calls
With heart and hand and sword and shield, we'll guard those Derry's walls

With blood that flow in crimson streams, through many a winters night
They knew the lord was on thier side, to help them win thier fight
They nobely stood upon those walls determined for to fight
To fight and gain the victory and raise the crimson high

They'll fight and don't surrender, but come when duty calls
With heart and hand and sword and shield, we'll guard old Derry's walls

At last, at last, with one broad sigh, kind heaven sent Derry
The boom that crossed the Foyle was broke, and James he was dismayed
The banner, boys, that floated, was hung aloft with joy
God bless the hands that broke the boom, and saved the apprentice boys

They'll fight and don't surrender, but come when duty calls
With heart and hand and sword and shield, we'll guard old Derry's walls.

So who's right? Please don't answer here, send a letter to your local MLA and tell them. Hahahaha