Why Northern Ireland’s friendliness and scenery rivals Yorkshire – Yorkshire Post Letters

MY wife and I have just spent a few days holidaying in Northern Ireland. We were aware of the problems politically, and problems with trade between Northern Ireland and this country and with the Irish Republic. But how impressed we were.

The people there were genuinely friendly (a bit like Yorkshire folk) towards us in the cafes and restaurants, and on the streets where people said ‘hello’ and ‘good morning’ as we passed them on our walks. We had our own car with us and this enabled us to explore the coast and countryside which we found stunningly attractive.

Our bus tour of Belfast was both excellent and informative. Our humorous guide, who was also our bus driver, gave us a history lesson on the past Irish Troubles. This he did as our tour took us through the still strongly Catholic and Protestant areas such as the Falls and Shankill Roads. It was only then that we realised how remote we’d been from all the Troubles, living in central Yorkshire at the time.

So, if the Balearics and Canaries are out of the question, may I recommend a holiday in Northern Ireland? You will not feel that you’d had to settle for ‘second best’. One thing did puzzle – why is petrol up to three pence per litre cheaper there than in South Yorkshire?

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