Fri May 18, 2012
Jennifer Jackson
Explore Belfast Before this Recession
By Jennifer Jackson, Ireland – October 2009
With an ongoing worldwide recession, staycations are in full swing. Aware that many people do not have the cash to go abroad this year, savvy tour operators and government tourist boards are trying to capitalize on an otherwise daunting economic mess. “Stay home and save!” they say, “there is so much to see here”.
This is especially true in Ireland, where the impact of the economic downturn has been great, but the amount of tourist attractions is greater. Still, while the number of Irish tourists crossing county borders is increasing, one border seems to be crossed less than the rest: the border into Northern Ireland.
From Dublin, the drive to Belfast is a mere 60 km, but stop a Dubliner on the street and ask them if they have made the jaunt, and the answer is likely to be “no”. Why is this case? In the past, one could have cited the bad exchange rate between the Euro and the British Pound as a possible reason not to visit the North, but this is not true today. Indeed many Dubliners will admit to taking the drive up to Newry in Northern Ireland last Christmas season to do a bit of discounted shopping. So, why not for a holiday?
In thinking about this question, I recalled a trip home to Ottawa (Canada) this past summer. Wanting to impress my friend who was travelling with me, and who had never been to Canada, I decided we’d go to Quebec City. Despite its relatively close proximity to Ottawa, I had never been to Quebec City, a mere 375 km away. This may seem like a lot when compared to the 60 km between Dublin and Belfast, but by Canadian standards, 375 km is a reasonably short trip.
The trip was a great success. My friend marvelled at the brilliant architecture and romantic alleyways of Old Quebec City, juxtaposed on the rugged natural scenery characteristic of that region of Canada. The people we met made us feel welcome, and the fact that we were speaking English in a French-speaking environment was never an issue. Walking the tiny streets, engulfed in the antique beauty of the city, I wondered why it had taken me so long to visit.
People’s foolish reluctance to travel to either Quebec or Northern Ireland seems rooted in similar context. Both Quebec and Northern Ireland are home to communal divisions. In Canada’s case, Quebec is home to more French-speakers than any other Canadian province, and it is the only province where the majority of people speak French rather than English. In an effort to defend the French language and culture in the face of an ever-growing English majority, a political movement pushing for the rights of French-speakers in Canada has formed. Extreme participants in this movement, colloquially referred to as separatists, argue that Quebec can not function as it should within the federation and they have called for the province to separate from the rest of Canada.
Northern Ireland is different, of course, in that it was partitioned from the Republic of Ireland nearly 90 years ago. But one can not ignore the fact that the island was once politically united.
Although tensions in the south have dampened considerably from the more contentious politics of times past, this is not entirely true in the North. There is no doubt that considerable achievements have been made, most recently with the Anglo-Irish agreement, but communal divisions continue to persist. Although Catholics and Protestants live side by side, they nonetheless continue to be divided by physical walls and segregated institutions. The North reminds people in Ireland of the cleavage that resulted in the partition of the island; much like Quebec reminds Canadians of the cleavage that threatens to divide their country. Perhaps this is why people living in Ireland and non-Quebec Canadians rarely visit Northern Ireland and Quebec.
However, as I learned from the open reception that my friend and I received on our trip to Quebec, travelling just a short distance from home, it is possible to experience not only what divides, or has divided our societies, but also to experience what unites us. Not to mention that visiting vibrant cities like Belfast and Quebec City, and seeing natural wonders like the Giant’s Causeway and the Saguenay Fjord is undoubtedly enjoyable.
Our attitudes and values travel with us wherever we go. When we communicate with others we share these features of ourselves, and in some cases shed new light on divisive issues. In this view, we have a lot to gain from staycations, even if they remind of us of uncomfortable divisions. They offer opportunities to develop solidarity, between individuals living in divided societies and their neighbours. This solidarity can in turn foster a better understanding between divergent groups which may help to weaken communal cleavages over the long term.
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