Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As in the Republic, sports are big in the North. Ulster-born golfers Rory McIlroy,
Graeme McDowell, and Darren Clarke have won a fistful of majors over the past decade,
filling local hearts with pride. With close ties to Scotland, many Northern Irish fans follow
theexploitsofthesoccerteamsfromGlasgow—butwhichteamyourootforbetrayswhich
side of the tracks you come from. Those who cheer for Glasgow Celtic are Nationalist and
Catholic; thosewavingbannersfortheGlasgowRangersareUnionistandProtestant. Inan
effort to maintain peace, some pubs post signs on their doors banning patrons from wear-
ing sports jerseys. Luckily, sports with no sectarian history are now being introduced, such
as the Belfast Giants ice hockey team—a hit with both communities.
Northern Ireland has inextricable ties with the Republic. The town of Armagh, in cent-
ral Northern Ireland, is the seat of both the Protestant and Catholic Archbishops of all Ire-
land (Republic and North). People from both countries cross the border on a daily basis
to shop; there are no crossing restrictions along the 225-mile border. Dublin businessmen
from the Republic have invested large sums in the rejuvenation of Belfast's once-derelict
Titanic Quarter. And vacationers from the North often head over to the Republic's County
Donegal for midsummer holidays. The former president of the Republic, Mary McAleese,
