Catholics and Protestants have a different view on the nature of the church. Ive also heard this called the greening of belfast. This is Belfast, Northern Ireland. This is Belfast, Northern Ireland. Catholics wait nearly twice as long to be housed than their Protestant counterparts in Northern Ireland, according to official statistics. It is almost impossible to tell instantly. I’m not a native of Belfast but I have visited it three times and been round the Falls and Shankhill Rd areas. In the nearby, predominantly Protestant, suburb of Harryville, the Catholic church has been repeatedly paint bombed and daubed with slogans such as "Fuck the Pope" over the summer. The Catholic-Protestant ratio is important, ... Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and the University of Ulster – many stay in NI after graduation. The results of … The Catholic population tends to be younger and has grown to 49% of the population while the Protestant population tends to be older, dropping to 42% this year. The lone Catholic parish in Belfast, dedicated to Ireland's patron St. Patrick, lost more than one hundred people during "the Troubles," and still occasionally feels the sting of sectarianism. Belfast is quite possibly one of the friendliest places I’ve worked in but spending time in the interface areas (places where Catholic and Protestant communities live next to each other), away from the now buzzing city centre, an air of uncertainty, distrust, anxiety and underdevelopment is … The period known as “the Troubles” began in 1968 and lasted for 30 years. The 1998 peace accords, signed by the major Protestant and Roman Catholic political parties in Northern Ireland, were supposed to put an end to 30 years of religious and patriotic conflict. The scene of some truly ugly clashes between Catholics and Protestants. ... an investigative news website in Belfast. At an integrated Catholic and Protestant school south of Belfast, Cuthbert Arutura, or "Tura" for short, is speaking Irish with a room full of 10 and 11-year olds. Update: the above is from the cain website. This led to clashes between Protestant and Catholic labourers on the shipyards. This represented the very worst fears of Protestants towards Home Rule and the story quickly spread throughout Belfast. Protestant Evangelists called the disaster a punishment from God, while Ulster Catholics regarded the ship as a symbol of sectarian bigotry - Harland and Wolff had an almost exclusively Protestant and Unionist workforce. Answer 1 of 45: My wife and I(both Catholics) are staying in East Belfast for 3 nights,I’ve read that east Belfast is 90% Protestant,do we need to worry about anything? Belfast is an important port for air, but so is Northern Ireland. Until the late forties their main rival was Belfast Celtic, a club based on the Irish catholic traditions of the area of West Belfast in which they were located. Protestants more fearful than Catholics over tearing down ‘peace walls ... up after about 400 nationalists and loyalists clashed during rioting in Cluan Place and Clandeboye Gardens in east Belfast. In Belfast, Catholics are emerging as the largest grouping. Back in the 80's, Brian was walking in Belfast when he was accosted by a masked man, brandishing a gun. Following the reform of local government in Northern Ireland the twenty-six districts created in 1973 were replaced with eleven "super districts". Its shows the wards around belfast as well in 2001. There is no such thing as Ashkenazi or Protestant in County Down. Never miss a thing from Belfast and beyond ... One aspect that had viewers in stitches was a scene where the students were asked to suggest things Catholics and Protestants have in common. Both are becoming increasingly Catholic-dominated and there have been worries that they are becoming cold houses for Unionists. I'm told by locals that there is a "protestant flight" happening with protestants leaving belfast to go to the ring around it. A big list of belfast jokes! Often cited as evidence that Christianity inevitably causes division and bloodshed. Irish republican Frank Brennan stands near a peace wall in Short Strand, a staunchly Catholic, working-class neighborhood in predominantly Protestant east Belfast, Northern Ireland. I think this is much less true with younger people. This statement is particularly true in County Down, where the Protestant majority predominates and Catholic are the predominant ethnic groups. Only among the over 60s is there a majority of Protestants with 57%, compared to Catholics on 35%. Ballykelly Primary School had one of the most balanced Catholic/Protestant enrolments of any school in Northern Ireland for the 2011/12 academic year. I guess this is Sinn Fein calling a spade a spade, but in the party’s vision of an Ireland of Equals it seems that Protestants need not apply… It’s not that it’s wrong. Ironically, since the peace agreement over 10 years ago, many more barriers have been built. At an integrated Catholic and Protestant school south of Belfast, Cuthbert Arutura, or "Tura" for short, is speaking Irish with a room full of 10 and 11-year olds. In 1971, 28% of Belfast’s residents were Catholic and 54% were Protestant. The general population fo Belfast are very friendly and scenes of ugly standoffs between street groups, or guys in hoodies waiting on corners to identify you as Catholic/Protestant exist in media imagination only. You can be assured of a very convivial night out anywhere in the City Centre (or for that matter on the Falls Road). The population of Northern Ireland is about 1.9 million people with a third of this population residing in the Belfast Metropolitan area. It’s known for Catholics, Protestants, and The Troubles. The toxic nature of north Belfast means that Catholics and Protestants do generally split this way. Religious Demographics Protestants account for 48% of the population while Catholics account for 45%. Often cited as evidence that Christianity inevitably causes division and bloodshed. In the Belfast City Council and Derry and Strabane District Council areas, the figures at ward level vary from 95% Protestant to 99% Catholic. The difference is even more marked among schoolchildren with 51% Catholic, 37% Protestant. Sourced from Reddit, Twitter, and beyond! If you don’t know anything about Belfast, without trying to bastardize Irish history in a couple of sentences, I’ll try to explain. The whole country of Ireland has Catholics, southern Ireland is Catholic mainly with a very small Protestant community, northern Ireland was Catholic until this British invaded and now the communities are divided with the Catholic community reaching nearly 45% and the Protestant community at 55%, most people are able to get along together but you will always meet extremes. The man on the ground thinks fast- if he guesses Catholic or Protestant and gets it … In April 2014, it was reported that Catholics now outnumber Protestants in Belfast. Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland - Religion: The demographic balance between Protestants and Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland is becoming increasingly delicate. The scene of some truly ugly clashes between Catholics and Protestants. THE need for social housing in a Catholic area of north Belfast is 26 times greater than in a neighbouring Protestant area, latest figures reveal. A peace wall and interface area in Protestant Glenbryn Park with Catholic Alliance Avenue on other side. The period known as “the Troubles” began in 1968 and lasted for 30 years. Belfast Jokes. Shipyards went into a sad decline. The scene of some truly ugly clashes between Catholics and Protestants. Interested to see this thread. For a long time afterwards, there was an ‘embarrassed silence’ over the Titanic tragedy. Linfield has tradionally been in NI football terms, the bastion of Protestantism. On 3 June a Catholic navvy sneered to a Protestant co-worker that under an Irish government Protestants would never get hired, even in Belfast. In 1971, 28% of Belfast’s residents were Catholic and 54% were Protestant. But, it’s complicated. Both are homogeneous with very few exceptions. 21 of them, in fact! It’s quite sad but for some, working out one’s religion is something of a preoccupation. 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