You know what really grinds my gears?

[5 Sams]

Everybody in Newry that I know goes UP to Dublin and Dundalk...might be someting to do with the big hill out of the town..then again you DOWN to Kerry, OVER to Galway, OUT to Hilltown.

[Hardy]

We always went up to Dublin, though it was South. I don't think it has anything to do with elevation, the compass or Irish. I think it's always up to the capital. In England they always go up to London from all directions. But then they also go up to Oxford and Cambridge and get sent down from them if they act the latchico.

If you think that's confusing, try dealing with directions west of the Shannon or in West Cork/Kerry. You'll be in Annascaul, heading West and you ask for directions to Ballyferriter.
"Go back to Dingle and turn right", you'll be told.
- "What? I thought I was heading towards Dingle. I know I haven't passed it already."
"No. It's a few miles on. Go back there and turn right".

This comes directly from Irish, where the same word, siar, means both backwards and westwards and it's very common, even in Limerick.

[5 Sams]

Even in Dingle anywhere over the bridge at Milltown is "back wesht".

[brokencrossbar1]

Everybody in Newry that I know goes UP to Dublin and Dundalk...might be someting to do with the big hill out of the town..then again you DOWN to Kerry, OVER to Galway, OUT to Hilltown.

Nearly right, OUT OF Hilltown, not to!

[Hardy]

In England they always go up to London from all directions.

Don't think that's true.

I'm fairly sure it is. Certainly among the upper classes. Google "going up to London".

[ONeill]

Do you go up to Crumlin or Antrim?

Antrim is more an "out to" place. Like Lisburn or Banbridge.

I go to the tanning salon in Crumlin.

[Hardy]

Just googling around and some are suggesting you go "up" to London because the railways called the line towards London the "up" line and the other the "down" line. But where did they get that in the first place?

[maddog]

I would always say down to Dublin or up to Belfast as thats the direction its in generally. In Birmingham i've never heard anyone say up to London its always down to London.

[Onion Bag]

I would say down to Dublin and down to Belfast, i cant believe this conversation is still going on

[brokencrossbar1]

I would say down to Dublin and down to Belfast, i cant believe this conversation is still going on

You're the one keeping it going

[Onion Bag]

What about you BCB, what would you say?

[brokencrossbar1]

What about you BCB, what would you say?

Same as I said earlier!

I  go down to Belfast and up to Dublin, as do many people I know.  I would imagine it has more to do with colloquialisms than anything else.  May have originally derived from the the Irish language or maybe it has nothing to do with it.  It certainly isn't something that warrants a gear grinding session but it is symptomatic of the style of conya (another colloquialism there!) that flows from thon gobdaw's mouth!

[Puckoon]

There seems to be little Rhyme or reason. I'd go down to Dublin, up to Belfast, over to Drumquin or up to Carrickmore. Up to Bundoran, over to ballyshannon and up to Derry.

[ziggysego]

People living north of somewhere referring to that place as "up."  For example, someone in the north saying somebody else is "up in Dublin."  To me "down in Dublin" would be more logical.

Annoys the hell out of me too. I'm going up to Dublin for the weekend, but I have to head down to Derry first. FFS!

[Eamonnca1]

Well in Lurgan you go "up the town" because the main street is on a ridge, where it gets its name from. No matter where in the town you are you have to go up a hill to meet your mates on the high street.  But when I worked in Belfast we'd always go "down the town" to go to the city centre from the Falls.  But from Lurgan you go "up" to Belfast or just "up to the city".

The in the states there's the old "back east" business.  From San Francisco you go "back east" to New York even if you've never been there before.  Must be because of the way the continent was settled by Europeans from the east moving westwards.