I was in Belfast at the weekend

[ross4life]

If Galway wasn't overpriced it would run Belfast close as Irelands best city, It's a very clean friendly safe city today compared to the city i first visited in the late 80s

Galway's nice, but it feels like a town rather than a city to be honest.

True & Belfast feels like a town when you've been to some of the biggest cites in world.

[Santino]

Not necessarily a bad thing though
Boston has that kind of vibe too.

[playwiththewind1st]

Funnily enough, so was I. Mainly because [a] I live there and (b) I was snowed in & couldn't get anywhere else.

[imtommygunn]

Gees Belfast is ok but it ain't anywhere near the best city in Ireland.

Galway is ten times the place to go out in IMO. If there was a street like quay street in belfast with all those bars there'd be a riot every weekend!

The christmas market makes it better but how many good bars are really in Belfast?

[Archie Mitchell]

Gees Belfast is ok but it ain't anywhere near the best city in Ireland.

Galway is ten times the place to go out in IMO. If there was a street like quay street in belfast with all those bars there'd be a riot every weekend!

The christmas market makes it better but how many good bars are really in Belfast?

The best no longer exists. RIP Renshaws!

[Orior]

for the first time I might add. 

Really nice city, fairly good pubs and bars. Thought the people were sound.

We arrived up Friday night and went straight out for a quick bite and a pint (in the hotel bar attached to the Premier Inn in the city centre). Everyone was falling out of pubs after their Christmas partys but there was no trouble. That night we went to two more bars close by but I cant think of them.

On the Saturday we did a taxi tour of Shankill Road, the barricades and the Falls Road.
The tour itself was over two hours long and all of the murals were explained as well as stories about the areas. Our taxi driver / tour guide was exceptional, really good guy. He was probably raised around the Shankill area as his knowledge of the Falls and Irish history was not as strong as the English stuff. We had a great chat though.

After that we hit the Christmas markets and had a few pints in the German beer tents. It felt very seasonal altogether! Later we ended up in the James Hewett and some other really small club down an alleyway, good criac.

All in all, it was a great weekend, apart from the drive home on Sunday.
I would recommend Belfast to anyone.
It was one of the first times I had even ventured North apart from Enniskillen a couple of years ago. I suppose when you live in the South you wouldnt have had much of a chance in the past to go up North because of the troubles.

I would defo go back to Belfast, loved it.

I was on taxi duty on Friday night and was picking up outside the Northern Whig, just beside the Premier Inn. Two guys were trying to punch each others lights out, but kept slipping on the ice, as did their mates who tried to keep them apart. To top it all, another couple of guys were throwing snowballs at them. Sad, but great craic. Sounds like a similar thing in Magherafelt last weekend too, only in bigger numbers. I'd bring out the water cannon.

[BarryBreensBandage]

for the first time I might add. 

Really nice city, fairly good pubs and bars. Thought the people were sound.

We arrived up Friday night and went straight out for a quick bite and a pint (in the hotel bar attached to the Premier Inn in the city centre). Everyone was falling out of pubs after their Christmas partys but there was no trouble. That night we went to two more bars close by but I cant think of them.

On the Saturday we did a taxi tour of Shankill Road, the barricades and the Falls Road.
The tour itself was over two hours long and all of the murals were explained as well as stories about the areas. Our taxi driver / tour guide was exceptional, really good guy. He was probably raised around the Shankill area as his knowledge of the Falls and Irish history was not as strong as the English stuff. We had a great chat though.

After that we hit the Christmas markets and had a few pints in the German beer tents. It felt very seasonal altogether! Later we ended up in the James Hewett and some other really small club down an alleyway, good criac.

All in all, it was a great weekend, apart from the drive home on Sunday.
I would recommend Belfast to anyone.
It was one of the first times I had even ventured North apart from Enniskillen a couple of years ago. I suppose when you live in the South you wouldnt have had much of a chance in the past to go up North because of the troubles.

I would defo go back to Belfast, loved it.

I was on taxi duty on Friday night and was picking up outside the Northern Whig, just beside the Premier Inn. Two guys were trying to punch each others lights out, but kept slipping on the ice, as did their mates who tried to keep them apart. To top it all, another couple of guys were throwing snowballs at them. Sad, but great craic. Sounds like a similar thing in Magherafelt last weekend too, only in bigger numbers. I'd bring out the water cannon.

Classic.

[AbbeySider]

...

We arrived up Friday night and went straight out for a quick bite and a pint (in the hotel bar attached to the Premier Inn in the city centre). Everyone was falling out of pubs after their Christmas partys but there was no trouble. That night we went to two more bars close by but I cant think of them.
...

I was on taxi duty on Friday night and was picking up outside the Northern Whig, just beside the Premier Inn. Two guys were trying to punch each others lights out, but kept slipping on the ice, as did their mates who tried to keep them apart. To top it all, another couple of guys were throwing snowballs at them. Sad, but great craic. Sounds like a similar thing in Magherafelt last weekend too, only in bigger numbers. I'd bring out the water cannon.

Ya we were eating there. There was a couple of Christmas parties on inside and fellas were out of their minds drunk. Would loved to have seen that 

[AbbeySider]

Best city in Ireland lads IMO.  DId you find it cheap enough Abbeysider say compared with the South?  I was in Galway over the summer and the price of drink is outrageous, ditto for Baile Atha Claithe.

I was out in Galway last night and I dont particularly find the price of a pint expensive. It might be 20c or so more expensive than at home in Mayo but I think prices have come down with the recession.

In fact, I found Belfast kind of pricey but maybe that was because we were drinking in the city centre?
Dublin is a ridiculously expensive for going out and is far more expensive than the West.

[Canalman]

Personally find Galway city massively pretentious.............. you will be told continuously how great the place is by the locals and pretty pricey to boot. Only on the tear once in Belfast and had a ball.
Letterkenny by far the best place I have ever experienced in Ireland for nightlife.

Have been lambasted here before for giving my opinion on the sacred cow that is Galway city.

[ck]

Totally agree, Belfast is easily Irelands best city. I'm there for work regularly and stay on the odd weekend. It has everything and the shopping is top notch to keep herself happy. The value for money is streets ahead of say Kilkenny, Galway or Cork. ...as for Dublin well sure you'd need to take out a mortgage to go for a good weekend there!

[AbbeySider]

Personally find Galway city massively pretentious.............. you will be told continuously how great the place is by the locals and pretty pricey to boot. Only on the tear once in Belfast and had a ball.
Letterkenny by far the best place I have ever experienced in Ireland for nightlife.

Have been lambasted here before for giving my opinion on the sacred cow that is Galway city.

Some people get that impression, so I understand where your coming from.

I suppose Galway has the Film Fleadh, the Arts Festival, the Boat Races and Race Week, all of which in their own respect is a little pretentious. What I mean is that for those weeks, it seems to be rammed down your throat a little and if you dont go racing or get into the other events you can feel like a bit of an outcast. Having said that, they do provide a distraction and their fair share of entertainment for those weeks which can be great. Whatever your into I guess.

I live in Galway for the last 5 years or so and really like the city. During the summer walking down shop street or quay street feels like your on holidays with the cafe terraces and people sitting outside enjoying pints or whatever. I also love the friendly atmosphere in the pubs, and the conversation with perfect strangers and the welcoming of tourists. It has a lot to offer.

Going back to Belfast, I have to admit that on the Friday night I was a little apprehensive or uncomfortable with everyone out of their minds drunk, until I had a few pints inside me too. I didnt want to open my mouth in the first few places as I was not sure of the reception I would get with a thick flat west of Ireland accent. I think in my own mind with all that had happened, I didnt want to as you just dont know the company your in. I hope im making sense, coming up to Belfast for the first time. The Saturday was a different story, with the taxi tour and relaxing having a few pints at the Christmas market and the pubs we were in, but im sure there is certain pubs we wouldnt have been so comfortable in? Or is that my imagination?

[imtommygunn]

AbbeySider I've been in Belfast for probably a dozen or so years now  and to be honest in hundreds of times being out I'd say I've run into trouble I think maybe twice.

It's like anywhere - if you know where not to go you'll be fine. There are very few bars in the centre / south belfast area that are "no go". The only one I can think of is one called "the washington" which previously used to be known as skye and it was full of spides / knackers. Similar was Dempseys on the Dublin road. That's about all I can think of.

Once you hit the "peripheries" it may be different but if you're only visiting you're unlikely to be doing that..

[Minder]

AbbeySider I've been in Belfast for probably a dozen or so years now  and to be honest in hundreds of times being out I'd say I've run into trouble I think maybe twice.

It's like anywhere - if you know where not to go you'll be fine. There are very few bars in the centre / south belfast area that are "no go". The only one I can think of is one called "the washington" which previously used to be known as skye and it was full of spides / knackers. Similar was Dempseys on the Dublin road. That's about all I can think of.

Once you hit the "peripheries" it may be different but if you're only visiting you're unlikely to be doing that..

I was in the Washington a couple of months ago, I had never been in it in any of it's previous incarnations, and it was grand.

[5 Sams]

Keep your Belfasts, Galways and Dublins.....go on the rip in Dingle....mighty spot