eh there were car bombings in the south too though
It’s not even in the same stratosphere.
Over the past 20+ years my wife & I travel between the UK, Ireland & US because of work.
Her closest work friend is born & raised Belfast.
Her family (mother & father) openly admit to be “sympathetic to the IRA” which is basically their way of admission.
On the flip side I worked with SAS guys from the UK who at one time wiped out the IRA.
I learned a lot from the two sides about the situation & how it’s still not settled.
But they hate when Americans, born in America, who have Irish blood, pretend to be Irish. It’s not the same thing to be from Boston and pretend you are from Ireland.
They also make it clear that the vast majority of “Irish” traditions, like St. Paddy’s day, are American made and they don’t really care. I saw this in person when we spend St. Paddy’s day at St. James gate in Dublin & everyone celebrating was American tourists or Americans who worked in the UK (like us).
Also, Dublin and the rest of Ireland are not in tune with Belfast & Northern Ireland. It’s like California and Alabama. Two different life experiences.
I’ve learned not to talk about “I’m Irish” around real Irish people.
I’ve learned not to discuss religion AT ALL in Northern Ireland.
On the flip side I’ve learned not to have any sympathy for the Irish around the Brits who lost family or fought the IRA.
It’s weird having a close friend who’s family was in the IRA, but then also having friends who searched & destroyed the IRA.
You learn that 99.99% of “Irish” Americans have no clue what actual Irish people & brits went through during that time.
