How sad to read that the streets of Belfast are deserted due to the demonstrations which are taking place. Last July, while travelling in Northern Ireland, we spent a day in Belfast, and we fell in love with it. We took a bus tour which showed us the good parts of the city as well as the areas where there had been conflict, and we were moved by the obvious affection that our driver/guide had for his home town.
As we left the bus that day, the guide told us to go home and tell everyone we knew that Belfast is a lovely city, and tourists are most welcome, as indeed we were.
We still believe that the fine people we met in the North are more representative of the country than those who are making headlines now. But it's more and more difficult for us to convince others that the North is a place they shouldn't miss when going to Ireland. We hope the voice of the common people is heard over the din raised by those who would prolong the conflict. - Yours, etc.,
Marie and Charles Lynch, Ocean City, New Jersey, USA.