These are extreme generalizations, yes. But the associations are true enough to segregate a good portion of Belfast. I was recently told that, even on prosperous mixed streets like Malone, people avoid problems by just ignoring each others' existance, and that's peace.
The best-known examples, though, of clear territorial differences are places like Sandy Row and the Falls Road.
Last week, I attempted to walk to the Falls via Sandy Row. Did not work. Bad idea.
I'm sure the people there are quite nice. But... there are still large murals of gunmen on the walls, and red, white and blue curbs, and UVF graffiti and so on. I got lost by a roundabout, and had to go back. And let's just say that pigs would have to grow quite a few wings before I'd go up to somebody on "Loyalist Sandy Row" and ask for directions to the Falls.
These are pretty old by now... now we have election posters.
That's how you can tell whether you're in a Protestant or Catholic area: the posters. The two sides aren't vying with each other. The parliament is set up in a way that makes it impossible... to pass legislation, it has to be passed by a majority of both parties. So the various nationalist parties are against each other, and ditto for the unionists. This means that they only put posters up in their own streets, because they know it'd be pointless in the others' streets.
Just look up the nearest lamppost. DUP and UUP stuck repeatedly on top of each other? You're on a Protestant/unionist street. Sinn Féin vs. the SDLP? Catholic/nationalist. Alliance? Oh, poor Alliance... probably Catholic.
Anyway, the librarian just told me they're closing, so... bye for now! Pictures from the Falls sometime in the future! I did manage to find it in the end!
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