Talking About It

Talking About It

Although "The Troubles" are now ideally a thing of the past, Northern Ireland is a political entity that draws its mandate from religion and history—a country where God and politics are tightly interwoven and where ancient quarrels can sometimes still affect the tone of everyday life. So if you find yourself in a pub, it often helps to play a little dumb about facts and events, as the residents seem to be even more willing to explain the history to visitors with no preconceived notions of how things should be. Take any questions of politics gently at first, smell the air of the company you're in, then play the gee-this-is-all-new-to-me card, and things should roll along fine. And certainly stay away from any deep political discussion after four pints of beer!