If you were born and raised in Belfast, you will most definitely relate to at least 8/10 of these things.
Growing up in Belfast is a very unique thing. With the history of violence Belfast and the wider area of Northern Ireland endured across the years, there are certain things those of us who grew up there will relate to.
In this article, we will take a look at ten things unique to growing up in Belfast. If 8/10 of these are true, you were definitely raised in Belfast.
- If you were born and raised in Belfast, you will most definitely relate to at least 8/10 of these things.
- 10. Where are you from? – a loaded question
- 9. It’s all about the BT – you can tell a lot about a person, apparently
- 8. Belfast slang – you can spot it a mile away
- 7. People assume Belfast is a scary place – is it a warzone over there?
- 6. Milk and Sukie delivery – Dale Farm goodness
- 5. The 12th of July – unique to the north
- 4. Flags & bunting – depending on the area
- 3. Suns out guns out – ‘taps aff’
- 2. YEOOOO – if you know, you know
- 1. You preface any family member with ‘our’ – our Gerry lives down the road
10. Where are you from? – a loaded question
When you were younger, and someone asked you where you were from, it had the potential to be a very loaded question!
The answer to this question would determine ‘which side’ you were from. In short, this question could be interpreted as someone asking if you were a Protestant or a Catholic.
If you were born and raised in Belfast, we bet you’ll recall a number of times when this happened.
9. It’s all about the BT – you can tell a lot about a person, apparently
When someone told you where they lived, it told you all you needed to know about them before even getting to know them.
For example, you live in BT9? You’re posh and rich. It’s all about jumping to conclusions and stereotyping in Belfast!
8. Belfast slang – you can spot it a mile away
Belfast slang is so different to slang anywhere else in Ireland. If the terms “At’s us nai”, “Bout ye”, “Melter”, and “Geg”, for example, make sense to you immediately, we can safely say you have spent a decent amount of time in Belfast.
7. People assume Belfast is a scary place – is it a warzone over there?
If you can relate to being abroad, whether it’s over the water in England or further afield, and people asking you if Belfast is still a dark and scary place, you were definitely raised in Belfast!
The period of the Troubles was a huge part of Belfast’s history, but we like to remind people that it’s a much safer and more welcoming place these days.
6. Milk and Sukie delivery – Dale Farm goodness
If you hail from the capital of the north, one of your core memories might be the Dale Farm milk and Sukie delivery that graced your doorstep every week.
Sukie in a glass bottle delivered straight to your door just hit different, and you can’t tell us otherwise.
5. The 12th of July – unique to the north
When the 12th of July rolls around each year, you’ll notice the gradual gathering of palettes for the 11th-night bonfires around the city.
If you were born and raised in Belfast, you’re either preparing for the celebrations or heading out of town – Donegal, perhaps? If you can relate to that one episode of Derry Girls, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about!
4. Flags & bunting – depending on the area
If you were born and raised in Belfast, you’d know that seeing Union Jacks and Tricolours lining the streets in different areas is no strange thing. You probably call them ‘flegs’, too.
3. Suns out guns out – ‘taps aff’
You know the good weather has hit Belfast when you see a couple of smicks walking down the street with a crate of cans under their arms. ‘Taps aff’. That’s Belfast speak for ‘tops off’.
When the sun is out in Belfast, don’t be surprised when you see sunburnt chests and backs all over the city.
2. YEOOOO – if you know, you know
It’s hard to define ‘Yeooo’ to people who aren’t from Belfast. Dropped your plate in the dinner hall in school back in the day? “Yeoooo” will resound around the room.
Did an absolute belter of a song just come on while you’re dancing away on the dancefloor? “Yeooo” is the answer. “Yeooo” is like a birdsong for the people of Belfast.
Bonus point if you’ve met a fellow Belfastian purely because you heard them “Yeooo” across the room.
1. You preface any family member with ‘our’ – our Gerry lives down the road
One of the sure signs you were definitely raised in Belfast is if you preface any family member’s name with ‘our’.
For example, “Our Eamonn has just gone out to the shop”. On the reverse, you might bump into someone you know, and they’ll say, “I just saw your Eamonn down at the shop”.
