Richard Geib's Diary of Ireland

Northern Ireland and Ireland: Violence and Literature 30 August 1991

I am now in Dublin. I spent three days in Belfast, and it filled me with surprise, interest, disappointment, and finally disgust. At first sight, Belfast is a modern, western city with McDonald's, new cars, etc. It would seem not at all different from Dublin, Liverpool, Glasgow - the other places in these islands I have visited. Upon arrival, I was thinking about this and how it did not match its black reputation. Then, not five minutes after my arrival, I walked past a group of combat soldiers patrolling undeniably urban streets. The soldiers held assault rifles, flak jackets and helmets. They walked no closer than 20 yards from each other while constantly spinning and scanning the environs. These soldiers had the look of alertness which signaled fear of attack. Here in the West, in a modern city! It boggles my mind.

-Richrd Geib

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