My favourite chippy as a child was the knife and fork, always loved the pastie suppers in it. Childhood memories a going to reids for my school shoes, the shoe shop is still there, for how much longer I don’t know, as a shopping street it’s dieing on it’s feet. Few bakeries, chippy, hairdressers etc, the place should be buzzing, near enough in the city centre, right beside main bus and train station, the murals and culture associated with the place should be a magnet for tourists etc, yet as far as shopping goes the amount a businesses lying with the shutters closed down is depressing.

I have to hand it to the other side, and wish we were more like them in the sense that they make a stand about these matters and don't walk away like whipped dogs. The shinners were in right away about Social Housing when it was announced that Mountpottinger Police Station was closing. Has Sandy Row said the same as regards Gilpins? Have they even mentioned the car parks still there on the cityside of the Row and demanded Social Housing there?
If not. then they are truly not fighters sad to say.

I have put together a bit of a video about the Row and will give it to anyone interested from there and see what happens. My own guess is that there'll be nobody interested in it,but at least I've tried.

The same with me RSAU, thats why I feel strongly about it. Use to go to the Row with me ma when I was a kid and walked along holding her hand as we went into the different shops and the rest. Then in later years I drank in the Row thats when there were 17 bars in the area and it was buzzing. I have a CD about Sandy Row. It starts off at the Lisburn Rd end and makes it way down to Boyne Bridge talking to various residents/people on the way. One man talks of the 11th night and said it took near an hour to get from one end to the other as the place was jammed-packed with people. If you are coming up to Belfast anytime let me know and I'll bring that CD along with me.

I heard that the Pass is under a bit of pressure too,theres complaints about the flags etc. Its always us they have a go at because they know we'll give way easier, and I think thats been proven to be true over the years. Having said that I recognise its not just the people,but our so-called politicans have a lot to answer for also.

They are saying that there will be houses built on the site of the Lily Bar. That is not a big site and you are maybe talking about six houses (if that). Theyalso talk about LOTS ....living over the shops. This again is not geared towards young married couples with families which are the future lifeblood of any community. But even if this meagre build takes place they (polticans) will hail it and put the spin on it as a great achievment. Then they'll pat themselves on the back and rest themselves for another lot of years. They are bloody hopeless. When you think that this sort of thing is hppening in other loyalist areas it makes you despair.

You do get fed up sometimes with the lethargic attitude of those around you, and Unionists saying they wanted goods in Irish was flying in the face of being Ulster and instead encouraging an Irish identity. A few of us had been taking on P&O,Lidl and the BBC ,and had more or less got them to recognise that certain names etc shouldn't be used because they were being called Irish when they wern't, and Eire holiday names were being also used in Ulster. We got this sorted and then Robinson and Empey go the opposite way and INSIST that irish is used. You just feel....why bother?

Their attitude spreads and it taken on board by others who were willing to fight their corner but become weighed down by the overwhelming indifference shown by those around them. Of course as far as the Unionists are concerned I should have known better having seen them on TV having a Press Conference and noticing the bottles of Ballygowan water on the table I should have known what to expect. This was around the time when a lot of Protestant business's in RC towns were being boycotted.

any true ulster patriots thats left feel this way on a near dearly basis, I know I think it about it that much.