Impartial anecdote:

A colleague of mine had reason to spend some time up the North of Ireland recently. He had to go to many different areas and his opinion of the area?

Lovely place altogether, couldnt understand the fuss. He stood talking to some young lads looking for directions under the shadow of a large nationalist mural and didnt feel in any way threatened and the lads he talked to were very helpful and pleasant. He had similar experiences in areas which seemed to him to be staunchly loyalist too (I think it was the proliferation of union jacks that aroused his suspicions?).

What is strange (or not as the case may be?) He's a dyed in the wool cockney with a thick accent and to all intents and purposes could be a para in civvies, yet at no time did he feel in anyway different than in the south.

Nice tale I thought I share?

My opinion? Lots of normal areas, but alas, some disturbed people, although thats anywhere really isnt it?