Why Belfast? I’ve been asked a few times why my family chose Belfast as a place to settle down.
The main reason is that Belfast is special and has much to offer families like ours. For its size, Belfast punches way above its weight.
The people, culture, schools, natural beauty, great food and boundless adventures you can have here are well-suited to the vibrant family life we long for. And financially, for middle income families, it offers a stable, high-quality life that can be difficult to achieve elsewhere.
We used to live in Belfast for a short spell, but moved to London for work. There, we built careers and had two kids. But we realised we were never going to own a family home if we continued to live there. We were blessed to buy a nice council flat, on a great estate, but it no longer suited the vision we had for our growing family. And we simply couldn’t afford the leap to anything bigger.
The guiding vision behind our move is to build a warm and stable family home, in a vibrant neighbourhood, surrounded by friends, living a life deeply connected to the people and place around us. But Belfast’s uniqueness is also core to our vision. This might sound ridiculous, but we want to be Belfast people.
The vision is for a social life, entwined with others. I see us hosting dinners (which was difficult in a small flat), laughing, and walking to the pub with friends. Driving the boys to cricket and Gaelic football practice (the boys can choose what they like). Smashing golf balls at the driving range. Hiking in the Mournes. Fishing in Fermanagh. Singing in the parish choir. Shopping at St George’s market. Volunteering on school boards. Rugby at Ravenhill, GAA at Casement Park, and cricket at Stormont. Theatre at the Lyric.
Life is short, and I want mine to be vibrant and involved. Of course, we weighed up other options. We considered a move back to America, suburban England, and even Edinburgh. But once we decided on Belfast, we felt at peace. It’s a place we know already and can imagine a flourishing future for ourselves. When I called a friend in Bangor to discern if we should move back, he said, “Absolutely. It’s a no-brainer.” We’re not naive. Already, we’ve gotten notices about school strikes, heard stories about NHS wait times, and understand the fragility of the political structures. We’re practical and cautious like anyone – you have to be when you have children.
I know the dangers. I still grieve my friend, Lyra McKee. But the gains of living here far outweigh the risks. The good things outshine the frightening ones. This is a place where goodness and families can flourish. Belfast is class (am I doing this right?), and we’re really proud and honoured to call it home.
I write about faith, democracy and culture from a Christian and centre-left perspective.
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