Author: Sophie Hayles

The path to Slieve Donard © Jonathan Brennan 1

First impressions

‘Are you on holiday here?’ The gentle question jolted my alarmingly delicate sensibilities. It sliced in to two days of worry about being an English woman living in Northern Ireland. What if I say...

Photos © Emma Jane Grey 0

A Belfast Blog meets: Emma Jane Grey

A Belfast Blog asked to speak to Emma Jane Grey who is in the process of completing a PhD at the University of Aberdeen entitled ‘Archival Amnesia: Memory and Culture in Post-Ceasefire Northern Ireland’. Emma’s research focusses...

Simon Maccabe, Cafe Smart © Aptalops 0

A Belfast Blog meets: Simon Maccabe

A Belfast Blog caught up with Simon Maccabe, founder and owner of ‘Cafe Smart’ on Belmont Road in East Belfast. Alongside the excellent coffee, and hard-to-beat smoked salmon bagels, our initial interest in Cafe...

Park Love © Sophie Hayles 0

Park Love

When the highlight of your week becomes the supermarket shop, you know it’s time to find something else. My children are 2 years old and 7 months old. Constructive, outside-the-house activities are fairly limited. By...

Merchandise in the Museum of Orange Heritage shop © Jonathan Brennan 0

Orange is the new black

Every week on my way to the supermarket I pass a brown sign pointing towards ‘Orange Heritage’. You can’t be in Belfast for long and not be aware of Orangemen – from mural depictions...

Colour chart © Jonathan Brennan 2

The Space Beneath

We bought a house in East Belfast at the end of last year. Some thoughts on interior decoration: Period Features According to estate agents, ‘period properties’ are largely a sequence of fireplace/s, evidenced in...

Touring the Parliament Buildings (Stormont) © Aptalops 0

Symbolism and Symmetry at Stormont

Stormont is associated with scenes of massive political wrangling, with heavy bureaucracy, with feelings of immense frustration and confusion. I have made a few visits recently, and it’s disconcertingly peaceful and welcoming. The large...

Strangford Lough © Jonathan Brennan 0

Signed, Sealed, Not Delivered

Email, 14 December 17.22: Dear Sophie This item will arrive in to our warehouse tomorrow & will be delivered via Yodel on Wednesday or Thursday. You will receive an email to confirm.Email, 14 December 17.32: Dear SophieI...