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16th Jun 2019

English travel website forced to remove parts of its guide to Belfast after complaints

Carl Kinsella

The guide featured commentary on the city’s many murals

Well-known travel guide Fodor’s has been pressured to remove parts of its guide to Belfast, after some of its commentary was deemed to be controversial.

The guide referred to Catholic murals as “wildly romantic” and “aspire to the heights of Sistine Chapel-lite” but had fewer kind words for Protestant murals.

The guide said: “Recently, Protestant murals have taken on a grimmer air and typical subjects include wall-eyed paramilitaries perpetually standing firm against increasing liberalism, nationalism and all the other -isms Protestants see eroding their stern, Bible-driven way of life.”

It also said that loyalist murals “resemble war comics without the humour.”

The guide also featured the line: “In Northern Ireland they say the Protestants make the money and the Catholics make the art.”

Fodor’s issued a statement to BBC Northern Ireland clarifying their position: “Fodor’s Travel is always listening to the feedback we receive about our content, and we take action when we’re notified of content that is outdated, inaccurate, or insensitive by updating and/or removing that content.”

“We will also ensure that the content is removed and updated for the next print edition of Fodor’s Essential Ireland, which will be released on September 8.”

The content also appeared on Singapore Airline flights.

Topics:

Belfast,News