Who said Belfast was full of cowboys?

Day off today so we went into Belfast in the afternoon to do some shopping. Belfast's a bit mad at the minute and all the shops are bunged with people who have obviously stopped work at lunchtime to have a party and have no intention, (or are in no condition!) to go back.

Some guys in traditional North American Indian gear performing in Royal Avenue for some reason. A crowd of bemused shoppers gathered round, enjoying the strange chanting, singing and dancing although strange chanting singing, and dancing can be heard in many areas of Belfast most nights when the pubs are getting out.

Met Linda and Freddie in the Europa, which appeared to be in the middle of Party mode with several office dinners going on simultaneously and went and had a meal somewhere quieter and cheaper. We were going to St George's Church to hear "Melisma" a singing group I had heard at the BBC "Sing Carols" event in Spires. They were excellent and the acoustics in this old church are amazing. It would be good if modern church architects could recover the art of acoustics without relying on amplifiers and speakers which are a very poor substitute. This old church has an interesting history. In 1690 William of Orange passed through Belfast on his way from Carrickfergus to the Battle of the Boyne, and had a famous sermon, "Arise Great King", preached to him here. They still use the chair he sat in! Henry Joy McCracken, a leading member of the United Irishmen in the 1798 rebellion was buried in the churchyard after being hanged, before later being moved to Clifton Street Cemetery.