Making Places Real
Plagued by violence for so long, Belfast is reduced on the news and in music to a city dominated by the Troubles. Van Morrison, a native of Belfast, is one of the few singers who sing about the good things in Belfast. We visited two places that appear in Van Morrison’s songs. One of my favorite parts of traveling is when dots on a map or names in a song become real, living places.
Hyndford Street
Take me back, take me way, way, way back
On Hyndford Street…
This is the street where Van Morrison was born and raised. Much as it was when Van Morrison was growing up, the street is in the middle of a working-class neighborhood with small, sensible houses.
Cyprus Avenue
And I’m caught one more time
Up on Cyprus Avenue…
Near Hyndford Street, Cyprus Avenue stands out from the others around it. Many years ago, a developer envisioned a grand avenue. He planted big cyprus trees lining the street that would someday grow into big, stately trees, providing shade and magnificence to the avenue. The homes there are not mansions, but are considerably bigger than the houses on Hyndford Street. Apparently, Van Morrison used to go to Cyprus Avenue to daydream, and later wrote a song about the avenue.
I don’t blame him, I’d be dreaming on Cyprus Avenue, too ~ love those trees!
On the subject of Irish singers, we just heard on our news last night that U2 will be making their final stop of their 2011 tour in Pittsburgh right at Heinz Field ~ home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was the Ambassador of Ireland, former Steelers President Dan Rooney, that convinced them to end their tour here. Tickets on sale very soon ~ Amy & Sean for July of 2011 ~ you’ll be here. 🙂
p.s. ~ always loved Van Morrison