My recent trip to Belfast triggered the song Suspect Device by Stiff Little Fingers in my head. It came out of nowhere, sparked by a mural on the Shankill Road celebrating loyalist paramilitaries — the sort of imagery that still looms over parts of the city like a ghost from the past. As I stood there, one line from the song came flooding back into my head: “They’ll take away your freedom in the name of liberty.” It’s a line that is still powerful, because, sadly, it still rings true today.

Stiff Little Fingers: Punk in the Middle of the Madness

For those who don’t know, Stiff Little Fingers were formed in Belfast in 1977 — not exactly a calm and creative period in the city’s history. At a time when many punk bands were singing about boredom and unemployment, SLF were calling out bombings, propaganda, and the manipulation of young people by those in power. They didn’t pick sides; they held up a mirror to the whole mess. Suspect Device, their debut single, was a ferocious response to life during the Troubles.

The Line That Lingers

Seeing those murals of masked men with rifles, painted like heroes, I couldn’t help but think of the young lads in both communities who are still vulnerable to grooming by paramilitaries. It’s not just history — it’s still happening, in quieter, subtler ways. That line, “They’ll take away your freedom in the name of liberty,” stuck with me all around West Belfast. Every time I read those lyrics, I feel a mix of admiration and sadness. Admiration for the courage of those young punks who dared to speak out in the middle of the chaos — and sadness that, decades later, some of the same problems persist.

A Different Belfast at Night

After exploring West Belfast, I wandered into the city centre and ended up outside Maddens Bar — a lively, tucked-away pub known for its traditional music sessions. There I saw something quietly beautiful. A young woman, maybe 20, carrying a fiddle, was chatting with a guy holding an acoustic guitar. They’d just met. They swapped names, smiled, and went inside together to join a raucous jam session that carried on long into the night. In that moment, music did what it so often does by turning strangers into collaborators.

Go See the Whole City

If you’ve never been to Belfast, or if you’ve only seen the more polished parts, you really must take the time to explore all aspects of it. The murals, the peace walls, the music, the stories — they’re all part of a city still finding its way.

And while the scars are still visible, so too is the spirit.