I have never stayed at the Europa Hotel in Belfast, although I have spent time in its bar on several occasions. Along with McGlade’s Bar behind the offices of the Belfast Telegraph, it was one of the great “listening posts” for journalists during the Troubles.
The last time I was at Europa was in October 2006, and it was to meet the late Reverend Ian Paisley’s daughter, Rhonda. We haven’t talked much about past violence; instead we talked about his paintings.
- War Hotels
- Kenneth Morrison and Abdallah El Binni
- Merrion Press, €16.95