Belfast blog
Geographical spread of speakers
11 April 2017
Check out the geographical spread of the conference speakers:
36 Hours in Belfast
09 April 2017
Game of Thrones Doors
04 April 2017
In 2004 Storm Gertrude hit Northern Ireland. And hit it hard. 5,000 homes were left without power. And the Game of Thrones location and 400 year old tourist attraction, The Dark Hedges suffered badly. The County Antrim beauty spot saw many of it’s famous trees felled, leaving a deep scar where the historic had stood. But amongst the devastation, one thing remained. Wood. And lots of it. Tourism Ireland came up with an idea and took matters - and the ancient wood - into their own hands. Over 10 weeks, the trees that were felled that day were lovingly transformed into 10 beautifully crafted and unique doors, each depicting an episode from Game of Thrones, Season 6. World class illustrators and master craftsmen, were given free rein to interpret the storylines from an episode from Season 6, carving a unique eulogy into the historic timber. Each week a new door was installed in a local pub of a Game of Thrones filming location. Together these beautiful doors form a tour through Season 6, that spans the length and breadth of Northern Ireland. From The Fullerton Arms, Ballintoy in the north of County Antrim, to Fiddlers Green, Portaferry in the South of County Down, east to the haunted Ballygalley Castle Hotel, each door is a celebration of local history and craftsmanship that make for a great introduction to Northern Irish tourism! What began as a tragedy is now a permanent celebration of Game of Thrones, embedded in Northern Irish culture - and our historic wood! If you want to see the doors for yourself, check out the list and the following link: https://youtu.be/kGAAPPLmWTw Door 1: The Cuan, Strangford Door 2: Fiddler’s Green bar and B&B in Portaferry Door 3: Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, Co Down Door 4: The Hollow pub, Enniskillen Door 5: Owens Bar, Limavady Door 6: The Fullerton Arms, Ballintoy Door 7: Gracehill House near Ballymoney Door 8: Mary McBrides Bar, Cushendun Door 9: Ballygally Castle Hotel Door 10: The Dark Horse, Belfast
Where’s the craic – the OWASP pub crawl
21 March 2017
If you’re still pondering whether you will come to AppSec Eurpe 2017 in Belfast, there’s something you should bear in mind beyond the excellent learning and networking opportunities at the conference. In Ireland it is known as “the craic”. It’s an Irish term that encapsulates fun, enjoyment, entertainment, enjoyable conversation and general socialising that puts a smile on your face. It is something we have in abundance in Belfast – a city with a thriving social scene, great restaurants and buzzing bars and clubs. When people think of craic it is usually all of the above, mixed with alcohol and music. So, with that in mind, here’s your guide to some of our favourite watering holes in Belfast – call it the OWASP pub crawl if you like. You’ll find plenty of other options but these will get you started when you arrive in May.
Welcome to the real Westeros
21 March 2017
We’re willing to bet good money that there are more than a few Game of Thrones fans amongst the AppSec Community, who should be properly excited about the prospect of coming to Belfast for AppSec Europe 2017. Winter is Coming might not seem like the best tourism slogan for a northern city like Belfast, but since the motto of the House of Stark was first uttered in season one of Game of Thrones legions of fans of the world’s biggest TV shows have visited Northern Ireland to see the fictional land of Westeros for themselves. Produced by HBO at Titanic Studios in Belfast, the producers have stumbled upon more than 20 locations around Northern Ireland that are now synonymous with Game of Thrones. If you’ve got time to explore after the conference, here’s where to find them.
OWASP Tourism
21 March 2017
When you come to Belfast for AppSec Europe 2017 you should try to take an extra day or two to see what Northern Ireland has to offer. It’s a relatively compact country and easy to get around, with a trip to the north coast and the internationally famous Unesco world heritage site The Giant’s Causeway only a 90 minute drive from the city centre. Even for those who won’t have time to get beyond Belfast there is lots to see and do. Here’s a quick guide to some of the must see attractions.
Made in Belfast
21 March 2017
Belfast is currently making a name for itself in the world of cyber security, but the city and Northern Ireland as a whole has a long history of innovation and invention. The proud history of shipbuilding means this part of the world is well known for being the birthplace of the world famous Titanic, which tragically sank on its maiden crossing to America. But some of the other inventions and creations which were developed in Northern Ireland might take you by surprise.