Having lived here in Ireland/Belfast the best part of thirty years, the only things to bear in mind are that most of us aren't all syphilis ridden alchoholic poets and that the novelty has worn off on 'the troubles'
I suppose in the past the unfortunate side of (Northern)Ireland's recent history has shaped how the rest of the world outside the UK sees us; but in actual fact the only real difference is in the weather and that we dont get the Old Spice commercials that the US does. Everything else is pretty much the same, well asides from a clump of odd shaped rocks on the North coast and the fact that we have castles and stuff like that.
So yeah, come here and get drunk with us, steep yourself in the history, get your school or college to get you over here for a good time. Dont expect us to be wearing shamrocks and quoting begorrah etc though
If yer really into the whole poetry gig, have a go at James Joyce if you haven't already.