The first Belfast Castle was built by the Normans in Belfast city centre in the late 12th century. A second castle, made of stone and timber, was later constructed by Sir Arthur Chichester, Baron of Belfast, on the same site in 1611. This castle was subsequently destroyed with no existing traces outside Read more
WW2 Normandy and Utah Beach may be an unusual setting for Belfast Entries but we thought it would be worthwhile following up on Operation Overlord and deployment of some of those American troops based in Northern Ireland during World War 2 We’ve previously looked at the history of Brownlow House Read more
We’ve previously looked at the wider history of Brownlow House, Lurgan and mentioned its role as the Headquarters of American troops stationed in Northern Ireland during World War 2. With the opening of the Brownlow HQ WW2 Exhibition in the basement of Brownlow House it is worthwhile visiting to learn Read more
This striking mansion, also known as Brownlow Castle & Lurgan Castle, has an impressive history with Word War 1 and 2 connections.
John Joseph ‘Rinty’ Monaghan was born on 21 st August 1918 at 23 Lancaster Street in north Belfast. His father was Thomas Monaghan, a sailor, and his mother was Martha Wilson. He was the eldest of 7 children, 3 boys and 4 girls. Rinty attended the Christian Brothers school in Read more
Andrew Malcolm was concerned about the social & medical implications of Belfast’s industrialisation and the impact on workers health.
If you walked along Belfast’s streets a hundred years ago, you would have encountered a very different range of merchandise for sale.
Friar’s Bush is Belfast’s oldest Christian burial site. The oldest legible headstone is of a Thomas Gibson who died in 1717.
Through his hard work and entrepreneurial skills, Otto Jaffe was one of the leading merchants responsible for the boom in the linen industry in Belfast.
A history of Clifton House which opened on 17th September 1774 by the Belfast Charitable Society.
Mary Ann McCracken was a philanthropist, feminist, humanitarian, nationalist radical born in Belfast on 8th July 1770.
Telegram – Interview with the Titanic officers. All unanimous that Thomas Andrews died a heroic death, thinking only of others safety.
Professor Pantridge is rightly regarded as the Father of Emergency Medicine and his invention was a genuine, life-saving breakthrough
David Manson In 1755 David Manson set up a school in Clugstons Entry in central Belfast, promising to teach “by way of Amusement, English Grammar, Reading and Spelling at a moderate Expense” Belfast News Letter Manson was to prove a figure of note in terms on education in Northern Ireland Read more
Alexander Mitchell is most renowned for the invention and development of the screw-pile lighthouse greatly enhancing maritime safety
A number of our streets in Belfast are named after famous historical figures or battles. Here are just a few.
Horse racing has always been popular in Ireland. Did you know that a number of our Belfast streets are named after horses?
Crooked Lane This was a narrow street with a distinct ‘kink’ in its layout. It runs from Castle Street to Berry Street. With the opening of St. Mary’s, the first Catholic Church in Belfast in 1784, the street became known as Chapel Lane. Gooseberry Corner Gooseberry Corner off Claremont Street Read more
Street Art has long featured on Northern Ireland walls. Now Belfast city centre has been enhanced with a range of sensational street paintings
The process of tracing your family history can be expensive with many websites offering paid subscription-only services. Sites offering free access are always a good place to start tracing your family. The free online website https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en is a great way to access Irish Civil Records.
Griffith’s Valuation is the primary valuation for Ireland. The valuation was conducted between 1848 – 1864. It’s worth to Irish genealogists cannot be overestimated.