100 of our most recent posts

The list below shows the latest 100 Belfast Entries posts sorted by date. Why not take a look through the list for posts that may be of interest.

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  Belfast’s First Museum – Where the Giant’s Causeway meets Athens
  Belfast’s first museum, located in College Square North, was the first museum in Ireland to be financed solely through public donations.
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  Glenarm Castle – A History
  A popular tourist destination, Glenarm Castle has been home to the Earls of Antrim and the McDonnell family for 400 years.
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  Laura Bell – An Extraordinary Life of two Halves!
  Laura Bell was a noted Irish beauty, who led a somewhat flamboyant and notorious life, with an unexpected ‘twist in the tail’!
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  August 1876 – Severe Gales, Theft of Feathers and the Days of Coaches
  The news in 1876 – August 1876 – Severe Gales, Theft of Feathers, Injury of Clothes and the Days of Coaches
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  Groomsport, County Down – Vikings, Wealth, Smuggling and Tragedy
  Groomsport, Co. Down, popular with retirees, week-end visitors and sailing enthusiasts , has a history of Vikings, wealth and tragedy.
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  Crown Entry – A History of Schools, Houses, Business and Rebellion
  Today Crown Entry is only a sad reflection of what it once was, when schools, and shops and houses and businesses jostled for space.
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  Queen Street’s Belfast Hospital for Sick Children
  Queen Street’s Belfast Hospital for Sick Children opened in April 1879 funded through donations and subscriptions. Today it lies derelict
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  July 1876 News – Custer Massacred, Damaged Manure and a Baby Washer
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of July 1876
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  Edward Bunting – A precious gift of the melodies of our native bards
  Edward Bunting was a celebrated musician who gifted us a precious inheritance of the matchless melodies of our native bards…
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  Marquis Street, Belfast – Let There Be Light!
  Marquis Street today is an abandoned thoroughfare, its long history forgotten but it played a surprising part in Belfast’s development.
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  James Gill – The Extraordinary Tale of Newry’s Defiant Steeplejack
  The extraordinary true story of Newry’s James Gill, a steeplejack who became a national celebrity for evading jail by sitting on a chimney
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  June 1876 News – A Body Found at Clogher and a Car Accident at Meigh
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of June 1876
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  The House of Correction – Belfast’s terrifying city centre prison
  How many walking down Howard Street in Belfast today realise that it once hosted Belfast’s “House of Correction” – a prison to be feared!
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  May 1876 News – Blazing Billiard Balls and a Flight to Remember
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of May 1876
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  Cushendall – A Colourful Village with a Colourful History
  Cushendall, County Antrim is a pretty, friendly, colourful and busy village with a colourful history to match.
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  April 1876 News – “Walking on the Moon”
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of April 1876
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  Church Lane, Belfast – Skeletons, bars and ‘Bullseye Braithwaite’
  A small 17th‑century street, Church Lane has an impressive history featuring a myriad of occupants, ghosts, bars and ‘Bullseye Braithwaite’
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  The Ancient Church of Ardclinis, its Crozier and its Fairy Tree
  Travelling along the Antrim Coast Road, the ancient church of Ardclinis (and its Fairy Tree) in a picturesque setting is well worth a visit.
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  William Sampson – Equality Advocate on both sides of the Atlantic
  Lawyer William Sampson dedicated his life to the ideals of democracy and justice both in Ireland and in his subsequent exile in America,
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  Belfast’s Forgotten Streets and Corners
  Belfast has ‘lost’ many quirkily named streets, lanes and alleys over the years, among them Cooney’s Court, Bluebell Entry and Elbow Lane
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  March 1876 News – A Duel, a Ghost and the “Pretty Girls’ Fund”
  The newspapers of March 1876 delivered a variety of stories including deadly duel, a Newfoundland Ghost and a “Pretty Girls’ Fund”
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  The Newtownstewart Murder Trial – An “extraordinary case”
  The Newtownstewart Bank Murder Trial – “the most extraordinary case ever tried in this or any other country”
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  February 1876 News – The Courts, Curiosities and the Macabre.
  The newspapers of February 1876 covered a range of stories including court proceedings, “babes” in the city and murder at a “Spelling Bee”
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  Edward Benn – A Tale of Three Belfast Hospitals
  Despite enduring poor health during his own life, Edward Benn’s charitable donations did much to relieve the suffering of many in Belfast
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  The Giant’s Causeway Hydroelectric Tramway – A World’s First!
  The Giant’s Causeway Hydroelectric Tramway was the world’s first example of renewable-powered public transport,
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  January 1876 News – The Donegall Place Fire in Belfast
  January 1876 News – The Great Belfast Donegall Street Fire, Armagh’s Ghostly Resurrection and Love’s Young Dream
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  Lombard Street – Legg’s Lane, the Curiosity Shop & Gutta-percha
  Lombard Street, Belfast replaced Legg’s Lane and Caddell’s Entry as a popular business location featuring the Curiosity Shop and Gutta-percha
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  The Unforgettable Dunluce Castle – A Brief History
  The picturesque ruins and history of Dunluce Castle “are not surpassed by any on the entire coasts of the British Isles” (McComb’s Guide to Belfast, 1861)
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  December 1875 – Whitewell Fire, Balloo Poaching & Drunkenness
  December 1875 News – The Whitewell house fire, Poaching in Balloo, Guidance for Parvenues and Degrees of Drunkenness
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  Academy Street, Belfast – Teenage Rebellion, Oddfellows Hall and the Blitz!
  Today Academy Street, Belfast is an unremarkable thoroughfare. Its forgotten history has much of interest including an armed student revolt.
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  Castle Upton, Templars Town – An Eventful History
  Castle Upton – An eventful history including the Knights Hospitaller, the Norton Family, the Upton Family and the Hearts of Steel
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  November 1875 News – Wife for Sale – Four Pence…
  November 1875 News – Wife for Sale – Four Pence, the dangers of toy balloons and the Singer with 5 wives
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  Wilson’s Court – The Story of a Belfast Entry and its Northern Star
  Wilson’s Court is a neglected narrow Belfast alley. It was once such a populous, busy and important thoroughfare!
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  The Armagh Rail Disaster – Ireland’s Worst Ever Train Crash
  On 12th June 1889 Ireland suffered its worst ever rail disaster with 80 dead and hundreds injured. A fun excursion ending as a nightmare.
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  October 1875 News – A Dark Seance at the Imperial Hotel and Corporation Street on Fire
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of October 1875
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  Portaferry – A History
  Portaferry, on the beautiful shore of Strangford Lough is a lovely and exceptionally friendly place to visit.
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  “Barney Maglone” – The Life of Robert Arthur Wilson
  Robert A Wilson (Barney Maglone) “An able journalist, a gifted poet, a fearless and unflinching advocate for the rights of the people”
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  September 1875 News – The Courts, an Alligator Attack and the Fat Man’s Association
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of September 1875
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  St John’s Church, the Hill of Donegore and the “End of the World”
  The tale of the ancient hill of Donegore, St John’s Church and its “corpse house”, and the “End of the World”
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  August 1875 News – Fire, Theft and Struck by Lightning
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of August 1875
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  The Cooneen Ghost – “The Ghost that wouldn’t stay at home”
  The Ghost That Wouldn’t Stay at Home! The story of the Murphy family of County Fermanagh and their haunting by the Cooneen Ghost
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  Reverend William Bristow – A Champion of the Poor of Belfast
  The Rev William Bristow is largely forgotten today but his efforts to improve the lives of the Belfast’s poor deserve to be remembered.
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  July 1875 News – Duels, Corsets and a Giant Octopus
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of July1875
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  York Street – The Co-Op, the Metropole, the Blitz and Regeneration
  York Street – Once “Belfast’s Noblest Street” with a history of commercial success, Blitz devastation , decline and, lately, regeneration
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  Saint Cooey’s Wells at Temple Cooey
  Temple Cooey and St Cooey’s Wells have been a pilgrimage site from, at least, the 13th century with an annual pilgrimage every June
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  June 1875 News – A Water Works Tragedy and Jack-Knock-it-out
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of June 1875
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  Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge – Don’t Look Down!
  The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, one of Co. Antrim’s most popular tourist attractions, spans a gap of 66ft to the tiny island of Carrickarede.
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  William Steel Dickson – Confinement and Exile
  In his fight for reform and equality William Steel Dickson lost friends, his position in life and his reputation in the Presbyterian church.
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  May 1875 News – Climbing Boys and a Curious Incident on a Train
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of May 1875
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  Carnlough, Antrim Coast Road – A History
  Carnlough, Antrim Coast Road – The story of a small coastal village, Marchioness Francis Anne Vane, Garron Tower and Paddy the Pigeon.
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  An American Editor in Ireland – Observations on Life in 1875
  In 1875 the Impartial Reporter reported on the notes of an American Editor outlining his impression of everyday life in Ireland.
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  April 1875 Newspapers – Cannibalism, Barbers and Life in 2075
  The local newspapers in April 1875 included articles on cannibalism, barbers, a channel tunnel and a vision of life in 2075.
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  St Malachy’s, Oxford Street – An Overlooked Gem
  St Malachy’s Oxford Street – A “tiny and delightful sample of Victorian Gothic”
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  The Life of John Rowan – Doagh, County Antrim
  “Mr Rowan, though an untaught country mechanic, has completely eclipsed the most celebrated English and other steam-coach artists”
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  March 1875 – Spectacular Easter Celebrations in Botanic Gardens
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of March 1875
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  The Story of Belfast’s Long Bridge
  Completed in 1685, Belfast’s Long Bridge spanned the River Lagan featuring 21 arches and with a length of 2,562 feet. This is its story.
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  February 1875 News – An Extraordinary Raffle
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of February1875
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  Armoy – An Eventful History
  The small County Antrim village of Armoy, now known worldwide for road racing, boasts an wealth of historical stories
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  January 1875 News – Public Babies, Rat Panic and Half an Egg
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of January 1875
• 
  Old Belfast Shop Signs
  Belfast must have been an interesting town in the 18th and 19th centuries with unique signs. Today, sign painting has become almost a lost art
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  The Cookstown Ghost of Old Town Hill
  The story of the Cookstown Ghost and the haunting of the grocery shop on Old Town Hill which attracted huge public interest in November 1874.
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  December 1874 – News of Gales, Shipwrecks and Christmas Celebrations
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of December1874 here
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  The Story of Ross’s World Famous Ginger Ale and Aerated Waters
  The story of ‘W A Ross & Co, The Royal Belfast Ginger Ale and Aerated Water Works of Belfast’ was famous world-wide In the 19th century.
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  Parkgate Village – Early Days, Celebrity and an Unusual Event
  Parkgate is a little village in County Antrim with a history that includes a famous celebrity, rebellion and an extremely unusual event.
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  November 1874 News – Murders, Burglary and a Baby in a Basket
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of November 1874 here
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  High Street Belfast – A History
  As a historic commercial street leading from Belfast city centre to the Lagan, High Street can be viewed as the ‘birthplace’ of the town.
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  William Galt – Sunday School, Book-Burning and Rebellion
  History sometimes omits the contribution of many worthy men and women. William Galt, one of these forgotten men, deserves to be acknowledged.
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  October 1874 News – Glass Traps, Shark Attack and Marrying a ‘Dowdy’
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of October 1874 here
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  Newcastle, County Down – History, Tourism and Tragedy
  Newcastle is a lovely coastal town on Dundrum Bay in County Down popular for Its long sandy beach and Mourne mountains backdrop.
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  Francis Rawdon Chesney – An Extraordinary Life
  Francis Rawdon Chesney was a man blessed with a great intellect, perseverance and an adventurous spirit – the “Father of the Suez Canal”
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  September 1874 – What the papers said 150 years ago
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of September 1874 here
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  The Cave Hill Legal Battle of 1859
  An account of the 1859 legal battle to secure public access to the Cave Hill
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  August 1874 – What the papers said 150 years ago
  What was being reported in our local newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of August 1874 here
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  St Peter’s Church, ‘The Rock’ – Upon this Rock…
  The small church of St Peter’s (‘The Rock’) has a ‘big’ history of Christian worship over hundreds of years, often in times of persecution.
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  The Blackstaff River – Recreation, Pollution, Flooding and Death
  For centuries Belfast lay on low-lying land between two rivers, the Farset & the Blackstaff. Taming the Blackstaff proved very difficult.
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  July 1874 – What the papers said 150 years ago
  What was being reported in our Belfast newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of July 1874 here
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  William Orr – Trial and Execution 1797
  The story of the trial & execution of William Orr – a man committed to establishing a new Ireland where all men were treated equally
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  June 1874 – What the papers said 150 years ago
  What was being reported in our Belfast newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of June 1874 here
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  Parkmount, Belfast – Lost Mansions
  The grand house called Parkmount and its extensive demesne has long gone, its existence reflected only in current residential street names.
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  Robert Joy – “one of the greatest men in the history of the charity”
  The contribution of Robert Joy and his brother to the welfare of Belfast, both in social and economic terms, cannot be over-estimated.
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  May 1874 – What the papers said 150 years ago
  What was being reported in the Belfast newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of May 1874 here
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  “Josie You Have Poisoned Me!”
  In December 1907, a death at a wake in Belfast results in a charge of ‘Wilful Murder’ and a heart-breaking court case.
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  April 1874 – What the papers said 150 years ago
  What was being reported in the Belfast newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of April 1874 here
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  Old News: March 1874 – What the papers said 150 years ago
  What was being reported in the Belfast newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of March 1874 here
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  Crumlin Road Courthouse – Heritage For Sale £1
  Crumlin Road Courthouse, a ‘really magnificent building’ with nearly 150 years’ of Belfast history now lies in ruins. This is its story
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  Old News: February 1874 – What the papers said 150 years ago
  What was being reported in the Belfast newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of February 1874 here
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  Bettymania … “and the Prime Minister Wept Uncontrollably”
  The story of William Betty, a young lad from County Down who became a public icon and the ‘darling’ of thespian circles
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  A Gentle Giant, A Famous Baron and a Woman Wronged – Killowen
  Killowen, County Down, on the shores of Carlingford Lough amidst the majestic Mourne Mountains has some memorable tales to tell
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  Old News: January 1874 – What the Papers Said 150 Years Ago
  What was being reported in the Belfast newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of January 1874 here
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  Ann Glover – The Irish Widow hanged as a Witch in Boston
  In November 1688, Ann Glover, an Irish widow, was executed in Boston as a ‘witch’. She was the last person to be hanged as a witch in Boston.
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  The Rise & Fall of the ‘House of Industry’ – Belfast in the 1800s
  The story of Belfast’s ‘House of Industry’ and the struggle against extreme poverty in the early 19th century.
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  The Last Days of Belfast Castle
  On Sunday 25th April 1708, the inhabitants of Belfast woke to the sight of Belfast Castle, their most prestigious building, a heap of smouldering ashes
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  Old News: December 1873 – What the Papers said 150 years ago
  What was being reported in the Belfast newspapers 150 years ago? Read some of the news & stories of December 1873 here
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  A Battle of the Giants and Washington in Flames – Picturesque Rostrevor
  Rostrevor, Co. Down, is a lively village known for its magnificent setting, a wealth of history & folklore and the friendliness of its people.
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  The Ghosts of St George’s – The Cemetery of Forgotten Souls
  The story of the ‘forgotten cemetery’ at St George’s Church, Belfast and the fate of the dead beneath our streets
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  St Cedma’s – A Colourful Church with a Thousand Year History
  St Cedma’s Church, a thousand years of history, and an abundance of stained glass windows – each with a story to tell
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  Belfast’s Market House, the Town Hall and the 1798 Rebellion
  Belfast’s First Town Hall “A Rate made and agreed uppon by the Sovraigne and Burgesses the 12th day of October 1639 for the fittinge of the Towne Hall with p’titiones bench and a Barr & other necessaryes for the use of the Courts” This is the first mention of a… Read more: Belfast’s Market House, the Town Hall and the 1798 Rebellion
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  Castle Ward – A Most Extraordinary Mansion
  Castle Ward: When a husband and wife vehemently disagreed on the ‘look’ of their planned mansion, they came to an unusual compromise.
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  1915: The Murder of William Quinn – Tried, Tried and Tried Again!
  In 1915 the murder of a young man, William Quinn, in Newtownards and the subsequent prosecution gripped the public imagination.
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  Fortwilliam Park and its Rich History
  The story of Fortwilliam Park from it’s earliest times featuring a past fort, it’s wealthy merchants and a famous actress.