Historical Places
Ardglass, County Down – Battles, Tower Houses and Herrings
Ardglass is a peaceful little village 34 miles from Belfast with a picturesque harbour, a healthy fishing industry & a turbulent history
Historical Places
The Linen Hall Library-A History of Education, Philanthropy & Rebellion
The Linen Hall Library grew from the Belfast Reading Society established in 1788. It’s history embraces Learning, Philanthropy and Rebellion.
Historical Places
St Malachy’s Church – “Strangers will look with admiration”
Saint Malachy’s Church in Belfast is a Grade A listed building near the heart of the city noted for it’s stunning design.
Advice & Rules
Unusual Laws in Old Belfast 1613 – 1816
A look at some of the laws & regulations of old Belfast Town that may appear very unusual or strange to modern eyes.
Places
The Forgotten Town of Coole & the Church of the Holy Evangelists
The story of Coole parish includes a forgotten town, supernatural pacts, philanthropy & the history of the Church of the Holy Evangelists
Historical Places
Waring Street Belfast – One of Belfasts Oldest Streets with links to Gulliver’s Travels.
Belfast’s Waring Street has a rich history with links to sea trade, ceramics, and Gulliver’s Travels. It now hosts the opulent Merchant Hotel
Advice & Rules
Friendly Advice – Do not keep a cow in the house longer than a year
Catherine Alexander’s book “Friendly Advice to Irish Mothers on Training their Children” (1839) aims to educate mothers on parenting
Famous Folk
Have you seen Charlie Chaplin on Joy Street, Belfast?
Joy Street is one of the best surviving examples of Georgian architecture in the heart of Belfast with a historic link to Charlie Chaplin
Famous Folk
Sir John Lavery – The Belfast Painter of Peace and War
It is a tribute to John Lavery’s talent that he was to rise from the humblest of beginnings in Belfast to become a world famous artist
Forgotten Folk
Sherlock Holmes and the Ulster Tailor
Sherlock Holmes is arguably the smartest fictional detective in literature but what connects him to real life Ulster tailor, John McGee?
Historical Places
The Holestone of Doagh – A History of Mystery & Marriage
On a rocky outcrop near Doagh, County Antrim is the Celtic standing stone, known as the Holestone – a place of significance for millennia.
Historical Places
Anderson & McAuley Ltd, Belfast
Anderson & McAuley Ltd was one of Belfast’s iconic department stores for 133 years before closing its doors in 1994.
Forgotten Folk
George Benn – Historian and Philanthropist
Anyone who reads George Benn’s History of Belfast will definitely agree with his appellation ‘the first great historian of Belfast’.
Historical Places
The Farset – Belfast’s Hidden River
The Farset gave Belfast its name (originally Béal Feirste, ‘mouth of the sand-bank ford) and was at the heart of Belfast’s industrial success.
Places
Botanic Gardens Belfast – An Eventful History
Botanic Gardens are popular public gardens located in South Belfast. Occupying 28 acres, the Botanic Gardens have an eventful history.
Forgotten Folk
Francis Joseph Bigger, His Life and Times
Francis Joseph Bigger was one of the foremost figures in the antiquarian, historical and literary life of Ulster
Historical Places
Old Belfast Castles – What lies beneath our streets?
A brief history of the castles built in Belfast over the centuries, the battles and ownership changes and the loss of Belfast Castle to fire.
Historical Places
Belfast Waterworks – The Days of Mermaids, Monsters and Sea battles
Belfast Waterworks was built in the 1830s to supply water to north Belfast. It is now a popular park with Cave Hill views.
Places
The Albert Memorial Clock – The leaning clock tower of Belfast
Belfast’s Albert Clock was constructed in 1869, in Queen’s Square, to commemorate Queen Victoria’s late husband Albert who died in 1861.
Historical Places
Carrickfergus Castle – A brief history
Carrickfergus Castle is named for Fergus Mór, King of Dalriada (Dál Riata). His kingdom covered areas of north-east Ulster & western Scotland
Forgotten Folk
Alexander Mitchell – The blind engineer with a vision
Alexander Mitchell is most renowned for the invention and development of the screw-pile lighthouse greatly enhancing maritime safety