[42] The Provisional IRA detonated 22 bombs within the confines of Belfast city centre on 21 July 1972, on what is known as Bloody Friday, killing nine people. [177] A 2005 survey of how people travel in Northern Ireland showed that people in Belfast made 77% of all journeys by car, 11% by public transport and 6% on foot. A castle, probably built there about 1177 by John de Courci, the Norman conqueror of Ulster, seems to have survived until the beginning of the 17th century. Segregation has been present throughout the history of Belfast but has been maintained and increased by each outbreak of violence in the city. 2012. [64] The absolute maximum temperature at the weather station at Stormont is 29.7 °C (85.5 °F), set during July 1983. [211] In May 2020, the foundation of East Belfast GAA returned Gaelic Games to unionist East Belfast after decades of its absence in the area. Titanic was one of three ships built by Harland & Wolff and the British shipping company White Star Line. Titanic Belfast. [90] Windsor House, 262 ft (80 m) high, has 23 floors and is the second tallest building (as distinct from structure) in Ireland. Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, to the south of the city centre, attracts thousands of visitors each year to its International Rose Garden. CS Lewis Square. [140] Almost half of those born outside the UK and Ireland live in south Belfast, where they comprise 9.5% of the population. Queen's University of Belfast is the main university in the city. The Belfast – Liverpool route is the busiest domestic flight route in the UK excluding London with 555,224 passengers in 2009. Among the city's grandest buildings are two former banks: Ulster Bank in Waring Street (built in 1860) and Northern Bank, in nearby Donegall Street (built in 1769). How much do you know about the geography of the British Isles? Belfast contains most of Northern Ireland's regional specialist centres. The ship was later renamed Patroclos. [230], Frommer's, the American travel guidebook series, listed Belfast as the only United Kingdom destination in its Top 12 Destinations to Visit in 2009. Belfast is at the western end of Belfast Lough and at the mouth of the River Lagan giving it the ideal location for the shipbuilding industry that once made it famous. Editor's Pick Titanic Belfast. The Coleraine campus, about 55 mi (89 km) from Belfast city centre concentrates on a broad range of subjects. [100][101] The dome is 173 ft (53 m) high and figures above the door state "Hibernia encouraging and promoting the Commerce and Arts of the City".[102]. Phoenix Natural Gas Ltd. started supplying customers in Larne and Greater Belfast with natural gas in 1996 via the newly constructed Scotland-Northern Ireland pipeline. [209], Belfast is home to over twenty Gaelic football and hurling clubs. Belfast expanded very rapidly from being a market town to becoming an industrial city during the course of the 19th century. [102], A legacy of the Troubles are the many 'peace lines' or 'peace walls' that still act as barriers to reinforce ethno-sectarian residential segregation in the city. Tour Belfast City Hall. It was made internationally famous as the setting for the classic film, Odd Man Out, starring James Mason. Fears continue to grow regarding the impact big business development would have upon the built heritage, housing and local economy of the community. Built between 1841 and 1844, it is built in the Tudor Revival style and is unique in Ireland. One of Northern Ireland's two community TV stations, NvTv, is based in the Cathedral Quarter of the city. The townlands of Belfast are its oldest surviving land divisions and most pre-date the city. The Giants were founded in 2000 and play their games at the 9,500 capacity Odyssey Arena, where crowds normally range from 4,000 to 7,000. Around this time, the linen trade in Northern Ireland blossomed and by the middle of the 18th century, one fifth of all the linen exported from Ireland was shipped from Belfast. [117] Rose Week in July each year features over 20,000 blooms. The Harland and Wolff shipyard has two of the largest dry docks in Europe,[105] where the giant cranes, Samson and Goliath stand out against Belfast's skyline. Hamilton Street is a Georgian terrace in the Markets Area, originally built … Shows filmed at The Paint Hall include the film City of Ember (2008) and HBO's Game of Thrones series (beginning in late 2009). [86] In June 2007, a £16 million programme was announced which will transform and redevelop streets and public spaces in the city centre. 4.34% did not have English as their first language. The museum is located in the picturesque grounds of Castle Park in the centre of Bangor. [130] Since then, the inner city numbers have dropped dramatically as people have moved to swell the Greater Belfast suburb population. It is now a popular park with Cave Hill views. [46] In late 2018, it was announced that Belfast would undergo a £500 million urban regeneration project known as "Tribeca" on a large city centre site. Das Titanic Belfast Museum steht auf den Hellings, auf denen bereits vor über 100 Jahren das Schiff selbst gebaut wurde. Belfast’s modern history began in 1611 when Baron Arthur Chichester built a new castle there. This position was confirmed in four subsequent council elections, with mayors from Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), both of whom are nationalist parties, and the cross-community Alliance Party regularly elected since. The architecture of the Grand Opera House has an oriental theme and was completed in 1895. Since the Industrial Revolution, the chief shipbuilding firm has been Harland and Wolff (builders of the ill-fated Titanic). Other significant sportspeople from Belfast include double world snooker champion Alex "Hurricane" Higgins[215] and world champion boxers Wayne McCullough, Rinty Monaghan and Carl Frampton. Liverpool University Press. If you don’t fancy traipsing around the city … Sinclair Seamen's Ch… The areas around the Falls Road, Ardoyne and New Lodge (Catholic nationalist) and the Shankill Road (Protestant loyalist) are among the ten most deprived wards in Northern Ireland. Belfast: A Profile of the City. The Harland and Wolff shipyard was founded in 1862 by Edward J. Harland and G.W. [148] The Harland and Wolff shipbuilding firm was created in 1861, and by the time the Titanic was built, in 1912, it had become the largest shipyard in the world. When Swift was living at Lilliput Cottage near the bottom of Belfast's Limestone Road, he imagined that the Cavehill resembled the shape of a sleeping giant safeguarding the city. The city was severely damaged by air raids in 1941 during World War II. This escalation in segregation, described as a "ratchet effect", has shown little sign of decreasing. Stormont, an eastern suburb of Belfast, is the seat of the Northern Ireland's government. Harland and Wolff shipyards were based in the city. [133], Despite a period of relative peace, most areas and districts of Belfast still reflect the divided nature of Northern Ireland as a whole. [173] It also provides the city's specialist neurosurgical, ophthalmology, ENT, and dentistry services. [45], Belfast city centre has undergone expansion and regeneration since the late 1990s, notably around Victoria Square. Protestant workers organised to protect "their" jobs giving a new lease of life in the town to the once largely rural Orange Order. Historical Places Mallusk Burying Ground, County Antrim Mallusk Burying Ground is another old cemetery with a few tales to tell - featuring a wealth of history and information. [175] Take this quiz to find out. Located in Belfast's Titanic Quarter, this survivor of the Battle of Jutland has cabins recreated as if the crew were … Actual ship building in Belfast began in 1791. Discover releases, reviews, credits, songs, and more about Runnin' Riot* - Built In Belfast at Discogs. “Belfast” is the Irish translation of “Beal Feirste.” The Irish translation of Belfast is … More than 100,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost since the 1970s. Broadcasting only over the Internet is Homely Planet, the Cultural Radio Station for Northern Ireland, supporting community relations.[203]. The Belfast Health & Social Care Trust is one of five trusts that were created on 1 April 2007 by the Department of Health. The council spends £1.5 million every year on running and promoting the zoo, which is one of the few local government-funded zoos in the UK and Ireland. Runnin' Riot*. Harland & Wolff is a shipyard, specialising in ship repair, conversion, and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland.Harland & Wolff is famous for having built the majority of the ocean liners for the White Star Line. This was followed by the drilling and eventual arming of a 100,000 strong Ulster Volunteer Force. River Lagan flowing through Belfast, N.Ire. Read More. [citation needed], Ethnic minority communities have been in Belfast since the 1930s. Although BT derives from Belfast, the BT postcode area extends across the whole of Northern Ireland.[89]. Donegall Quay was built out into the river as the harbour was developed further and trade flourished. Built between 1841 and 1844, it is built in the Tudor Revival style and is unique in Ireland. [112] The Belfast Naturalists' Field Club was founded in 1863 and is administered by National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland. [228] In 2008, 7.1 million tourists visited the city. 4.25KM. During the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, local sunset is before 16:00 while sunrise is around 08:45. Tourist attractions include the Grand Opera House, Donegall Square, Crown Liquor Saloon, Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast Zoo, and Titanic Belfast, a museum inaugurated in 2012 to commemorate the centenary of the sinking of the famous ship. – CityMetric", "CAIN: Violence: List of Significant Violent Incidents", "Linenopolis: The Linen Quarter of Belfast | Connolly Cove |", "BBC – History – Belfast's golden age of shipbuilding", "Historical Internal Migration in Ireland". Since the conclusion of the peace accord, Belfast has attracted considerable investment, and its economy has improved. [186][187], The city has two airports: Belfast International Airport offering, domestic, European and international flights such as Orlando operated seasonally by Virgin Atlantic. [213], In 2007, Pro Wrestling Ulster formed. [96] Plans include apartments, a riverside entertainment district, and a major Titanic-themed museum. The first of the peace walls were built in 1969 after a series of sectarian riots rocked Belfast. Meanwhile St George's Church was built in 1819. It produced a mind-boggling amount of ships both pre and during the war. Bus services in the city proper and the nearer suburbs are operated by Translink Metro, with services focusing on linking residential districts with the city centre on 12 quality bus corridors running along main radial roads,[183], More distant suburbs are served by Ulsterbus. [55], Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company based in Belfast. [231], The Belfast City Council is currently investing into the complete redevelopment of the Titanic Quarter, which is planned to consist of apartments, hotels, and a riverside entertainment district. The 1, 600 ships are listed in order HMS Belfast is a Town - class light cruiser that was built for the Royal Navy. In 1920–21, as the two parts of Ireland drew apart, up to 500 people were killed in disturbances in Belfast, the bloodiest period of strife in the city until the Troubles of the late 1960s onwards. Harland & Wolff is famous for having built the majority of the ocean liners for the White Star Line. [108], Sitting at the mouth of the River Lagan where it becomes a deep and sheltered lough, Belfast is surrounded by mountains that create a micro-climate conducive to horticulture. The aircraft manufacturer Short and Harland employed 20,000 people and was also based in Belfast. [106] The Lyric Theatre, (re-opened 1 May 2011 after undergoing a rebuilding programme) the only full-time producing theatre in the country, is where film star Liam Neeson began his career. Pop. [223], Belfast Metropolitan College is a large further education college with three main campuses around the city, including several smaller buildings. [53] The Lord Mayor for 2019–20 is John Finucane Sinn Féin, while the Deputy Lord Mayor is an Alliance Party of Northern Ireland councillor. During the There are also many examples of Edwardian, such as the City Hall, to modern, such as the Waterfront Hall. [172] The Royal Victoria Hospital is an internationally renowned centre of excellence in trauma care and provides specialist trauma care for all of Northern Ireland. [115] Other attractions in the park include the Tropical Ravine, a humid jungle glen built in 1889, rose gardens and public events ranging from live opera broadcasts to pop concerts. Unremitting violence continued into the 1990s, but a tentative cease-fire in 1994 and the Good Friday Agreement (Belfast Agreement) of 1998 brought an end to the fighting. Most of their victims were Catholics with no links to the Provisional IRA. On the day he was buried in the city, 100,000 people lined the route from his home on the Cregagh Road to Roselawn cemetery. Construction of the Titanic commenced in 1909 in Belfast, Ireland, by the ship-building company Harland & Wolff. [104] The restaurant panels in the Crown Bar were originally made for Britannic, the sister ship of the Titanic,[102] built in Belfast. But now, the little city on a gentle hill above the Passagassawaukeag River (Passy to the locals) is a lively, hub of MidCoast arts, commerce, music and events. Corrections? [132], As with many cities, Belfast's inner city is currently characterised by the elderly, students and single young people, while families tend to live on the periphery. These sectors are now overshadowed by service activities, food processing, and machinery manufacture. From the city’s airport at Aldergrove, 13 miles (21 km) northwest, services are maintained with some principal international cities. [198] Projects to promote the language in the city are funded by various sources, notably Foras na Gaeilge, an all-Ireland body funded by both the Irish and British governments. Complete your Runnin' Riot* collection. One of the world’s most famous ships, RMS Titanic, was built in Belfast (as they say, ‘It was fine when it left here! [147] Like many British cities dependent on traditional heavy industry, Belfast suffered serious decline since the 1960s, exacerbated greatly in the 1970s and 1980s by the Troubles. In the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections in 2017, Belfast elected 20 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), 5 from each constituency. Below is a selection of some of the most exciting Construction & Built Environment jobs in Belfast and Northern Ireland. In 1864 and 1886 the issue had helped trigger deadly sectarian riots. He did much to encourage the growth of the town, which received a charter of incorporation in 1613. [12] The word béal means "mouth" or "river-mouth" while feirsde/feirste is the genitive singular of fearsaid and refers to a sandbar or tidal ford across a river's mouth. Belfast City Council takes part in the twinning scheme,[237] and is twinned with the following sister cities: The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the City of Belfast. As "Dissenters" from the established Church of Ireland communion, the Presbyterians were conscious of sharing, if only in part, the disabilities of Ireland's largely dispossessed Roman Catholic majority. Bombing, assassination and street violence formed a backdrop to life throughout the Troubles. The Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) Web Service receives funding from both universities and is a rich source of information and source material on the Troubles as well as society and politics in Northern Ireland. The provision of certain resources for these schools (for example, such as the provision of textbooks) is supported by the charitable organisation TACA. Over 2.2 million passengers flew between Belfast and London in 2009.[188]. [30] [71] The lowest temperature to occur in recent years was −8.8 °C (16.2 °F) on 22 December 2010.[72].