NationMaster - Encyclopedia: City of Belfast

Belfast (Béal Feirste in Irish) is the second-largest city in Ireland. It is the largest city in both Northern Ireland (of which it is the capital), and the province of Ulster. While the actual population within the city limits is c. 275,000, approximately 550,000 people live in the Greater Belfast area. It is situated at the south-western end of Belfast Lough, a long natural inlet ideal for the shipping trade that made the city famous, and near the mouth of the River Lagan. It is flanked by long stretches of hills on two sides. Belfast city crest - painting by John Vinycomb, 1890. ... Image File history File links Map of in. ... Bullet for locations in Ireland, displays location and not area. ... Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ... This is a list of counties of Ireland ordered by area. ... The island of Ireland has 32 counties, with Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland being nicknamed respectively the six counties and the twenty-six counties. ... County Antrim (Contae Aontroma in Irish) is one of the six Irish counties that form Northern Ireland. ... During late Gaelic and early historic times Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the tuatha. ... Ulster (Irish: CÃºige Uladh, IPA: ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland. ... Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 kmÂ² Population - Total (2001) - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267 122/kmÂ² NUTS 1... Ulster (Irish: CÃºige Uladh, IPA: ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland. ... Belfast Lough (Loch Lao in Irish) is a large intertidal sea lough situated at the mouth of the River Lagan on the east coast of Northern Ireland. ... The River Lagan is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 40 miles (60 km) from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. ...

The name Belfast originates from the Irish Béal Feirste, or the mouth of the Farset (feirste is the genitive of the word fearsaid, "a spindle"), the river on which the city was built. Interestingly, the river Farset has been superseded by the River Lagan as the most important river; the Farset now languishes under the High Street in obscurity. Bridge Street indicates where there was originally a bridge across the Farset. The River Lagan is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 40 miles (60 km) from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. ...

Belfast saw the worst of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. A calmer scene in recent years has allowed some development of the city. The Lagan riverfront has been regenerated, including the new Odyssey complex and sports arena. Much of the city centre has now been pedestrianised. The city has two airports: Belfast City Airport adjacent to Belfast Lough and Belfast International Airport which is near Lough Neagh. Queen's University Belfast is the main university in Belfast. The University of Ulster also maintains a campus in the city, which concentrates on fine art and design. The Troubles is a generic term used to describe a period of sporadic communal violence involving paramilitary organisations, the police, the British Army and others in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s until the mid-1990s. ... The Odyssey (Greek á½ˆÎ´Ï…ÏƒÏƒÎµÎ¯Î±) is the second of the two great Greek epic poems ascribed to Homer, the first of which is the Iliad. ... History Belfast City Centre was originally centred around the Donegall Street area. ... Belfast City Airport (IATA Airport Code: BHD) is an airport in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... Belfast International Airport is an airport located some 24 km (15 miles) west of Belfast in Northern Ireland. ... Lough Neagh Lough Neagh (pronounced ; Irish Loch nEathach ) in Northern Ireland is the largest lough, or body of freshwater, in the British Isles, with an area of 388 square kilometres. ... The Queens University of Belfast Queens University, Belfast (QUB) - or officially The Queens University of Belfast - is a university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... The University of Ulster (UU) is a multi-site university located in Northern Ireland and is the largest university on the island of Ireland. ... The term fine art was first attested in 1767, as a translation from the French term beaux arts. ... Design as a process can take many forms depending on the object being designed and the individual or individuals participating. ...

Geography

At approximately 54°35′50″ N 05°56′20″ W Belfast is situated quite far to the north. In consequence it endures both long winter days and long summer evenings. In the middle of the darkest period in December, local sunset is at 3.50 p.m. while sunrise is as late as 8.45 a.m. However, this is counterbalanced by the period from May to July. In mid-to-late June, sunset occurs after 10 p.m. and the daylight survives until 11 p.m. on fine nights.

To the north of Belfast are the Glens of Antrim in County Antrim, and to the south, the Castlereagh Hills in County Down. Overlooking the city are Divis Mountain, Black Mountain and Cavehill - the famous "Napoleon's Nose" is a basaltic outcrop here which forms the border with neighbouring Glengormley. The Glens of Antrim, or, simply, the Glens, is a region of County Antrim comprised of nine glens, or valleys, that radiate inward from the coast towards Lough Neagh. ... County Antrim (Contae Aontroma in Irish) is one of the six Irish counties that form Northern Ireland. ... County Down, (An Dún in Irish) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, covering an area of 2,448 km² (945 square miles). ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Glengormley is a town located in the borough of Newtownabbey, bordering the north-western edge of Belfast in Northern Ireland. ...

Like much of the country, Belfast has a temperate climate with significant rainfall. Average daily maximums are 19°C (66°F) in July, 8°C (46°F) in January. There is significant rainfall on over 200 days in an average year, and an annual rainfall total of approximately 850mm (33 inches), still barely half that received in Western Ireland and Scotland. While sleet and snow fall occasionally in Winter, as an urban, coastal, area, snow lies in Belfast on an average of only 2-3 days per year.

Points of interest

The City Hall, dating from 1906, Queen's University, Belfast (1849), and other Victorian and Edwardian buildings display a large number of sculptures. Among the grandest buildings are two former banks: Ulster Bank (1860), in Waring Street and Northern Bank (1769), in nearby Donegall Street. Also notable is the Linenhall Library (1788), in Donegall Square North. Download high resolution version (1168x450, 131 KB)Panorama of Belfast city, taken from a tower block of Queens University. ... Download high resolution version (1168x450, 131 KB)Panorama of Belfast city, taken from a tower block of Queens University. ... 1906 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... For other educational establishments called Queens, see Queens College and Queens University (disambiguation) Queens University, Belfast (QUB) - or officially The Queens University of Belfast - is a university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian Era of Great Britain is considered the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It is sometimes extended to include the period to the start of World War I in 1914 or even the end of the war in 1918. ... Ulster Bank, one of the Big Four in Ireland is a large commercial bank. ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... Northern Bank, is a commercial bank in Northern Ireland. ... 1769 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Linenhall Library is situated in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

The world's largest dry dock is located in the city, and the giant cranes (Samson and Goliath) of the Harland and Wolff shipyard, builders of the Titanic, can be seen from afar. Other long-gone industries included Irish linen and rope-making. U.S. Navy submarine USS Greeneville in dry dock following collision with a fishing boat. ... Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries began as a shipyard located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... The New York Herald reports the disaster. ... Torn linen cloth, recovered from the Dead Sea Linen is a material made from the fibers of the flax plant. ...

The city is well known for its murals, reflecting the political and religious allegiances of the two communities. The Shankill Road, which is almost entirely Protestant, has murals depicting loyalty to the British Crown, the Ulster Volunteer Force, and other loyalist paramilitary groups. Conversely, murals on the Falls Road, Poleglass, Marrowbone, New Lodge, Twinbrook and Ardoyne neighborhoods, which are almost entirely Roman Catholic areas feature political themes like a united Ireland, and the Irish Republican Army, as well as traditional folklore and the Irish language. The Irish folk hero Cú Chulainn has appeared on both republican and loyalist murals, representing the heroic Celtic past for the former and legendary battles between Ulster and the other provinces for the latter. Shankill is an area in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The British monarch or Sovereign is the monarch and head of state of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, and is the source of all executive, judicial and (as the Queen_in_Parliament) legislative power. ... The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) is a loyalist paramilitary (terrorist) group in Northern Ireland. ... In general, a loyalist is an individual who is loyal to the powers that be. ... A paramilitary is a group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion. ... The Falls Road is a main road through West Belfast; from Divis Street in the city centre to Andersonstown in the suburbs. ... New Lodge is the name of several places in the United Kingdom. ... Ardoyne is a district in North Belfast, made famous by the disproportionate number of incidents in the Northern Ireland troubles. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... A United Ireland is the common demand of Irish nationalists, envisaging that the island of Ireland (currently divided into the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) be reunited as a single political entity. ... This article primarily deals with the Irish Republican Army up to 1922. ... Irish (Gaeilge in Irish), a Goidelic language spoken in Ireland, the UK, and the USA, is constitutionally recognised as the first official language of the Republic of Ireland. ... Young CÃºchulainn, 1912 illustration by Stephen Reid. ...

The ornately decorated Crown Liquor Saloon in Great Victoria Street is notable as being the only bar owned by the National Trust. The Royal Courts of Justice in Chichester Street is home to Northern Ireland's Supreme Court. The standard of the National Trust The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is an organisation which works to preserve and protect coastline, countryside and buildings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. ... The supreme court in some countries, provinces, and states, is the highest court in that jurisdiction and functions as a court of last resort whose rulings cannot be appealed. ...

History

The site of Belfast has been occupied since the Bronze ages, and the remains of Iron Age hill forts can still be seen. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (970x372, 51 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (970x372, 51 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Laganside Corporation is a public body formed by the Laganside Development (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 with the goal of regenerating large sections of land in Greater Belfast, Northern Ireland adjacent to the River Lagan. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... The term hill fort is commonly used by archeologists to describe fortified enclosures located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. ...

The original Belfast Castle was at Castle Junction, where several roads meet at the top of the High Street. This was demolished at the same time the River Farset was covered over to create the High Street. There is a new castle on the slopes of the Cavehill above the Antrim and Shore Road, now a popular location for wedding receptions. Belfast Castle is set in the grounds of Cavehill Country Park. ...

In the early 17th century Belfast was settled by English and Scottish settlers, under a plan by Sir Arthur Chichester to colonise and remove Irish Catholics from the land (see Plantation of Ulster. This caused much tension with the existing Irish Catholic population who rebelled in 1641, when England was distracted with its Civil War. The resulting slaughter is still strong in Ulster Protestant folk memory. It was later settled by a small number of French Huguenots fleeing persecution, who established a sizeable linen trade. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... England is a made up country where psychologists convince schitzofrenic people they are currently living while they are in fact in a mental asylum. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages with Official Status1 English Scottish Gaelic Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 kmÂ² 1. ... Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall (June 16, 1606) - (March 18, 1675) was an Irish nobleman and soldier. ... The Plantation of Ulster took place in the Irish province of Ulster during the early 17th century. ... The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup dÃ©tat by Irish Catholic gentry, but rapidly degenerated into bloody inter communal violence between native Irish Catholics and English and Scottish Protestant settlers. ... Events The Long Parliament passes a series of legislation designed to contain Charles Is absolutist tendencies. ... England is a made up country where psychologists convince schitzofrenic people they are currently living while they are in fact in a mental asylum. ... A civil war is a war in which the competing parties are segments of the same country or empire. ... Ulster (Irish: CÃºige Uladh, IPA: ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France. ... Torn linen cloth, recovered from the Dead Sea Linen is a material made from the fibers of the flax plant. ...

In the 19th Century, Belfast became Ireland's pre-eminent industrial city, with linen, heavy engineering, tobacco and shipbuilding dominating the economy, and Belfast briefly overtook Dublin in population at the end of the nineteenth century. Migrants to Belfast came from across Ireland, Scotland and England, but particularly from rural Ulster, where sectarian tensions ran deep. The same period saw the first outbreaks of sectarian riots, which have recurred regularly since. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Species N. glauca N. longiflora N. rustica N. sylvestris N. tabacum Ref: ITIS 30562 as of August 26, 2005 Tobacco (, L.) refers to a genus of broad-leafed plants of the nightshade family, indigenous to North and South America, or to the dried and cured leaves. ... Dublin (Irish: Baile Ãtha Cliath),is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland, located near the midpoint of Irelands east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin region. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages with Official Status1 English Scottish Gaelic Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 kmÂ² 1. ... England is a made up country where psychologists convince schitzofrenic people they are currently living while they are in fact in a mental asylum. ... Sectarianism (or sectism) is an adherence to a particular sect or party or denomination. ...

By 1901 Belfast was the largest city in Ireland. Since around 1840 its population included many Catholics, who orginally settled in the west of city, around the area of today's Barrack Street. West Belfast remains the centre of the city's Catholic population (in contrast with the east of the City which is almost exclusively Protestant). Other areas of Catholic settlement have included the north of the city, especially Ardoyne and the Antrim Road and the Markets area immediately to the south of the city centre. 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Ardoyne is a district in North Belfast, made famous by the disproportionate number of incidents in the Northern Ireland troubles. ...

Conditions for the new working-class were often squalid, with much of the population packed into overcrowded and unsanitary tenements, and the city suffered from repeated cholera outbreaks in the mid 19th Century. Conditions improved somewhat after a wholesale slum clearance programme in the 1900s. }} Distribution of cholera Cholera (also called Asiatic cholera) is an infectious disease of the gastrointestinal tract caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacterium. ... Dirty full-on sound from JAPAN. http://www. ... // Events and Trends Technology Lawrence Hargrave makes the first stable wing design for a heavier-than-air aircraft Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first documented flight in a powered heavier-than-air aircraft Mass production of automobile Wide popularity of home phonograph Panama Canal is built by the United...

Belfast became the centre of Irish unionism, and in 1922 it was declared the capital of Northern Ireland after Ireland was partitioned into Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State (later to become the Republic of Ireland, when it withdrew from the Commonwealth in 1949). The period immediately after partition was marked by vicious sectarian disturbances, and a dramatic hardening of the city's sectarian boundaries. In common with similar cities world-wide, Belfast suffered particularly during the Great Depression. In the Irish context, Unionists form a group of exclusively Protestant people in Ireland, of all social classes, who wish to see the continuation of the 1801 Act of Union, as amended by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, under which the Northern Ireland provincial state created in that latter... 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 kmÂ² Population - Total (2001) - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267 122/kmÂ² NUTS 1... The Irish Free State (Irish: SaorstÃ¡t Ã‰ireann) was (1922â€“1937) the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties which were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and... The Commonwealth of Nations is an association of independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former colonies once governed by the United Kingdom as part of the British Empire. ... The Great Depression was a massive global economic recession (or depression) that ran from 1929 to approximately 1939. ...

Many thousands of Catholics left the city, often permanently, after the creation of Northern Ireland saw a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against them, such as the families of former Fianna Fail Taoiseach Charles Haughey, and Canadian-born actors Martin Short and the late James Doohan. Charles James Haughey (Irish name Cathal Ã“ hEochaidh) (born September 16, 1925), was the sixth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, serving three terms in office; 1979 to 1981, March 1982 to December 1982 and 1987 to 1992. ... Martin Hayter Short CM (born March 26, 1950) is an actor, writer, and producer best known for his comedy work, particularly on the TV programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live. ... James Doohan as Scotty on Star Trek James Montgomery Doohan (March 3, 1920 â€“ July 20, 2005) was a Irish-Canadian character and voice actor best known for his portrayal of Scotty in the television and movie series Star Trek. ...

During the Second World War, Belfast was one of the major cities in the United Kingdom bombed by German forces and virtually the only one intentionally bombed by the Luftwaffe on the isle of Ireland, most of which had remained neutral during the War. Belfast was targeted due to its concentration of heavy shipbuilding and aerospace industries. Ironically, the same period saw the economy recover as the war economy saw great demand for the products of these industries. See Belfast blitz. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... The Luftwaffe? (German: air force, IPA: [luftvafÉ™]) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ... // On Easter Tuesday, April 15, 1941, 200 Luftwaffe bombers attacked Belfast. ...

The post-war years were relatively placid in Belfast, but sectarian tensions and resentment among the Catholic population at the widespread discrimination festered below the surface, and the city erupted into violence in 1969 and bombing, assassination and street violence formed a backdrop to life throughout The Troubles. In the early 1970s, the city saw huge forced population movements as families, mostly but not exclusively Roman Catholic, living in areas dominated by the other community were intimidated from their homes. The general decline in European manufacturing industry of the early 1980s, exacerbated by political violence, devastated the City's economy. 1969 was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This article provides extensive lists of events and significant personalities of the 1970s. ... // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 60s and 70s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ...

As recently as 1971 the city was overwhelmingly Protestant, but today is almost evenly balanced due to higher Catholic birth rates and rising prosperity, together with Protestant emigration (both internal, e.g. to North Down and external) together with boundary changes have fundamentally, and irreversibly changed the balance. 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... Emigration is the action and the phenomenon of leaving ones native country to settle abroad. ... North Down Borough Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland. ...

Today the city still remains scarred by the conflict between the two communities and most of it is highly segregated with enclaves of one community surrounded by another (e.g. Protestant Glenbryn Estate in North Belfast, and the Catholic Short Strand in East Belfast) feeling, and often being, under seige. The Short Strand is an area in eastern inner-city Belfast, in Northern Ireland. ...

In 1997, unionists lost control of Belfast City Council for the first time in its history. Since then it has had two Catholic mayors, one from the SDLP and one from Sinn Féin. In 2004, the composition of the Belfast City Council changed again, and now the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland holds the balance of power between nationalists and unionists. A presumed safe seat in the Short Strand was denied Sinn Fein, and went to the Alliance Party following the brutal murder of a Catholic nationalist, Robert McCartney, by several members of the IRA. The IRA leadership was so embarrassed that it offered to have the men in question shot, but McCartney's sisters and fiancée, who have been travelling to speak in other parts of Ireland, as well as the United States, where they met with President George W. Bush, declined the IRA offer and demanded that the criminal justice system mete out lawful punishment to those charged with the crime. In the Irish context, Unionists form a group of exclusively Protestant people in Ireland, of all social classes, who wish to see the continuation of the 1801 Act of Union, as amended by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, under which the Northern Ireland provincial state created in that latter... Belfast City Council is the largest Local Council serving the largest city in Northern Ireland which has a population of 277,391. ... A mayor (from the Latin maÄ«or, meaning larger,greater) is the politician who serves as chief executive official of some types of municipalities. ... The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP — Irish: Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is the smaller of the two major nationalist parties in Northern Ireland. ... The name Sinn FÃ©in (pronounced in English, in Irish), which means ourselves or we ourselves (not as sometimes incorrectly translated, ourselves alone or we alone) has been applied to a series of political movements since 1905 in Ireland, each of which claim or claimed sole descent from the original... Belfast City Council is the largest Local Council serving the largest city in Northern Ireland which has a population of 277,391. ... The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI), is a political party operating in Northern Ireland. ... An Irish nationalist is generally one who seeks (greater) independence of Ireland from Great Britain, including since 1921 the goal of a United Ireland. ... Sinn Féin (in the Irish language ourselves or we ourselves; not as sometimes incorrectly translated, ourselves alone) is an Irish political party. ... Robert McCartney (1971 – 31 January 2005) was the victim of a murder in Belfast, in Northern Ireland, carried out by members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army. ... The main nick name of these taig bastards is Coward Scum and wish they were half as good as S/Londonderry UVF IRA is an acronym with several different meanings. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the current President of the United States and former Governor of the State of Texas. ...

The formation of the Laganside Corporation in 1989 heralded the start of the regeneration of the River Lagan and its surrounding areas, a process assisted by the ceasefires of 1994, although communal segregation has continued since then, with occasional low level street violence in isolated flashpoints and the construction of new Peace Lines. Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 521 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 521 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 663 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 663 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Laganside Corporation is a public body formed by the Laganside Development (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 with the goal of regenerating large sections of land in Greater Belfast, Northern Ireland adjacent to the River Lagan. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... The Peace Lines are a series of separation barriers ranging in length from a few hundred yards to over 3 miles, separating Protestant and Catholic neighbourhoods in Belfast, Derry (Londonderry) and elsewhere in Northern Ireland. ...

Local Politics

In the 2005 local government elections, the voters of Belfast elected 51 councillors to Belfast City Council from the following political parties: 15 Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), 14 Sinn Féin, 8 Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), 7 Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), 4 Alliance Party, 2 Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), and 1 Independent (Frank McCoubrey). 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Belfast City Council is the largest Local Council serving the largest city in Northern Ireland which has a population of 277,391. ... The Democratic Unionist Party is a hardline Unionist party in Northern Ireland led by Ian Paisley. ... The name Sinn FÃ©in (pronounced in English, in Irish), which means ourselves or we ourselves (not as sometimes incorrectly translated, ourselves alone or we alone) has been applied to a series of political movements since 1905 in Ireland, each of which claim or claimed sole descent from the original... The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP â€” Irish: PÃ¡irtÃ SÃ³isialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is the smaller of the two major nationalist parties in Northern Ireland. ... The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP, sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland, and was the party of government in Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972. ... The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI), is a political party operating in Northern Ireland. ... The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) are a small political party from Northern Ireland. ... Frank McCoubrey is a leading member of the Ulster Political Research Group and a member of Belfast City Council, representing the Court area. ...

Belfast has four UK parliamentary and Assembly constituencies - North Belfast, West Belfast, South Belfast and East Belfast. All four extend somewhat beyond the city boundaries into parts of Castlereagh, Lisburn and Newtownabbey districts. In 2003, they elected 7 Sinn Féin, 6 DUP, 5 UUP, 4 SDLP, 1 PUP, and 1 Alliance MLAs (members of the Northern Ireland Assembly). In the 2005 general election, they elected 2 DUP MPs, 1 SDLP MP, and 1 Sinn Féin MP. North Belfast is a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also an Assembly constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. ... West Belfast is a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also an Assembly constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. ... South Belfast is a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also an Assembly constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. ... East Belfast is a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also an Assembly constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. ... For the statesman commonly called Castlereagh, see Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh Castlereagh Borough Council is a Local Council in Northern Ireland. ... Lisburn (Lios na gCearrbhach in Irish) is a city split between County Antrim & County Down, Northern Ireland. ... Newtownabbey Borough Council is a Local Council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The logo of the Northern Ireland Assembly is a six flowered linen or flax plant, chosen for the plants historical economic importance to the region. ... The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 and won by the Labour Party, led by Tony Blair. ...

Belfast is twinned with Nashville, Tennessee in the United States and Hefei in China. Twin cities are either: two towns or cities that are geographically close to each other, and often referred to collectively; or two distant cities which, perhaps because of similar circumstances, such as industrial decline, or demographics, agree to partner each other and share expertise (e. ... The Nashville skyline Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... Hefei (Chinese: åˆè‚¥; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hofei) is the capital of Anhui Province of China. ...

Media

Belfast is the home of The News Letter (historically known as "The tuppenny liar"). The oldest weekly newspaper in the world still in publication, it is broadly unionist in outlook. Other main newspapers include nationalist-leaning The Irish News (historically known as "the penny liar"), and the evening newspaper Belfast Telegraph. More recently, the Daily Ireland newspaper, which is supportive of Sinn Féin, was launched in 2004, while there is also an Irish language weekly newspaper called Lá (or "day"). The News Letter is one of Northern Irelands main daily news papers, published Monday to Saturday. ... The Irish News is the only quality newspaper published in Northern Ireland. ... The Belfast Telegraph is a daily evening newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Independent News and Media. ... Daily Ireland is a new daily newspaper launched in January 2005 throughout the island of Ireland to cover Irish news stories from an Irish republican viewpoint. ... The name Sinn FÃ©in (pronounced in English, in Irish), which means ourselves or we ourselves (not as sometimes incorrectly translated, ourselves alone or we alone) has been applied to a series of political movements since 1905 in Ireland, each of which claim or claimed sole descent from the original... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... LÃ¡ (literally meaning Day) is the first daily newpaper in Ireland to be published in Irish/Gaeilge. ...

The city is also the headquarters of BBC Northern Ireland, the ITV station UTV and the commercial radio stations Cool FM and Belfast CityBeat. BBC Northern Ireland (sometimes called BBC NI) is a radio and television broadcaster in Northern Ireland. ... Independent Television (ITV) is the name given to the original network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up to provide competition to the BBC. In England and Wales the channel was recently rebranded ITV1 by ITV plc who own the regional broadcasting licences for the regions. ... Ulster Television plc (UTV) is a media company based in Northern Ireland. ... Cool FM Categories: Station stubs | UK Radio Stations ...

Notable people

Famous people from or living in Belfast Download high resolution version (1802x2589, 186 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Belfast Categories: GFDL images | GBdot ... Download high resolution version (1802x2589, 186 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Belfast Categories: GFDL images | GBdot ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ...

Gerry Adams Gerry Adams (Irish name GearÃ³id Mac Ãdhaimh; born October 6, 1948) is an Irish politician, Member of Parliament for West Belfast, and president of Sinn FÃ©in. ... Thomas Andrews (December 19, 1813–November 26, 1885), Irish chemist and physicist, was born in Belfast, where his father was a linen merchant. ... Thomas Andrews, Jr. ... Derek Bell (October 21, 1935 - October 17, 2002) was an Irish harpist and composer. ... George Best (born May 22, 1946 in Belfast) is a former footballer from Northern Ireland. ... Robert Dennis Blanchflower, known as Danny Blanchflower (born Dunraven Park, Belfast, February 10, 1926; died December 9, 1993) was a footballer who captained Spurs during their double-winning season of 1961. ... Kenneth Charles Branagh (born December 10, 1960) is a versatile Northern Irish actor and film director. ... S. Jocelyn Bell Burnell (born Susan Jocelyn Bell, 15 July 1943), British astrophysicist and Quaker who discovered the first radio pulsars with her thesis advisor Antony Hewish. ... Mairead Corrigan (born January 27, 1944) was the cofounder, with Betty Williams of the Community of Peace People, an organization which attempts to encourage a peaceful resolution of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. ... Sir James Craig, later Viscount Craigavon 1st Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. ... MairtÃn Crawford (b. ... John Boyd Dunlop (February 5, 1840 - October 23, 1921) was a Scottish inventor who founded the rubber company that bears his name. ... Sir Reginald Empey (born October 26, 1947) is a Northern Ireland politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Belfast. ... Gerrard Gerry Fitt, Baron Fitt (born 9 April 1926), is a former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and a socialist and republican politician. ... Sir James Galway (born December 8, 1939) is an Irish flute player from Belfast, often called The Man With the Golden Flute. ... Chaim Herzog (×—×™×™× ×”×¨×¦×•×’)â€Ž (September 17, 1918 - April 17, 1997) served as the sixth President of Israel (1983 - 1993), following a distinguished career in both the British Army and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). ... President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel, but has a largely ceremonial, figurehead role with real power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister of Israel. ... John Harold Hewitt (born October 28, 1907 and died on June 1987) was a renowned poet who was born and lived in Belfast, Northern Ireland . ... Alexander Gordon Higgins (born March 18, 1949) is a world-famous snooker player. ... David Holmes is an Irish DJ, musician and composer. ... William Thomson, Archbishop of York, has the same name as this man. ... John Lavery (Born Belfast, 20 March 1856, died Kilkenny, 10 January 1941) was an Irish painter best known for his portraits. ... Shauna Lowry (born 6 July 1970 in Belfast Northern Ireland) is a british television presenter. ... Sammy McIlroy (born 2 August 1954) is a former Manchester United first-team and Northern Ireland international footballer who until November 2004 managed English professional club Stockport County . ... Clive Staples Lewis (November 29, 1898 – November 22, 1963), commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis, was an author and scholar. ... Mary Patricia McAleese (Irish name MÃ¡ire PÃ¡draigÃn Mhic Ghiolla Ãosa) (born 27 June 1951) is the eighth, and current, President of Ireland. ... The President of Ireland (Irish: UachtarÃ¡n na hÃ‰ireann) is the head of state of the Republic of Ireland. ... Arlene McCarthy (born 1960) is a Member of the European Parliament for North West England for the Labour Party. ... Henry Joy McCracken (b. ... Ian McDonald, born in 1960, is a British science fiction novelist, living in Belfast. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Alexander McDonnell (1798-1835) was an Irish chess master, who contested a series of six matches with the world’s leading player in the summer of 1834. ... SiobhÃ¡n McKenna (May 24, 1922 - November 16, 1986), was a Irish stage and screen actress. ... Mickey Marley (?? - 28 April 2005) was a street entertainer from Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... Gary Moore, b. ... Van Morrison in concert, 1974 George Ivan Morrison (born August 31, 1945) is an Northern Irish singer/songwriter originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... COLIN MURRAY, from the Dunmurray area of Belfast, N. Ireland - a former print journalist - is currently a BBC Radio 1 DJ (his afternoon slot co-presented with Edith Bowman). ... Ruby Murray (March 29, 1935 - December 17, 1996) was a popular singer born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... The Reverend Ian Richard Kyle Paisley (born on April 6, 1926) is a controversial politician and church leader in Northern Ireland, and head of the Democratic Unionist Party. ... Dame Mary Peters, DBE (born 6 July 1939) is a former British pentathlete. ... Stephen Rea (born October 31, 1946) is a Irish actor with an extensive stage and film career, both in Ireland and abroad. ... Bob Shaw (December 31, 1931 - February 12, 1996) was a British science fiction author and fan. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Norman Whiteside holding aloft the FA Cup in 1985 Norman Whiteside (born May 7, 1965) was a Northern Irish football player who represented his country in two World Cups. ... Betty Williams (born 22 May 1943) was a co-recipient with Mairead Corrigan of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976 for as a cofounder of Community of Peace People, an organization dedicated to promoting a peaceful resolution to The Troubles in Northern Ireland. ...

Districts

Ballymacarrett is a working-class Protestant district of inner east Belfast, around the Lower Newtownards Road. ... History Belfast City Centre was originally centred around the Donegall Street area. ... The Falls Road is a main road through West Belfast; from Divis Street in the city centre to Andersonstown in the suburbs. ... New Lodge is an urban, working-class Catholic community, located Belfast, immediately north of the city centre. ... Shankill is an area in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... The Short Strand is an area in eastern inner-city Belfast, in Northern Ireland. ... Stormont is Stormont, a suburb of Belfast Stormont Castle, a castle in the area Parliament Building of Northern Ireland, known as Stormont a nickname for the former Parliament of Northern Ireland and its unionist-dominated executive, the Government of Northern Ireland Stormont County an old county that is now a...

Contents

Geography

Points of interest

History

Local Politics

Media

Notable people

Districts

See also

External links

Contents

Geography GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Points of interest

History

Local Politics

Media

Notable people

Districts

See also

External links

Geography