Is Loyalism in Belfast disappearing? The infamous 'Village', in Belfast may be a barometer of change

We're at Tate’s Avenue, Belfast and walking around The Village. No, we’re not in NYC, I’m talking of course about the infamous 'Village' area of Belfast, once a working class loyalist stronghold in the city. I say once a working class loyalist stronghold – it is of course still working class, but is it still a loyalist stronghold? Well if the murals and lamp post signs are anything to go by, then yes. But, this part of the city is changing rapidly and perhaps some of its loyalist credentials are being eroded too.

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We look at a mural celebrating the NHS on one gable wall, while the more sinister UVF tributes feature on walls close by. Another deadly paramilitary group is championed just opposite the NHS Mural. This one in memory of a member of the Red Hand Commando, killed in 1989.And there are other murals, reflecting combat in the first world war.

This working-class area is a labyrinth of redbrick houses, typical of Belfast’s early 20th Century housing stock, and while many of these houses are still very much serving their purpose, many no longer are and there are sections of the village that are completely derelict. This in itself is one the things that points to a change in demographic in The Village. As these old properties fall vacant, some of the older, and traditional loyalist population moves away. And with that inevitably new people move in, but sometimes with a very different background.

Rounding the corner into Ebor Street, we immediately see that the street’s been totally rebuilt. Very much in keeping with the old red brick housing stock, but these are new modern houses, fit for purpose in today’s world.
In contrast, you can see the old street facing them on the other side of the road. Again, the next street is exactly the same, except that both sides of the road have been developed here. They’re attractive little houses, with all mod cons, transforming the area while at the same time preserving the architectural feel. But who lives in these houses? The answer almost certainly is a much more diverse group of people that once inhabited the Village.

The Village’s proximity to the city centre makes it ideal as a base for, say nurses at the city hospital, and so we have an influx of younger people often with a more ethnically diverse origin. These new inhabitants are increasingly replacing the traditional working class loyalist. Some might say that the murals and flags that we see here are a swan song for workingclass loyalism, that it’s days are numbered and that what remains here is a smaller group of activists making more noise than anyone else.

Just as the political opinions of voters in Belfast has dramatically moved towards Republicanism and middle ground Alliance in recent years, so the populations of these traditionally hard line loyalist areas of the city are also slowly becoming more diverse. I know it doesn’t look much like it when you see a UVF mural on the gable end of a house, but the reality is that the whole of the North of Ireland is shifting politically.

An example is that Belfast now has 22 Sinn Fein councillors in 2023, which is the largest party. For those viewing from outside Ireland and the UK, Sinn Fein is an Irish Republican party who support the ideal of a United Ireland. Since the council’s inception it was dominated by unionists until 1997 when they lost overall control. 2011 saw Irish nationalist councillors outnumber unionist councillors for the first time.

There are certainly older original residence still living in The Village, but many young people have gone, and new families (often with no connection to loyalism or Protestantism), in some cases coming from different parts of the world, have replaced them. The Turkish barbour on the busy Tates Avenue, says everything you need to know about the demographic change here.

The Village is where the Football Ground, Windsor Park, is situated. This football stadium’s connection with protestant working class roots is pretty well known. The Linfield Football club are based here as are the Northern Ireland National team, both of whom have had trouble with sectarianism over the years.

This is obviously a stigma that the club and the national team have been trying to shake off, and without doubt there’s progress being made there.

40 or 50 years ago this area would have has a flag championing loyalism on almost on every house. Those days are drawing to a close. As with most eras that are coming to an end, sometimes that’s when we see the most vigourist reaction to change. And I think the murals of The Village probably demonstrate that.

The Village I think is really interesting barometer of the change that’s happening more widely in the north of Ireland.