Скачать или смотреть A visit to Ballymacarrett, Belfast City in 2019

A slideshow of photos I took during my first visit to Ballymacarrett in Belfast City on Tuesday 31st December 2019.

Ballymacarrett (Irish Baile Mhic Gearóid, meaning 'MacGearóid's settlement') is a suburb of Belfast City. It is in East Belfast and the electoral ward is part of the Pottinger district electoral area of Belfast City Council.

The ward was created in 1973 with most of the population coming from the former Pottinger ward. The ward was slightly enlarged in 1985, taking in part of the Island ward.

Set in the shadows of the Harland and Wolff cranes Samson & Goliath, large numbers of local men worked in the shipyard during its heyday. The area is also well known for 'Ulster's Freedom Corner', a series of loyalist murals.

In some ways the ward has been a microcosm of the Northern Ireland troubles. The June 1970 "Battle of Saint Matthew's" occupies an important place in Irish republican history after a gun battle between republicans and loyalists, who were accused of attacking the church. Loyalists counter this with claims that three Orange Order members were killed after returning from a parade. It is seen as one of the key developments in the rise to prominence of the Provisional IRA. Similarly on the Ballymacarrett side of the peaceline, Protestant residents have claimed that Republicans are engaged in attacks on Protestant homes which amount to 'ethnic cleansing' – claims which Republicans dispute and deny.

Ballymacarrett and the nearby Newtownards Road played a key part in what became known as the 2011 Northern Ireland riots. At first, the riots were only located in the area and were known as the 2011 East Belfast riots but by July, the riots had spread to other parts of the country. During the riots, the Protestants in the area were going against Short Strand Catholics.

Ballymacarrett was the location of the Ballymacarrett Junction, a large railway junction that served the Belfast and County Down Railway from its Queens Quay terminus, to Bangor in the north, and the mainline running south to Comber, Downpatrick and Newcastle. There was also an interconnection over the river Lagan to the Great Northern Railway and on to Belfast Central railway station.

Ballymacarrett was the scene of the Ballymacarrett rail crash which occurred at 7.50am on 10 January 1945 when the 7.40am rail motor Holywood to Belfast crashed into the rear of the 7.10am Bangor to Belfast train. 22 passengers were killed, and 27 injured. The darkness and local fog were a factor but the driver of the rail motor was held to blame.

Ballymacarrett Halt railway station was located on the B&CDR route from Belfast to Bangor. It opened on 1 May 1905, but closed on 9 May 1977, when the adjacent Bridge End railway station opened.

The foundation stone for St. Patrick's Church of Ireland in Ballymacarrett was laid on 26th October 1891. It was consecrated on 11th March 1893. It replaced the older Christ Church on the same site which dated from 1827. Samuel Patrick Close designed this church. It was damaged in 1941 on two occasions during the Belfast Blitz. It was subsequently rebuilt to its original designs and reopened in 1952. Ballymacarrett is a Parish in the Diocese of Down and Dromore.

The Foundation Stone for Westbourne Presbyterian Church in Ballymacarrett was laid on 17th December 1877. It opened on 10th October 1880. R.M. Young designed this church. The round tower is 150 feet high.