Belfast, County Antrim Hotels and travel information
Belfast County Antrim Ireland
Belfast
is a city that has endured many
troubles over its history, yet the strong spirit of
the people ensures it remains a lively and vibrant
city. A ride on board the Citybus bus will soon
acquaint you with the city’s major landmarks and
there are over 50 parks and an amazing 30,000 acres of
greenery to be enjoyed. The centre has an increasing
number of shops, bars and restaurants and in
particular the newly regenerated waterfront area is
definitely worth a visit.
The
first settlers arrived in the
Belfast
around 9000 years ago, when
Ireland
was separated from
Britain
by the great thaw. Iron Age Celts
then began the Celtic history that we still see today
in the form of Celtic symbols associated with
Ireland
. Vikings later challenged the way
of life, followed by the English in 1169. Problems
arose with the Irish opposition to English rule and as
separate communities of Catholic and Protestants grew,
so did resentment. Problems escalated over the years
with several major tragedies such as the 1641 killing
of countless Protestants and the
Battle
of the
Boyne
of 1690.
Despite its problems,
Belfast
thrived under the industrialists
of the Victorian era, the result of which can still be
witnessed in the many grand buildings around the city,
including the impressive
Queens
University
, the Royal Academic Institution
and Ulster Hall. During this time the linen trade
really took off and became a major export industry,
alongside a busy shipbuilding trade. The increased
wealth and population lead to the area being
officially declared a city in 1888 and much later in
1920,
Belfast
was made the capital of
Northern Ireland
.
However, it was far from all good news, the 1920’s
and 30’s saw a huge decline in trade and whilst
Northern Ireland’s increasing isolation from the
South helped save it from the worst of the Potato
Famine, relationships gradually got worse. In 1949 the
bonds were finally broken and the
Republic
of
Ireland
was created.
Recent history has seen years of rival bombings and
killings in which
Belfast
has been heavily involved.
However, the 1997 cease-fire and the later Good Friday
Agreement have assisted
Belfast
towards a safe and secure future
and work still continues towards achieving lasting
peace.
Belfast
is once more attracting visitors
and gaining greater employment and heavy investment
for regenerating the poorer areas and transforming the
waterfront, which will hopefully ensure a bright
future for the city.
