Linen Quarter, Belfast facts for kids
The Linen Quarter (Irish: An Cheathrú Linéadaigh) is a vibrant area of Belfast city centre. The name is derived from the great many linen warehouses that are still present in the area. The Linen Quarter is host to some of the major cultural venues of Belfast, including the Ulster Hall and Grand Opera House, alongside a large number of hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes. The district also includes the main transport hub of Belfast.
The linen trade that used to dominate this part of the city has now been replaced by international consultancy firms and many technology start ups. Belfast City Council and a number of central government departments are also headquartered in the Linen Quarter, giving the area a distinct character. The vibrancy of the Linen Quarter is supported by the Linen Quarter Business Improvement District, which is a democratically elected body that also promotes the area and helps co-ordinate improvements across the district.
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Transport
The Belfast Hub area has long been at the heart of transport in the city, linking Belfast with the rest of the island. After plans for the Ulster Railway were announced in 1835, Belfast joined the railway revolution in 1839, when the first section from Belfast to Lisburn was opened for passenger traffic. A fitting railway terminus was built on Great Victoria Street and opened in 1848. The completion of the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway made Victoria Street, soon known as ‘Great Victoria Street’, the terminus for one of the most important main lines in Ireland. Over the next decades commuter traffic to from neighbouring towns to Belfast grew rapidly.
One of the main modes of urban transport was the horse-drawn tram, introduced by the Belfast Street Tramway Company From 1872. In the early 1900s, the network was electrified to make this form of transport more affordable. Buses were introduced by Belfast Corporation (Belfast City Council) in 1926, initially to supplement the tram service, but gradually replacing them. The last tram ran in 1954 and the last trolleybus in 1968.
During the 1960s much of the original terminal at Great Victoria Street was demolished to make way for the development of the Europa Hotel and a bus station. However, in 1995 a second Great Victoria Street Station opened just yards from the site of its predecessor. Following the success of this station, a new enlarged Transport Hub is planned to replace both the existing bus station and railway station.
Notable events
In 1869 Charles Dickens read ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘The Pickwick Papers’ and ‘David Copperfield’ at two separate readings at the Ulster Hall.
The Conservative Party in Ulster launched an anti-Home Rule campaign in February 1886. It joined with the Orange Order to organise a huge political rally in Ulster Hall at which Lord Randolph Churchill (father of Winston) gave a rousing speech that urged unionists to organise against Home Rule.
The BBC opened its first studio in Linenhall Street. Actor and broadcaster Tyrone Guthrie made the first broadcast here on 15 September 1924.
Led Zeppelin debuted with their song Stairway to Heaven at the Ulster Hall in 1971.
In 1978, the National Trust, purchased the Crown Liquor Saloon following a public campaign led by influential conservationists including Sir John Betjeman.
Images for kids
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Franklin Street
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The Crown Bar
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Grand Opera House
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Ulster Hall
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Broadcasting House
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St Malachy’s
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