Ulster Hall facts for kids
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| Location | Bedford Street Belfast Northern Ireland |
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| Owner | Belfast City Council |
| Type | Concert hall |
| Capacity | 1,000 seated, or 1,850 standing |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1859 |
| Opened | 1862 |
| Renovated | 2009 |
| Website | |
| www.ulsterhall.co.uk | |
The Ulster Hall is a famous concert hall and a special historic building in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It's located on Bedford Street in Belfast City Centre. The hall is a popular place for concerts, classical music shows, craft fairs, and meetings for political groups.
Contents
History of Ulster Hall
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The Ulster Hall was built in 1859 and first opened its doors in 1862. Its main goal was to give the growing city of Belfast a large place for many different events. William J. Barre designed the hall for the Ulster Hall Company. He also designed the famous Albert Clock in Belfast.
When it opened on May 12, 1862, local newspapers were very impressed. The Belfast News Letter said it was excellent for music. The Northern Whig called it a music hall "fit for any artist."
In 1902, Belfast City Council bought the hall for £13,500. It has been a public hall ever since. During World War II, it was used as a dance hall. American soldiers stationed in Northern Ireland would go there for entertainment.
The Mulholland Grand Organ
The Ulster Hall has one of the oldest working classic English pipe organs. This organ is called the Mulholland Grand Organ. It's named after Andrew Mulholland, a former Lord Mayor of Belfast. He gave £3000 towards the organ's cost in the 1860s.
The company William Hill & Son built the organ. It was added after the hall officially opened. In the late 1970s, the organ was carefully fixed up. This restoration made it look and sound like it did when it was first built.
Joseph Carey's Belfast Paintings
In 1902, Belfast City Council asked a local artist named Joseph W. Carey to create thirteen paintings. These paintings show scenes from Belfast's history. They include parts of the city and nearby areas, mixing history with old stories.
The paintings were cleaned and repaired in 1989. They were restored again in 2009. You can see them displayed in a special gallery space within the Ulster Hall.
Famous Performances at the Hall
The Ulster Hall has hosted many different types of performers over the years. These include readings by famous writer Charles Dickens. Actors, pop stars, opera singers, and rock bands have also performed there.
- The Rolling Stones played at the hall in July 1964. Their show ended early because excited fans broke up the performance.
- Led Zeppelin first played their famous song "Stairway to Heaven" live at the Ulster Hall. This happened on March 5, 1971.
- Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher performed at the Ulster Hall many times. He even played there in 1974 during a difficult time called The Troubles.
- Australian rock band AC/DC performed at the Ulster Hall in 1979.
- Gary Moore played there in 1984. Phil Lynott joined him as a special guest. This show was filmed for a video.
- Metallica played in September 1986 with Anthrax. This was shortly before their bassist Cliff Burton sadly passed away.
- Slayer played in September 1988. They returned in 1994 to start their European tour.
- Simple Minds performed at the Ulster Hall on September 26, 1989.
- Whole Lotta Led played the entire "Led Zeppelin IV" album in 2002.
- Machine Head returned to headline the Ulster Hall in 2012. Their first show outside the USA was at the same venue in 1994.
- Muse performed an intimate concert there on March 15, 2015.
- Westlife lead singer Shane Filan performed his solo concert there in 2016.
- Mastodon performed at the Ulster Hall on January 14, 2019.
Important Political Gatherings
Since it opened, the Ulster Hall has been a place for many political meetings. People gather there to support different ideas.
- In 1886 and the early 1900s, leaders like Lord Randolph Churchill and Sir Edward Carson spoke there. They asked people to oppose "Home Rule." This was about Ireland governing itself.
- In 1986, a group called the Ulster Resistance was started at the hall. They were against the Anglo-Irish Agreement. This agreement aimed to improve relations between the UK and Ireland.
- In 1995, some loyalist groups asked for a special economy for Northern Ireland. They also wanted the leader of the Orange Institution, Rev. Martin Smyth, to step down.
- In 2002, the political party Sinn Féin held a rally there. About 2,000 people sang the Irish national anthem, "Amhrán na bhFiann."
Ulster Hall's 2009 Renovation
In 2007, a big plan began to fix up the Ulster Hall. The goal was to make the building look like it did originally. They also wanted to add modern features and make it easier for people with disabilities to access. Dawson Stelfox, an architect, led this project.
The project cost £8.5 million and included many improvements:
- The Grand Hall was refitted and redecorated. Windows that had been covered since the 1980s were opened again.
- New seats were put on the ground floor. These seats can be moved.
- The original metal balcony railings and fancy lights were remade.
- A new roof, new floors, and a stage that could be extended were added.
- New sound, heating, lighting, and air-conditioning systems were installed.
- The toilet facilities were updated.
- A new five-story part was built at the back. This part has modern dressing rooms, learning spaces, meeting rooms, and offices. The Ulster Orchestra also has its offices there.
- New ticket office facilities were created.
- Joseph Carey's paintings were restored again. A new gallery space was made to show them.
- A new display was added to tell the history of the hall.
- A smaller hall next door was changed into a space for people to move around, a bar, and a café.
Graham Building Contractors did the renovation work. It was paid for by Belfast City Council, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The hall reopened with a special event on March 6, 2009.
After the renovation, the hall can seat 1,000 people. Before, it could seat 1,850. Since reopening, the Ulster Hall has also become the rehearsal home for the Ulster Orchestra.
See also
In Spanish: Sala Ulster para niños
