Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Short Strand


Short Strand is a predominantly Catholic/nationalist enclave situated on the inner-city edge of east , , surrounded by Protestant/unionist districts. As of the 2011 census, the area had a of 2,366 in 1,041 households, with 81 percent identifying with the Roman Catholic community background. Characterized by its working-class demographics and political leanings, Short Strand has been a site of persistent sectarian tensions, including confrontations during era when it served as a stronghold.

Geography and Demographics

Location and Boundaries

Short Strand is situated on the east bank of the River Lagan in east , , forming a compact district within the townland of Ballymacarrett. This positioning places it as an isolated enclave amid predominantly Protestant neighborhoods in the surrounding area. Its boundaries are defined by major roads including Albertbridge Road to the south, Road to the north, and Short Strand Road to the west, with the River Lagan serving as the eastern limit. The area's small footprint, roughly 400 yards by 400 yards, results in near-complete encirclement by unionist districts such as Ballymacarrett and Cluan Place, exacerbating its geographic isolation. This configuration has historically underscored the enclave's vulnerability, as access points are limited and adjacent loyalist areas dominate the broader east landscape. To mitigate community frictions at these interfaces, peacelines and physical barriers were constructed starting in the late , with significant expansions in the , separating Short Strand from neighboring Protestant zones like those along Bryson Street and Mountpottinger Road. These structures, initially temporary measures by the authorities, delineate the enclave's perimeter and highlight the spatial tensions inherent in its geography.

Population and Composition

The Short Strand maintains a small resident population estimated at approximately 2,300 individuals across about 1,000 households. This figure reflects its status as a compact inner-city enclave, with limited population growth or fluctuation compared to the wider Belfast metropolitan area, which stood at 671,559 in 2021. The area's demographics exhibit high stability, characterized by low inflows and outflows attributable to persistent sectarian boundaries that discourage cross-community movement and integration. Religious and community background composition is overwhelmingly Catholic and nationalist, with over 90% of residents identifying as Catholic in recent postcode-level data, and Protestant presence remaining negligible—typically under 2%—consistent with its historical role as a nationalist stronghold. This homogeneity persists despite broader demographic shifts in , where the Catholic background rose to 43.5% of the in the 2021 , up from previous decades, while Protestant identification declined. Proxy indicators from surveys confirm Short Strand's nationalist orientation exceeds 95% when accounting for the enclave's bounded geography. Socioeconomic profiles indicate elevated deprivation relative to averages, with postcode data showing 50% of households in social rented accommodation, 40% of working-age adults holding no qualifications, and over 70% of households multidimensionally deprived (e.g., by , , and metrics). Age distribution skews toward working-age adults (e.g., 25-34 year-olds comprising a significant portion), alongside higher rates of long-term sickness or at around 16% of the , exceeding 's overall figures from the 2021 . These patterns align with Multiple Deprivation Measures, placing inner-east zones—including Short Strand—among the region's more deprived small areas across income, , and domains.

Historical Development

Early Settlement (18th–19th Centuries)

Short Strand developed as a narrow geographic feature—a strip of land between the River Lagan and the Connswater—within the Ballymacarrett townland on Belfast's eastern bank during the 18th century. As Belfast emerged as a linen trading port, Ballymacarrett hosted early industries, including handloom weaving communities established by the mid-1700s and the Ballymacarrett glassworks founded in 1776 by Benjamin Edwards, later operated by Smylie & Company. These activities drew initial settlements of workers' housing, with the area remaining sparsely populated, recording approximately 419 inhabitants by 1781. The 19th century brought rapid transformation, with Ballymacarrett shifting from rural village to urban township around 1825 amid Belfast's industrial expansion in linen production and dock-related trades. By 1836, 223 residents worked as laborers, reflecting an influx tied to the Lagan's proximity for milling and early shipping. Powered linen mills and nascent shipbuilding ventures, such as those predating Harland and Wolff's 1861 founding, attracted predominantly Catholic Irish laborers from rural areas seeking employment, who formed clusters in affordable riverside accommodations. Initially comprising mixed religious communities of rural migrants drawn by economic opportunity, Short Strand's patterns of habitation evolved through practical clustering near workplaces rather than doctrinal divides. Mass terraced housing construction in the 1880s and 1890s further entrenched its working-class character, accommodating workers in industries like ropeworks, , and alongside and emerging heavy engineering.

Partition and Early Conflicts (1920s)

The partitioned Ireland, creating from six northeastern counties, which was formally established on 22 June 1921 following elections to its parliament. In , sectarian tensions escalated into violence from mid-1920 onward, with riots displacing thousands, particularly Catholics from workplaces and mixed neighborhoods. Between 1920 and 1922, over 465 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded in alone, as clashes involved loyalist mobs, nationalist groups, and security forces. A pivotal event occurred on 21 1920, when loyalist workers at shipyard expelled approximately 7,500 employees, including nearly 6,000 Catholics and 1,800 Protestant socialists or trade unionists, amid fears of influence. This sparked widespread riots across , with Catholic homes burned and families driven from areas like York Street and the docks, leading to the displacement of around 11,000 Catholics overall. In east , Catholic workers en route to homes in neighborhoods including Short Strand faced assaults, and trams serving the area were attacked by crowds. Short Strand, a compact Catholic area hemmed in by unionist districts such as Ballymacarrett, consolidated as a defensive enclave during these disturbances, as residents resisted incursions and fleeing Catholics from adjacent zones sought refuge there. The violence entrenched patterns of territorial control, with nationalists holding Short Strand against loyalist pressure, while ' interventions—often favoring Protestant areas—exacerbated Catholic grievances. This early phase of conflict, blending spontaneous riots with organized expulsions, foreshadowed persistent segregation without resolving underlying divisions over .

The Troubles Period

The escalation of violence in from 1969 marked a pivotal phase for the Short Strand, as riots and cemented its role as a besieged nationalist enclave amid mutual sectarian mobilizations. In , intense rioting across , triggered by protests and counter-demonstrations, forced the of up to 60,000 residents between 1969 and 1973, with Catholic families fleeing Protestant-majority areas and converging on the Short Strand for safety. This influx, coupled with defensive actions by local residents against encroaching loyalist crowds, transformed previously mixed streets into a consolidated Catholic stronghold surrounded by unionist neighborhoods, heightening its vulnerability to cross-community incursions. Civil rights marches in the late 1960s, demanding reforms against perceived and housing discrimination, spilled tensions into east , where demonstrations met resistance from unionist groups and . These events, including clashes in nearby areas, prompted republican paramilitaries to establish a presence in the Short Strand to protect residents, while loyalist responses intensified, creating a cycle of retaliatory actions that embedded the enclave in broader dynamics. The British Army's deployment in , initially welcomed by some nationalists, soon evolved into a contested , with patrols and further isolating the area and fueling local grievances on both sides. Over the subsequent decades, the Short Strand became a recurrent site of engagements and feuds, contributing to the conflict's toll through premature bombings, shootings, and reprisals that claimed lives from republican, loyalist, and civilian communities. records detail incidents such as the 1972 premature IRA bomb explosion in Anderson Street killing eight, and loyalist attacks on local establishments resulting in civilian deaths, illustrating how tit-for-tat escalations perpetuated insecurity without resolution until the late 1990s. This pattern of reciprocal , driven by territorial and ideological commitments, underscored the enclave's entrapment in the wider , where local defenses often provoked further assaults.

Post-Troubles Era (1998–Present)

Following the of April 10, 1998, which ended large-scale paramilitary campaigns and established power-sharing governance, Short Strand experienced a marked decline in fatalities from , with no deaths recorded in the area since the agreement despite ongoing interface tensions. The demilitarized many installations around interfaces, including those near Short Strand, transferring security responsibilities to the Police Service of (PSNI), formed in 2001 to emphasize community-oriented policing aimed at building trust in nationalist areas. Community cross-interface initiatives, such as shared neighborhood projects, have sought to foster dialogue between Short Strand residents and adjacent Protestant enclaves like Cluan Place, though peace walls—erected during to curb clashes—remain largely intact, with over 20-foot-high barriers still dividing the area as of 2020. Sporadic rioting has underscored persistent divisions, notably in June 2011 when (UVF)-linked loyalists initiated attacks on Short Strand homes with bricks, fireworks, and gunfire, sparking five hours of clashes involving around 500 participants and injuring over 80 police officers. Described as the worst violence in east in a decade, the unrest followed heated exchanges over parading routes and interface access, with masked attackers targeting Catholic properties along the Newtownards Road boundary; PSNI officers faced petrol bombs, bottles, and attempted murder via gunfire, highlighting challenges in fully transitioning to normalized policing. Brexit, implemented via the UK's withdrawal from the on January 31, 2020, strained sectarian relations in interface areas like Short Strand by amplifying disputes over , borders, and identity, with loyalist discontent over the fueling protests that occasionally spilled into violence. Parades and displays have remained flashpoints, as seen in January 2013 when loyalist demonstrations routed near Short Strand interfaces led to clashes injuring 29 PSNI officers amid broader Union protests. Community policing efforts by the PSNI have contributed to containing such incidents without fatalities, though underlying grievances—exacerbated by post-Brexit trade frictions—continue to test cross-community stability as of 2025.

Sectarian Violence

Loyalist Attacks and Incursions

The Short Strand, a small Catholic enclave in east surrounded by unionist neighborhoods, experienced repeated loyalist paramilitary incursions during , primarily from the (UVF) and (UDA), involving gunfire, explosive devices, and attempts to breach interface barriers. These attacks exploited the area's geographic , with loyalists launching assaults to intimidate residents and assert territorial control, as documented in contemporaneous news reports and security force logs. Empirical data from the period indicate loyalist groups were responsible for dozens of bombings and shootings targeting the neighborhood, contributing to a pattern of sustained aggression that inflicted casualties and damage on civilian homes. A pivotal early incursion occurred on 27 June 1970, when approximately 400-500 UVF members and supporters advanced into the Short Strand from adjacent Protestant areas, firing indiscriminately and attempting to overrun St Matthew's Church grounds, resulting in three deaths—including two volunteers and one civilian—and at least 24 injuries among defenders and residents. Police records and eyewitness accounts confirmed the loyalist initiation of , which involved sustained gunfire and lasted several hours before being repelled. This event, often termed the , highlighted the vulnerability of the enclave and set a for future loyalist tactics, with noting over 1,000 rounds exchanged. In the 1970s, loyalist pipe-bomb campaigns intensified pressure on Short Strand homes, with the UDA and UVF deploying low-explosive devices in over 100 documented attacks across east nationalist areas, including multiple incidents in the enclave that caused structural damage, fires, and minor injuries without fatalities in most cases. These operations, detailed in police and army incident reports, aimed to displace residents through fear rather than mass casualties, aligning with broader loyalist strategies against isolated Catholic communities. attacks complemented bombings, with several homes torched in coordinated raids, exacerbating displacement—over 20 families reportedly affected in Short Strand alone during peak years. Loyalist violence persisted post-ceasefire, as seen in the June 2011 riots, where UVF-linked groups initiated attacks on Short Strand homes and St Matthew's Church over three nights (20-22 June), hurling petrol bombs, bricks, and gunfire that injured at least five residents and a , alongside damage to multiple . Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statements attributed the unrest's origins to loyalist aggression at the interface, with over 500 rioters involved and baton rounds fired in response; footage and inquiries confirmed incursions breaching peace walls, underscoring ongoing influence despite peace agreements. No deaths occurred, but the events displaced families temporarily and prompted official reviews of interface security failures.

Republican Paramilitary Activities

The () formed a local unit in Short Strand as part of its Brigade's 3rd following the June 1970 , where republicans repelled a loyalist assault on the enclave. While republican accounts emphasize defensive imperatives due to the area's encirclement by Protestant neighborhoods, the unit supported the IRA's broader shift to offensive operations targeting British security forces and infrastructure across . This included participation in bombings and shootings that extended beyond immediate territorial protection, as evidenced by the unit's integration into battalion-level planning for citywide attacks. A key indicator of offensive preparations occurred on 29 May 1972, when an bomb—intended for deployment against targets outside the area—detonated prematurely in a house on Anderson Street in Short Strand, killing four volunteers (Patrick McKee, Francis Rowntree, Peter Brennan, and Michael Kane) and four local Catholic civilians (John Hyndman, James McKeown, Eva Martin, and Gerald McKeown). The explosion underscored the hazards of bomb-making activities in residential zones, which independent conflict chronologies attribute to preparations for indiscriminate attacks rather than purely local defense. subsequently documented arms caches and bomb components in East Belfast units, including Short Strand, through raids that revealed stockpiles of , explosives, and improvised devices used in operations causing civilian casualties among loyalists and others in Belfast bombings. Later IRA actions from the area included a bomb detonation in Short Strand targeting a joint British Army-RUC patrol, injuring one and one , demonstrating continued offensive capabilities against state forces even as the unit maintained a defensive posture against loyalist threats. These tactics drew criticism for endangering non-combatants, with the incident exemplifying how IRA operations in confined enclaves like Short Strand risked local lives, contributing to over 100 civilian deaths from premature or misdirected republican s during the conflict. Post-1998, successor dissident groups such as the Real IRA maintained low-level activities in Short Strand, including arms storage and occasional attacks on security installations, though on a reduced scale compared to the Provisional era.

Key Incidents and Battles

The occurred on the night of 27–28 June 1970, when groups of loyalist rioters made incursions into the Short Strand enclave, prompting a prolonged gun battle with (IRA) gunmen positioned around St Matthew's Catholic Church and nearby homes. The , in its first major armed engagement as the Provisional faction, fired over 750 shots according to estimates, repelling the attackers after hours of exchanges involving rifles, shotguns, and petrol bombs. Four loyalists were killed and at least 20 wounded by IRA fire, while two IRA members sustained injuries; the confrontation exemplified escalation from rioting—sparked by broader unrest following an march—to lethal paramilitary involvement, with units nearby failing to prevent loyalist advances or neutralize the threat promptly, thereby exposing security vacuums in interface areas. The 2002 Short Strand clashes, spanning late May to July but intensifying around 7–9 June, involved recurrent sectarian attacks across the interfaces, with loyalist crowds hurling missiles and gunfire toward the enclave, met by retaliatory shots from republican paramilitaries including the Provisional IRA. Over 300 plastic bullets were fired by in response to rioting that damaged homes and on both sides, injuring dozens but resulting in no fatalities; forensic analysis confirmed automatic weapons use by republicans, while loyalist gunfire was also documented. Triggered by disputes over proximity of Protestant parades to Catholic areas, the violence highlighted mutual provocations—initial stone-throwing escalating to sustained barrages—compounded by policing shortcomings, as units were accused by residents of inadequate containment, allowing attacks to persist and fostering community barricades for self-defense. These events underscored patterns of interface fragility, where localized tensions amplified into armed standoffs absent robust neutral intervention.

Community and Governance

Local Institutions and Representation

maintains dominant representation for Short Strand within City Council's Titanic District Electoral Area, reflecting the area's nationalist demographic. In the 2023 local elections, Pádraig Donnelly, a lifelong Short Strand resident and teacher, secured the seat with 1,284 first-preference votes, regaining a position lost in 2019. This outcome underscores 's consistent electoral strength in the enclave, where it has held council seats since at least 2011, including through representatives like , who served in the preceding Pottinger DEA and focused on local community advocacy. Such control enables targeted governance on issues like housing and cultural preservation, fostering a degree of localized autonomy amid broader council dynamics. Community institutions complement formal council representation by serving as hubs for identity maintenance and service delivery. The Short Strand Community Forum operates a comprehensive "" model, providing facilities and support for residents across life stages, including programs and . Similarly, the Doyle Youth Centre has functioned as a key venue for since at least the early , offering structured activities that reinforce social cohesion in the nationalist enclave. Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) clubs, such as St Malachy's, draw players from Short Strand and promote Irish cultural sports, acting as informal nodes for development and tradition-keeping despite the area's surrounded unionist context. This layered structure—combining Sinn Féin-led council advocacy with resident-run forums and clubs—enhances in policy priorities like language promotion and community safety, though integration into City Council's wider framework can limit resource influence given the council's cross-community composition. Local representatives have historically prioritized enclave-specific needs, such as infrastructure , to counter perceived marginalization in city-wide allocations.

Social and Economic Conditions

The Short Strand, a small nationalist enclave in east , experiences elevated socioeconomic deprivation compared to averages, with surrounding small areas (SOAs) in inner east Belfast ranking within the top 10% most deprived on the Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure (NIMDM) 2017 across domains including income, employment, health, and education. This deprivation is exacerbated by geographic , as the area's interfaces—physical barriers separating it from adjacent unionist neighborhoods—restrict mobility, deter external investment, and perpetuate concentrated by limiting cross-community economic interactions. Unemployment in inner east , encompassing Short Strand, stands at approximately 8%, significantly above the rate of 1.5–2% as of 2025, with economic inactivity due to long-term sickness or affecting 6% of working-age residents. rates mirror this, with 's most deprived zones—including interface communities like Short Strand—reporting child poverty levels exceeding 20% in recent constituency data, compared to the regional 18% relative poverty figure. These conditions correlate causally with sectarian , which embeds economic : interface residents face reduced job access beyond their enclave, higher business risks from sporadic violence, and reliance on localized, low-wage opportunities. Community resilience manifests in self-help mechanisms, such as the local on Mountpottinger Road, which provides affordable loans and savings to residents, bypassing mainstream banking exclusion and promoting financial autonomy amid enclave constraints. High volunteering rates—77 hours per resident annually in Short Strand—further underscore internal cohesion, channeling efforts into mutual support rather than external dependency. However, post-1998 state interventions, including targeted funding for interface regeneration, have yielded limited enduring impact, as deprivation metrics remain stagnant or worsened in some metrics relative to 25 years prior, critiquing overemphasis on provision that sustains dependency without dismantling interface barriers to enterprise. Physical and perceptual continues to impede scalable economic activity, prioritizing over despite billions in allocations.

Cultural Representations

In Film and Television

The Short Strand has been depicted in several documentaries chronicling life during , often emphasizing its status as a Catholic enclave amid . A 1975 documentary captured residents' perspectives on daily survival and in the area, portraying the neighborhood as a tight-knit nationalist stronghold navigating presence and loyalist threats. Similarly, Super 8 Stories: The Short Strand (archived footage from the ) highlights pre-Troubles community bonds through personal recollections of terraced street life, contrasting later conflict narratives. Post-1998 media coverage, such as the 2002 Siege of Short Strand, compiled from amateur home videos, focuses on specific clashes like republican defenses during loyalist incursions, framing the area as under repeated siege while incorporating resident footage of gun battles and barricades. BBC's Spotlight program in 2011 examined riots at the Short Strand interface, attributing violence to orchestrated loyalist paramilitary involvement from the UVF, with reports of petrol bombs, gunfire, and police injuries, but critiques note such broadcasts often prioritize loyalist aggression over the enclave's history of IRA operational bases and retaliatory actions. Fictional representations remain sparse, with no major series or films centering the Short Strand directly; broader Troubles-era dramas like those evoking Belfast enclave dynamics (analogous to Derry Girls' lighter take on Northern Irish youth amid conflict) tend to generalize interface tensions without specifying the area, potentially softening portrayals of mutual hostilities into victimhood narratives that underemphasize republican agency in sustaining the contested terrain. Documentaries like Don't Look Down (post-Troubles) shift to youth empowerment, following Short Strand teens in a U.S.-style boot camp to address lingering social challenges, offering a redemptive lens on community recovery rather than ongoing sectarianism. These portrayals collectively risk selective emphasis on external threats, as mainstream outlets like BBC have faced accusations of institutional bias favoring narratives of nationalist victimhood, sidelining evidence of bidirectional violence and paramilitary entrenchment within the enclave.

Notable Figures and Legacy

Jim Gibney, a resident of Short Strand born in the area, emerged as a key republican figure during , joining the to oppose presence on the streets following their deployment in 1969. He served prison time for his activities and later became a prominent commentator, authoring works like Short Strand: Unbowed-unbroken in 1978 that framed the enclave's resistance against loyalist and state forces as a matter of communal survival. Gibney's writings and highlight claims of heroism in defending the small Catholic pocket amid repeated incursions, though his involvement included participation in an armed campaign responsible for civilian casualties elsewhere in . Several volunteers from Short Strand died in operations or accidents, often commemorated by sources as martyrs preserving the enclave's identity. On February 11, 1972, four—Gerard Steele (27), Gerard Bell (20), Joseph Magee (21), and Robert Dorrian (29)—were killed in a premature while transporting explosives near Ballygowan , contributing to at least ten such deaths from the area since June 1970, including eight in 1972 mishaps. These incidents underscore the high risks and internal costs of efforts, with accidental blasts revealing operational hazards rather than external alone. Post-Troubles, issues persisted, as seen in the 2005 outside a Short Strand bar, where assailants linked to IRA associates evaded full despite international pressure, and the 2015 killing of former IRA member Kevin McGuigan, interpreted by authorities as retaliation tied to the earlier feud. These cases illustrate lingering influence, challenging narratives of heroic defense by exposing intra-community violence and obstruction of policing. The legacy of Short Strand endures as a poignant emblem of Northern Ireland's unresolved and sectarian entrenchment, where a compact Catholic nationalist area—spanning roughly 1,000 residents—remains encircled by larger Protestant neighborhoods, fostering a that outlasted the 1998 . Peace walls, such as the one separating Short Strand from Cluan Place, persist as of , dividing residential streets and symbolizing incomplete reconciliation, with cross-community mixing minimal despite initiatives. Demographically stable at near-total Catholic occupancy, the enclave's —bolstered by historical defenses like the 2002 clashes—perpetuates , with viewpoints portraying it as essential for cultural preservation amid perceived threats, while unionist and neutral analysts contend it reinforces division by discouraging integration and enabling residual paramilitarism. This duality reflects broader causal realities: geographic encirclement and past violence sustain identity-based clustering, yet also hinder economic and social normalization, as evidenced by ongoing low inter-community trust in East Belfast.

References

  1. [1]
    [PDF] Inner East Outer West - Belfast Interface Project
    Short Strand is a predominantly Catholic/nationalist enclave community situated on the inner-city edge of predominantly Protestant/unionist East Belfast.
  2. [2]
    Belfast: The Short Strand - Magill
    The Short Strand, four hundred yards by four hundred yards of belliigerent Republicanism and poverty, surrounded on three sides by loyalist districts and on ...Missing: definition demographics
  3. [3]
    [PDF] the case of the Short Strand and Sion Mills Research Paper No.2
    2011 Census, the Short Strand area had a population of 2,366 in 1041 households, and is predominantly of Roman Catholic community background (81 per cent) ...
  4. [4]
    An Trá Ghearr — The Short Strand
    The Short Strand (An Trá Ghearr) is a compact, working‑class district on the east bank of the River Lagan. It is a predominantly Irish nationalist and Catholic ...
  5. [5]
    Short Strand: An enclave stranded in a sea of loyalist hatred
    Jun 23, 2011 · In 1970 the church grounds were the scene of a major gun battle, with IRA members and invading loyalists exchanging gunfire, an event that ...Missing: key | Show results with:key
  6. [6]
    Inner East Belfast
    ... Short Strand within the Ballymacarrett and The Mount electoral wards. Interfaces at Bryson Street/Newtownards Road and Mountpottinger Road/Albertbridge Road ...
  7. [7]
    Life for residents living at Northern Ireland's peace walls - BBC News
    Oct 7, 2013 · Peace walls were first erected in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s as a temporary measure to minimise violence between nationalist and ...
  8. [8]
    Map — Cluster 12: Short Strand-Inner East - Belfast Interface Project
    See the Interactive Interfaces Map to display a map of interfaces by cluster, owner and barrier type.Missing: boundaries | Show results with:boundaries<|separator|>
  9. [9]
    Northern Ireland still divided by peace walls 20 years after conflict
    Jan 13, 2020 · In the '70s, the British government began to build separation barriers known as “peace walls” around Northern Ireland to separate Catholic and ...
  10. [10]
    Census 2021 | Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
    The population of Northern Ireland on census day, 21 March 2021, was 1,903,175. While the number of households in Northern Ireland was 768,810.Census 2021 results · Census 2021 background · Census 2021 news
  11. [11]
    Area Information for Short Strand, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT5 4BH
    View information about Short Strand, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT54BH postcode, including population, age, housing, relationships, broadband, religion and ...
  12. [12]
    Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017 (NIMDM2017)
    Aug 8, 2025 · NIMDM2017 is the official measure of deprivation in Northern Ireland, ranking 890 areas based on 7 domains, replacing NIMDM 2010.
  13. [13]
    The pitiful plight of the 19th Century Ballymacarrett handloom weavers
    Jan 5, 2022 · The community of handloom weavers was settled at Ballymacarrett from at least the mid-18th century; then a sparsely populated settlement, in 1781 having 419 ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
  14. [14]
    Ballymacarrett Glass - Belfast's Forgotten Glassworks
    Apr 28, 2023 · Ballymacarrett glassworks, started in 1776, produced various glassware. The first glassworks was established by Benjamin Edwards, and Smylie & ...Missing: settlement | Show results with:settlement
  15. [15]
    Ballymacarrett - Wikipedia
    19th century​​ From around 1825, Ballymacarrett transformed rapidly from a rural village into a town. In 1836, 223 people in Ballymacarrett worked as labourers, ...
  16. [16]
    [PDF] Reflected Lives - Belfast Interface Project
    Mass construction of workers' terraced housing in the 1880s and 1890s shaped the identity of the Inner East as a mostly working class district. St Matthew's.
  17. [17]
    Belfast Riots – A Short History - The Irish Story
    Jan 9, 2013 · Serious disturbances also occurred in 1857, 1864 and 1872. In the 18th century Belfast was a liberal Presbyterian city. ... Short Strand in east ...
  18. [18]
    A brief history of the partition of Ireland - HistoryExtra
    May 18, 2022 · The epicentre of the violence was Belfast where, in July 1921, there were gun battles in the city between the IRA and pro-partition loyalist ...
  19. [19]
    21st July 1920: The Start of the “Belfast Pogrom” - The Irish Story
    Jul 20, 2020 · Loyalists forcibly expelled 7,500 workers from the Belfast shipyards, including nearly 6,000 Catholics and 1,800 Protestant left wing activists.
  20. [20]
    The Belfast Shipyard Expulsions and Their Aftermath, 21st July 1920…
    Jul 18, 2020 · Trams were similarly attacked at Short Strand. Catholic workers walking to homes in east Belfast were attacked. A full scale Loyalist led ...Missing: laborers | Show results with:laborers
  21. [21]
    [PDF] The Belfast & Lisburn Expulsions, 1920
    On the first day of the expulsions rumours spread that several Catholic workers had been drowned; crowds gathered in the Markets and other Catholic areas and.Missing: laborers | Show results with:laborers<|control11|><|separator|>
  22. [22]
    The Social Geography of Violence During the Belfast Troubles, 1920 ...
    Between 1920 and 1922, the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland was the location of intense violence between Catholic nationalists and Protestant unionists arising ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  23. [23]
    Displacement - The Linen Hall, Belfast
    It is estimated that up to 60,000 people were displaced between 1969 and 1973 in Belfast alone. Many houses were burnt, and displaced people had to seek refuge ...
  24. [24]
    [PDF] “NO LONGER NEIGHBOURS”
    27 Boyd p201. The displacement in 1969 was not limited to Belfast with 150 Catholic families forced out in Dungannon,28 35 Catholic families beside the city ...
  25. [25]
    [PDF] Morality, Time, and Death in a Divided Belfast Community
    While mixed streets of Catholics and Protestants existed until 1969, the Catholic Short ... I was thus introduced to Catholic residents in the Short Strand ...<|separator|>
  26. [26]
    From civil rights to 'the Troubles' 14 – the aftermath of August 1969
    Mar 2, 2020 · 'E' district covered East Belfast which included the small Catholic enclave of Short ... riots would be set up and one would be commissioned to ...
  27. [27]
    The 1968 Civil Rights Movement - PBS
    And then in East Belfast you have a small Catholic enclave called Short Strand where Catholics really did feel that they were under siege.Missing: tensions | Show results with:tensions
  28. [28]
    Escalation: 'Their War Got Out of Hand and Ours Got Out of Hand Too'
    This chapter analyses how the civil rights campaign of the late 1960s gave way to escalating violence in the early 1970s as pragmatic local arrangements ...
  29. [29]
    Deployment of Troops: O Dochartaigh, Niall (1997) 'The British Army'
    Mar 9, 2025 · ... 1969 riots and gradually more cases from August 1969. There was a perception among Catholics that the courts were quick to convict simply on ...
  30. [30]
    CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1972 - Ulster University
    Eight people were killed when an Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb prematurely exploded outside a house in Anderson Street, Short Strand, Belfast. Four of ...
  31. [31]
    CAIN: Issues - Violence in Northern Ireland - Paramilitary Feuds
    Mar 9, 2025 · Loyalist paramilitaries killed six Catholic civilians in a gun and bomb attack on the Strand Bar, in the Short Strand area of Belfast. Paul ...
  32. [32]
    CAIN: Issues - List of those killed as a result of paramilitary feuds
    Mar 9, 2025 · Shot outside Sean Martin's Gaelic Athletic Association Club, Beechfield Street, Short Strand, Belfast. Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) ...
  33. [33]
    Moving Past the Troubles: The Future of Northern Ireland Peace
    The Good Friday Agreement has dampened sectarian conflict and brought stability to Northern Ireland, but the peace deal has been challenged by Brexit-related ...
  34. [34]
    Belfast violence flares again as police attacked - BBC News
    Jun 21, 2011 · Earlier on Tuesday a senior police officer described shots aimed at officers during rioting in east Belfast on Monday night as "attempted murder ...
  35. [35]
    Bloody sectarian riot erupts in Northern Ireland - NBC News
    Jun 22, 2011 · About 500 people were involved in the street riots, which began when masked members of the UVF attacked homes with bricks, fireworks and smoke ...
  36. [36]
    UVF blamed after rioting in Belfast - Irish Examiner
    Jun 21, 2011 · UVF blamed after rioting in Belfast. A major riot that saw ... Short Strand area that ignited a five-hour riot. Homes were damaged ...
  37. [37]
    Northern Ireland's Marching Season Begins in a Fraught Year for ...
    Jul 13, 2021 · The loyalist marching season kicks off in Northern Ireland at a time of growing tensions, driven by discontent over Brexit, that is also causing divisions.Missing: Short | Show results with:Short
  38. [38]
    Union flag protests: Twenty-nine officers hurt in Belfast - BBC News
    Jan 12, 2013 · The latest unrest began around 14:30 GMT, when loyalists and nationalists clashed at a sectarian interface at Short Strand, east of the city.<|control11|><|separator|>
  39. [39]
    Neighbourhood Policing Case Studies | PSNI
    Neighbourhood policing involves police working with the community and partners to create solutions. The Hallmarks of Neighbourhood Policing define this ...
  40. [40]
    Belfast's Short Strand: stranded in a sea of loyalist hatred
    Jun 23, 2011 · In 1970 the church grounds were the scene of a major gun battle, with IRA members and invading loyalists exchanging gunfire, an event that ...<|separator|>
  41. [41]
    Battle of St. Matthew's 50th Anniversary - Paper Trail
    Jun 27, 2020 · The 27/28th June is the 50th anniversary of the battle around the parish church in Short Strand. 3 men were shot dead and over two dozen injured.
  42. [42]
    Issue: Violence - Chronology of 'pipe-bomb' attacks - Ulster University
    Mar 9, 2025 · No one is injured. A pipe-bomb was made safe after it was discovered at a house in the Catholic Short Strand area of east Belfast. Several ...Missing: 1970s | Show results with:1970s
  43. [43]
    [PDF] COLLUSION-REPORT-1990-1994.pdf - Relatives for Justice
    Several of those identified on the files have been victims of recent loyalist violence. Irish News 4 August 1994. Over 20 people in the Short Strand and Markets ...
  44. [44]
    East Belfast interface: a familiar pattern continues - BBC News
    Jun 21, 2011 · Violence at the Lower Newtownards Road interface is a recurring theme in the history of sectarian trouble in Northern Ireland.
  45. [45]
    PSNI investigate if wounded photographer was 'target' - BBC News
    Jun 22, 2011 · Officers fired a number of plastic baton rounds at rioters. On Tuesday, a senior police officer described shots aimed at officers during rioting ...Missing: casualties | Show results with:casualties
  46. [46]
    The truth about Belfast's riots | Northern Irish politics - The Guardian
    Jun 27, 2011 · ... riot shooting blamed on dissident republicans. 22 Jun 2011. Belfast riots: a setback for area barely reshaped by peace process. 22 Jun 2011 ...
  47. [47]
    IRA - the people's army | An Phoblacht
    Jul 28, 2005 · Short Strand fell within the jurisdiction of the IRA's Third Battalion, Belfast Brigade. ... The Provisional IRA has the dedication and the ...
  48. [48]
    6 Killed by Bomb in Belfast Include 3 I.R.A. Members
    May 29, 1972 · Six people were killed early today in a big bomb explosion in Short Strand, a Roman Catholic section of Belfast.
  49. [49]
    CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1997 - Ulster University
    The Irish Republican Army (IRA) carried out a bomb attack in the Short Strand area of east Belfast and injured a British soldier and a Royal Ulster Constabulary ...
  50. [50]
    CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1970 - Ulster University
    Major Gun Battle in Belfast ... During the evening groups of Loyalist rioters began to make incursions into the Catholic Short Strand enclave of east Belfast.
  51. [51]
    THE BATTLE FOR ST MATTHEW'S, JUNE 1970 - Village Magazine
    Jun 20, 2020 · This chapter is a short history of the building of St Matthew's in the nineteenth century and the early history of the parish. It is omitted ...
  52. [52]
    [PDF] Interface Violence in East Belfast during 2002
    The predominantly Nationalist Short Strand is surrounded by peace lines and security gates, and located between the predominantly Protestant. Newtownards Road ...
  53. [53]
    TITANIC DEA: Sinn Féin win back seat lost in 2019 in the East
    May 22, 2023 · SINN Féin have won back a seat on Belfast City Council in the Titanic DEA of East Belfast, having lost the seat back in 2019.
  54. [54]
    Cllr Pádraig Donnelly - Sinn Féin
    Pádraig Donnelly is a lifelong resident of Short Strand in East Belfast. He works as a primary school teacher in Downpatrick, and has also supported ...
  55. [55]
    NIALL Ó DONNGHAILE | SINN FÉIN COUNCILLOR ... - An Phoblacht
    Jun 16, 2011 · As a native of east Belfast and from Short Strand, Niall speaks of the pride he had when he secured the first Sinn Féin seat in the area in ...
  56. [56]
    Short Strand Community Forum
    Short Strand Community Forums main objective is to operate a 'cradle to grave' approach of providing services and facilities to local residents.Missing: structures | Show results with:structures
  57. [57]
    Doyle Youth Centre in Short Strand has given me unbelievable ...
    Jun 19, 2025 · I've been attending Doyle Youth Centre from when I was around eight-years old and my experience there has been amazing.Missing: centers | Show results with:centers
  58. [58]
    GAA in Belfast - Reddit
    Mar 5, 2025 · St Malachy's operate out of the Market/Lower Ormeau/Short Strand. East Belfast have been mentioned and while they're making huge strides ...Has there ever been any GAA club of any sort who has went extinct?What are the largest towns without a GAA club? - RedditMore results from www.reddit.comMissing: centers | Show results with:centers
  59. [59]
    Talking in the East (part 4) // Niall Ó Donnghaile // Sinn Féin
    Mar 5, 2010 · I asked how Short Strand sat in greater East Belfast. (Niall) You're right in saying that Short Strand is a nationalist and republican ...Missing: institutions | Show results with:institutions
  60. [60]
    Belfast East - The Executive Office
    areas within the top 10 per cent of most deprived Super Output Areas on the Multiple Deprivation Measure 2010 ... Short Strand Community Centre · Best of the East ...
  61. [61]
    Regeneration and segregation in Belfast: rethinking the economics ...
    Aug 10, 2018 · In north Belfast, the social economy has developed facilities and services that are replacing interfaces; it has created new, reasonably-paid ...
  62. [62]
    Highest recorded rates of employment in Northern Ireland in a decade
    May 28, 2025 · In 2014, the Northern Ireland unemployment rate was 6.4%. Now in 2024, the Northern Ireland unemployment rate has decreased to 1.8%.Missing: Short Strand
  63. [63]
    More than 20% of children living in poverty in all but one council ...
    Jun 2, 2025 · More than 20% of children are living in poverty in 16 out of the 18 NI constituencies, and 10 out of the 11 local council areas. This will mean ...
  64. [64]
    Poverty in Northern Ireland - agendaNi
    May 26, 2025 · In 2023/24, approximately 335,000 people (18 per cent of the total population of Northern Ireland) were in relative income poverty. Relative ...Missing: Short Strand
  65. [65]
    Neighbourhood change, deprivation and unemployment in Belfast
    It is widely recognised that neighbourhood deprivation has major consequences for the life chances of individuals. This recognition has resulted in major ...
  66. [66]
    [PDF] the case of Short Strand and Sion Mills - Sheffield Hallam University
    2011 Census, the Short Strand area had a population of 2,366 in 1041 households, and is predominantly of Roman Catholic community background (81 per cent) ...
  67. [67]
    Good Friday Agreement: Most deprived areas still waiting on peace ...
    May 15, 2023 · Some of Northern Ireland's most deprived areas are facing levels of poverty worse than 25 years ago, teachers and community activists have ...Missing: rates | Show results with:rates
  68. [68]
    [PDF] Reconciliation and deprivation: twin challenges for Northern Ireland
    May 25, 2023 · Different approaches to community development and reconciliation are advocated by voices in this report, but we found two recurring themes.
  69. [69]
    NI's most deprived areas still waiting on 'peace dividend' 25 years later
    May 15, 2023 · Some of Northern Ireland's most deprived areas are facing levels of poverty worse than 25 years ago, teachers and community activists have warned.
  70. [70]
    Short Strand Old Documentary Belfast 1975 | The Troubles PART 1
    Mar 6, 2022 · ... history for future generations. We do NOT glorify war by anyone ... And all people of northern ireland and all communities can start ...Missing: key facts
  71. [71]
    Super 8 Stories: The Short Strand - View media - Digital Film Archive
    Description. The strong sense of community felt in the terraced streets of Belfast's Short Strand area in the 1960s is recalled by residents Maureen Bell and ...
  72. [72]
    Watching documentaries about the Troubles - Chris Beausang
    Nov 21, 2020 · The Siege of Short Strand (2002) is one put together from edits of home footage filming events as they took place in one of the most ...
  73. [73]
    Loyalist UVF Attack Catholic Short Strand - 2011 - YouTube
    Aug 2, 2023 · Patreon, Join here now: https://www.patreon.com/ATroubledLand UVF Attack Short Strand - 2011 - Spotlight Troubles Documentary ...
  74. [74]
    Spotlight, East Belfast Riots - BBC One
    East Belfast Riots ... Spotlight reports on the violence which engulfed an East Belfast interface - the worst rioting there in many years - and investigates why ...Missing: Short Strand
  75. [75]
    10 great films about the Troubles | BFI
    Oct 2, 2014 · Troubles films of the late 60s and 70s tended to be documentaries, such as A Place Called Ardoyne (1973), in which members of a working-class ...
  76. [76]
    Don't Look Down - DoubleBand Films
    Documentary charting the story of thirteen young people from the Markets, Short Strand and Lower Ormeau areas of Belfast, embarking on an intense, American ...
  77. [77]
    Interviews - Jim Gibney | The Ira & Sinn Fein | FRONTLINE - PBS
    In that there were riots in different parts of Belfast. You were aware [of] those. The Short Strand, itself, began to become involved in a minor way in that ...
  78. [78]
    Short Strand: Unbowed-unbroken - Jim Gibney - Google Books
    Bibliographic information ; Title, Short Strand: Unbowed-unbroken ; Author, Jim Gibney ; Published, 1978 ; Length, 20 pages.
  79. [79]
    Will The Real Jim Gibney Please Stand Up? - The Broken Elbow
    Jan 3, 2018 · The Jim Gibney who gained prominence as an Irish News columnist is also from the Short Strand, was in the IRA and served jail time for the cause.
  80. [80]
    New book recalls Short Strand's sacrifice - Belfast Media
    Apr 13, 2022 · Author Sean O'Coinn said the book is an attempt to encapsulate the struggle of a community that bore the worst of loyalist and state violence. " ...
  81. [81]
    Robert McCartney murder: Padraic Wilson remanded in custody - BBC
    Nov 2, 2012 · A leading republican has been remanded in custody after being charged with offences in relation to the murder of Robert McCartney in 2005.
  82. [82]
    Short Strand - Wikipedia
    The Short Strand (Irish: an Trá Ghearr) is a working class, inner city area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a mainly Catholic and Irish nationalist enclave.
  83. [83]
    Short Strand, Catholic enclave SURVIVING over a century in the ...
    Nov 9, 2023 · ... history. The more recent troubles in this area, that have caused ... Northern Ireland - a legacy of division | FT Film. Financial Times ...Missing: key | Show results with:key
  84. [84]
    Why Northern Ireland's 'Peace Walls' Show No Signs Of Following ...
    Nov 3, 2014 · Politicians from both sides of the Atlantic and the sectarian divide have talked up a narrative of peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.<|separator|>