Ghosts of the Shankill

23/06/2026

22/06/2026

GREATER SHANKILL ACT

Community Cultural Event, Woodvale Park, Thursday 2nd July. 5pm - 9pm

Fun for all the family!!

Fairground, Music and Cultural Activities. The Orange Order Banner Parade will walk up the Shankill Road and into the Park.

22/06/2026

Many people in Northern Ireland proudly identify as Ulster Scots, but have you ever wondered why?

The term comes from the large numbers of settlers who arrived in Ulster from Scotland during the Plantation of Ulster in the early 1600s. They brought their language, customs, traditions, and Presbyterian faith, which became a major part of the region's identity.

But the story is more complicated than many realise.

The ancestors of these Scottish settlers were themselves descendants of the ancient Gaelic-speaking Scots who had crossed from Ulster into western Scotland centuries earlier, helping establish the Kingdom of Dál Riata. In other words, there are deep historical links between Ireland and Scotland that stretch back over 1,500 years.

So when someone identifies as Ulster Scots today, what does it mean?

Is it simply a celebration of Scottish heritage and culture?

Or does it sometimes reflect a desire to emphasise a Scottish identity over an Irish one?

And does identifying as Ulster Scots mean rejecting or refusing to acknowledge any Irish heritage, or can people embrace both traditions at the same time?

History in Ulster is rarely simple. Identities have been shaped by centuries of migration, religion, politics, and family history.

What do you think?

Can someone be proudly Ulster Scots and still acknowledge Irish heritage, or are the two identities fundamentally different?

Share your thoughts below. 👇

21/06/2026

Limited spaces
Book's close this Thursday

2011/2012 x3
2013/2014 x1
2015/2016 x2

6 spaces left

AGES 9 - 15 green blue level player's only

We are a grassroots football club with our main focus is player development

TRAINING 🏟
Tuesday 8.00PM - 9.00PM
Thursday 8.00PM - 9.30PM
Norman Whiteside Sports Facility

BELFAST

2012/2013 going into the SBYL this coming season!!! 🏆⚽️

Sponsored by LPD Darts League 🎯 and Bigbs Burgerbar 🍔

Contact +44 7546 196422 or message the page 💙🤍

21/06/2026

A CAT-ASTROPHE 🐈‍⬛
In the riots of August 1872, an elderly couple called Rose and John McCormick were given half-an-hour to quit their home in Townsend Street. John was seriously ill at this time. A man from a nearby street called Hugh Lavery later went on trial for this and other riot related offences. At the preliminary hearings a witness called James Corley Savage stated that there was existing bad feeling between Lavery and the McCormick's over a cat - Lavery had apparently summoned the McCormick's son after some sticks had fallen from a float in their yard and injured his cat's leg. Savage told the hearing that the mob had also asked him for money for beer as they had been "fighting hard all morning." He obliged and suggested that Mrs McCormick should have done the same and then her house may have been left alone. Savage also said he had also been noticed to quit. The magistrate said, "But you are a Protestant, why were you noticed to quit?" Savage replied that perhaps his surname was not Protestant enough, which induced laughter in the courtroom. He also claimed that Catholic members of the Antrim Rifles joined their Protestant comrades fighting AGAINST their fellow Catholics in the rioting.
At the actual trial which took place during the Assizes in March 1873, witnesses said that although they had seen Lavery in a mob on Townsend Street, they had not seen him order Rose McCormick to quit her house. They had also managed to protect the McCormick home for a short while enabling the elderly couple to get out safely - John was placed on a float and wheeled away to safety; the couple found sanctuary in Divis Street. The cat story was raised again, to which the Judge asked: "Is this about a cat?"
The defence solicitor, Mr Kisbey, replied:
"Yes my lord. This is a cat-astrophe" which was greeted by laughter in the courtoom.
Lavery was cleared of all charges. James Corley Savage was summonsed to appear as a witness at the trial but failed to appear. He was fined £10.

17/06/2026

For many during the Hungry 1840s, free soup rations were all that kept them alive. Soup kitchens were set up all over Ireland by churches, charities and through official government schemes. Including in Belfast.
Many families relied on this soup in order to survive.
In Belfast, the first soup kitchen to help those struggling to afford and access food was started by the people themselves, specifically the Catholic butchers of Hercules Street. They started making soup using bone broth & whatever vegetables they could scrounge & giving this out to those in need several months before the charitable middle classes organised a soup kitchen committee which would eventually take over this work.

If you'd like to hear more about Belfast's response to the Great Hunger & its medical history, join me next Friday night for Famine and Fever in Friar's Bush Graveyard.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1990020658359?aff=oddtdtcreator

17/06/2026

Join us on Thursday at 18.30 here!

11/06/2026

We'll be in the Cathedral Quarter with 'Brothels, Babies & Old Belfast':Cathedral Quarter Walking Tour on the 21st of June at 11AM so join us to find out what went on in the oldest part of Belfast (spoiler alert - a lot!!)
Find out more here⬇⬇⬇
https://www.weewalksbelfast.com/brothelsbabiesandoldbelfast

11/06/2026

Please share 👌💙🤍
We are looking to build up our coaching staff/volunteers to help with the 2012/2013 SBYL mainstream Youth & 2014/15s colts / also Inclusion teams as the club continues to grow

We will help with
Coaching badges ✅️
Access NI ✅️
Club training wear ✅️

This is a great way to give back to the local community, making new friendships and
help make football for all! 😎

Message the page or contact the number below for more info ⬇️💙🤍⚽️

10/06/2026