North Belfast in the Second World War

North Belfast centres on the areas around Ardoyne, Ballysillan, Cliftonville, and New Lodge in Belfast. Today, it remains a divided area where Peace Lines cut through streets enforcing sectarian division.

The main demographic of the area is seen as working class. Despite some upscale residential areas on the slope of Cavehill and around Belfast Castle, there is also a lot of social housing. This part of Belfast contains suffered high levels of violence during the troubles and remains divided by Peace Lines today.

During the Second World War, the area suffered heavy damage during the Luftwaffe’s Belfast Blitz. There were several aircraft crashes in the Belfast Hills including one on Cavehill, famously made into the movie ‘Closing The Ring’.

Places of Interest

The following places will be of interest to anyone wishing to explore more of the area's Second World War heritage.

Antrim Road, Belfast

Belfast

The Antrim Road remains a main thoroughfare in North Belfast. During the Second World War, the area suffered badly in the Belfast Blitz of 1941.

Carlisle Circus, Belfast

Belfast

Carlisle Circus in the Antrim Road of North Belfast suffered severe damage as Luftwaffe bombs rained down on the north of the city in April and May 1941.

Carlisle Street, Belfast

Belfast

Carlisle Street once ran from Carlisle Circus to the Old Lodge Road in North Belfast. Neither the street nor the Old Lodge Road are found on a modern map.

Canning Place, Belfast

Belfast

Canning Place runs off Canning Street, North Belfast. During the Second World War, evacuation of children took place from St. Paul's Elementary School.

Canning Street, Belfast

Belfast

Canning Street is a small residential street in the Sailortown or York Road area of North Belfast. There were many vacant properties on the street in 1943.

Cliftonville Circus, Belfast

Belfast

During the Luftwaffe raids on Belfast in 1941, an air raid shelter on Cliftonville Circus took a direct hit and many of those inside died in the blast.

Cliftonville Road, Belfast

Belfast

Buildings including churches and schools suffered damage on the Cliftonville Road, Belfast during the Luftwaffe attacks of the Belfast Blitz.

Dock Street, Belfast

Belfast

Dock Street in North Belfast lies off Pilot Street in Belfast's old Sailortown District. This area is near where the US Army first landed in January 1942.

Donegall Street, Belfast

Belfast

Donegall Street lies in the heart of Belfast's Cathedral Quarter. St. Anne's Cathedral is one of a few buildings in the area to survive the Belfast Blitz.

Duncairn Gardens, Belfast

Belfast

Duncairn Gardens in the Antrim Road area of North Belfast suffered severe damage during the heaviest bombing of the Belfast Blitz in April and May 1941.

Earl Street, Belfast

Belfast

You will not find Earl Street on a modern map of Belfast. During the Second World War, the street was the site of a fatal stabbing by an American GI.

Garmoyle Street, Belfast

Belfast

In January 1942, crowds gathered around the junction of Garmoyle Street and Whitla Street, Belfast to witness the arrival of the U.S. Army.

Hallidays Road, Belfast

Belfast

Hallidays Road off the Limestone Road in North Belfast was the scene of much destruction after the Belfast Blitz during April and May 1941.

Limestone Road, Belfast

Belfast

The Limestone Road in North Belfast runs between York Road and Antrim Road. During the Belfast Blitz of April 1941, this area of Belfast was heavily bombed.

Lincoln Avenue, Belfast

Belfast

Lincoln Avenue runs off the Antrim Road in North Belfast. The street and others neaby such as Viginage Park suffered severe damage during the Belfast Blitz.

Millfield, Belfast

Belfast

Millfield runs between Belfast's North Street and Castle Street. The heavily re-developed area today bears little resemblance to that of the wartime 1940s.

Nelson Street, Belfast

Belfast

Nelson Street runs between Great Patrick Street and Whitla Street in an area of Belfast that has undergone total redevelopment since the war.

New Lodge Road, Belfast

Belfast

Named after an old historic lodge house in the area, the New Lodge Road in North Belfast runs between North Queen Street and the Antrim Road.

North Queen Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Belfast, Co. Antrim

North Queen Street runs from Donegall Street to York Road in the north of the city. Proximity to Victora Barracks meant it suffered in the Belfast Blitz.

Oldpark Road, Belfast

Belfast

Oldpark Road in North Belfast runs through the centre of an area that suffered under Luftwaffe bombing during The Easter Raid of the Belfast Blitz in 1941.

Pilot Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Belfast, Co. Antrim

Pilot Street lies in what was once the historic Sailortown area of Belfast by the docks. Today, the area is unrecognisable due to extensive redevelopment.

Premier Drive, Belfast

Belfast

Premier Drive runs off Shore Road, North Belfast. In 1943 it was home to Robert Meekin who forged a friendship with a U.S. Army General.

Royal Avenue, Belfast

Belfast

During the Belfast Blitz of April and May 1941, buildings such as the offices of the Belfast Telegraph newspaper on Royal Avenue sustained serious damage.

Salisbury Avenue, Belfast

Belfast

Belfast Telegraph photographers captured the scenes of destruction on Salisbury Avenue, Belfast following the Luftwaffe raids in April 1941.

Shore Road, Belfast

Belfast

The Shore Road in North Belfast runs through an area of the city that sustained heavy damage and was affected by the Belfast Blitz of 1941.

Unity Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Belfast, Co. Antrim

Unity Street in North Belfast, Co. Antrim was hit in The Easter Raid of the Belfast Blitz on the night of 15th-16th April 1941 destroying Trinity Church.

Vicinage Park, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Belfast, Co. Antrim

Vicinage Park in north Belfast, Co. Antrim suffered great damage during the Belfast Blitz of April and May 1941. It was home to many Jewish families.

Walton Street, Belfast

Belfast

Before redevelopment in the 1980s, Walton Street ran off Crumlin Road in the Oldpark region of North Belfast, an area hit hard by the Blitz.

Waterloo Park, Belfast

Belfast

Waterloo Park lies off the Antrim Road in North Belfast. Much of the area suffered great damage during the Luftwaffe bombing of the 1941 Belfast Blitz.

York Park, Belfast

Belfast

York Park in North Belfast was one of many small streets in the vicity of the city's industrial and docks area that suffered during the Belfast Blitz.

York Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Belfast, Co. Antrim

Continuing on from York Street as it leaves Belfast City Centre, the York Road area was devastated by Luftwaffe bombs during the Belfast Blitz of 1941.

York Street, Belfast

Belfast

Many historic buildings on York Street, Belfast such as the International Bar and the Midland Hotel were extensively damaged in the Belfast Blitz of 1941.

References

Wikipedia