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More Information on Irish Townlands
The Following information is taken from a "Thorough Guide To Ireland, Part 1", published in 1898.
BELFAST - RAILWAY STATIONS
| Belfast & Co.Down | For Bangor, Donaghadee, Ballynahinch, Newcastle. By Queen's Bridge | |
| Belfast & Northern Co's | For Larne, Scotland & England via Stranraer., York Road. | |
| Gt. Northern of Ireland | For Warrenpoint, Rostrevor, England (by Greenore & Holyhead) Londonderry (by Omagh), Dublin & South and West of Ireland. On Great Victoria St., |
BELFAST - HOTELS
| Imperial | Donegall Place
Bed & Att., 4s 6d; Breakfast 3s.,Dinner 5s., | |
| Avenue | Royal Avenue
Bed & Att., 3s 6d to 5s; Breakfast 2s 6d.,Dinner 4s 6d., | |
| Royal | Donegall Place | |
| Queen's | York St., (H.Q.,) | |
| Eglington & Winton | High St., | |
| Commercial | Waring St., | |
| Linen Hall | Donegall Square | |
| Donegall | Donegall Square | |
| Union | Donegall Square | |
| Robinson's | Donegall Street
A Temperence Hotel | |
| Windsor | Donegall Place
A Temperence Hotel |
BELFAST - RESTAURANTS
| Castle | Queen's Arcade, Donegall St., | |
| Thompson's | 14 Donegall Place | |
| Victoria | 44 Royal Avenue | |
| Grand Cafe & Restaurant | Arthur Square |
BELFAST - MISCELLANEA
| Theatres | Theatre Royal: Castle Lane | |
| Post Office | (new) Royal Avenue.
Chief Branch Office: Queen's Square (close to Quay) | |
| Tel. Office | Always Open | |
| Population (1891) | 255, 896 |
BELFAST - TOUR
| Belfast, the second city in size and the first in commercial importance in Ireland, is in
respect of its main streets, buildings & suburban institutions, one of the finest in the Kingdom.
Its Population has risen 25% during the last decade, while that of Dublin has only risen 2%.
Its site is for the most part on a dead level, but a steep line of hills rising like cliffs about 2 miles away on the N.W. side is both picturesque in itself and affords a fine view North, South & East of the City, over Belfast Lough and beyond. The water from the lough enters the city by artificial channels and except at high tide the upper end of the lough is muddy waste. The shipping therefore, which is considerable, is the only attraction offered by the Quay to the tourist. The chief streets of the Town are exceptionally well lighted. Belfast is the chief seat of the linen trade in the Kingdom, and many of the manufactories are of almost palatial proportions. The most important ones cluster round the Linen Hall and Donegall Square. The largest mills, however, are the York Street Spinning, at the North end of the City and the Ulster. Flax is extensively grown in the neighbouring parts of the Province of Ulster, over 100,000 acres being under it. A large quantity is also imported from the Continent into Belfast. Next to linen manufacture, the chief industry of the Town is Ship-building. Messrs Harland & Wolff have constructed some of the finest ocean-going steamers. The most noteworthy point in the history of Belfast is the rapidity of its growth, the population having barely exceeded 12,000 a century ago. |
Items of Interest in 1898
| Albert Memorial | in Queen's Square, a 100 foot-high clock-tower
erected in 1868 | |||||||||
| Custom House | a fine Italian building fronting the Quay | |||||||||
| Town Hall | in Victoria Street, 300 yards South of the Albert Memorial | |||||||||
| Donegall Square | Centre of which occupied by the Low Quadrangular Linen Hall
(set up in 1785 as a meeting place for linen Manufacturers, but superseded by many large private houses. | |||||||||
| College Square | Home of the "Academical Institution" - 1 of the largest
public Schools in Ireland. Its appearance: rather suggestive of a workhouse. | |||||||||
Botanic Gardens
| Presbyt. College
| Queen's College | A handsome Tudor building. The College boasted c.400
medical students in 1890's.
| Methodist College | Had an average of 250 students c.1898.
| Cabe Hill | Affords an excellent panorama of Belfast, its lough
| and surrounding country. |