Donegall Quay is a public park and greenspace located in Belfast on the River Lagan upstream of the Lagan Weir. [1] [2] [3] [4] It was originally developed in the early 1800s on reclaimed land and became integral to shipping in Belfast Harbour. [5] It is opposite of Queen's Quay. [6]
The Big Fish statue is located on the quay, as is the sculpture Sammy the Seal. [7] [8] Obel Tower is also adjacent to the quay. [9]
Donegall Quay was developed in the early 1800s on reclaimed land, and became an integral area for shopping in the Belfast harbour.
In the 1980's, it was an active quayside where freight, such as scrap, would be transported and deposited. Donegall Quay was also used as a port, as ships would arrive, and depart for Liverpool and Glasgow. [10]
Donegall Quay became a derelict peice of land, and would become a key part of redeveloping for the weir and cross-harbour road and railway bridges multiple-million pound project. The redevelopment included landscaping of the area, to become more tourist-friendly, and Donegall Quay Car Park was built, as well as the Laganside Bus Centre, which took the place of the old bus stations at Smithfield and Oxford Street. Railway bridges would be built in the 1990's, as well as the Lagan Weir, which bridge meets Queen's Quay from Donegall Quay. [11]
The River Lagan is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 53.5 mi (86.1 km) from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. The Lagan forms much of the border between County Antrim and County Down in the east of Ulster. It rises as a tiny, fast-moving stream near to the summit of Slieve Croob; Transmitter Road runs nearby. It runs to Belfast through Dromara, Donaghcloney and Dromore. On the lower slopes of the mountain, it combines with a branch from Legananny Mountain, just opposite Slieve Croob. The river then turns east to Magheralin into a broad plain between the plateaus of Antrim and Down.
The Belfast and County Down Railway (BCDR) was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland linking Belfast with County Down. It was built in the 19th century and absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority in 1948. All but the line between Belfast and Bangor was closed in the 1950s, although some of it has been restored near Downpatrick by a heritage line, the Downpatrick and County Down Railway.
York Road railway station served the north of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was formerly one of the three terminus railway stations in Belfast. The others were Great Victoria Street, and Queen's Quay.
The Laganside Corporation was a non-departmental public body formed by the Laganside Development Order 1989 with the goal of regenerating large sections of land in Belfast, Northern Ireland adjacent to the River Lagan. This development area was expanded in 1996 to include areas closer to the city centre.
Belfast Castle is a mansion located in Cave Hill Country Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in a prominent position 400 feet (120 m) above sea level. Its location provides unobstructed views over the City of Belfast and Belfast Lough. There have been several structures called "Belfast Castle" over the centuries, located on different sites. The current "castle" is a Victorian structure, built between 1867 and 1870 on the slopes of Cave Hill, and is Grade A listed. The main entrance into the Belfast Castle Demesne is now where Innisfayle Park meets Downview Park West, just off the Antrim Road. The original main entrance into the current demesne was formerly on the Antrim Road itself, where Strathmore Park now meets the Antrim Road.
Belfast Harbour is a major maritime hub in Belfast, Northern Ireland, handling 67% of Northern Ireland's seaborne trade and about 25% of the maritime trade of the entire island of Ireland. It is a vital gateway for raw materials, exports and consumer goods, and is also Northern Ireland's leading logistics and distribution hub.
The Lagan Weir, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, crosses the River Lagan between the Queen Elizabeth Bridge and the M3 cross-harbour bridge. Prior to the building of the weir, the river would be subject to tidal fluctuations, and low tide would expose mudflats, which were unsightly and emitted a strong odour, particularly in the summer months. Opened in 1994, the weir was seen by the Laganside Corporation as a catalyst for its redevelopment projects and was judged to be the "centrepiece" of that effort. The weir also incorporates a footbridge.
Queen's Bridge is a B+ listed Victorian stone arch bridge in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It opened to traffic in 1843 and is named after Queen Victoria.
The Obel Tower is a highrise building in Belfast, Northern Ireland, located on Donegall Quay on the River Lagan beside the Lagan Weir. Measuring 85 metres (279 ft) in height, the tower is the tallest storeyed building in Ireland, dominating the Belfast skyline. On completion it overtook the previous tallest building in Belfast and Northern Ireland, Windsor House.
Dunmurry is a suburban town and townland near Belfast, Northern Ireland. Dunmurry is in the Collin electoral ward for the local government district of Belfast City Council.
Titanic Quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is a large-scale waterfront regeneration, comprising historic maritime landmarks, film studios, education facilities, apartments, a riverside entertainment district, and the world's largest Titanic-themed attraction centred on land in Belfast Harbour, known until 1995 as Queen's Island, and initially, Dargan's Island. The 185-acre (75 ha) site, previously occupied by part of the Harland and Wolff shipyard, is named after the company's, and the city's, most famous product, RMS Titanic. Titanic Quarter is part of the Dublin-based group, Harcourt Developments, which has held the development rights since 2003.
Ormeau Road is a road in south Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. Ormeau Park is adjacent to it. It forms part of the A24.
Dargan Bridge is a railway bridge which crosses the River Lagan in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Opened in 1994, it directly connected the Newry and Bangor lines with the lines to Larne and Derry for the first time. It is named after the Irish railway engineer William Dargan and is the longest bridge on the island of Ireland.
Queen's Quay is a section of the River Lagan, in the western Titanic Quarter of the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The Blackstaff River is a watercourse in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It rises on the eastern slope of the Black Mountain before flowing down into the Bog Meadows and passing under the city of Belfast, where it enters the River Lagan. Much of its course has been culverted and built upon since the 19th century, making it largely invisible today. Its tributaries include the Forth or Clowney River, which meets it beneath the Broadway Roundabout in West Belfast.
The Lagan Canal was a 44-kilometre (27 mi) canal built to connect Belfast to Lough Neagh. The first section, which is a river navigation, was opened in 1763, and linked Belfast to Lisburn. The second section from Lisburn to Lough Neagh includes a small amount of river navigation, but was largely built as a canal. At its peak it was one of the most successful of the Irish canals, but ultimately it was unable to compete with road and rail transport, and the two sections were closed in 1954 and 1958. The central section from Sprucefield to Moira was destroyed by the construction of the M1 motorway in the 1960s. Responsibility for most of its remains passed first to the Department of Agriculture and then to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, although the section between Aghalee Bridge and Lough Neagh, including the final ten locks, passed into private ownership. There is an active campaign to re-open the canal, including reinstatement of the central section.
King's Bridge is a road bridge across the River Lagan in South Belfast, Northern Ireland. It opened in 1912 and is named after King George V. Made of reinforced concrete, it is believed to be the first road bridge of this type in Ireland.
54°36′09″N5°55′18″W / 54.6024°N 5.9216°W