People have settled in the Belfast area for five thousand years, but it really began to thrive in the 17th and 18th centuries with the arrival of English and Scottish merchants. The area became a major player in the linen trade. Queen Victoria granted Belfast city status in 1888, as industry thrived in the 19th century. The city’s location made it ideal for shipbuilding, and this significantly contributed to the population growth. The largest shipbuilding company of this time was Harland and Wolff, who employed 35 000 Dubliners and became most famous for building the Titanic.

Racial Tension

Racial politics began to play a part in the region with the arrival of the English and Scottish. They made up a majority of the merchants and shipbuilding magnates. There were attempts by the newcomers to displace the existing Irish Catholic population. When Northern Ireland was created in 1920, Belfast became its capital. Since that time has been the site of many conflicts between Catholic and Protestant forces. The worst of this occurred between the late 1960s and 1990s, a period referred to as “The Troubles”. Very little of this sort of activity has troubled Belfast over the past decade, though much of it remains split.

Those interested in Belfast’s History should visit Belfast City Hall, Carrickfergus Castle, Crown Liquor Saloon, Giant’s Ring, the Linen Hall Library, and St. Anne’s Cathedral.