1. Belfast, Northern Ireland
By Rhett Quigley

2. What is Belfast?
Belfast is the largest city in Northern Ireland, and is the capital.
The city has a population of 286,000, and is the 18th largest city in the United Kingdom.

3. The Beginning of Belfast
The site of Belfast has been inhabited since the Bronze age.
Up until the 17th century, Belfast wasn’t of much importance, and was just a small settlement, although John de Coucy, an Anglo-Norman knight did have a castle built there in the 12th century.

4. The Growth of Belfast
In the 17th Century, Belfast was established as a town by Sir Arthur Chichester.
At this time, Belfast was mostly settled by Protestant English and Scots.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Belfast thrived as a commercial and industrial center, becoming the most important one in Ireland.
It was during this time that Belfast overtook Dublin as the largest city in Ireland.

5. The Troubles in Belfast
The Troubles were a civil conflict that occurred in Belfast between 1969 and 1998.
The conflicts were between the Catholics and Protestants, also referred to as Republicans and Loyalists, respectively.
The conflicts involved paramilitary groups forming on both sides, using bombings, assassinations and street violence against one another. The violence left 1600 dead, and earned Belfast the nick name, “European Capital of Terrorism”.

6. Modern Belfast
Belfast today is a center for industry primarily, as well as arts, higher education, business, and law.
Belfast is the economic backbone of Northern Ireland.
Belfast is also a tourist hub, with 5-6 million people visiting each year, and we will soon adding to that statistic.

7. Why do I want to go to Belfast?
I am excited to visit Belfast because it is known around the world as a center for the arts and culture.
I am also curious to learn about “The Troubles”, and discover what truly caused the tension in the city to turn to violence.