Andersonstown
Encyclopedia
Andersonstown is a suburb
of Belfast
, Northern Ireland
.
It is overshadowed by the Black Mountain
and Divis
Mountain and contains a mixture of public and private housing. It is largely populated by the Irish nationalist
and Roman Catholic
community. Andersonstown is also an electoral ward of Belfast
.
The area begins at the tip of the upper Falls Road, where it meets the Andersonstown Road and the Glen Road. It ends where the Shaw's Road
meets the Glen Road forming a large triangle.
The area rapidly expanded during the 1960s and 1970s as the local housing authority built hundreds of houses for people who were rehoused during the redevelopment of the lower Falls Road.
As the population of the area increased Twinbrook
and Poleglass
housing estates were built further out of Belfast.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the area was a major centre of civil disturbances during the civil conflict known as The Troubles
.
Today Andersonstown has a population of about 10,000. It remains a predominantly working-class area. There has been considerable effort to attract employment to the area and to improve the physical infrastructure. It has four Catholic churches: St Agnes', St Teresa's, St Michael's and St Matthias'.
The district is sometimes colloquially referred to as "Andytown" or A Town.
The area publishes a newspaper named Andersonstown News
which voices an Irish Republican viewpoint.
The town is also the subject of the novel Titanic Town by Mary Costello and the movie adaptaition by Anne Devlin.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
It is overshadowed by the Black Mountain
Black Mountain (Belfast)
Black Mountain is a large hill which overlooks the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland.The mountain is one of the most prominent features of the city, towering above most of west Belfast. It reaches a height of 1,275 ft and is composed of limestone...
and Divis
Divis
Divis is a large mountain and area of sprawling moorland to the north-west of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The mountain is 478 m tall, making it the highest of the Belfast Hills...
Mountain and contains a mixture of public and private housing. It is largely populated by the Irish nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
and Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
community. Andersonstown is also an electoral ward of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
The area begins at the tip of the upper Falls Road, where it meets the Andersonstown Road and the Glen Road. It ends where the Shaw's Road
Shaw's Road
, also known as both and The Irish Houses is a small Gaeltacht in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.-History:The Gaeltacht was founded in 1969 when five families from Belfast built their houses together in a new development on the street...
meets the Glen Road forming a large triangle.
The area rapidly expanded during the 1960s and 1970s as the local housing authority built hundreds of houses for people who were rehoused during the redevelopment of the lower Falls Road.
As the population of the area increased Twinbrook
Twinbrook
Twinbrook may refer to:* Twinbrook, Belfast, an electoral ward of West Belfast* Twinbrook , a Washington Metro station in Montgomery County, Maryland...
and Poleglass
Poleglass
Poleglass is the name of an electoral ward of Belfast City Council and a mainly nationalist/republican housing estate on the outskirts of West Belfast, Northern Ireland....
housing estates were built further out of Belfast.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the area was a major centre of civil disturbances during the civil conflict known as The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
.
Today Andersonstown has a population of about 10,000. It remains a predominantly working-class area. There has been considerable effort to attract employment to the area and to improve the physical infrastructure. It has four Catholic churches: St Agnes', St Teresa's, St Michael's and St Matthias'.
The district is sometimes colloquially referred to as "Andytown" or A Town.
The area publishes a newspaper named Andersonstown News
Andersonstown News
The Belfast Media Group's Andersonstown News is twice-weekly published Belfast, Northern Ireland newspaper, which focuses on news and issues, in west Belfast....
which voices an Irish Republican viewpoint.
The town is also the subject of the novel Titanic Town by Mary Costello and the movie adaptaition by Anne Devlin.
1979
- 5 April - Two British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
soldiers were shot dead by the Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) while standing outside Andersonstown joint Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster ConstabularyThe Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC) and British Army base.