Smithfield and Union is one of the

quarters of Belfast A quarter is one-fourth, , 25%, or 0.25. Quarter or quarters may refer to: Places * Quarter (urban subdivision), a section or area, usually of a town Placenames * Quarter, South Lanarkshire, a settlement in Scotland * Le Quartier, a settlement ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

, established by

Belfast City Council Belfast City Council () is the Local government in Northern Ireland, local authority with responsibility for part of Belfast, the largest city of Northern Ireland. The council serves an estimated population of (), the largest of any district c ...

in the 21st century. Initially designated the Smithfield Market and Library quarter, the current name was adopted in 2011. Based around the north of Belfast City Centre it extends from North Street to Frederick Street and is bounded by Royal Avenue/York Street and Carrick Hill/Millfield. It houses

Belfast Central Library Belfast Central Library is a public library in Royal Avenue, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Opened in 1888, it was one of the first major public library buildings in Ireland. A competition for the design of the building was won by architect Will ...

and two of the main daily newspapers ''

The Irish News ''The Irish News'' is a Compact (newspaper), compact daily newspaper based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's largest-selling morning newspaper and is available throughout Ireland. It is broadly Irish nationalist in its viewp ...

'' and ''

The Belfast Telegraph The ''Belfast Telegraph'' is a daily newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by Independent News & Media, which also publishes the Irish Independent, the Sunday Independent and various other newspapers and magazines in Ireland. Its ed ...

''.

Area

Smithfield and Union contains Smithfield Market, a shopping area that dates back to the nineteenth century, and Clifton Street Poor House as well as Donegall Street Congregational Church (now occupied by the Redeemer Central church) and St Patrick's Catholic Church. Smithfield and Union also houses the recently restored St Patrick's National School which was the first Catholic National School in Belfast. The art deco

Bank of Ireland Bank of Ireland Group plc () is a commercial bank operation in Ireland and one of the traditional Big Four Irish banks. Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the bank occupies a unique position in Irish banking history. At ...

is located on the junction of Royal Avenue and North Street. The Frames building (also known as The Library House) is a former warehouse and now operates as a

public house A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption Licensing laws of the United Kingdom#On-licence, on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the ...

, this building has now been listed by the Environmental and Heritage Service and is located in Little Donegall Street. The area contains entertainment venues such as the Front Page (Donegall Street) which consistently premieres many local bands, it also is home to McElhattons, one of Belfast's traditional bars. The Kremlin Complex which includes the Union Street Bar is also a major attraction in Smithfield and Union. Linen House Backpackers hostel which has accommodation for 130 guests is based in Kent Street. This is the only hostel which is actually located in Belfast City centre. Smithfield and Union contains many of Belfast's major historic sites including Clifton Street's historic cemetery which contains two of the largest famine graves in Ireland as well as being the final resting place of

Henry Joy McCracken Henry Joy McCracken (31 August 1767 – 17 July 1798) was an Irish republican executed in Belfast for his part in leading United Irishmen in the Rebellion of 1798. Convinced that the cause of representative government in Ireland could not be a ...

who was one of the main leaders of the

United Irishmen The Society of United Irishmen was a sworn association, formed in the wake of the French Revolution, to secure Representative democracy, representative government in Ireland. Despairing of constitutional reform, and in defiance both of British ...

's rebellion of 1798. William Drennan who created the description of Ireland as the "Emerald Isle" is also buried here. The

University of Ulster Ulster University (; Ulster Scots: or ), legally the University of Ulster, is a multi-campus public research university located in Northern Ireland. It is often referred to informally and unofficially as Ulster, or by the abbreviation UU. It i ...

has announced plans to relocate its main campus from

Jordanstown Jordanstown () is a townland (of 964 acres) and electoral ward in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is within the urban area of Newtownabbey and the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It is also situated in the civil parish of Car ...

to its site in Smithfield and Union as part of a £250 million plan which will relocate approximately 13,000 students in the city centre.

References

{{coord missing, County Antrim Quarters of Belfast