THE UPMARKET SECTION
THE CENTRAL STEPS AREA OF BELFAST CITY CEMETERY [10 DECEMBER 2025]
When I arrived in Belfast on Monday, 8 December 2025, the weather was atrocious. Dangerous winds forced me to abandon my planned shoot at the Titanic Quarter, and Tuesday offered no respite. However, Wednesday morning brought a break in the clouds, prompting a snap decision to take the Glider bus to the City Cemetery.
For a variety of reasons—mostly the unpredictable forecast—I decided to travel light, packing only my Fujifilm X100VI.
In retrospect, this may have been a compromise. The scale of the project was much larger than I anticipated, and I immediately noticed how distinct the site is compared to Dublin’s Victorian giants, Glasnevin and Mount Jerome. While the Fujifilm performed admirably, I felt it struggled to capture the architectural fine details to the same degree as my Leica Q3 or the Sony A1 II paired with the 28-70mm F2 lens.
However, leaving the heavy artillery at home was likely the wiser choice. The sheer size of the Sony combination tends to attract attention, which isn't always welcome in unfamiliar urban environments. In contrast, the Fujifilm’s retro styling works in its favour; two passersby even commented on it, seemingly under the impression it was a harmless old film camera. For those planning a visit, I would advise a similar approach: prioritise discretion and portability over maximum resolution.
A Tale of Two Cities: How Belfast and Dublin Buried Their Dead
After exploring Belfast City Cemetery, I found myself comparing it to the major cemeteries in Dublin, like Mount Jerome and Glasnevin. The difference wasn't just in size or atmosphere; it was in the fundamental language of the stone.
The monuments in each city tell a radically different story about who was powerful, how they spent their money, and what they valued in life and death.
City 1: Belfast City Cemetery
The Monument of Power: The Obelisk
Belfast’s monuments speak a language of industrial stability, solidity, and eternity.
Dominant Form: The Obelisk The skyline is dominated by granite needles. This ancient Egyptian form was favoured by the city’s predominantly Presbyterian and Methodist industrialists (such as the Harland and Pirrie families). It symbolised eternity and was seen as a suitably serious, non-frivolous memorial for men who built the world's largest ships and factories.
The Material: Granite You will notice a prevalence of hard, grey granite, often imported from Scotland. This dense stone symbolises wealth and permanence, reflecting the unshakeable foundation of the Victorian industrial empires.
The Layout: Sweeping Avenues The wide, curving roads were designed specifically for vehicular processions. In Belfast, a funeral was often a display of status involving horse-drawn carriages, and the layout prioritised efficiency and the ability to view monuments from a carriage.
The Vaults: Hidden Underground Unlike Dublin, you rarely see "house-like" mausoleums here. The wealthy used subterranean vaults built into the hillsides (especially near the Central Steps), minimising the outward show of the burial chamber. This reflects the Low Church Protestant tradition, which often favoured modest gestures over flamboyant architectural statements.
City 2: Dublin's Cemeteries (Glasnevin & Mount Jerome)
The Monument of Identity: The High Cross & Vault
Dublin’s major cemeteries speak a language of resurgent identity, visible piety, and memory.
Dominant Form: The Celtic High Cross In Dublin, the Celtic Cross is ubiquitous. Especially in Glasnevin, it became a symbol of the Irish Catholic cultural revival in the late 19th century. It marks the graves of nationalist figures and the middle class, serving as a declaration of historical Irish identity.
The Material: Limestone & Marble You will see far more local limestone and white marble. These softer stones allowed for ornate carvings—scripture, Celtic knots, and figure work. The focus here is on craftsmanship, storytelling, and religious iconography rather than sheer block permanence.
The Layout: Street-like Rows The layout in Dublin cemeteries often creates distinct "streets" of mausoleums. The emphasis is on the family plot and the ability for pedestrians to walk up to and pray directly at the physical tomb.
The Vaults: Above-Ground Mausoleums Full, walk-in vaults and "raised sarcophagi" (caskets above ground) are very common. This visible display reflects a Catholic and High Anglican tradition where the burial site is often seen as a sacred place for pilgrimage and prayer, rather than just a final resting place.
Conclusion: Two Cities, Two Visions
In Belfast, the granite obelisks of the captains of industry were pointing towards a global, modern, and industrial future. They built their stones to look like their mills and ships: huge, grey, and imposing.
In Dublin, the vaults and carved crosses were rooting themselves deep in the Irish past, telling a story of national identity and piety.
Both cities created cemeteries that serve not just as places of burial, but as detailed, contrasting open-air museums of the Irish social and political landscape.
When I arrived in Belfast on Monday, 8 December 2025, the weather was atrocious. Dangerous winds forced me to abandon my planned shoot at the Titanic Quarter, and Tuesday offered no respite. However, Wednesday morning brought a break in the clouds, prompting a snap decision to take the Glider bus to the City Cemetery.
For a variety of reasons—mostly the unpredictable forecast—I decided to travel light, packing only my Fujifilm X100VI.
In retrospect, this may have been a compromise. The scale of the project was much larger than I anticipated, and I immediately noticed how distinct the site is compared to Dublin’s Victorian giants, Glasnevin and Mount Jerome. While the Fujifilm performed admirably, I felt it struggled to capture the architectural fine details to the same degree as my Leica Q3 or the Sony A1 II paired with the 28-70mm F2 lens.
However, leaving the heavy artillery at home was likely the wiser choice. The sheer size of the Sony combination tends to attract attention, which isn't always welcome in unfamiliar urban environments. In contrast, the Fujifilm’s retro styling works in its favour; two passersby even commented on it, seemingly under the impression it was a harmless old film camera. For those planning a visit, I would advise a similar approach: prioritise discretion and portability over maximum resolution.
A Tale of Two Cities: How Belfast and Dublin Buried Their Dead
After exploring Belfast City Cemetery, I found myself comparing it to the major cemeteries in Dublin, like Mount Jerome and Glasnevin. The difference wasn't just in size or atmosphere; it was in the fundamental language of the stone.
The monuments in each city tell a radically different story about who was powerful, how they spent their money, and what they valued in life and death.
City 1: Belfast City Cemetery
The Monument of Power: The Obelisk
Belfast’s monuments speak a language of industrial stability, solidity, and eternity.
Dominant Form: The Obelisk The skyline is dominated by granite needles. This ancient Egyptian form was favoured by the city’s predominantly Presbyterian and Methodist industrialists (such as the Harland and Pirrie families). It symbolised eternity and was seen as a suitably serious, non-frivolous memorial for men who built the world's largest ships and factories.
The Material: Granite You will notice a prevalence of hard, grey granite, often imported from Scotland. This dense stone symbolises wealth and permanence, reflecting the unshakeable foundation of the Victorian industrial empires.
The Layout: Sweeping Avenues The wide, curving roads were designed specifically for vehicular processions. In Belfast, a funeral was often a display of status involving horse-drawn carriages, and the layout prioritised efficiency and the ability to view monuments from a carriage.
The Vaults: Hidden Underground Unlike Dublin, you rarely see "house-like" mausoleums here. The wealthy used subterranean vaults built into the hillsides (especially near the Central Steps), minimising the outward show of the burial chamber. This reflects the Low Church Protestant tradition, which often favoured modest gestures over flamboyant architectural statements.
City 2: Dublin's Cemeteries (Glasnevin & Mount Jerome)
The Monument of Identity: The High Cross & Vault
Dublin’s major cemeteries speak a language of resurgent identity, visible piety, and memory.
Dominant Form: The Celtic High Cross In Dublin, the Celtic Cross is ubiquitous. Especially in Glasnevin, it became a symbol of the Irish Catholic cultural revival in the late 19th century. It marks the graves of nationalist figures and the middle class, serving as a declaration of historical Irish identity.
The Material: Limestone & Marble You will see far more local limestone and white marble. These softer stones allowed for ornate carvings—scripture, Celtic knots, and figure work. The focus here is on craftsmanship, storytelling, and religious iconography rather than sheer block permanence.
The Layout: Street-like Rows The layout in Dublin cemeteries often creates distinct "streets" of mausoleums. The emphasis is on the family plot and the ability for pedestrians to walk up to and pray directly at the physical tomb.
The Vaults: Above-Ground Mausoleums Full, walk-in vaults and "raised sarcophagi" (caskets above ground) are very common. This visible display reflects a Catholic and High Anglican tradition where the burial site is often seen as a sacred place for pilgrimage and prayer, rather than just a final resting place.
Conclusion: Two Cities, Two Visions
In Belfast, the granite obelisks of the captains of industry were pointing towards a global, modern, and industrial future. They built their stones to look like their mills and ships: huge, grey, and imposing.
In Dublin, the vaults and carved crosses were rooting themselves deep in the Irish past, telling a story of national identity and piety.
Both cities created cemeteries that serve not just as places of burial, but as detailed, contrasting open-air museums of the Irish social and political landscape.
THE UPMARKET SECTION