TODAY I EXPLORED McCLURE STREET AND CAMERON STREET
In May 2017, I explored an unfamiliar area of Belfast, walking along McClure Street and Cameron Street, their boundaries blurring into one another.
McClure Street, once lined with housing, was transformed into open space in the 1980s by the Department of the Environment. Belfast City Council later acquired the site for landscaping and public use.
Adjacent to Botanic train station, Cameron Street buzzes with activity, particularly attracting young professionals and students due to its proximity to Queen's University Belfast (QUB), the city hospital, and convenient transport links.
Although once distinct, McClure Street and Cameron Street now form a continuous route. This merging of streets is typical in urban planning as cities grow and evolve. The separate names likely arose from historical development, boundary changes, or renaming efforts.
At the junction of Cameron Street and Botanic Avenue, I photographed a striking red brick building. Upon returning to Dublin, I discovered it was the Belfast Empire Music Hall, a converted church and renowned live music venue that has hosted countless artists and bands over the years.
Having explored McClure and its department store (now offices) in other posts, I delved into the history of Cameron Street. During the 17th century, thousands of Lowland Scots, mainly Presbyterians, migrated to Northern Ireland, particularly during the Plantation of Ulster in 1610.
Initially, Belfast was a small village, with Carrickfergus as the main town. However, with the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and 19th centuries, Scottish migrants flocked to Belfast, establishing a predominantly Presbyterian population.
New streets in Belfast were named after Scottish spiritual heroes, men like Richard Cameron, whose faith and sacrifices ensured the survival and growth of Presbyterianism in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and globally.
Born in Falkland, Fife, Richard Cameron became a schoolteacher after university. He soon felt the call to preach and was licensed in 1678.
Cameron fearlessly preached across Scotland, gaining immense popularity despite being hunted. Known as the 'Lion of the Covenant', he was eventually caught with his friends at Ayrsmoss. Resisting arrest, Cameron and 28 others were killed in the ensuing battle. His head and hands were severed and presented to his imprisoned father in Edinburgh, who acknowledged them with the words, "I know them, I know them... Good is the will of the Lord..."
McClure Street, once lined with housing, was transformed into open space in the 1980s by the Department of the Environment. Belfast City Council later acquired the site for landscaping and public use.
Adjacent to Botanic train station, Cameron Street buzzes with activity, particularly attracting young professionals and students due to its proximity to Queen's University Belfast (QUB), the city hospital, and convenient transport links.
Although once distinct, McClure Street and Cameron Street now form a continuous route. This merging of streets is typical in urban planning as cities grow and evolve. The separate names likely arose from historical development, boundary changes, or renaming efforts.
At the junction of Cameron Street and Botanic Avenue, I photographed a striking red brick building. Upon returning to Dublin, I discovered it was the Belfast Empire Music Hall, a converted church and renowned live music venue that has hosted countless artists and bands over the years.
Having explored McClure and its department store (now offices) in other posts, I delved into the history of Cameron Street. During the 17th century, thousands of Lowland Scots, mainly Presbyterians, migrated to Northern Ireland, particularly during the Plantation of Ulster in 1610.
Initially, Belfast was a small village, with Carrickfergus as the main town. However, with the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and 19th centuries, Scottish migrants flocked to Belfast, establishing a predominantly Presbyterian population.
New streets in Belfast were named after Scottish spiritual heroes, men like Richard Cameron, whose faith and sacrifices ensured the survival and growth of Presbyterianism in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and globally.
Born in Falkland, Fife, Richard Cameron became a schoolteacher after university. He soon felt the call to preach and was licensed in 1678.
Cameron fearlessly preached across Scotland, gaining immense popularity despite being hunted. Known as the 'Lion of the Covenant', he was eventually caught with his friends at Ayrsmoss. Resisting arrest, Cameron and 28 others were killed in the ensuing battle. His head and hands were severed and presented to his imprisoned father in Edinburgh, who acknowledged them with the words, "I know them, I know them... Good is the will of the Lord..."
TODAY I EXPLORED McCLURE STREET AND CAMERON STREET