In the context of the recent scenes of violence in Belfast (including in Sandy Row) I thought it might be worth looking back at some of the more notorious riots in the city’s history.

Some of the worst rioting that Belfast has ever witnessed occurred in the second half of the 1800s. Indeed, the most violent districts of Belfast in this period were the Pound area (populated by Catholics) and the Sandy Row area (populated by Protestants). And therefore, when I saw the footage recently of trouble in the Sandy Row area in connection with loyalist protests my interest was peaked and my mind was cast back to the somewhat darker episodes of the 19th century.

This is the second episode in a new mini-series dedicated to the history of the Sandy Row area in South Belfast. The series is brought to you in collaboration with Belfast South Community Resources and also with the support of the South Belfast Urban Village Initiative.

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