Ballyhackamore Explained

Official Name:	Ballyhackamore
Irish Name:	Baile an Chacamair
Map Type:	Northern Ireland
Coordinates:	54.595°N -5.868°W
Country:	Northern Ireland
Post Town:	Belfast
Postcode Area:	BT
Postcode District:	BT4 and BT5
Dial Code:	028
Lieutenancy Northern Ireland:	County Down

Ballyhackamore ^[1] is a townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, it is a suburb of Belfast located on the Upper Newtownards Road. It is also a ward in the UK Parliamentary constituency of East Belfast.

The Sunday Times named Ballyhackamore the Brunch Capital of Belfast in a 2018 article on the Best Places to live in Britain. The neighbourhood (often called 'Ballyhack' for short^[2]) is the location of several restaurants and cafés as well as a range of local and national shops.^{[3] [4]}

Transport

Ballyhackamore is served by the Translink Glider G1 service. In addition Metro and Ulsterbus services stop here.^[5]

Places of note

• Cyprus Avenue a residential street and conservation area^[6] which lent its name to the Van Morrison song, Cyprus Avenue
• Neill's Hill railway station a former halt on the Belfast and County Down Railway line.
• Kincora Boys' Home, a home for boys that was the scene of serious organised abuse.
• Bloomfield Collegiate School, an Independent Grammar School for girls.

Notable people

• Joe Bratty, loyalist paramilitary, lived in Ballyhackamore at the time of his death
• Judith Cochrane, politician, had a constituency office in Ballyhackamore
• Ian Geddes Davidson, Irish rugby union player, born in Ballyhackamore
• Gemma Garrett, former Miss Great Britain, attended Bloomfield Collegiate^[7]
• Christine Lampard, TV broadcaster, attended Bloomfield Collegiate^[8]
• Joan Lingard, Scottish novelist, grew up and lived in Ballyhackamore until the age of 18
• Naomi Long, leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, attended Bloomfield Collegiate and lives in Ballyhackamore
• Paddy O'Flaherty, broadcaster and journalist
• Elaine Shemilt, fine art printmaker, attended Bloomfield Collegiate

In popular culture

• Ballyhackamore – "Town of the big horses”, an NVTV television programme
• Cyprus Avenue, a Van Morrison song

Notes and References

1. Web site: Place Names NI - Home. www.placenamesni.org.
2. Web site: Meredith . Fionola . How a touch of cafe culture has helped make Ballyhackamore one to watch in the upcoming election . Belfast Telegraph . 14 November 2023.
3. Web site: Five Northern Ireland Locations Named Among the Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2018 . 16 March 2018 . lovebelfast.co.uk.
4. Web site: The best place to live in the UK in 2018. theweek.co.uk.
5. Web site: Translink. www.translink.co.uk.
6. Web site: Cyprus Avenue Conservation Area | Planning Portal. 9 November 2006. www.planningni.gov.uk.
7. News: People thought Gemma Garrett looked great as Miss GB, but she was 'binge drinking, going on crash diets and so unhealthy'. Belfast Telegraph.
8. News: Smith . Ryan . Which Belfast schools did these celebrities go to? . 6 July 2018 . belfastlive . 28 March 2017.