Walking Tour

Here the first church was built in 1830 (0pening in March 1831) close to what became Chapel Lane. A new church was built in 1872 as the parish grew and developed.

Walking around the grounds, we will see a small memorial garden. Due to its geographical location, the church has been to the forefront of sectarian violence dating back to 1886.

Walking through the grounds around to the front doors, we will discuss the history regarding the 1920-1922 period of conflict and the 27th June 1970 known locally as The Battle of St Matthews, here you will see a small lead cross outside the front door commemorating Mary Mc Cabe killed in 1922.

The "Peace Wall" that separates both communities reminds us of the stark reality of the division that existed as a result of the conflict and the measures that were taken to keep these communities apart.

The main Bryson Street pre 1970, was very much "mixed" with both communities residing along side each other.

This normal and peaceful co-existence was shattered in a 24 hour period over the 12th/13th August 1971, when residents were forced to flee their homes and the street was deliberately allowed to die as a social identity, in favour of a political/military buffer zone.

Beechfield Street and Madrid Street were completely partitioned and sealed by the wall. Thankfully, the original side of Beechfield Street on the Nationalist side still remains and the former primary school building on the Unionist side is still in situ. The school was occupied by the British Army at the end of June 1970.

This estate was the centre point of 12 months of sustained violence during the period 2002/2003. Despite being in an era of relative peace it came close to derailing the peace strategy developed in the wake of the conflict.

At the corner of Clandeboye and Mountpottinger, once stood the old Picturedrome cinema. These picture houses were a hub of entertainment in older times and established in communities throughout the city.

A cinema was first built on this site and opened in March 1911.

The pillared building with a dome was designed by Liverpool architects, Campbell and Fairhurst and seated 1000 people. It was destroyed in a fire and replaced by a new cinema designed by John Mc Bride Neill in 1934.

The new Picturedrome seated 1,100 people in stalls and balcony seating and a foyer ran the full width of the cinema.

Here we are facing were once stood Mountpottinger Barracks until its demolition January 2011. This contentious building was a focal point of conflict.

Originally an RIC barrack, it was heavily fortified during the conflict and was attacked on numerous occasions by the local IRA. The British Army was based there on a permanent basis between 1970 and 1974.

Through out the years, protests were held outside the barrack in relation to raids, arrests and collusion between state forces and Loyalist paramilitaries.

The Garden rooted in the heart of the community reflects in itself the concept of Community Struggle. Images of young men killed adorn the wall spanning a century of struggle.

The diversity of conflict dates back torebellion of 1916, through the Spanish Civil War –[1936-1939] and into the recent struggle.