Belfast City Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Belfast City Cemetery is a cemetery
in west Belfast
, Northern Ireland
. It lies within the townland
of Ballymurphy, between Falls Road and Springfield Road, near Milltown Cemetery
. It is maintained by Belfast City Council
.
city at the time. The land was purchased from Thomas Sinclair. The cemetery features cast iron fountains and separate Protestant
and Catholic areas, divided by a sunken wall. Many of Belfast's wealthiest families have plots in the cemetery, particularly those involved in the linen
trade.
There has been an area set aside for Belfast's Jewish
residents since 1874. In this area is a memorial to Daniel Joseph Jaffe. Daniel Jaffe was the father of Otto Jaffe
, a Jewish linen exporter and former Lord Mayor of Belfast.
In 1916 an area was dedicated to soldiers killed in World War I
. Many of the United States Army
personnel killed in the sinking of HMS Otranto
in 1918 were buried in the graveyard. After the war their bodies were exhumed and repatriated to the United States
.
Since its opening in 1869 around 226,000 people have been buried in the cemetery. In the past it was the frequent target of vandalism, many of the British Army
soldiers' headstones were moved to Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park. Due to its historical importance, the cemetery is a popular tourist attraction in Belfast, with guided tours available.
On April 8, 2006 Denis Donaldson
was buried in the cemetery. Donaldson was a former IRA
member and Sinn Féin
politician. He was killed shortly after being named as a British spy. His burial in the City Cemetery rather than in the republican plot of Milltown Cemetery was significant, as it was seen as a final snub by the republican movement.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in west Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It lies within the townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Ballymurphy, between Falls Road and Springfield Road, near Milltown Cemetery
Milltown Cemetery
Milltown Cemetery is a large cemetery in west Belfast, Northern Ireland.It lies within the townland of Ballymurphy, between Falls Road and the M1 motorway. Milltown Cemetery opened in 1869 and there are now approximately 200,000 of Belfast's citizens buried there. Most of those buried there are...
. It is maintained by Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of , the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while also being the fourth smallest by area...
.
History
Following the Belfast Burial Ground Act (1866), the cemetery was opened on August 1, 1869 as a cross denominational burial ground for the people of Belfast, a fast growing VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
city at the time. The land was purchased from Thomas Sinclair. The cemetery features cast iron fountains and separate Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
and Catholic areas, divided by a sunken wall. Many of Belfast's wealthiest families have plots in the cemetery, particularly those involved in the linen
Irish linen
Irish linen is the brand name given to linen produced in Ireland. Linen is cloth woven from, or yarn spun from the flax fibre, which was grown in Ireland for many years before advanced agricultural methods and more suitable climate led to the concentration of quality flax cultivation in northern...
trade.
There has been an area set aside for Belfast's Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
residents since 1874. In this area is a memorial to Daniel Joseph Jaffe. Daniel Jaffe was the father of Otto Jaffe
Otto Jaffe
Sir Otto Jaffe, JP was a German-born British Jewish businessman and twice elected Lord Mayor of Belfast.-Family:...
, a Jewish linen exporter and former Lord Mayor of Belfast.
In 1916 an area was dedicated to soldiers killed in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Many of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
personnel killed in the sinking of HMS Otranto
HMS Otranto
HMS Otranto was a First World War Royal Navy armed merchant cruiser. She was originally the SS Otranto, built in 1909 by the Belfast yard of Workman Clark for the Orient Steam Navigation Company.-Passenger ship:...
in 1918 were buried in the graveyard. After the war their bodies were exhumed and repatriated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Since its opening in 1869 around 226,000 people have been buried in the cemetery. In the past it was the frequent target of vandalism, many of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
soldiers' headstones were moved to Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park. Due to its historical importance, the cemetery is a popular tourist attraction in Belfast, with guided tours available.
On April 8, 2006 Denis Donaldson
Denis Donaldson
Denis Martin Donaldson was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army and a member of Sinn Féin who was exposed in December 2005 as an informer in the employment of MI5 and the Special Branch of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Denis Martin Donaldson (Short Strand, Belfast,...
was buried in the cemetery. Donaldson was a former IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
member and Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
politician. He was killed shortly after being named as a British spy. His burial in the City Cemetery rather than in the republican plot of Milltown Cemetery was significant, as it was seen as a final snub by the republican movement.
Notable interments
- Denis DonaldsonDenis DonaldsonDenis Martin Donaldson was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army and a member of Sinn Féin who was exposed in December 2005 as an informer in the employment of MI5 and the Special Branch of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Denis Martin Donaldson (Short Strand, Belfast,...
- Former IRAProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
member and Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
politician; killed as an alleged British spy. - Edward Harland
- John HopkinsonJohn HopkinsonJohn Hopkinson, FRS, was a British physicist, electrical engineer, Fellow of the Royal Society and President of the IEE twice in 1890 and 1896. He invented the three-wire system for the distribution of electrical power, for which he was granted a patent in 1882...
- Daniel Joseph Jaffe - Built Belfast's first synagogue; father of Otto JaffeOtto JaffeSir Otto Jaffe, JP was a German-born British Jewish businessman and twice elected Lord Mayor of Belfast.-Family:...
, former Lord Mayor of Belfast. - Robert Wilson LyndRobert Wilson LyndRobert Wilson Lynd was an Irish writer, an urbane literary essayist and strong Irish nationalist.-Life and career:He was born in Belfast and educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, studying at Queen's University...
- Author. - Thomas MacknightThomas MacknightThomas MacKnight was an Anglo-Irish newspaper editor, biographer and publisher. He was the originator of the Two Nations Theory in 1896, which argues that the Ulster Protestants are a distinct Irish nation....
- Political author and biographerBiographyA biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
. - William Pirrie, 1st Viscount PirrieWilliam Pirrie, 1st Viscount PirrieWilliam James Pirrie, 1st Viscount Pirrie, KP, PC was a leading Irish shipbuilder and businessman. He was chairman of Harland and Wolff, shipbuilders, between 1895 and 1924, and also served as Lord Mayor of Belfast between 1896 and 1898...