Finaghy
Encyclopedia
Finaghy is an electoral ward in the Balmoral
district
of Belfast City Council
, Northern Ireland
. It is based on the townland
of Ballyfinaghy . There has been a small community in the area since the 17th century, and it has been involved in the production of linen
, which was key to the Lagan Valley
area at the time.
In the 1930s, the community gradually started to grow; the local Presbyterian church was founded in 1936. In the 1950s, the city of Belfast
grew outwards. Housing estates were built in Finaghy; Benmore, Locksley and Erinvale, which caused the population at least to double. Finaghy now refers to the area along the Lisburn Road
from the King's Hall to the start of Blacks Road and between the Malone Road
and the M1 Motorway bridge at Finaghy Road North. The heart of the area is Finaghy crossroads, where the Lisburn Road intersects with Finaghy Road North and Finaghy Road South.
Finaghy is home to the first NHS purpose-built health clinic in the UK. Also of note is the fact that Finaghy has no pubs or betting shops: it was stipulated in land deeds that there was to be no public houses on the land belonging to Ballyfinaghy House, the past residence of Ralph Charley, a wealthy Belfast merchant who made a fortune from the linen industry. Behind the crossroads is the new Finaghy Campus, which houses a freshly built public library
, the non-denominational Finaghy Primary School
and community playing fields.
Finaghy is home to various Protestant congregations - Presbyterian, Methodist, Church of Ireland
, Plymouth Brethren
and Baptist
and a large Roman Catholic congregation in nearby Dunmurry
. Aside from the older Presbyterian Church, which now has a new Community Centre, there is a relatively modern Methodist Church which has a representation of Jacob's Ladder
in its skyline. The Church of Ireland church is dedicated to St. Polycarp. St. Anne's Roman Catholic Parish Church and centre is nestled opposite the top of the Blacks Road. St Anne's Roman Catholic Primary School is situated next to it. Behind St. Anne's lies Rathmore Grammar School
, a Catholic Grammar school.
Balmoral (District Electoral Area)
Balmoral is the most southern of nine district electoral areas in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The district elects six members to Belfast City Council and contains the wards of Blackstaff; Finaghy; Malone; Musgrave; Upper Malone and Windsor...
district
Electoral wards of Belfast
The electoral wards of Belfast are subdivisions of the city, used primarily for statistics and elections. Belfast has had 51 wards since May 1973, which were revised in May 1985 and again in May 1993...
of 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...
, 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 is based on 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 Ballyfinaghy . There has been a small community in the area since the 17th century, and it has been involved in the production of linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
, which was key to the Lagan Valley
Lagan Valley
Lagan Valley is an area of Northern Ireland between Belfast and Lisburn. The Lagan is a famous river that flows into Belfast Lough. For a section, the river forms part of the border between the counties of Antrim and Down....
area at the time.
In the 1930s, the community gradually started to grow; the local Presbyterian church was founded in 1936. In the 1950s, the city of 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...
grew outwards. Housing estates were built in Finaghy; Benmore, Locksley and Erinvale, which caused the population at least to double. Finaghy now refers to the area along the Lisburn Road
Lisburn Road
The Lisburn Road is a main arterial road linking Belfast and Lisburn, in Northern Ireland.The Lisburn Road is now an extension of the "Golden Mile" with many shops, boutiques, wine bars, restaurants and coffee houses. The road runs almost parallel to the Malone Road, the two being joined by many...
from the King's Hall to the start of Blacks Road and between the Malone Road
Malone Road
The Malone Road is a radial road in Belfast, Northern Ireland, leading from the university quarter southwards to the affluent suburbs of Malone and Upper Malone, each a separate electoral ward...
and the M1 Motorway bridge at Finaghy Road North. The heart of the area is Finaghy crossroads, where the Lisburn Road intersects with Finaghy Road North and Finaghy Road South.
Finaghy is home to the first NHS purpose-built health clinic in the UK. Also of note is the fact that Finaghy has no pubs or betting shops: it was stipulated in land deeds that there was to be no public houses on the land belonging to Ballyfinaghy House, the past residence of Ralph Charley, a wealthy Belfast merchant who made a fortune from the linen industry. Behind the crossroads is the new Finaghy Campus, which houses a freshly built public library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
, the non-denominational Finaghy Primary School
Finaghy Primary School
Finaghy Primary School is a non-denominational school for students aged 4–11 in the south Belfast suburb of Finaghy, Northern Ireland.FPS is a public school, was established in 1934....
and community playing fields.
Finaghy is home to various Protestant congregations - Presbyterian, Methodist, Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
and Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
and a large Roman Catholic congregation in nearby Dunmurry
Dunmurry
Dunmurry is an urban townland, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Located between Belfast and Lisburn, it was once a rural village, but is now within the Greater Belfast conurbation...
. Aside from the older Presbyterian Church, which now has a new Community Centre, there is a relatively modern Methodist Church which has a representation of Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder is a "ladder to heaven", described by biblical Jacob in the Book of GenesisJacob's Ladder may also refer to:* Ladder of Jacob, a pseudepigraphic text of the Old Testament...
in its skyline. The Church of Ireland church is dedicated to St. Polycarp. St. Anne's Roman Catholic Parish Church and centre is nestled opposite the top of the Blacks Road. St Anne's Roman Catholic Primary School is situated next to it. Behind St. Anne's lies Rathmore Grammar School
Rathmore Grammar School
Rathmore Grammar School, normally referred to simply as "Rathmore", is a Catholic grammar school in Finaghy, Belfast, Northern Ireland. The current principal is Thérese Hamilton who succeeded Sr. Ursula Canavan as principal at the beginning of academic year 2009/10.Rathmore is situated in Kingsway,...
, a Catholic Grammar school.