Malone Road
Encyclopedia
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. The road runs parallel to the Lisburn Road
and is linked by over a dozen side streets, while at its northern end, the Stranmillis Road rejoins the Malone Road to form University Road, which in turn joins with the Lisburn Road to become Bradbury Place. Most of the road has a BT9
postcode.
The district contains two of Belfast's best known grammar school
s. At the northern end of the road, Number 1 Malone Road is Methodist College Belfast
, while further south lies Victoria College, Belfast
. The district also hosts Queen's Elms Village, the main halls of residence for students from Queen's University Belfast, housing over 1,000 students.
Inchmarlo, a distinguished primary school associated with the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
, is also located in the area.
At the southern end of the Malone Road lies Malone House, a mansion in the late Georgian
style. The house is now maintained by Belfast City Council
and available to rent for private functions.
The residential streets leading off the Malone Road and Upper Malone Road are known for their high property prices, in particular, Malone Park
. In Northern Ireland culture, the area has become synonymous with affluence, making the general BT9 area comparable to Dublin 4
and which led to it becoming the main setting for the 2011 novel Popular
.
grounds at Bladon, Belfast Harlequins
and Methody
sports ground at Deramore Park, the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
playing fields at Osborne Park and Bladon, the Queen's University Belfast playing fields at Upper Malone, the Police Service of Northern Ireland
country club at Newforge Lane and Instonians
and Cooke
rugby clubs playing fields at Shaw's Bridge. Malone rugby club
began life in Malone before moving to the Cregagh
area of Belfast. The Malone Road is also home to St Brigid's Gaelic Athletic Club
.http://www.stbrigidsgac.com
(Common Figwort), Digitalis purpurea
(Foxglove) and Silene dioica (Red Campion) were noted in an old lane off the Malone Park. Epipactis helleborine
(Broad-leaved Hellborine) was spreading up New Forge Lane and Allium
triquetrum (Three-cornered Garlic) was recorded from Cranmore.
lived here, as well as Michael McGovern.
Malone Road is also the home of restaurateur
and chef
Paul Rankin
, hair dresser Paul Stafford and TV Celebrity Rose Neill
The Malone Road is the setting for the Popular series of novels by Northern Irish author, Gareth Russell
.
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...
, leading from the university quarter
Queen's Quarter, Belfast
Queen's Quarter is the southern-most quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland and named after Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland's largest university...
southwards to the affluent suburbs of Malone and Upper Malone, each a separate electoral ward. The road runs parallel to 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...
and is linked by over a dozen side streets, while at its northern end, the Stranmillis Road rejoins the Malone Road to form University Road, which in turn joins with the Lisburn Road to become Bradbury Place. Most of the road has a BT9
BT postal area
The BT postcode area, also known as the Belfast postcode area, covers Northern Ireland and was the last part of the United Kingdom to be coded, between 1970 and 1974.-Belfast:...
postcode.
The district contains two of Belfast's best known grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
s. At the northern end of the road, Number 1 Malone Road is Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast , styled locally as Methody, is a voluntary grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, and is a member of the Independent Schools Council...
, while further south lies Victoria College, Belfast
Victoria College, Belfast
Victoria College, Belfast is a voluntary non-denominational grammar school in Cranmore Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 2007, the college had 867 pupils aged 11 – 18 and a Preparatory Department with 175 girls, aged 3 – 11....
. The district also hosts Queen's Elms Village, the main halls of residence for students from Queen's University Belfast, housing over 1,000 students.
Inchmarlo, a distinguished primary school associated with the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Royal Belfast Academical Institution
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution, is a Grammar School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Locally referred to as Inst, the school educates boys from ages 11–18...
, is also located in the area.
At the southern end of the Malone Road lies Malone House, a mansion in the late Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style. The house is now 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...
and available to rent for private functions.
The residential streets leading off the Malone Road and Upper Malone Road are known for their high property prices, in particular, Malone Park
Malone Park
Malone Park is the largest private avenue in Ireland and the United Kingdom. It is located in Belfast in Northern Ireland, and it has 72 houses....
. In Northern Ireland culture, the area has become synonymous with affluence, making the general BT9 area comparable to Dublin 4
Dublin 4
Dublin 4 is a postal district of Dublin, Ireland including the suburbs of Sandymount, Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Ringsend and Irishtown on the South side of Dublin....
and which led to it becoming the main setting for the 2011 novel Popular
Gareth Russell (author)
Gareth Russell is a British author, best known for writing the novel Popular. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he attended Down High Grammar School from the age of eleven to eighteen. He later studied Modern History at the University of Oxford, attending St. Peter's College from 2005 to 2008...
.
Sports
Off the Malone Road are many private sports clubs, the YMCAYMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
grounds at Bladon, Belfast Harlequins
Belfast Harlequins
Belfast Harlequins is a multi-sports club located off the Malone Road in south Belfast, Northern Ireland. The club name provides the overall umbrella for rugby union, men's and ladies' hockey and squash...
and Methody
Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast , styled locally as Methody, is a voluntary grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, and is a member of the Independent Schools Council...
sports ground at Deramore Park, the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Royal Belfast Academical Institution
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution, is a Grammar School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Locally referred to as Inst, the school educates boys from ages 11–18...
playing fields at Osborne Park and Bladon, the Queen's University Belfast playing fields at Upper Malone, the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
country club at Newforge Lane and Instonians
Instonians
Instonians is the name of the umbrella organisation that incorporates rugby union, men's and ladies' hockey and cricket sections. There is also a golf society that plays under the Instonians name....
and Cooke
Cooke RFC
Cooke Rugby Football Club, and Ladies' Hockey ClubCooke Rugby Football Club, which was founded in 1910, is the oldest junior rugby club in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It owes its origins to the members of a Bible class in the Cooke Centenary Presbyterian Church in the Ballynafeigh area...
rugby clubs playing fields at Shaw's Bridge. Malone rugby club
Malone RFC
Malone RFC is a rugby union club based in Belfast, in Northern Ireland. It is currently in the Second Division of the All-Ireland League. The club is affiliated with the Ulster Branch, itself part of the Irish Rugby Football Union...
began life in Malone before moving to the Cregagh
Cregagh
Cregagh is an area southeast of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the name of a townland and has been adopted as the name of an electoral ward of the Borough of Castlereagh. The area is centred on the Cregagh Road. The Woodstock/Cregagh Road is a continuous arterial route in the...
area of Belfast. The Malone Road is also home to St Brigid's Gaelic Athletic Club
St Brigids Gac, Belfast
Saint Brigid's GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from the Malone Road area in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1998 by Dermot Dowling and Conor McSherry in the parish hall of St Brigid's Church. There was a strong need for a local GAA club to be set up as there...
.http://www.stbrigidsgac.com
Churches
There are four churches in Malone, including St Brigid's Catholic Church, Fisherwick Presbyterian Church, http://www.fisherwick.net St John's Church Malone http://malone.connor.anglican.org and McCracken Memorial Presbyterian Church.http://www.flickr.com/photos/gerryward/1717181082Flora and fauna
The wild plants, "weeds", are listed and discussed in the "Urban Flora" by Beesley and Wilde. They noted that the residents keep their gardens relatively weed-free. In the area Scrophularia nodosaScrophularia nodosa
Scrophularia nodosa is a perennial herbaceous plant found in temperate regions of the Northern hemisphere except western North America. It grows in moist and cultivated waste ground.-Growth:It grows upright, with thick, sharply square, succulent stems up to 150 cm tall from a horizontal...
(Common Figwort), Digitalis purpurea
Digitalis purpurea
Digitalis purpurea , is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae , native to most of Europe.-Description:...
(Foxglove) and Silene dioica (Red Campion) were noted in an old lane off the Malone Park. Epipactis helleborine
Epipactis helleborine
Epipactis helleborine is a European orchid that has been introduced to several regions of North America. Its nodding flowers vary from greenish pink to purple, and it prefers shaded woodland environments. More information on this species and others of the genus are at Epipactis.-External links:*...
(Broad-leaved Hellborine) was spreading up New Forge Lane and Allium
Allium
Allium is a monocot genus of flowering plants, informally referred to as the onion genus. The generic name Allium is the Latin word for garlic....
triquetrum (Three-cornered Garlic) was recorded from Cranmore.
People
The Malone Road area of Belfast has been home to many of Belfast's most famous people and founding fathers. Right from Moyses Hill who received a 61 year lease in 1606, to modern day residents such as Caroline McCord, a highly esteemed English graduate and secondary school teacher. John Eccles was the first known resident of Cranmore House. Later John Templeton (botanist)John Templeton (botanist)
John Templeton was an early Irish naturalist and botanist. He is often referred to as the "Father of Irish Botany". He was the father of naturalist, artist and entomologist Robert Templeton.-Biography:...
lived here, as well as Michael McGovern.
Malone Road is also the home of restaurateur
Restaurateur
A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of the restaurant business.-Etymology:The word...
and chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
Paul Rankin
Paul Rankin
Paul Rankin is a Scottish born, Northern Irish celebrity chef from Ballywalter, County Down, Northern Ireland. Born in Glasgow, Scotland his parents moved back to Ballywater, where he grew up. This was stated when he was the subject of an episode of a short programme named Proud Parents on Channel...
, hair dresser Paul Stafford and TV Celebrity Rose Neill
Rose Neill
-Early life:She boarded at a quaker school in York England The Mount School, York and went on to study Dispensing Optics at the City of East London College.-Broadcasting career:...
The Malone Road is the setting for the Popular series of novels by Northern Irish author, Gareth Russell
Gareth Russell (author)
Gareth Russell is a British author, best known for writing the novel Popular. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he attended Down High Grammar School from the age of eleven to eighteen. He later studied Modern History at the University of Oxford, attending St. Peter's College from 2005 to 2008...
.