East Belfast Life Autumn 2016

East BelfastLife l Autumn 2016

BelfastLife EAST

An Ulster Tatler Group Publication

an ulster tatler GROUP publication

all the latest EAST belfast social events covered inside Why i Love - Cecilia Daly, Alan Jennings, David Wilson, Mark McKeown, James McCullough, Stephen Patton & Jan Carson tell us why they love East Belfast Social Round Up - Ulster Rugby Family Open Day Dining in the east - Essential guide to Eating Out in East Belfast

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Contents

An Ulster Tatler GROUP Publication

BelfastLife EAST

an uLSteR tatLeR gRoup pubLication

Autumn 2016 | £2.00 where soLd

FEATURES

Welcome...

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Why I Love East Belfast - Cecilia Daly

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Why I Love East Belfast - Alan Jennings

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Why I Miss East Belfast - Lucy Caldwell

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Belfast and the Great War - Jane Hardy Book Review

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Why I Love East Belfast - Mark McKeown

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Why I Love East Belfast - James McCullough

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Why I Love East Belfast - Stephen Patton

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Why I Love East Belfast - Jan Carson

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Why I Love East Belfast - David Wilson

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Ann McVeigh, co-owner of ArtisAnn - Profile.

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Street Smart

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East Side Visitor Centre

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East Belfast - Through Time

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East Belfast Community Watch

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Eating Out; East of the City

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Olivers Restaurant Review

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Ballyhackamore Market back after Summer Break

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Grosvenor Grammar School’s South African Tour

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East Belfast Motoring - New Mazda 3 Review

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Street Smart

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A Sweet Farewell

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Having a Ball, Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club

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An Evening of Poetry

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ALL the LAtest south beLfAst sociAL events covered inside

Welcome to the Autumn/Winter 2016 issue of East Belfast Life!

In this issue we meet a selection of people who either live or work in the area, and they explain to us what they love so much about east Belfast.

SPOTLIGHT

Why i Love - Cecilia Daly, Alan Jennings, David Wilson, Mark McKeown, James McCullough, Stephen Patton & Jan Carson tell us why they love East Belfast SociaL Round up - Ulster Rugby Family Fun Day dining in the eaSt - Essential guide to Eating Out in East Belfast

The city has a rich history and in this issue we look at the new book ‘Belfast Through Time’ by Aidan Campbell, which explores how the city, including the east, has changed over the years.

Community is at the heart of east Belfast and in this issue we present ‘Community Watch’, a section of the magazine dedicated to new developments and positive news from the area.

SOCIAL

Belfast has become a magnet for foodies and so we explore some of the best places to dine in when visiting east Belfast. With something to tickle all tastebuds, our eating out guide will really get your mouth watering!

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A Beautiful Experience

We hope you enjoy our latest issue, and if you know of a story or event in the area you think should be covered, please fell free to get in touch.

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Having a Laugh, Tim McGarry from Give My Head Peace

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Whalley Fine Art Grand Opening

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Looking Back - Aidan Campbell

Happy reading!

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Charity Fundraiser - Shorts Recreation Club

OUR COVER Soaks Bathrooms, 5-7 Apollo Road, Belfast BT12 6HP Tel: 028 9068 1121 www.soaksbathrooms.com

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Orangefield OB Football Club 50th Anniversary

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School Days Remembered - Bloomfield Collegiate

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Ulster Rugby Family Fun Day

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Ulster Fotballer of the Year

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ArtisAnn Gallery Opening

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Oliver’s Preview Opening Night

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Remembering Ruby

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Lagan College 35th Anniversary

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Eating with Style at Framewerk

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What’s Happening in the East

CONTACT EAST Belfast Life ISSN 39 Boucher Road, Belfast BT12 6UT T: 028 9066 3311 F: 028 9038 1915 E: southbelfastlife@ulstertatler.com Ulster Tatler Group accepts no responsibility for loss, damage or the return of unsolicited material.

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East Belfast : PeoPLe in ProfiLe

BBC weather presenter, Cecilia Daly tell us….

“WHY I LOVE...

EAST BELFAST” WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH TO DATE?

HOW DO YOU SPEND A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK?

If I said I used to lie awake at night dreaming about becoming a meteorologist, I’d be lying. It’s more likely I was dreaming about the drummer from A-ha. However, I was always keen on science and maths at school. This was because there was less learning to do when it came to exams, and you also got marks for your working out - even if the answer wasn’t always right. A-levels completed, I moved to Reading where I did my meteorology qualifications. After this I became a fullyfledged weather forecaster working for the Met Office.

I worked in different parts of England before settling in London where I was lucky enough to be involved with BBC Radio 5 Live in its early years. This is where my love of live broadcasting began. Radio was and always will be my first love but when I moved back to Belfast I got the opportunity to work on BBC Newsline for BBC Northern Ireland.

I have now been working at the BBC for nearly 10 years and love the variety of my job: live TV and radio, but also writing online features.

However, I don’t love some of my shift start times. A shift on Good Morning Ulster begins at 4.45am!

The early shift is primarily for Good Morning Ulster, which is on air between 6.30-9am. I also do the weather for BBC Newsline’s breakfast bulletins on TV and have several inserts into both programmes, so it’s a busy shift and that’s after waking up at 4am. A lot of black coffee is usually required.

Hidden gem: Cecilia loves to take her dog Pedro for walks in Orangefield Park.

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East Belfast Life

I have a conference call with colleagues in London to get my briefing and then I create my graphics for television and monitor what we call ‘the weather story’. I try to provide weather information that suits the audience as they tune in at different times of the day – farmers, commuters, parents and so on. Good Morning Ulster comes off air at 9am and then the whole team goes for breakfast somewhere – this is definitely my favourite part of the shift.

The dayshift starts at a more civilised time, 11am and finishes much later in the day. This shift is geared more towards BBC Newsline: the lunchtime bulletin, our flagship 6.30pm programme and the late news at 10.35pm. Radio bulletins are also updated and I join Kerry McLean or

East Belfast : People in Profile

Although a blow-in herself, Cecilia’s partner attended Campbell College.

Gerry Kelly on the afternoon programme on BBC Radio Ulster. Most of the TV weather broadcasts are live – I put together my own weather graphics so it’s almost a little mini production within the main news programme. This is when viewers’ photographs help bring the weather to life and we have some very talented photographers out there.

Live TV can be challenging as breaking stories and interviews can’t always run to schedule, so I might be told I need to lose or add time to the weather with just a few minutes’ notice. I don’t use autocue so last-minute edits all need to be done in my head. But sure you need a challenge as it keeps things interesting

HOW DO YOU RELAX IN YOUR SPARE TIME? I go to a gym in east Belfast three or four times a week and take part in a number of different classes, usually a mix of strength and

Cecilia loves to meet her friends at some of the many cafes on Belmont Road.

conditioning. I also use weights in the gym and do circuits and yoga.

I like to run so I’m very lucky to have the Comber Greenway right on my doorstep. I’m often joined on the greenway by our dog Pedro. He’s a one-year-old black Labrador who needs a lot of exercise, so it’s great east Belfast and the surrounding area offers lots of places in which we can do this: Belmont Park, Redburn Country Park, Orangefield Park and the beach at Seapark are our favourites.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT LIVING IN EAST BELFAST? Technically, I am a blow-in and am often reminded of this by my partner who went to Campbell College. I went to school in south Belfast, but my mum was born and bred in Dundonald so that’s how I claim being at least part-eastie. I really love living in Ballyhackamore, it’s not just upand-coming it’s arrived, so move over Lisburn Road, I say.

Everything is on your doorstep, whether it’s the fab restaurants and cafés, choice of walks, the small supermarkets, my hairdresser or the gym. I am far enough out of town to be away from the madness. I can walk from the BBC to my home in under an hour and do so regularly after an early shift. I just throw on my trainers, put my headphones in and it’s the perfect way to wind down.

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO GET OUT & ABOUT IN EAST BELFAST? I have quite a few friends who live nearby and will often meet up in one of the cafés in Ballyhackamore, on the Belmont Road or near Stormont. I also frequently run with my friend Emma along the Comber Greenway. My partner and I love the fact that we can walk to one of the local pubs or restaurants on the Upper Newtownards Road for some ‘us’ time.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HIDDEN GEM IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? Orangefield Park has undergone a major restoration and there are more changes on the way. It’s a great spot for dog walking, running and cycling. Our dog Pedro loves it there and if you’re lucky you get to see the resident heron!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT/CAFE IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? That’s a tricky question as there are now so many to choose from.

Ballyhackamore really deserves its nickname ‘Ballysnackamore’.

East Belfast Life 03

East Belfast : Social

A Sweet Farewell Golfer Darren Clarke was given a sweet farewell by a host of beauty queens ahead of the Ryder Cup. European Ryder Cup Captain Clarke and his wife Alison Clarke enjoyed a cup of coffee at the ACA Modelling Agency Coffee Morning before flying off to the competition in America. They came together with Miss Northern Ireland Emma Carswell and former beauty queens to raise funds for Northern Ireland Hospice. The beauty queens were also joined by ‘Summer’ the therapy horse.

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Coffee morning at ACA Modelling Agency.

Leanne McDowell, Emma Carswell and Alison Clarke with Summer.

Summer the therapy horse has a sip of tea.

Claire Trainor, Julia McKenna and Joanna Pawson.

Samantha Hayes, Darren Clarke and Alison Clarke with Summer.

Emma Carswell with the NI Hospice therapy pony.

Leanne McDowell, Lucy Stewart and Angela Mountstephen.

Darren Clarke, Joleen Stewart, Lucy Stewart and Alison Clarke.

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Best for our Community

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To find out more about our Community Fund please visit www.belfastcityairport.com

East Belfast : Social

Having a Ball Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club recently held its annual Regatta and Ball – one of the premier events in the Northern Irish social calendar. After an action packed day’s racing on the water, the Ball was attended by 350 people, both members of the Club and their guests. The Regatta and Ball was generously sponsored by Aston Martin Belfast and Bentley Cars. Once again, a fantastic night was enjoyed by all.

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Barbara Gray, Jo Chada, Louise Meharg, Kiana Brown, Sue McIlduff, Shelley Cleere and Fiona Sinclair.

Carol Cassidy, Carol Buchanan and Stephanie Metcalfe.

Aaron Metcalfe, Kevin Cassidy and Ian Buchanan.

Philip Edwards, John Kelly and Alan Dunlop.

Johnny and Emma Robinson.

Felicity McNeice and Sophie Hanna.

Sue Morrow and Dr Jim Morrow, Leah Hamill, Pamela Ballantine, Alan Graham and Diane Lyness.

Claire Clark and Sonya Clarke.

East Belfast : Social

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Emily, Rory, Hamish and Janice Graham.

Sharon Campbell, Jean and Alan McCrum, Jackie Stewart and Lauraine Carson.

Keith and Juliette Alexander, Mark and Heather Reid, Louise and Michael Meharg, Kerry Sweeney, Ronan and Joanna McNally, Urchie and Edward Bill.

Mike Stewart, Neil McIvor and Desmond Wilson.

Julie Gomes, Nicola Stinson, Debbie Park and Julia Maskery.

Kate Cody, Sophie Brewster and Rona Young.

Suzie Logan, Wilma Smyth, Jo Gillespie, Alison Wallace and Suzie Rogan.

Wendy Redpath, Karen Hughes, Colleen Dawson, Ellie Hunter, Jocelyn Wise, Ingrid Goldstone and Vicky Caddy.

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East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : Social

An Evening of Poetry An array of east Belfast poets gathered at Canteen, Belmont Road, for a live showcase reading; featuring places, memories and stories from the locality. Guests enjoyed an evening of powerful words, dazzling verse and stimulating insight from a great range of established names and exciting new voices. The event, which was part of the EastSide Arts Festival, featured the literary talent of; Mario Abatiello, Tory Campbell, Ray Givans, Kathleen McCracken, Elizabeth McGeown, Lara Sunday and Dave Wilson.

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Natalie Smyth, John McGuckin and Geraldine O’Kane.

Sofia Leach, Lara Sunday and Matthew Rice.

Gaynor Kane, Matt McIvor, Shauna Mageean and Heather Chesney.

Kiri McLaughlin and Dave Wilson.

Rachel and Wilma Kenny.

Barbara Zedler and Anna Gale.

Thomas Elliott and Gaynor Kane.

Poetry evening at Canteen.

East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : Social

A Beautiful Experience St Patrick’s Church at Ballymacarrett recently hosted a concert by Anúna. The groundbreaking Irish ensemble played at St Patrick’s as part of the EastSide Arts Festival.

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01. Dr Patrick Harriott with Rachael and Evvie Bishop.

02. Lucy, Danny, Moya and Orla Kearney.

03. Pauline Magowan, Heather Donaldson and Hilary Trueick.

04. Aislinn Lonergan, James Murphy, Eimear Patterson and Sarah McFadden.

05. Patricia Stewart, Tom Edgar and Roberta Bailie.

06. Jolene Moran and Susan Brew.

07. Sharon Thompson, Claire and Peter Jarrett and Noel Thompson.

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East Belfast Life

East Belfast : Social

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08. Joan Gilpin and Linda Hopley.

09. Margaret Boston and Sonya Whitefield.

10. Jemma Ashe and Trisha Ashe.

11. Gillian and Padraig O’Neill.

12. Paul Malone and Orla McGrady.

13. Anúna at St. Patrick’s Church.

14. William and Trudy Gault.

15. Hilary Neill and Jenny Adair.

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East Belfast Life 11

East Belfast : SPOTLIGHT

Ann McVeigh, co-owner of ArtisAnn.

JEWEL IN THE CROWN

ArtisAnn is a new contemporary art gallery in East Belfast, a welcome addition to an area that is already bursting with vivacity and talent.

The new gallery, spread over two floors, features examples of work from some of Northern Ireland’s most respected award-winning artists, such as Brian Ballard, John Breakey, James MacKeever, Colin McGookin, Peter Richards and Jennifer Trouton, as well as presenting exciting new talent such as Catherine Davison, Trina Hobson, Terry McAllister and Charlie Scott. The Exhibition area on the first floor showcases different artists each month. Co-owner, Ann McVeigh, explains the ethos behind the gallery: ‘We love the arts and want to do our bit to promote it. This is why we hosted the ‘Emerging Artist’ show in September. It gave some recent graduates such as Ciaran Harper and Rachel Lawell a chance to display their talents. However, we also want to make sure that established favourites are not forgotten, so we have Brian Ballard presenting some of his smaller works, dating from 1984 – 2016, in October, while in November Fiona Lowe will be exhibiting her unusual ‘portraits’ as part of the C.S. Lewis festival.

We have an exciting programme lined up, so I would advise people to join our mailing list to be kept informed of what’s coming next.’

ArtisAnn was officially opened on the 30th June by Denise Ferran, President of the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts (RUA). As well as catering for both homes and businesses, with a wide variety of artwork from painting to photography, ceramics to bronzes, it offers a free delivery service and, for a small fee, can arrange for your artwork to be hung by professional staff with experience in hanging work in commercial and public galleries.

The proprietors, Ann McVeigh and Ken Bartley, have been collectors, curators and exhibitors for over twenty years so are well placed to offer friendly, knowledgeable advice - should it be needed! Ken would like to invite people to pop in anytime for a browse. ‘There’s no hard sell in our gallery – the artwork sells itself!

And we pride ourselves on our friendly, professional service.’

That’s ArtisAnn – another jewel in the crown of East Belfast.

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East Belfast Life

ArtisAnn Gallery 70 Bloomfield Avenue, Belfast, BT5 5AE Web: www.artisann.org Email: mail@artisann.org Opening Hours: Wednesday – Friday: 11.00am – 6;00pm Saturday: Noon – 5.00pm

Artists exhibited include Painters:

Keith Ayton Brian Ballard RUA ​John Breakey RUA Marie-Thérèse Davis Catherine Davison Colin McGookin RUA James McKeever ARUA Noel Murphy Gary Shaw ​Stephen Shaw Jennifer Trouton RUA Raymond Watson

Pencil and Charcoal Artist:

Terry McAllister Sculptors:

Ursula Burke Patrick Colhoun James McKeever ARUA Alan Milligan Raymond Watson

Photography and Mixed Media Artists:

Ann and Ken Bartley Rosie Fisher Diarmuid Kennedy Tracey Moberly Peter Richards ARUA More artists and artworks being added regularly​ ​ ​We hope you will find an artwork that you can take home and love.

ARTISANN GALLERY 70 Bloomfield Avenue, Belfast BT5 5AE Phone: ​079 053 395 69 Email: mail@artisann.org Web: www.artisann.org Opening Times: Wednesday - Friday: 11.00am to 6.00pm Saturday: Midday to 5.00pm

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East Belfast : FASHION

StreetSmart...

Keith Moore.

Where are your favourite fashion stores to shop in?

River Island, Primark, Topman and H&M. Where did you get your outfit from today?

My jeans are from Topman, my shirt is from River Island and my shoes are from Cool R.

Ruth Gorman, Sports Correspondant.

Who is your style icon?

Blake Lively.

What is your favourite fashion store to shop in?

Zara What is your must have summer fashion accessory?

A good pair of shoes that show off bright toe nails

Do you have any fashion pet peeves?

The lack of plus sizing in the fashion world.

How would you describe your sense of style?

Alternative and DIY.

Anita Ross, Business Woman .

Who is your style icon?

Victoria Beckham.

Where did you get your outfit from?

My Sister’s Closet.

What is your must have summer fashion accessory?

A good pair of sunglasses.

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East Belfast Life

East Belfast Life hits Belmont Road and Ballyhackamore to check out what’s hot in the style stakes

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East Belfast : PEOPLE IN PROFILE

Alan Jennings, Head of Methodist College Belfast Preparatory Department tells us...

“WHY I LOVE...

EAST BELFAST”

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH TO DATE?

After completing a Degree in Combined Sciences at the University of Ulster I undertook the post-graduate certificate in education course at Stranmillis College. I began my teaching career in Strand Primary School (now Victoria Park Primary School) in 1986. Following a number of years in Derriaghy Primary School, CCEA Lambeg and Newtownbreda Primary Schools, I was appointed as Head of the Preparatory Department of Methodist College including both Downey and Fullerton House Schools in 2007.

HOW DO YOU SPEND A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK? There isn’t a typical day! My time is split equally between the Downey House and Fullerton House. Downey is located off Ardenlee Avenue and Fullerton is located adjacent to the Lisburn Road on the Methody campus. I have timetabled duties and responsibilities e.g. assemblies, staff meetings and parents consultations in both schools but life if a primary school is rarely predictable and busy is the order of the day!

HOW DO YOU RELAX IN YOUR SPARE TIME? I am very involved in my church, Orangefield Presbyterian and assist in a number of groups and activities. I am also a member of East Down Yacht Club and enjoy sailing for leisure as well as competing in club races. I find the open sea, scenery and closeness to nature very therapeutic.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT LIVING IN EAST BELFAST? My wife and I moved to the Old Holywood Road in 1994 and greatly enjoy where we live. It is close to the countryside and towns of north down and Ards but it is also very convenient to the centre of Belfast and beyond via the Sydenham by-pass. Local shops and amenities have developed enormously over the last twenty years. The shopping and eating areas of Strandtown and Ballyhackamore are excellent.

Road) and The Streat (Ballyhackamore). Café Smart (Belmont Road) is a favourite for coffee and lunch. The choice in Strandtown and Ballyhackamore for evening meals is fantastic. Our favourites over recent years are Graze (graduation celebration meal), Neil’s Hill provide a wonderful Sunday lunch where the carvery is a favourite choice for the whole family and Bennett’s at the bottom of the Belmont Road. Our ‘overseas’ taste buds have been well satisfied at Il Pirata, Greens Pizza, Rajput Indian and both the Mandarin City and Good Fortune Chinese restaurants. Even carry out meals are well provided – in recent times we have enjoyed meals from the Belmont Bethany and The Welcome in Strandtown and The Orient and Planet Spice in Ballyhackamore.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HIDDEN GEM IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? That’s a difficult question! Café Smart isn’t really hidden although it is a gem. They provide a brought and attractive interior, good service, excellent and tasty food and have also branched out into delightful evening meals which we have enjoyed with friends. Not so much hidden but very much a gem!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT / CAFE IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? That is a difficult question as we have enjoyed so many meals in different restaurants in Strandtown and Ballyhackamore over the past years. Favourite for me also depends on the occasion and with that in mind I’m going to recommend two restaurants. We celebrated my son’s graduation in Graze and enjoyed a lovely family time together.

Graze is very popular and booking is definitely required. The second restaurant is Neil’s Hill where we celebrated an eightieth birthday some time ago. It’s a favourite with our family at home and visiting family from overseas.

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO GET OUT & ABOUT/ SOCIALISE IN EAST BELFAST? These days there are restaurants and eateries for all meals and occasions. I‘ve met with friends for breakfast in Number 36 (Belmont

Alan is heavily involved at Orangefield Presbyterian Church.

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East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : SPOTLIGHT

Alistair Beckett from Hall Black Douglas, Eoin McGrath from Hastings, Tanya McCartan and Eddie Murnin from GEDA.

visitors welcome EastSide Visitor Centre, a brand new tourism facility located in the heart of east Belfast delivered by Landmark East*, a not-for-profit company owned by EastSide Partnership, is now open to visitors.

The new centre will not only be an exciting addition to the EastSide, helping to signpost and connect visitors to key attractions and the famous faces and places of east Belfast, but will increase visitor numbers to the area and provide a boost to the local economy.

Ideally located on the Newtownards Road, EastSide Visitor Centre is adjacent to both Connswater Community and Comber Greenways. Visitors to EastSide Visitor Centre will access information on the city’s attractions from interactive digital screens, interpretative panels and a wall map revealing EastSide’s

Maurice Kinkead CE of EastSide Partnership, Gavin Robinson MP and Chris Armstrong Tourism Manager of EastSide Partnership.

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East Belfast Life

Johanna Leech and Mimi Turtle.

East Belfast : SPOTLIGHT

Catherine McCooey from Titanic Foundation Ltd, Sammy Douglas MLA, Maeve Curran from Titanic Foundation Ltd and Heather Chesney from EastSide Partnership.

Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Brian Kingston and Chris Armstrong Tourism Manager EastSide Partnership.

Maurice Kinkead, Chief Executive of EastSide Partnership, added: “The opening of the EastSide Visitor Centre represents the commitment, hard work and dedication of a cross section of organisations and partnerships working together to help make east Belfast a better place. We gratefully acknowledge and thank all our key funders for it is due to their support that Landmark East has been able to deliver the vision for the centre. We are working very hard to ensure that east Belfast is a must visit destination on the tourism trail which will have huge benefits to everyone living and working in the EastSide.”

famous faces, places and industries. From November this year, the Centre will have the unique position of offering visitors the perfect view and access to the eagerly awaited C.S Lewis Square which will feature seven sculptures inspired by characters from C.S. Lewis’ most famous works: The Chronicles of Narnia.

The square will also be utilised as a space for concerts and markets.

The centre includes a coffee bar named after EastSide’s most famous author, C.S Lewis, who was affectionately known as Jack to his close friends and family. JACK Coffee Bar will be operated by award winning Belfast entrepreneur Linzi Rooney, the innovator of creative design hub and café - Studio Souk, located in Belfast City Centre. JACK Coffee Bar will offer the very best in locally sourced produce as well as providing a shop window for local artists and food producers to showcase their products.

Officially opening the new centre, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alderman Brian Kingston, said: “This is the latest in a number of positive improvements to the infrastructure in east Belfast, building upon the great work delivered through the Connswater Community Greenway project, for which the council has been at the forefront. As one of the biggest recipients of our Local Investment Fund, with an award of £250,000, this visitor centre has the potential to make a real and lasting difference to this part of our city, offering a ‘one stop shop’ from which visitors can then explore the rich environment and heritage of east Belfast.”

Madeleine Hutchens, Maggie Andrews and Michelle Bryans from EastSide Partnership.

East Belfast Life 19

East Belfast : HISTORY

East Belfast Through Time ‘Belfast Through Time’ is Aidan Campbell’s latest local history book, it follows on from the publication of 11 local histories covering areas of east Belfast and one on south Belfast. On this occasion the theme is Greater Belfast. The book takes the form of a number of views of many of the areas of Belfast from years ago, especially from old postcards and these scenes are compared with a modern photographs taken from, where possible, the same location. In these extracts we focus on the east of the city and find out just how much east Belfast changed over the years.

CREGAGH ROAD By the 1950s on the Cregagh Road a much cosier trolleybus has replaced the tram and the road still retains the qualities of a narrow country lane. To the left of the picture below is 372 Cregagh Road, now a GP surgery and previously the home of Great War hero, William McFadzean VC. His home had the name ‘Rubicon’ and William’s father (also called William) was presented with his son’s VC medal by King George V at Buckingham Palace on Saturday 28th February 1917 having been granted a 3rd class return ticket

Cregagh Road in the 1950s. Above inset the road as it stands today.

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East Belfast Life

East Belfast : HISTORY

Aidan Campbell has previously published 11 East Belfast local history books entitled: Beaconsfield, Knock, Cherryvalley, Gilnahirk, Castlereagh, Cregagh, Stormont, Sydenham, Belmont and

‘Craigavon House’ today.

EAST BRIDGE STREET Across the Albert Bridge the road becomes East Bridge Street and on the corner of Laganbank Road this was how the municipal electricity works and offices described as ‘late baroque’ in architectural style looked in 1943.

This power station was opened in 1898 and was the second to be opened in Belfast. A small predecessor had been opened at Chapel Lane in 1895. This one was built to supply the needs of the growing city and the electrification of the horse-drawn tramway system which was completed in 1905 and the last of the power station buildings were demolished in the 1980s. Santander Bank (below) now occupies the site although the gate posts of the power station have been thoughtfully retained.

CRAIGAVON ‘Craigavon House’ (above) was built in 1870 and became the home of Captain James Craig, later Sir James Craig, and first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. It was at Craigavon House in September 1911 that Sir Edward Carson and Captain James Craig organised a huge protest demonstration against Home Rule involving 50,000 men which led to the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force and the signing of Ulster’s Solemn League and Covenant by nearly 470,000 people. In 1915 Captain James Craig offered Craigavon House to the Board of Management of the UVF hospitals to be used for the treatment of sick and wounded soldiers from the First World War. In the 1990s a new ‘Somme Nursing Home’ was constructed nearby to replace the old UVF Hospital.

East Belfast Revisited Volumes 1 & 2. Newtownbreda in South Belfast was published in 2015.

Aidan regularly gives illustrated talks to local groups and societies.

The books retail at £10.00 each and most are available at Hillmount Garden Centre, Marie Curie Hospice and Hamilton News Cregagh with profits donated to local charity.

Book sales online at: www. eastbelfasthistory.com ‘Ballymacarrett’ will be published in October 2016.

Municipal electricity works in 1943.

East Belfast Life 21

East Belfast : Social

Having A Laugh Tim McGarry from Give My Head Peace turned a very satirical eye on Irish history for his solo stand up show at the Park Avenue Hotel.

Debuting at the EastSide Arts Festival the north Belfast funnyman’s 1916 show covered the early 1900s, from Oscar Wilde and Edward Carson to the Titanic and the build-up to the Easter Rising and The Somme.

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Heather Chesney, Tim McGarry, Gaynor Kane and Abbey Taylor.

Christine Mooney with Michael and Katherine Bennett.

Caroline Shanks and Gary Boyd.

Melissa Duddy and Scott Rutherford.

Richard, Diane, Peter and Karen Davidson.

Chris and Gail Mack with Jessica Jordan and Craig Mack.

East Belfast : Social

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Ann and Emma Carson.

Steve and Lorna Baker with Alison and Abi Mohammed.

Karen Lilly and David Graham.

Christopher Straw and Lyn Waddell with Sally and Jackie Halliday.

Alan and Kathryn Martin with Christine and Aidan Campbell.

Richard Kerr, Ronan Kerr, Malcolm Kerr and Noel Gibson.

Joanne Burns, Michelle Kerr, Mollie Kerr and Joan Gibson.

Valerie Meredith, Elsie Meredith, Audrey Christie and Concepta Meredith.

Alana Miles and Jonny Rolleston.

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East Belfast Life 23

East Belfast : COMMUNITY WATCH

A*

PERFORMANCE Ben Taylor.

Titanic Belfast Welcomes Milestone Visitor Titanic Belfast recently welcomed its three-millionth visitor, Kathy Jefferson from Telford, England. Kathy, who travelled to Belfast and Northern Ireland for the first time with her family, became Titanic’s latest milestone visitor when she booked tickets online for the Titanic Experience. Upon arriving at Titanic Belfast, the family was greeted with a VIP reception, led by Belfast Lord Mayor Brian Kingston.

Kathy Jefferson, said, “To be named Titanic Belfast’s three-millionth guest was a wonderful surprise and it certainly made it a very memorable trip. From the moment we arrived, the impressive building, located by the Slipways where she was built, told the story of Titanic, coupled with the galleries and SS Nomadic, Titanic’s tender ship – it was the ultimate Titanic Experience. There is no doubt that Belfast is the home of the Titanic and a must-see for anyone visiting Belfast, Northern Ireland and Ireland.”

Brian Kingston, Lord Mayor of Belfast, said: “Titanic certainly put Belfast on the map and in the minds of the world, and the Titanic Experience, and the Titanic Quarter generally has proved an outstanding success in attracting visitors to our shores.

“It is real pleasure to welcome Kathy and her family to this exhibition and the many other delights that Belfast has in store for them. As a council we are continuing to invest heavily both in promoting the city, and helping improve its infrastructure and attractions for local people as well as visitors.”

Ben Taylor, Head Boy for Campbell College was one of 123 pupils at Campbell College who opened their A Level results last week (Thursday 18th August) and he finished his year in style with 4A*’s. Ben was joined

by Alex Nagar with both pupils achieving their 4 A* grades in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.

Demonstrating an all-round education the success of the College’s 1st XV Rugby Team was not limited to the pitch this year with 7 of the team who played in the Ulster Schools’ Cup Final boasting a total of 22 A*/A’s between them - across both A Level and AS Level. Congratulations to Justin Savage, Malcolm Corry, James Boyle, Nikolai Koplewski, John Crowther , Matthew Crowther and James Nelson. A successful year for the rugby squad both on and off the pitch.

Headmaster, Mr Robert Robinson MBE stated, “We were delighted with the many individual success stories this year. Ben has been an outstanding role model as Head Boy and with this performance he finishes his time at the College with a flourish.

“Members of our rugby team have been outstanding examples for our whole College community. They are a testament to our belief that and all-round education is about achieving success both inside and outside the classroom. My congratulations go to all our boys, their parents and our staff on the hard work and the achievements of the year.”

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East Belfast Life

Kathy Jefferson celebrates becoming Titanic Belfast’s three-millionth visitor.

East Belfast : COMMUNITY WATCH

Mindful Moments Year 13 students from Ashfield Girls’ High School started their new term in an original and innovative new way – with no classes!

Instead the pupils had an ‘Induction Week’ whereby they attended motivational workshops delivered by Army Careers, Eye 4 Education, Belfast MET, SERC, Pathways Activity Adventures and Volunteer Now as well as in-house inspirational sessions delivered by teachers on time management, revision techniques, presentational skills and emotional intelligence.

To enhance the pupils’ wellbeing, they also participated in physical activities such as step classes and Mindfulness.

Ashfield Girls’ A level students getting their minds around Mindfulness as part of the school’s Year 13 Induction Programme. Back row from left: Holly Moffett, Gina Harrington, Savannah Stoops, Tabitha Smyth. Front row: Megan Moffatt, Emma Dallas, Ashlene Nickell.

Head of Sixth Year, Paula Doak, said, “Hopefully this unconventional start to a new term will provide the pupils with a range of knowledge as well as a wealth of practical strategies which will empower them as they embark on their A Level journey!”

A Welcome Development Belfast City Council is investing £20 million in a new state-of-the-art leisure facility for outer east Belfast. Although dependent on the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings, an initial site options appraisal has identified the site of the current Robinson Centre as the preferred location for the new development.

Following community consultation and advice from a range of industry experts, council has taken the decision that the new centre will focus largely on wet provision and will be an Aquatic Centre of Excellence. In addition to extensive wet provision, the new facility will also offer a range of dry facilities such as a state-of-the-art fitness suite, sports hall and studios.

The old Robinson Centre.

The agreed facilities are: • 25 metre by eight lane gala pool with 250 spectator seats • Learner pool with movable floor and diving provision • Confidence water for small children and toddlers • 140 station fitness suite • Exercise Studios • Spin Studio • Sports Hall • Café • Community Facility • Multipurpose room • Range of outdoor provision such as five-a-side pitch and skate park Dates, times and venues of consultation sessions are available at www.belfastcity.gov.uk/ transformingleisure. You can also share your thoughts by completing a brief online survey or emailing feedback to leisuretransformation@belfastcity.gov. uk by the deadline of midnight, Sunday October 16th.

Plans for the new look Robinson Centre.

East Belfast Life 25

East Belfast : Social

Whalley Fine Art Grand Opening Stephen and Dawn Whalley (Crothers) recently opened their new contemporary art gallery at 378a Belmont Road. There were over 60 new paintings on display by over 20 different artists and the gallery hosted over 200 guests to a beautiful drinks reception and exquisite food by renowned chef Andy Rea from Home Restaurant and Mourne Seafood. Whalley Fine Art recently renovated and moved to the historic stable property set in the grounds on Lismachen House. Owner Stephen added: “Our recent expansion has allowed us to increase our exhibition capacity and with great onsite parking facilities and only 3 miles from Belfast City Centre, we look to build our gallery and framing business two fold this year�

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Richard and Kathryn Ennis.

Conor Fleck and Claire Lagan.

Lynn Jennings and Suzanne Simpson.

Jocelyn Wise, Gillian Weir and Ingrid Goldstone.

Gillian Creevy and Una Carlin.

Stephen and Dawn with Jake and Jane.

Dermot and Veronica Archer.

Brian Haslett, Dawn Whalley (Crothers) and Mark Irvine.

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East Belfast : Social

Looking Back ‘Belfast Through Time’, by local historian Aidan Campbell, was published recently at Hillmount Garden Centre, Gilnahirk. It follows on from the publication of 12 local history books covering areas of east Belfast and on this occasion is about the whole of Belfast. Like previous titles ‘Belfast Through Time’ is an illustrated and spoken history which includes lots of old photographs and reminiscences about life in the city over the past century. The launch event was well attended and book sales raised a great amount for local charity.

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Aidan Campbell and Samantha Creighton.

Gavin Robinson MP, Aidan Campbell, Raymond King and Robin Mercer.

Joe and June Miles.

Christine and Aidan Campbell.

Wendy Watson, Richard Keag and Clara Magill.

Carol Anderson and Angela Neill.

Joan and Desmond Logan and Dolores Whittaker.

Lydia Coates, Aidan Campbell and Robin Kilpatrick with Lisa McLaughlin and guide dog Harry and Katy Megahey with guide dog Tara.

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East Belfast Life

East Belfast : Beauty

GOODBYE RAZOR! Imagine being able to get ready in the morning never having to shave, wax or pluck ever again! You know the routine of the daily aggravation of temporarily removing excessive and unsightly body hair, the hours spent can all add up especially if your hair grows back at a fast rate. If the thought of no longer spending time and money going for painful waxing appointments or giving yourself daily nicks and razor burns from shaving appeals to you, then laser hair removal may just be the answer you’ve been waiting for.

Earlier this year Beauty Haven Belfast introduced a brand new state of the art Sirius system by Ellipse. The first of its kind in Ireland it uses selective waveband technology that offers fast, safe and painless hair removal for all skin types to remove unwanted hair from all body sites in minutes and the results that we’ve seen so far have been fantastic.

Laser hair removal is one of the most effective ways to permanently remove unsightly and unwanted hairs, leaving you with soft smooth skin and freeing up a great deal of time in your busy life.

Laser hair removal offers a virtually painless method of permanent hair reduction in hair density and works best on individuals with dark hair and a pale complexion. The Ellipse has pre-programmed treatment suggestions for different skin types and hair thicknesses allowing an exact match for the client’s individual needs. On average it is recommended to have a minimum of 4-6 sessions leaving intervals of 6 weeks for body hair and 4 weeks for facial hair between treatments.

A patch test is required to ensure suitability for treatment and it is advisable to avoid the use of tanning or bleaching products, hair removal creams or have an active tan prior to treatment.

For a laser hair removal consultation speak to an expert at Beauty Haven Belfast today on 028 9066 6628. 161 Stranmillis Rd Belfast

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East Belfast : Social

Charity Fundraiser Shorts Recreation Club recently held a charity fundraiser for Victoria’s Trust. The event was organised by Esther Small, brother Gareth Rodgers and sister Sharon Rodgers, and raised over £6,000 for Victoria’s Trust. Esther’s daughter Victoria was born with a very rare genetic condition called Joubert Syndrome. Action for Children provide respite care for Calum Rodgers and his family at a centre called Loomwalk in Scotland. The family thanked everyone including local charities that have helped and supported them along their journey.

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Julia Moore, Paula Burrows, Sharon McKee, Nichola Coulter and Rebecca Logan.

Gillian Wilson, T.C. Smyth and Trisha Rooney.

Nigel Morrow, Richard McClure and Glenn Rodgers.

Gus Logan, Stuart Burrows, David McKee, John Moore and Dee Coulter.

Heidi and Sarah Rodgers.

Barbara and Jim Hamilton.

Jenny Hopkins, Kerry Kirk and Mairead Hylands.

Gareth Rodgers, Glenn Rodgers, Esther Small, Sharon Rodgers, Phil and Stephen Rodgers.

East Belfast Life

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o ll o p A h t i w h t m r

a w r o f indows

w r u o y Wrap

028 9521 4030 for latest offers details visit: www.apollo-blinds.co.uk/ northdown *Terms & Conditions: Offers are for a limited period only and are subject to availability on selected fabrics and colours, while stocks last. Terms & Conditions apply. Apollo Blinds product guarantees vary depending upon product, fabric and finish. Full details can befound on our website www.apollo-blinds.co.uk

Free measuring and free fitting, and a full guarantee with every product*

East Belfast : Social

Orangefield OB 50th Anniversary Orangefield Old Boys Football Club recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with a gala dinner at Belfast City Hall. Players and representatives of the club from the past and present enjoyed a wonderful evening, which was hosted by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Brian Kingston. As a special gesture to mark the occasion Belfast City Hall was illuminated in the Orangefield colours of orange and black.

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02. Belfast High Sheriff Alderman Jim Rodgers with

Lord Mayor Brian Kingston and Alderman Tom Haire.

03. Rodney and Linda Humphries and Karen Cunningham.

04. Alan Ruddock, Rosalind Kyle, Rhonda and Graeme

Arthur, Nikki and John Stewart.

05. Brenda Stewart, Bobby Stewart, Brenda Pateman,

Terry Pateman, Lord Mayor Brian Kingston, David

Martin, Angela Martin, Jim Shaw and Maureen Shaw.

06. Joanne Stewart, Olive Henderson and Anne McDowell.

07. Keith and Barbara Larmour, Craig Burns, Alison and

Graeme Reynolds, Nicola McMahon and Mark Lynn.

08. Senior committee with first team manager,

wives and Belfast Lord Mayor.

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East Belfast : COMMUNITY WATCH

Campbell College Charity Initiative Campbell College students have launched their charity initiative for the academic year 2016-2017 and are proud to announce the new partnership with Marie Curie.

In June, a whole school vote was put in place for students and teachers to cast their votes for ‘Charity of the Year’. Winning by a landslide was Marie Curie who will be the chosen charity for main events however the school will continue to support various other charities throughout the year.

Partnership Manager at Marie Curie Mrs Anne Hannon commented: “We at Marie Curie are looking forward to working in partnership with Campbell College over the coming year to help raise vital funds and awareness for the work that is carried out by our Marie Curie nurses.”

Marie Curie has been providing care and support for people living with any terminal illness, and their families for over 65 years.

The money Campbell College raise through their fundraising initiatives will go towards helping the community.

RBAI A-level students Omar Helmy, Jack Irvine and Carson McKee each achieved 4A* grades.

Omar Helmy, Cameron Hilditch, Jack Irvine and Dylan Braithwaite will all be taking up places at Oxford or Cambridge respectively.

Ben Connolly, Matthew Shane and Donal Shearer each achieved 11A* at GCSE.

RBAI Celebrates a Successful Exam Season

The staff, students and parents at RBAI were thrilled to be able to celebrate the end of the exam season with excellent results. At A-level, Omar Helmy, Jack Irvine and Carson McKee achieved 4 A*s each. In addition, all 4 of the school’s Oxbridge candidates have been successful; Omar and Jack will read Medicine and Engineering respectively at Cambridge, Dylan Braithwaite will also progress to Cambridge University to study Computer Science while Cameron Hilditch begins the study of English Literature at Oxford University. On GCSE Results Day, the school was very pleased to welcome CCEA’s Chief Executive, Justin Edwards, and Director of Qualifications, Anne Marie Duffy to share the overwhelming successes. Special mention must be made of Ben Connolly, Matthew Shane and Donal Shearer who each achieved 11A*s and Aneurin Duffin-Murray with 10A*s and 2 As. Best wishes to all the boys who received Royal Belfast their results and Academical Institution embark upon studies College Square East, and careers at RBAI Belfast, BT1 6DL Tel: 028 9024 0461 and beyond. www.rbai.org.uk

East Belfast Life 33

East Belfast : Social

School Days Remembered The Bloomfield Collegiate School Former Pupil’s Association recently held its annual dinner at Royal Belfast Golf Club, Holywood.

Bloomfield Collegiate School old girl Lady Bloomfield was the co-ordinator during the evening. The event was well attended, with guests having the opportunity to meet and catch up with many old class friends.

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Bloomfield Collegiate former pupils meet for their annual dinner.

Anne Harcastle, Anne Tolson, Lady Bloomfield MBE and Rosemary Rainey OBE. Victoria Lyons, Anne Tolson, Catherine Hall, Principal Lyndsey Finch, Lavinia Boyce and Sacha Bell.

Kathleen Ingleston, Muriel McMaster, Denise Moore and Hazel Holmlund.

Lady Bloomfield MBE, Evelyn Chapman, Joyce McAlister and Daphne McNamee.

Lady Bloomfield MBE, Rosemary Rainey OBE, Anne Tolson and guest speaker former Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon.

Jill and Sacha Bell with Principal Lyndsey Finch and Lavinina Bell.

The evening was held at Royal Belfast Golf Club.

East Belfast Life

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Supporting expectant mums and birth partners

What is GentleBirth?

GentleBirth is a childbirth preparation program that will help you achieve your most positive birth possible. In contrast to other birth hypnosis programs that focus on only one element of birth preparation,GenteBirth combines 3 core elements as part of the comprehensive birth preparation program:

BRAIN-TRAINING FOR BIRTH Using mindfulness, sports psychology, hypnosis and cognitive behavioural therapy techniques

PHYSICAL COMFORT STRATEGIES

Positive Birth Preparation

Brain Training

Including creating your labour toolkit and relaxation techniques

Emotion Balance & Well-being

Your Positive Birth Begins Here Pregnancy Reflexology Pregnancy Massage Indian Head Massage Natural Lift Facial Massage

NEGOTIATING YOUR OPTIONS Understanding your options and what is current best practice in international maternity guidelines

Post Natal Massage Mindfulness Sports Psychology Hypnosis

In association with

0 1 T f @PregnancyBB 028 9068 1018 katrina@framarhealth.com

Consider GentleBirth to be a fitness program for the mind and it’s ‘braintraining’, and just like any physical fitness program you would follow at the gym, the more time you invest in the program the more benefits you experience. Attending a GentleBirth workshop in conjunction with using the app will leave you and your birth partner feeling calm, confident and in control throughout pregnancy and during labour.

www.pregnancybirthbeyond.co.uk

East Belfast : Social

Ulster Rugby Family Open Day Ulster Rugby hosted a Family Open Day at Kingspan Stadium to raise funds for the IRFU Charitable Trust. Guests took part in activities including, tag rugby sessions and rugby skills with Ulster Rugby players, inflatables, climbing wall, go-karts, jumping clay, face painting, archery, teddy hospital, petting zoo, short tours of the Nevin Spence Centre and much more!

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01. Shannon Moffitt and Emma Bradshaw with Rodney Ah You. 02. Darren, Helen and Jack Weir with Rory Best.

03. Jade Bissell and Rebecca Anderson.

04. Louis the Entertainer.

05. Michael and Daniel McHugh with Roger Wilson.

06. Ciara, Julie-Anne, Edwin and Ben Gallagher.

07. Adam, Georgia and George Cuthbert.

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East Belfast : Social

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08. Florence Jacob and Holly Hawkins.

09. Conor Joyce, Kieran Treadwell and Lorcan

Dow with Ashleigh McCracken.

10. Paddy Jackson and Matthew Burrows.

11. Reuben Edmondson and Ruan Pienaar.

12. Gordon McCrabbe and David Lynch.

13. Nicole McCrabbe, Adam McCrabbe, Robbie

Lynch, Kyle McCrabbe and Ellie Lynch 14. Chris McPhillips spots the ball for Tom Neill.

15. Emma, Charley, Gary and Jack Robinson

with Tommy Bowe.

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East Belfast Life 37

East Belfast : Social

Ulster Footballer of the Year The Marine Court Hotel in Bangor was the venue for the Bank of Ireland UK Ulster Footballer of the Year awards dinner. Castlereagh Glentoran Supporters Club are the custodians of the trophy, the oldest of its kind in Ireland, and this year secured Bank of Ireland UK as the prime sponsor. Billy Joe Burns of Crusaders FC was the stand-out winner of the main award and was presented with the 66 year-old trophy by Judith Barr of Bank of Ireland UK. Joel Cooper of Glenavon FC picked up the inaugural Young Player of the Year trophy sponsored by charity JT Inspires. IFA Disability Football were also represented as Jason Browning won their Disability Player of the Year. Long-serving physio Kenny McKeague won the Dr Malcolm Brodie Lifetime Achievement award, sponsored by Hop House, Bangor. Castlereagh Chairman Robert Keenan commented that the evening “was another milestone in the history of the ultimate player accolade�.

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John and June McCoy with Elaine Niblock and Ken Moody.

Robert Keenan, Billy Joe Burns, Judith Barr, Leslie Walker and Stephen Brown.

Castlereagh Glentoran Supporters Club, David Robinson, Sonny Fullerton, Robert Keenan, Jim Flanagan, Alan McIlhagger, Gary Campbell, George McGonigal, Albert Kirk, Maxi Johnston, Frank McClaren, Cecil McKeag, Stephen McKeag and Frank Rowan.

David, Bobby and Paul Carlisle.

Trevor Thompson, George Dunlop, Billy Humphreys, Alan Kernahan and Keith Gillespie.

Ann McClinton and Susan Brodie.

Alison and Andrew Gedge.

Bank of Ireland Staff: Stephen Brown, Gary Martin, Jacqui Robinson, Adrian Power, Suzanne Davison, Simon McKee, Judith Barr, Ray Ferguson, Leslie Walker, Colin Ferguson and Steven Thompson.

East Belfast Life

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WITH THE NEW SEASON STARTING, NEWTOWN FOREST ARE CURRENTLY ON THE LOOK OUT FOR MORE PLAYERS. Whether you play regular football already but fancy a new club - or are keen to make your first attempt at 11-a-side football in a very welcoming environment - consider Newtown Forest as your new home! Many of our current regulars joined the club having only played ‘the odd game of 6-a-side’ and have grown to love the club and proper IFA affiliated football on a Saturday afternoon.

For further details find us on

/newtownforestfootballclub

East Belfast : People in Profile

Although a blow-in herself, Cecilia’s partner attended Campbell College.

In the first of a new feature we chat to former east Belfast residents about their favourite memories from home.

First up is author Lucy Caldwell, who tells us

“WHY I miss...

East BELFAST” WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH TO DATE? ‘Career path’ sounds so straightforward and linear, when the reality of the writing life is anything but! I have always written, publishing my first novel just out of university, and I have more or less always lived by my pen, whether that’s journalism, editing or teaching writing alongside my own creative work. There have been tough times, long periods when I’ve really despaired and questioned whether or not I can do it, and there have been magical times, such as when my novel was selected for Belfast’s One City, One Book in 2013. But most of all you keep writing because you have to, and you know you will whether or not you’re published, whether or not anyone reads you. I like to think you’re writing for the dozen, the half dozen, the one or two readers to whom your work will really make a difference, even if those people aren’t yet born.

If there is such a thing, what does a typical day at work involve?

I look after my toddler almost full-time at the moment; my only dedicated working days are Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. I find

Lucy loves the many new restaurants that have sprung up in Ballyhackamore.

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that Tuesdays are always tough and I get very little done; Wednesdays are a bit better and then by Thursday, as I’m pushing the buggy through the streets, the ideas finally come thick and fast and I have to keep stopping to text myself notes on my phone. The rest of my working ‘day’ is cobbled together in nap-times and catching up with emails at the end of the day – and of course the thing about writing is that the working day never really stops, your characters have a habit of waking you up and whispering insistently to you in the dead of night until you take notice. My mum is absolutely brilliant and comes over often so that I can really focus on writing – I couldn’t do it without her. Things are about to get a lot more hectic when my forthcoming play, Three Sisters, goes into rehearsal at the Lyric – that will mean long days and nights at the theatre, and once again, it’ll be my mum and dad to the rescue.

where are you living now?

My husband, Tom, is a Londoner and we live in Whitechapel, east London, with our two-year old son William. It’s a very vibrant, multicultural place to live – we’re a stone’s throw from the famous Brick Lane, a few minutes’ walk from Tower Bridge and walking distance

East Belfast : People in Profile

Il Pirata is one of Lucy’s favourite restaurants to visit during a return to east Belfast.

too are the ancient graveyards and rose gardens of Wapping. We’ve been here several years now. Tom’s architectural practice, Gatti Routh Rhodes, is just down the road in Bethnal Green, and one of his current projects is a new church, community centre and block of flats just opposite the V&A Museum of Childhood (where you can often find me on rainy afternoons).

and for the launch of the anthology The Glass Shore: New Writing by Women from the north of Ireland, which is going to be the most exciting publishing event of the autumn, comprising women writers from this part of the world and spanning several centuries of famous and forgotten names, as well as some of our most exciting contemporary writers.

How often do you get to return to east Belfast?

How has the area changed since you moved away?

Although my day-to-day life takes place in east London, my creative life tugs me back, again and again, to east Belfast. So I’m almost always here in spirit! And it’s really important to me that my son grows up with a strong connection to east Belfast. My short story collection, Multitudes, recently published by Faber, is set in and around east Belfast, and I’ve been over a lot to read from that and take part in festivals and book club discussions. I’m going to be back a lot in the autumn, too, as my play Three Sisters goes into rehearsal at the Lyric

My parents still live in the house they moved into when I was eleven, just down the road from C.S. Lewis’s childhood home, and so it always feels very much like coming home. But what’s brilliant is the number of new restaurants and cafes that have sprung up on the Belmont Road and in Ballyhackamore over the last few years. I love Oliver’s and Café Smart, Il Pirata and Graze and you can’t beat a Green’s Pizza.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HIDDEN GEM IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? As teenagers my friends and I used to go to the Golden Crumb on Belmont Church Road for Chelsea buns, a sugar-rush to see us through long double-periods on Friday afternoons, and I was happy to pass by and see it’s still going strong.

What do you miss the most about living in east Belfast?

I love the fact that ten minutes’ drive takes you to the city centre, and yet ten minutes in the other direction and you’re in the foothills of Craigantlet, or in Holywood right by the sea. But I think most of all I miss the taste of the tap water. I know that sounds ridiculous but often, drinking the dry, flat, chemical tap water of London, I feel an unquenchable thirst.

Can’t beat it; Lucy loves the pizza at Greens.

From Belfast to London and back again the eleven stories that comprise Lucy Caldwell’s first collection explore the many facets of growing up – the pain and the heartache, the tenderness and the joy, the fleeting and the formative – or ‘the drunkenness of things being various’.

‘MULTITUDES: ELEVEN STORIES’ by Lucy Caldwell is available now.

East Belfast Life 41

East Belfast : Social

ArtisAnn Gallery Opening ArtisAnn, Bloomfield Avenue, was officially opened by Denise Ferran, President of the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts (RUA). A brand new contemporary art gallery, catering for both homes and businesses, it features examples of fine art from some of Northern Ireland’s most respected award-winning artists as well as presenting exciting new talent. The bright and spacious gallery spans two floors, with monthly themed exhibitions on the first floor. The proprietors, Ann and Ken Bartley, have been collectors, curators and exhibitors for over twenty years so are well placed to offer friendly, knowledgeable advice - should it be needed

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the Artis Ann Gallery.

03. Tony Kennedy and Dennis Kelly.

04. Hugh Mulholland and Peter Richards.

05. Alice Blackstock and Ellie Niblock.

06. Vicki Young, Lady Roseline and Steven Loughran.

07. Christine Truman and Carrie Neely.

08. RUA President Denise Ferran with Gavin

Robinson MP and gallery owner Ann McVeigh.

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15 OCT - 12 NOV 2016

DIRECTED BY SELINA CARTMELL

Rosie Barry, Kyron Bourke and Christina Nelson in

7 DEC 2016 – 7 JAN 2017

By Martin Murphy Directed by Richard Croxford

East Belfast : SPOTLIGHT

EASTSIDE PARTNERSHIP CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY East Belfast is changing for the better and it’s, in part, thanks to the vision and work of charitable organisation EastSide Partnership.

Over the past 20 years this community and voluntary organisation has developed and delivered a range of exciting regeneration projects across health, education, tourism, property, arts and community, which have brought huge benefits and have made their

mark on the east of the City. As part of their 20th anniversary celebrations the organisation will not only demonstrate their continued commitment to delivering its mission ‘to make East Belfast a better place’ but reveal an organisational name change from East Belfast Partnership to EastSide Partnership. This new name reflects the organisation’s dedication to driving forward its important work, connecting communities, developing partnerships and influencing investment in the EastSide.

EastSide Partnership team, L-R, Chris Armstrong (EastSide Tourism Manager), Maurice Kinkead (Chief Executive), Maggie Andrews (Partnership Manager), Rachel Kennedy (EastSide Arts Manager), and Wendy Langham (Connswater Community Greenway Programme Manager).

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Reflecting on the past 20 years, EastSide Partnership has delivered projects and programmes, big and small, which have focused on creating healthier communities, improving relationships within and between communities, addressing poverty, dereliction and lack of opportunities.

With a 20 year foundation in place EastSide Partnership is very much looking forward to the future and to building on successes to date. EastSide Partnership will focus on: • Contributing to the regeneration of east Belfast by developing key properties.

• Completing the construction of Connswater Community Greenway and making it a destination for all, locals and visitors.

• Delivering festivals, developing an annual EastSide Arts programme including community arts projects and supporting local arts groups.

• Helping schools and communities to work together more effectively and delivering better opportunities for children and young people through EastSide Learning.

• Enhancing and developing the EastSide Tourism product to encourage more visitors to the area.

To celebrate their 20 year milestone EastSide Partnership will, over the next few months, host a range of events and competitions.

For further information on EastSide Partnership visit www.eastsidepartnership. com ; Facebook: /EastSidePship; Twitter @EastSidePship #ESP20.

A modern commercial law firm for the business community situated in the heart of East Belfast Eastleigh House, 396 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3EY

028 9020 0050 www.mmwlegal.com MMW Advert Belfast Life Spec.indd 1

07/03/2016 10:55:56

East Belfast : PEOPLE IN PROFILE

Mark McKeown, Manager at First Trust Bank, tells us….

“WHY I LOVE...

EAST BELFAST” WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH TO DATE? I’ve worked in banking for the past 14 years, in a variety of branch, business centre and business banking roles. Throughout that time I’ve worked for First Trust Bank and have particularly enjoyed the business banking roles, especially seeing a customer’s new project right through from vision to reality.

HOW DO YOU SPEND A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK? No two days are the same but typically a large part of the day involves customer meetings, often at their premises to discuss existing banking facilities and also hopefully how I can help them grow and expand. I’ll also spend part of the day in meetings with accountants, discussing customer cases with staff and working with our Credit Team to get new customer requests approved.

HOW DO YOU RELAX IN YOUR SPARE TIME? First and foremost that involves family time with my wife and young kids - that tends to be tiring but fun! I also love playing/watching most sports with mates, rugby, cycling, football. An ideal weekend includes watching Ulster Rugby, coaching our P5 mini-rugby team, getting a decent spin out on my bike and a night out at a nice restaurant with my wife/friends. I’m also pretty involved in my local church, helping with our kids programmes.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT LIVING \ WORKING IN EAST BELFAST? I love the buzz and vibrancy in east Belfast that has developed especially in the last 5/10 years, from the world class sport at Kingspan stadium to the superb coffee houses and restaurants in Ballyhackamore. I also love the close knit community feel of east Belfast - a place where people care about each other.

General Merchant’s

Rouleurs - those rides often finish in a local east Belfast coffee shop such as Clements.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HIDDEN GEM IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? It has to be General Merchant’s on the Upper Newtownards Road.

When it was opened a year or two back it really raised the bar and set a new standard in terms of quality and creativity. The Melbourne breakfast is a winner and the coffee is fantastic.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT / CAFE IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? There are so many to choose from and it’s hard to narrow down to a top 5 but if i had to pick one it would be Cafe Smart on the Belmont Road.

Simon and Victoria have worked hard to create a unique atmosphere, great food and coffee with a service that feels personalised.

The Kingspan Stadium

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO GET OUT & ABOUT/ SOCIALISE IN EAST BELFAST? A lot of my ‘out and about’ in east Belfast tends to start on 2 wheels, and several times a week cycling with east Belfast group 0745

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East Belfast Life

EATING OUT: EAST OF THE CITY

East Belfast is bursting with culinary delights, so why not check out our guide and treat yourself to gourmet heaven, east of the city.

East Belfast is bursting with choice when it comes to food. Whether it’s a quick coffee and sweet mid afternoon treat you’re craving, a fantastic sandwich to brighten up your lunch hour, or a full three course meal with a bottle of wine; you’re sure to have a

difficult choice on your hands. To ease the agony, we’ve carefully examined the best that east Belfast has to offer.

Our reviews and summaries are sure to guide you towards a pleasing taste and a satisfied stomach.

East Belfast Life 49

East Belfast : DINING OUT

EATING OUT: EAST OF THE CITY East Belfast is bursting with culinary delights, so check out our guide and treat yourself to some delicious food, in the east of the city.

If you are looking for somewhere to eat out, check out our guide to some of the eateries available in east Belfast. With east Belfast being firmly established on the culinary map you couldn’t be more spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out. Whether your are looking for a family friendly establishment, an intimate restaurant for a romantic meal, a catch-up with friends, or a quick cup of cof-

Arc Cafe (Orangefield Presbyterian Church)

Arc is a purpose built café run by the members of the church at Orangefield. It has fast become a popular eating spot in east Belfast during the day and on Thursday and Friday evenings it takes on a very different atmosphere often with live music events. Arc is a registered charity and surplus income goes to good causes both at home and overseas

EastPoint Entertainment Village, Old Dundonald Road T: 028 9048 2771 www.bluechicagogrill.co.uk

Bennetts Bennetts is a bright airy café serving great food and drink seven days a week.

During the day it serves as a pleasant place for a quick lunch and a coffee and in the evenings it becomes an ambient cosy restaurant for a nice meal.

56 Belmont Road T: 028 9047 1670 www.cafesmart.co.uk

A convenient cosy cafe situated beside Arches Library and East Belfast Health Centre, freshly baked scones and coffees combine with amazing local produce for a memorable Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner or snack on the go from Juicy Burgers and Pulled Pork to Mexican Fajitas and Tacos, available to dine in or take away, open Mon to Sat 8 AM– 8 PM.

18 Holywood Road T: 028 9067 3549 www.bubsbistrocafe.co.uk 50

Boasting a unique Blues Jazz Cafe environment with intimate cosy booths, Blue Chicago Grill offers simple traditional food with an American influence.

Cafe Smart

Bubs Express Bistro Cafe

East Belfast Life

So why not pay a visit to east Belfast and discover a world of choice?

Blue Chicago Grill

464 Castlereagh Road T: 028 9079 9391 www.orangefield.org.uk

4 Belmont Road T: 028 9065 6590

fee and a tasty delight, east Belfast is the place to be with its wide range of choice from cafes, restaurants, coffee shops and bars available to suit everyone and every pocket.

Gaze

Gaze restaurant serves a wide selection of Chinese dishes including both traditional favourites and modern specials. With a sumptuous decor and well priced food, this is a wonderful dining destination whatever the occasion.

EastPoint Entertainment Village, Old Dundonald Road T: 028 9048 1288

With its attractive, eye catching interior displaying the work of some of the country’s most prominent artists, Cafe Smart is not just a coffee shop, it is an experience.

The Four Winds Situated on the top floor, Grill at The Four Winds offers a panorama of Belfast City and beyond. Serving great food in excellent surrounding the Grill will ensure you enjoy your visit.

111 Newton Park T: 028 9070 7970 www.thefourwinds.co.uk

General Merchants A brand new Australian themed community café, specialising in coffee and seasonal food.

481 Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9065 2708

East Belfast : DINING OUT Graze

The Poet

8 Library Court, Newtownards Road, T: 028 9065 8658

Kings Square, Kings Road T: 028 9040 1248 www.lonelypoetbelfast.com

Nominated for best restaurant at the Ulster Tatler Awards, Graze is located in Ballyhackamore, at the heart of east Belfast.

Graze serves seasonally-inspired cuisine and has a commitment to using local and sustainable foods.

This hidden gem offers something for everyone! Warm and welcoming with a varied and delicious menu The Lonely Poet is worth a visit. You can enjoy fresh local produce served creatively accompanied with a good wine or inventive cocktail!

Horatio Todds

This firm favourite in the heart of east Belfast is the epitome of affordable quality.

Tempting menus, delicious food, excellent service and comfortable retro surroundings what more can you ask for!

406 Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9065 3090 www.horatiotodds.com Il Pirata With its cool, trendy interior, Il Pirata offers simple rustic and Italian food. It is already a hit with the many visitors who come to Ballyhackamore seeking culinary delights 279-281, Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9067 3421 Jasmine Indian Restaurant

Situated in Ballyhackamore, Jasmine has established itself as a firm favourite with locals in east Belfast. With an extensive range of dishes on offer, the restaurant brings a real slice of authentic Indian flavour to the city.

Also with a takeaway service, why not take a taste of India home?

334 Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9065 4280 www.jasminerestaurant.co.uk Little Wing

The Point

Established for over 10 years, this eatery offers dishes that will tantalise your taste buds. Serving freshly cooked food with a local character all day while the bar offers a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy a drink.

195-199 Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9092 1920 www.thepointbar.co.uk The Restaurant, Park Avenue Hotel The Restaurant at Park Avenue offers you a charming, elegant and relaxed atmosphere where you can indulge in good food and fine wines. The menu offers a mix of classic and contemporary dishes using fresh, seasonal produce from local suppliers.

158 Holywood Road T: 028 9065 6520 www.parkavenuehotel.co.uk SD Bells

The always busy and very popular SD Bells cafe has a highly respected reputation for serving the best teas and coffees from around the world. Pop in for a gourmet coffee and giant scone or sit down to a hearty, traditional fry.

516 Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9047 1774 www.sdbellsteacoffee.com

Little Wing offers a large variety of mouth watering pizzas, coupled with tempting desserts, which should definitely satisfy the palates of its hungry customers.

Neill’s Hill

Situated at the heart of the local community in Ballyhackamore Neills Hill Brasserie is a place where you can enjoy good eating and drinking, locally and informally.

229 Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9065 0079 www.neillshill.com

36 Belmont Road T: 028 9065 7476

Truffles

Situated in the heart of east Belfast, Truffles has become somewhat of an institution in the area. With a tantalising menu, this cafe has proved to be a hit with locals and visitors alike.

Wolfe’s Taking gourmet burgers to a whole new level, Wolfe’s only use freshly baked buns from an award winning bakery, whilst its char-grilled burgers are handmade on the premises fresh everyday with 100% prime cuts of Northern Irish Beef.

The Mandarin City

269-275 Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9080 2888

Based in the heart of east Belfast on the busy Belmont Road, Thirty Six offers delicious homemade food made from the freshest local ingredients. Open daily this cosy cafe is the perfect place to stop for a hearty breakfast, tasty lunch or an afternoon sweet treat made in the kitchen.

63 Belmont Road T: 028 9047 1405

201 Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9065 1555 www.littlewingspizzeria.com

The Mandarin City is a very popular Chinese restaurant which draws people from far and wide due to its excellent reputation. With an extensive menu, The Mandarin City offers just about every Chinese dish you can think of.

Thirty Six

EastPoint Entertainment Village T: 028 9048 0377 www.wolfesburgers.co.uk

Spoon Street The unique self serve frozen yogurt (‘Fro-Yo’) store has been a roaring success since it opened in Ballyhackamore. With 16 rotating flavours and over 40 toppings there is ample selection and something different to try on every visit.

261 Upper Newtownards Road T: 028 9543 5255

East Belfast Life 51

East Belfast : Social

Oliver’s Preview Opening Night A preview evening was held at Oliver’s Licensed Restaurant at Knock, on the Upper Newtownards Road. The eatery is the latest addition to the Oliver’s brand, which has built a very strong reputation for their award winning baked goods. Their Head Chef, Thomas Wightman, prepares delicious dishes using the best local ingredients, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, as well as an all day brunch menu and a Sunday Roast.

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Natalie Thompson, Gayle Collinson, Wendy McClean and Tracey Irvine.

Brendan and Mary Napier.

Charles Stewart with Alan and Norma Gartside.

Garvin Loughran and Paul Mohan.

Noel and Sara Allen.

Gerard Gormley and Ann Marie McCullagh.

Allison and Norman Crothers.

Ruth and Grace McCalmont with Helena Halliday and Sonia Abellan

East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : REVIEW

Casual Dining I

must confess that I don’t hang out much in east Belfast. Simply because it’s a bit distant from where I live and I don’t have a car (forgive my bad excuse, the bus just takes 20 minutes from the city centre). To me, Ballyhackamore used to be the big unknown area, until my friend showed me around and I realised how much I was missing out.

What brought me there this time was the news on the opening of Olivers Restaurant, the latest addition to the Olivers brand, which includes coffee shops (renowned for their award-winning scones) a deli and several barbershops.

It was on a warm Thursday evening that my friend and I booked a table at the restaurant, on the Upper Newtownards Road, to catch up and celebrate that it was nearly the weekend. We parked right beside the door and I got really excited when I saw their spacious terrace outside.

I love dining al fresco and I do it all the time when I’m in Spain. Nothing beats a summer night eating outdoors, with the company of some friends and a glass of wine.

Upon our arrival, we were welcomed

by Ben, the Restaurant Manager, who kindly accompanied us to our table. We sat down and looked around, analysing every detail. The interior features a lovely décor, with brick walls that give a rustic touch to the place, combined with trendy furniture, with long sofas, high stools and big windows.

While trying to decide what to order, I had a glass of Prosecco and my friend a cocktail without alcohol that was exquisite. The dining menu featured a lot of tempting dishes to start with, such as goat´s cheese fritter, prawn risotto or crispy chilly beef. I opted for the salt & chilli squid and my friend got the parma

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East Belfast Life

EAST BELFAST LIFE’S LETICIA ALVAREZ VISITS OLIVERS RESTAURANT IN BALLYHACKAMORE.

ham salad. Complimentary sea scallops arrived to our table, with black pudding and apple sorbet, and I just can’t find enough words to describe how delicious everything was. The combination of smoked scallops with the pudding and the refreshing sorbet melting in my mouth became an unbelievable feast for my taste buds.

Our starters arrived just after we finished. The squid came served in a black bowl, breaded and mixed with napa slaw, a slice of lime on top and a dressing of roasted garlic mayonnaise. It was gorgeous, so fresh and bursting with flavours. My companion was so satisfied with her salad that she left a little taste on my plate for me to try and it turned to be as good as it looked. The atmosphere was buzzing and it was nice to see so many people enjoying their meals like us.

When it came to pick a main from the menu, it was even more difficult to choose, as there was a wide selection of dishes that varied from wild mushroom linguini to confit pork belly, monkfish fritters or corn-fed chicken. I asked Ben for recommendations and he suggested the barbary duck breast so I followed his advice. After the first bite, I realised that I had made the right decision. The meat was so tender and tasty and it had the perfect accompaniment; braised red cabbage, broccoli and potato croquettes.

Outstanding. My friend picked the 10oz sirloin of beef, with chips, field mushroom and onion ring, all served on a wooden board and dressed with a lovely peppercorn sauce. Her happy face said it all.

We considered leaving without trying the desserts but automatically changed our minds when we saw the menu.

Everything sounded delicious but we

ended up sharing the chocolate mousse.

Our choice was presented in a small jar, with honeycomb and marbled chocolate on top. Finishing dinner with this glorious dessert and a couple of coffees was just perfect.

All in all, Olivers Restaurant at Knock, is the ideal place to go with your family, friends or your other half for a casual dining. The food is mouth-watering, the staff are really attentive and professional and the prices affordable. But there’s more. If you are looking for something different to do on a night out and you are a cocktail lover, you are lucky they just launched a Cocktail School! For only £35 you get a glass of fizz on arrival, a main course and three cocktails for you to make and drink. I don’t know you, but I can’t wait to come back and try that!

Barbary duck breast.

Chocolate mousse.

405/407 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3LH Tel: 028 9067 1105 www.oliverscoffeebar.co.uk

Christmas Nights @ Our luxurious contemporary interior from chairs to stove, combined with quality food and cocktails, make sure your festive evening is memorable.

Book early to avoid disappoinment.

403/405 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3LH t: 028 9067 1105

e: oliversrestaurant16@gmail.com

w: www.oliverscoffeebar.com

East Belfast : PEOPLE IN PROFILE

James McCullough, Mixologist @ Oliver’s Restaurant, tells us….

“WHY I LOVE...

EAST BELFAST” WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH TO DATE? I started my career in hospitality with the Wine Inns Group back in 2008. I have always enjoyed the buzz of a busy restaurant or bar.

Throughout my years I have learned a lot about the industry and the many roles it contains. I gained two NVQs in Hospitality, Supervision and Leadership which has helped me develop and expand my knowledge. I have a particular passion for mixology; thanks to Oliver’s Restaurant I am encouraged to push myself and create unique variations of classic cocktails on a weekly basis. I am determined to help make Oliver’s the best in the east.

HOW DO YOU SPEND A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK? I always get in to work early to have a quick coffee and a catch up with the guys, once I get my caffeine fix I’m good to go. As head bartender I have a few extra responsibilities thrown my way such as stock ordering and rotation, as well as social media advertising. I take great pride in my work, some would think I’m a bit OCD when it comes to cleaning (my fiancé doesn’t complain!) and I like to maintain a clean, tidy work environment. We have a fantastic team at Oliver’s Restaurant with a huge wealth of experience, ranging from some of Belfast’s most renowned restaurants like James Street South, OX, The Muddlers Club, so I learn something new every day.

HOW DO YOU RELAX IN YOUR SPARE TIME? It’s a rare occurrence when I get the time to relax. My family mean the world to me so I like to spend as much time as possible with them.

However when I feel like a lazy day, there is nothing I enjoy more than sitting in the house with my fiancé Holly and our two cats, binge watching Game of Thrones or Walking Dead. On the off chance that I start late on a Saturday I love to watch Manchester United play at the weekends. I’m also partial to some Xbox or a round of golf with the boys.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT LIVING IN EAST BELFAST? I grew up in the Cregagh Estate and spent my childhood on the Newtownards Road with my mum and brothers. I have so many memories of birthday parties in The Strand cinema, special occasion dinners in the Park Avenue Hotel and a fry in the Peppercorn on a Saturday. I have always found that the people of east Belfast very friendly, they make everyone feel welcome.

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SOCIALISE IN EAST BELFAST AND WHY? When Holly and I head out in east Belfast we like to grab lunch in Oliver’s Coffee bar. If we’re talking evening time we love to head over to Dundonald Retail Park for a movie and dinner at one of their many great food outlets, especially Wolfe’s. We also enjoy bowling (which Holly likes to think she wins every time!) at the Ice Bowl there is always plenty to see and do.

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East Belfast Life

Dundonald International Ice Bowl.

WHAT IS OUR FAVOURITE HIDDEN GEM IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? It’s not so much a hidden Gem but i love Eddie Spence’s chip shop on the Beersbridge Road. It was always my favourite childhood treat.

I love the decor its fantastic local football memorabilia and the old fashioned booths. There’s nothing quite like Spence’s Fish and Chips.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT/CAFE IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? I’m not being bias but I love Oliver’s Restaurant. We have such a strong team and as I see how much time, effort and passion goes into every dish I enjoy it so much more. I’ve been part of Oliver’s restaurant from when it was just a building site; knowing I have contributed ideas and opinions to help shape the restaurant to where it is today is astounding.

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East Belfast east belfast life full page spread.indd 1

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East Belfast : SPOTLIGHT

Ballyhackamore Market back after Summer Break Ballyhackamore’s Artisan Market was back recently with mouthwatering autumnal treats, children’s face-painting and lots of new stallholders. The monthly market organised by Ballyhackamore Business Association returned to St Comcille’s Church carpark with stalls packed full of locally sourced food and beautiful handcrafted goods . William McSorley, the Chair of Ballyhackamore Business Association, said that visitors were treated to a huge range of gourmet food and handmade crafts, including jewellery, textiles, candles on offer from skilled artisan producers – all from Northern Ireland. He added: “Ballyhackamore is one of Belfast’s best food and shopping destinations and the artisan market reflects the variety and quality on offer in the village. We believe it is very important to focus on local suppliers and family run businesses from across Northern Ireland.

“The village has a fantastic range of restaurants, cafés and unique shops and we want people to enjoy the whole experience, popping into one of our many eateries for breakfast or brunch before going to the market to buy some of the treats on offer.”

Ballyhackamore Market has been running for a year with around 25 stallholders selling their wares on the third Saturday of the month.

The hours are from 10am to 2pm.

Left: Two-year-old Erin Lacey-Rogers enjoys a treat courtesy of Megan Douglas from East Belfast ice cream company, Proud at Ballyhackamore Market.

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East Belfast Life

Stalls include Ballynahinchbased ‘Tasty Wee Numbers’ which Mum and daughter Rebekah and Emelia Johanson of specialises in Lines and Current show off their hats and sunglasses at gluten-free Ballyhackamore Market. traybakes, breads, scones and desserts. There is also Buchanan’s Farm Shop from Kilrea which provides an amazing range of top-class meats and Tom and Ollies in Belfast for delicious Mediterranean olives, tapenades and hummus.

Next month’s market (October 15) will boast produce from Ballyriff Buffalo, Northern Ireland’s only Buffalo farm based in Magherafelt.

As well as being delicious, Buffalo meat is a low calorie, healthy alternative to beef. Plans are already in place for the popular Ballyhackamore Christmas Market, which will take place on December 3 with an extended number of stalls, longer opening hours and a special festive family fun day.

For more information about the market go to www.facebook. com/Ballyhackamoremarket and for details of the best shopping in Ballyhackamore , go to www.facebook.com/ballyhackamore. business

Below: The team from Ballyhackamore Business Association, William McSorley, Lara Goodall, Doreen McKenzie and Emma McMeekin with some of the goodies on display at Ballyhackamore Artisan Market, which takes place on the third Saturday of the month at St Colmcille’s Church.

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East Belfast : Social

Remembering Ruby The Strand Arts Centre hosted the screening of the documentary Ruby and The Duke, with special introduction by contemporary music star Duke Special. Twenty years after her death, Duke Special affectionately remembered a forgotten legend of British music in the 1950s, Belfast singer Ruby Murray. In one week in March 1955 she had five songs in the Top Ten, a record that stands to this day.

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01. Gretta Auld, Audrey Watters, Victor Auld and

Maureen Wilson.

02. George Smith, Matt McIvor, Johanna Leech

and Mimi Turtle.

03. David Barker, Kathy McCracken, John T Davis

and Christine Barker.

04. Andrea McCartney, Richard Crowe and Deidre Murphy.

05. Stuart Knox, Jan Pell and Mimi Turtle.

06. Hilda Cave and Estelle Orr. 07. Caroline Connolly and Stanley Colville.

08. Michael Beattie and Duke Special.

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East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : PEOPLE IN PROFILE

Stephen Patton, Human Resources Manager at George Best City Airport tells us….

“WHY I LOVE...

EAST BELFAST” WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH TO DATE? I was born and raised in Belfast and attended schools in east Belfast.

I left school with GCSEs and had made the decision to return to sixth year (as the newly appointed Head Boy) to complete ‘A’ levels.

However, early into the new school year an opportunity arose for me to pursue a two year business placement with Bombardier Aerospace - Shorts. During my time with Bombardier Aerospace I attended Queen’s University in the evenings to start my CIPD qualification.

HOW DO YOU SPEND A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK? I work full-time hours over a five day week and have the flexibility to alter my start and finish times to get that all important work life balance.

My overall job role is to provide a generalist HR service for all managers and employees directly employed by the airport providing advice and support, managing employee relations, recruitment and selection and updating policies and procedures in line with best practice and legislation. I also chair and facilitate the NI HR Managers Forum working with other HR professionals to share knowledge and best practice. Apart from the day to day HR duties I also sit on the Airport’s Corporate Responsibility committee which manages the Airport’s Community Fund. This is particularly rewarding as I can see how the financial support the airport provides can really make a difference to local community groups, schools, charities and initiatives to support youth groups and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The airport Community Fund has donated almost £300k to organisations based in Belfast and North Down since its inception in 2009.

will work together on. We work closely with local schools and facilitate airport visits, work experience and volunteering opportunities.

HOW DO YOU RELAX IN YOUR SPARE TIME? In my spare time I am a keen musician and play the piano in my local church. I am an avid traveller and love to visit new places – think that’s a must when working at an airport! I also enjoy reading, music and films.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HIDDEN GEM IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? Has to be Victoria Park, situated just off Connsbrook Avenue. On the rare occasion I escape from the office at lunchtime, myself and few colleagues like nothing better than a brisk 20 minute walk around the lake at Victoria Park to recharge the batteries for a busy afternoon.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT / CAFE IN EAST BELFAST? WHY? East Belfast has an array of fantastic restaurants and cafes so it’s difficult for me to choose one in particular, however, I can be regularly seen having a business meeting or catching up with friends over a coffee and tray bake at Café Smart on the Belmont Road.

WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY INVOLVE? If you take today for example, I started the morning interviewing with our Chief Fire Officer for an internal post we had advertised for and then this afternoon had a meeting with a charitable organisation to discuss a community project for which our three ‘Adopted Schools’

East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : SPOTLIGHT

Grosvenor Grammar School’s South African Tour

Bergvliet High School. On the boys’ side, the tour proved a particular success with both the 1st and 2nd XVs finishing with an unbeaten tour record. On the hockey field, meanwhile, the girls performed admirably and benefitted hugely from the experiences drawn from their four matches.

Away from the sports field, however, the tour was as much designed to broaden the horizons of its participants as to develop their sporting prowess. To this end all sixty-two travelling Grosvenor Grammar School pupils were treated to a wide range of experiences during their trip, which took in some of the most popular and educational sites across Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. Amongst the highlights of the trip were visits to the Apartheid Museum and Dinokeng Game Reserve in Johannesburg, the SA Marine and Rehabilitation Centre, the Featherbed Nature Reserve and Sports Academy George in Port Elizabeth, and Robben Island, Cape Point and Table Mountain in Cape Town.

On the afternoon of Wednesday 10th August Grosvenor’s seventy person-strong Rugby and Hockey tour party returned from their seventeen day tour of South Africa following two-anda-half weeks of wide-ranging experiences that will long remain in the memories of each and every party member. Throughout the duration of the tour both the rugby and girls’ hockey teams participated in four keenly-contested matches against Kempton Park High School, Cape Recife School, Knynsa High School and

A huge debt of gratitude is due to GGS teachers and Group Leaders Mr Andrew Gibson and Mr Gary Hunter, each of whom shared the duties of planning, organising and fundraising for the trip over the past three years. In addition, thanks is also extended to coaches Mr Alan Cowan, Miss Linda Knox, Miss Caroline Adams and Miss Joanne Wilson who also participated in the tour, along with physiotherapist Mr Jamie Wilson and Doctor Mrs Alison Cowan, without whose services the successful running of the tour would not have been possible. The school is also indebted to tour sponsors ‘Denman International Ltd.’, ‘AMPM Property Management’, ‘Desk Warehouse’. ‘Chaka Travel’, ‘Makula 5’ and ‘Minprint’, without whose financial support the running of the tour simply would not have been possible.

Marina Park, Belfast BT5 6BA Tel: 028 9070 2777

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East Belfast Life

Sponsored Feature

Margey to return to Culloden with Autumn Exhibition After a busy summer staging successful exhibitions at Harvey’s Point Donegal and Roe Park Resort Limavady, Portrush based artist Adrian Margey is set to hold his annual one man show at Culloden Estate & Spa Belfast from Thursday 27th – Sunday 30th October 2016. The exhibition and sale of work will comprise forty original pieces depicting some of Northern Ireland’s best loved landscapes and landmarks. The artist will be on hand throughout the exhibition to discuss his work and accept commissions ahead of Christmas. Margey’s portfolio is available to view at www.adrianmargey.com ahead of the exhibition.

Telephone the artist’s Portrush studio on 07841593762 for more information.

Artist Adrian Margey.

Nadine and Declan McCabe.

Visitors to the Summer Exhibition.

‘Dunluce Drama’ by Adrian Margey.

Carrick-a-Rede by Adrian Margey.

Paul and Susan Cranny.

Visitor to the Summer Exhibition.

Barnesmore Stream.

Mark Ayre and William Bortrick.

‘Galway Boats’ by Adrian Margey.

‘Errigal Moods’ by Adrian Margey.

East Belfast Life

63

East Belfast : Social

Lagan College 35th Anniversary Staff and pupils from Lagan College said a special ‘Thank You!’ to David Meade for officially kicking off the school’s 35th anniversary celebrations. The whole school was enthralled, bamboozled and highly entertained for an entire afternoon thanks to the television ‘mentalist’.

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01. David with maths teacher Miss Cavanagh.

02. David Meade entertains the junior school pupils.

03. Jane Atkinson, College Principal

Amanda McNamee, David Meade and Una Walters.

04. David Meade entertains the junior school pupils.

05. David Meade with Lagan College junior pupils.

06. David with maths teacher Miss Cavanagh.

07. David Meade with Senior students at Lagan College.

08. David Meade with Lagan College junior pupils.

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East Belfast Life

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HT East Belfast : SPOTLIGHT

An evening of art, poetry, music and dinning A group of inspiring people have come together to help tackle the issue of homelesness across Belfast in the most creative way possible.

As part of EastSide Arts Festival a homelessness service and an artist united to create a wonderful evening of art, music, poetry, and dinning in east Belfast. One Square Meal was one of the highlights on the opening night of East Side Arts Festival.

The event involved a partnership between East Belfast Mission’s Homelessness service (Hosford) and Creative Exchange. Arlene Megaw (Lifeskills Coordinator for Hosford) and Ciara O‘Malley (artist from Creative Exchange) worked with a group of people who are connected to Hosford homelessness service to create a beautiful immersive environment on the roof top garden of the Skainos Centre.

On Wednesday 10th August the space was opened with an evening of dining, music, poetry, and art. The evening and installation was intended to break down social, attitudinal, and community barriers and help to develop positive and dynamic links between homeless people in east Belfast and the community as a whole. The installation remained open to the public until the end of the EastSide Arts Festival which ran from 10th -20th August.

Arlene Megaw, Lifeskills Coordinator from Hosford, said:

‘This project has been an amazing journey for all involved. My work is about tackling homelessness by helping people to grow and helping our community to grow. This project really symbolizes that and I am immensely proud of the group and what we have achieved together’.

Aidan Byrne, Manager of Hosford (the homelessness service of East Belfast Mission) said:

‘I have worked in the homeless sector for the past ten years and this is one of the most inspiring projects I have experienced.

Homelessness is a huge, unacceptable, and misunderstood problem in our community. The project shows that people have a lot to offer their community. Personally I have learned a lot from the work of the group and I urge people do go along and check it out for themselves’.

EAST BELFAST SOCIAL ENTERPRISE HUB

ENCOURAGING START UP, GROWTH & ENTREPRENEURSHIP WITHIN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY OF EAST BELFAST Are you thinking about starting up a new social enterprise or expanding your existing social enterprise? The East Belfast Social Enterprise Hub aims to encourage social enterprise start-ups and expansions across the local community of East Belfast. The Hub offers space for groups and individuals to develop their enterprise idea from concept to start up with the support of a dedicated and experienced team of business advisors.

The East Belfast Hub can provide: • Free one to one mentoring sessions with an experienced and dedicated business advisor.

• Help with business planning, developing financial forecasts, pricing products and services, marketing, social media and more!

• Free business training sessions specific to social enterprise development.

• Free “hot desk” space.

• Networking events and signposting to further support.

If you want to find out more information about the range of free supports available within your local community for social enterprise, please feel free to call in or contact: Janice Bunting or Lyn Barrie East Belfast Social Enterprise Hub Skainos Centre Skainos Square 239 Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 1AF Phone: 028 9045 8560 Ext 220 Email: lyn.barrie@ebm.org.uk: janice.bunting@ebm.org.uk

East Belfast Mission Skainos Square 239 Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 1AF

T: 028 9045 8560 www.ebm.org.uk

East Belfast Life 65

East Belfast : PeoPLe in ProfiLe

Writer and Community Arts Officer Jan Carson tells us…

“WHY I LOVE...

EAST BELFAST” What has been your career Path to date?

hoW do you sPend a tyPical day at Work?

I have an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Queen’s and have always been a voracious writer. I knew at some stage I’d eventually get round to writing a book but didn’t begin properly focusing on writing until I moved to Portland, Oregon in 2005. Whilst living there for three and a half years I began writing short stories and eventually had some success with getting these stories published in literary journals. I began working on my first novel, Malcolm Orange Disappears as soon as I moved back to Belfast in 2009 and was fortunate enough to have it published by Liberties Press, Dublin in early 2014. A short story collection, Children’s Children followed in 2016 and I’m delighted to have a pamphlet of flash fiction, (very tiny stories), called Postcard Stories, forthcoming in May 2017 with the Emma Press. These stories are the product I ran throughout 2015. Every day for a year I wrote a short story on the back of a postcard and mailed it to a friend somewhere in the world. It was a lovely way to include others in my artistic practice and I’m delighted that the stories will now be published and available for participants to own.

A typical writing day for me begins with a walk to a coffee shop. Walking round east Belfast has become very much part of my creative process.

I think out ideas best when I’m walking around and I also like to observe people in the hope of finding ideas and incidents to explore in my stories.

I usually write for anywhere between two and four hours a day either in a coffee shop or at home, in bed, with a wee cup of tea. I also work a day job so early evening is my writing time and weekends are precious. I like to work on two projects at once: one day I work on a novel and the next day I’ll focus on writing short stories. This helps to keep my ideas fresh and stops me from becoming distracted and veering into odd storylines.

If I’m working in public you’ll often see me sitting with a hand over my mouth, reading my work out loud. This is how I edit stories. It must look a little strange to people sitting in the coffee shop.

The Strand Arts Centre is one of Jan’s favourite places in east Belfast.

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East Belfast Life

hoW do you relaX in your sPare time?

I love going the cinema. I have a membership card for the QfT and am often there a couple of times a week. The cinema is probably the

East Belfast : People in Profile

only place where I’m completely forced to relax, turn off my mobile and not think about anything else. I love the way a good film will transport you out of your everyday circumstances and make you forget your own life for a few hours. I also read a lot; around a hundred and fifty books a year. I read lots of very different books but I have a particular love of Agatha Christie and am currently in the middle of an epic quest to read all her crime novels in order. I don’t really watch any TV apart from the BBC medical dramas, Casualty and Holby City, which I’m a little bit obsessed with. I’ve been watching both religiously for as long as I can remember. I also enjoy spending time with friends and am really thankful for the incredible community of writers in Belfast. There are so many readings in the city now, I could be out hearing new work and seeing friends every night of the week, but it’s important not to get too distracted from my own writing.

What do you like most about living in East Belfast?

I live just off Belmont and I absolutely love the feeling of being part of an urban village. When I lived in Portland, Oregon the city was split into little neighbourhoods, each with its own shops, coffee shops and pubs. I liked the idea of living in a big city, but having a small town experience.

East Belfast has been a very similar experience for me. I know my neighbours. I quite often work with the older people who live in the residential care facility at the end of my street and it’s lovely to bump into them out and about round the area. I enjoy going to the Strand cinema and through my work with EastSide Arts have got to know the wonderful people who work there. I use the local shops and cafes. It’s fabulous to feel like you actually live in a neighbourhood where you can be known and part of such a vibrant community. Each year of the EastSide Arts Festival I feel like the sense of community here gets stronger and I’m thrilled to see there are more and more artists living and practicing in this part of the city.

Where do you like to get out & about/ socialise in East Belfast?

It’s not so much a socialising spot but my friends and I really, really love the Strand. We’re so fortunate to have a genuine piece of cinematic history right here on our doorstep and I try to see movies there as often as possible. The staff are so friendly and they show a really eclectic range of films: it’s been great to see the Strand screening Jan loves to get inspiration at Connswater Shopping Centre.

Jan loves the sense of community that is fostered during the EastSide Arts Festival.

lots of classics and independent films over the last wee while and I know they have big plans for more of this. I’m excited to see how the Strand develops as an arts centre over the next few years. I can see it becoming a real hub for this part of the east.

What is your favourite hidden gem in East Belfast?

Why? This is an odd one but I really love Connswater Shopping Centre. I was so sad when they closed down Connswater Tesco. It was one of the best places for finding story inspiration. I used to stalk the aisles listening to people and observing how they talked and what they were talking about.

I write a lot about east Belfast and I really want to include authentic dialogue in my stories, so being able to listen in and observes ‘Easties’ in their every day life is a really important part of my artistic practice. I still wander about the shopping centre every so often but it’s not quite as inspiring as Connswater Tesco. At last count I think I have four entire short stories set in Connswater Tesco and there’s a whole section of my new novel based there. Maybe we can get it re-opened..

What is your favourite restaurant / cafe in East Belfast? Why? I spend a lot of time in the Clements at Ballyhackamore. It’s a great place to write and the staff there are always interested in what I’m working in and really encouraging. Not every coffee shop will open late and let you sit around for hours working on a story but they do and this is absolutely invaluable for me as a writer.

East Belfast Life 67

East Belfast : Social

Making Memories Collette Creative Photography recently celebrated the opening of its new studio at 73 Belmont Road. Owner Collette O’Neill was joined by a host of guests, including fellow local business proprietors, to celebrate the occasion.

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Karishna Kasurkar, Terry McNally, Karla McNally and Rachel Galway.

Laoleonie Dobson, Rory Davidson and Tracey Dobson.

Nuala Meenehan, Elaine Peel, Collette O’Neill and Petra Wolsey.

Collette O’Neill, Ruth Loy, Paul Dobson and Samantha Robb.

Tony Axon, Collette O’Neill and Richard Ryan.

Collette O’Neill and Rachael Singleton.

Caroline Grainger, Collette O’Neill and Petra Wolsey Olivia Muldoon, Angela Hunter, Sarah Hinds, Collette O’Neill, Nicola McIlhagger and Lynne Rollings.

East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : MOTORING

IMPRESSIVE RESULTS Derek Black test drives the new Mazda3 What is not to like about the latest Mazda3? Good to look at and good to drive, this family hatch is roomier than most and better priced than its big-name rivals. Take a closer look and you discover that it also scores on economy, safety and equipment.

There are five-door hatchback or fastback style choices with a range of petrol or diesel engines. Mazda is taking a different approach to the environmental challenges. They are not rushing into hybrids or electrics but are looking long and hard at various ways of making conventional engineering more efficient.

All of the engines come with a six-speed manual gearbox which feels slick to use. There is also the option of a six-speed automatic on the 2.0 petrol and on the diesels. This is a responsive car to drive which rides well on poor surfaces. Handling is tidy and springing is comfortable.

Their radical SKYACTIVE approach involves making cars lighter using special steels and reworking every key component to make it better. The results are impressive - its newest 1.5 diesel returns an impressive 74mpg on the Combined Cycle and emits less than 100g/km of carbon dioxide.

Quite eye-catching with its long profile, the Mazda 3 feels bigger than most of its kind when you step into the driving seat. There are echoes of the larger Mazda6 inside with a central colour screen and a head-up speed read-out reflected in the glass in front of the driver. There is plenty of elbow room in the front, reasonable legroom in the back and a bigger boot than most hatchbacks.

With such great mpg, you might wonder what it is like to drive? The power output of 105PS is similar to most diesels of its capacity.

On the road, it feels zippy off the mark and has no problem coping with the pace of everyday traffic. As diesels go, this one is quiet and refined enough to appeal to Northern Ireland’s long distance drivers.

Mazda packs in the standard kit to include 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, Bluetooth and that 7-inch touchscreen on the starter models. The SEL adds climate control, rain sensing wipers and parking sensors. Top spec Sport Nav includes 18-inch alloys, keyless entry and satellite navigation. (Nav versions of the core trims come with satellite navigation.)

If you prefer more beefier performance, then the 2.2-litre turbo diesel has it covered with an output of 150PS, translating to 0-62mph in a lively 8.1 seconds. Yet it returns a decent 68mpg

With prices from just over ÂŁ17K, the generous spec and a high rating in reliability surveys, any car buyer who ignores the latest Mazda3 does so at their cost.

2017 M{ZD{ 3

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combined. Petrolhead have a choice of 1.5 or 2.0-litre non turbo engines with from 100 to 165PS. Combined con-sumption varies from 48 to 55mpg.

East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : Motoring

kings of the hill The Craigantlet Hillclimb, a popular speed event organised by the Ulster Automobile Club, was staged recently. Big crowds gathered to see the host of fantastic vintage and modern cars race around the roads of east Belfast. There was no better place for motoring enthusiasts to be, with the opportunity to see the fastest cars competing anywhere, on public roads, in Ireland this year.

Photos courtesy of Raymond Brown Photography, Eddie Brackenridge Photography, Steve Kandi and Tom Maxwell.

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East Belfast : fashion

StreetSmart...

Steven Gilkinson Where did your outfit today come from?

TK Maxx and All Saints.

Niki Gilkinson.

Who is your style icon?

Alexa Chung.

Where would be your favourite place to shop for clothes?

Topshop.

Do you have a fashion pet peeve?

Crocs.

Do you have a fashion pet peeve?

People who wear clothes that are too small for them.

What is your favourite fashion store?

Urban Outfitters.

Radka Rebukoua and Julius Lakatos.

Can you describe your joint sense of style in one word?

Casual.

What is your go to ‘must have’ item for the summer?

Radka answers quickest, ‘ a skirt.’

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East Belfast Life

East Belfast Life hits Belmont Road and Ballyhackamore to check out what’s hot in the style stakes

East Belfast : Social

A Perfect Ending Six-piece band, The Big Kahuna recently played out the EastSide Arts Festival closing party at Park Avenue Hotel. The band, who pride themselves on a fully live performance experience with musicians making up a horn section, lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals, all delivered with an energy that kept guests on the dance floor all night – the perfect way to end the EastSide Arts Festival.

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Rachel Kennedy, Jacqueline O’Hagan, Heather Chesney and Sean Brannigan.

Eric Woods, Heather Moorehead and Claire Humphrey.

Colin and Barbara Nicol.

Rachel Kennedy, Rachael Davidson and Pam Allen.

Lisa and Paul McCabe.

Julie and Stephen Kane.

Gerard Walton and Tina Kenning.

The Big Kahuna on stage.

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East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : People in Profile

David Wilson, partner at Worthington Solicitors tells us…

“WHY I LOVE...

East BELFAST” What has been your career path to date?

I read law at Queens University, Belfast. After graduation I moved to London to work for KPMG in tax law. I qualified as a solicitor in 2000 and became a partner in Worthingtons Solicitors in 2006 where I remain. Presently, I practice law north and south of the border and advise commercial, institutional and private investor clients on all aspects of commercial property. In addition, I act for several of the major telecoms companies.

How do you spend a typical day at work?

I am not one of those people who has to be at his desk at the crack of dawn. I arrive at the office at a sensible time to avoid traffic as best I can, usually around 9.00am. I check my emails, view my appointments diary and finish off any preparation for the day ahead that has not been attended to the night before. I meet with my team, Sara, Rachel and Sarah daily and discuss what they are doing and give them any assistance I can. There are a handful of clients I speak to every day about whatever deal they are undertaking. Communication is vital and you soon get to know those clients who prefer a friendly chat to those

who prefer a “War and Peace” type email. I often attend meetings out of the office at various locations and return to the office to dictate, draft or amend whatever document the client has requested.

Sometimes I travel outside Northern Ireland to London or Dublin but usually I am Belfast based.

Lunch is usually with my fellow partners and we discuss office matters such as marketing ideas or recent case law developments. Normally, the conversation goes off piste and we end up talking about whatever was on television the night before! We are closely knit team and when you work with the same people for as long as we have we tend to get to know each other extremely well.

I like to work in the evenings to prepare for the day ahead. Being a solicitor is not a 9 to 5 role and involves a lot of extra hours. Outside of work, I sit on the board of a couple or arts based not for profit organisations so I might have a board meeting to attend or a function in the evenings. I always enjoy attending events at the Ulster Reform Club where I am a member.

Fortunately for me, there is no such thing as a typical day at Worthingtons which is good thing. One example of how atypical a day

Il Parata

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East Belfast Life

East Belfast : People in Profile

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day can be occurred several years ago when one dreary November Thursday afternoon in the depths of the recession the phone rang and it was a good private client on the other end. He asked me what I had in my diary for the following week and I told him I had intended to take the week off to go to France. At the news, he instructed me to cancel France and that I was going with him and a business partner to Las Vegas to attend an annual fast food conference. He was thinking of bringing a particular fast food brand to Ireland and wanted me to attend to amend the contracts and do the deal. Never one to pass on an opportunity, I accepted. Less than 48 hours later, I was happily ensconced in a top floor penthouse at one of the best hotels on the strip. Everyone in the office thought it was a complete waste of time as I don’t gamble but I reminded them all in Vegas to work and not play……. It was a tough gig!

How do you relax in your spare time?

In my spare time, I like to walk, read or socialise with friends. I love skiing and enjoy getting to France in the winter time. I thoroughly enjoy travelling. Last year I visited the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army outside Xian and found the whole experience fascinating. This

year I will visit Mexico City and some of the old colonial silver mining towns to the north of Mexico City and the Aztec Pyramids.

What do you like most about living in East Belfast?

I live in Belmont and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this leafy part of Belfast. I live a stone’s throw away from “Little Lea” which was the boyhood home of C. S. Lewis and when I am walking around the area, I can clearly see where C. S. Lewis took his inspiration for Narnia. The tall beech trees on Circular Road are gnarled with moss and age would have been there one hundred years ago when C. S. Lewis was growing up. It amazes me that the area from Belmont Church to Circular Road is not a conservation area such is the wealth of history and charm.

I have met so many wonderful people living in Belmont. I have always had fantastic neighbours in Belmont. I have been entertained at spectacular barbeques, raucous Christmas parties and dinner parties and I do my best to reciprocate. There is always something happening and people there are very community minded. Good neighbours are important and I suppose that is what I like and value most from living in Belmont.

Where do you like to get out & about/ socialise in East Belfast?

Apart from visiting friends, I like to meet family or friends in Graze or Neill’s Hill which I always find to be very consistent. I love catching up with Lesley who is one of the popular waitresses in Neill’s Hill and find out all about her other job as assistant costumer on Game of Thrones.

What is your favourite hidden gem in East Belfast?

Why? Fortunately, my favourite hidden gem in east Belfast is strictly private and off limits to everyone else except me. It is my garden of course.

Ulster gardens seem to be best in spring and I love watching the array of plants burst into life each April. It is a 1930s garden that was completely replanted around 20 years ago by the previous owner’s father, Alex Acheson whom I know. I take no credit whatsoever and do my best to prune the Wisteria at the correct time but if something dies it dies and can be replaced. I don’t get too excited! The garden is a complete oasis of peace and calm and a great place to work and relax.

What is your favourite restaurant / cafe in East Belfast? Why?

CS Lewis statue.

I enjoy the casual dining venues in Ballyhackamore best such as the Mexican cantina, “Acapulco” or the Italian themed “Il Pirata” or indeed the perennially consistent Neill’s Hill. In terms of having a favourite, I would have to choose the unpretentious “Good Fortune” chinese on Eastleigh Drive owned by Ann and her chef son Stephen. They run a very good BYO Chinese with fresh ingredients and always give me a warm welcome.

East Belfast Life 77

East Belfast : Social

Eating with Style Framewerk, Upper Newtownards Road, recently hosted ‘The Gallery Kitchen. A Tribute to Olafur Eliasson’. Catered by The Black Bear Cafe, it was a night of vegan recipes inspired by Olafur Eliasson’s book ‘The Kitchen’.

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Rhiannon Ewing-James and Robyn Galway.

The Gallery Kitchen at Framerwerk Gallery.

Holly Fellowes and Pam Allen.

Jo Mason and Lauren Fenton.

Emma McDonald and Danielle Black.

Alexis Sleator and Catherine Donaldson.

Erin Calvert and Cait Morrision.

Stuart Roberts and Karl Bak. The Gallery Kitchen at Framerwerk Gallery.

East Belfast Life

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East Belfast : Social

WHAT’S HAPPENING -

IN THE EAST

We take a look at some of the major events and attractions coming soon to East Belfast.

NEW SEASON, NEW HOME GAMES Ulster v Ospreys Saturday 1st October 6.30pm Guinness PRO12

Ulster v Clermont Auvergne Saturday 10th December 1.00pm European Cup

Ulster v Exeter Chiefs Saturday 22nd October 7.45pm European Cup

Ulster v Connacht Friday 23rd December 7.35pm Guinness PRO12

Ulster v Munster Friday 28th October 7.05pm Guinness PRO12

Ulster v Bordeaux Eagles 20/21/22 January 2017 (date TBC) European Cup

Ulster v Zebre Friday 25th November 7.35pm Guinness PRO12

Ulster v Edinburgh 10/11/12 February 2017 (date TBC) Guinness PRO12 Image: dicksondigital

Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.ie or by calling 028 90493222

What?

Belfast City Council will be hosting the city’s annual Halloween Monster Mash on the slipways of Titanic Belfast.

With a ‘Movie Blockbusters’ theme, attendees will enjoy an evening of live music from The Unusual Suspects; spooky on stage music quizzes, street theatre, dastardly dragon puppets, breath taking fire shows, crafty workshops, fearsome face painting and mini fairground rides as well as the largest fireworks display in the city! Admission to the event is free and no tickets are required.

When?

Sunday 30th October (4pm - 7pm) Where?

Titanic Slipways, Queen’s Road , Belfast 80

East Belfast Life

What?

C.S. Lewis Festival 2016.

When?

Friday 18th - 22nd November.

Where?

It is nearly time for the C.S. Lewis Festival and this year there will be talks, tours, film, theatre, music, workshops, craft fairs, exhibitions and much more in venues all over east Belfast For further information: www.eastsidearts.net

Insurance

Must End th 5 November

BEAUT IFU NEW L BATHR SHOW OOM ROOM NOW O PEN 59–75 Ladas Drive, Belfast. Tel: 028 9022 5000

CD3249_BATHROOM SALE-SEPT 2016-FP EBL.indd 1

23/09/2016 11:20

Brokers

Provincewide Member

East BelfastLife l Autumn 2016

BelfastLife EAST

An Ulster Tatler Group Publication

an ulster tatler GROUP publication

all the latest EAST belfast social events covered inside Why i Love - Cecilia Daly, Alan Jennings, David Wilson, Mark McKeown, James McCullough, Stephen Patton & Jan Carson tell us why they love East Belfast Social Round Up - Ulster Rugby Family Open Day Dining in the east - Essential guide to Eating Out in East Belfast

Autumn 2016 | ÂŁ2.00 where sold