Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the birthplace of author C.S. Lewis and musician Van Morrison. It was founded in 1177 on the shores of Belfast Lough, which provided the city with its own port and drove much of its early economic development. http://web.archive.org/web/20070816000535/www.gotobelfast.com/index.cfm/level/page/category_key/197/Page_Key/336/Parent_Key/280/Content_Key/680/type/Page/PaGeName/History Shipbuilding and the linen trade flourished there during the Victorian Period. http://web.archive.org/web/20070816000535/www.gotobelfast.com/index.cfm/level/page/category_key/197/Page_Key/336/Parent_Key/280/Content_Key/680/type/Page/PaGeName/History The Titanic was completed in the Belfast shipyards of Harland & Wolff prior to sinking on her maiden voyage in 1912.http://www.nmni.com/titanic/

In April of 1998, the Belfast Agreement, also called the Good Friday Agreement, between Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland effectively ended a period of sectarian violence known as the Troubles that had killed more than 3,500 people over nearly 40 years. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/Getting-Past-the-Troubles.html Since the end of the conflict, the political and economic environment in revitalized Belfast has been characterized by dramatic improvements in the productivity and employment rates.http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/factsandfigures/economy.asp

Belfast began as a castle built in 1177 by an Englishman named John de Courcy. It did not become a town until after 1609 when King James granted lands including Belfast Castle to Sir Arthur Chichester, who rebuilt the castle in 1611. Near the end of the 17th century, Belfast’s population was expanded by French Protestants fleeing religious persecution. These settlers brought with them knowledge about linen weaving that would shape the Belfast economy.http://www.localhistories.org/belfast.html

In 1700, there were 2,500 people living in Belfast exporting 200,000 yards of linen per year. By 1800 the population had grown to 20,000 and the linen yards exported per year to more than 17 million. Belfast continued to grow rapidly until the middle of the 20th century. In 1939, there were 438,000 people living in the city, but several periods of mass unemployment, coupled with sectarian violence during the Troubles, had reduced that figure to 305,000 by the early 21st century.http://www.localhistories.org/belfast.html

The name Belfast comes from the Celtic language 'Béal Feirsde', which means “approach to the sandbank ford.” It sits on the east coast of Ireland, with the Port of Belfast lying upon the southern tip of Belfast Lough.http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/geography/belfast.html

Belfast also sits across two counties: Antrim and Down and across two rivers: Lagen and Farset. On the three sides not bordered by Belfast Lough, it is surrounded by mountains.http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/geography/belfast.html The original site of Belfast Castle, which can still be visited by tourists today, sits more than 400 feet above sea level.http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=194

• • Crown Liquor Saloon: 46 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, County Antrim - 028 9024 3187http://www.crownbar.com/
• • Grand Opera House: 2 Great Victoria Street, Belfast - 028 9024 1919http://www.goh.co.uk/
• • Ulster Museum: Botanic Ave, Belfast - 0845 608 0000http://www.nmni.com/um
• • The Linen Hall Library: 17 Donegall Square North, Belfast, County Antrim - 028 9032 1707http://www.linenhall.com/
• • Ormeau Baths Gallery: The Baths, 18 Ormeau Av, Belfast, County Antrim - 028 9032 1402http://www.ormeaubaths.co.uk/
• • Giant's Causeway: 44 Causeway Rd, Bushmills, County Antrimhttp://www.allenstours.co.uk/Causeway%20Tour.html
• • Belfast Central Library: 1 Royal Ave, Belfast - 028 9050 9150http://www.ni-libraries.net/libraries/belfast-central-library-newspaper-library/
• • Belfast Zoo: Antrim Rd, Belfast, County Antrim - 028 9077 6277http://www.belfastzoo.co.uk/
• • Belfast Botanic Gardens: College Park, Belfast - 028 9032 4902http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/parksandopenspaces/parksdetails.asp?id=54

• • C.S. Lewis - Author
• • Danny Blanchflower - Soccer player
• • Gerry Adams - Activist
• • James Galway - Musician
• • Van Morrison - Musicianhttp://www.information-britain.co.uk/famousbritons.php?county=107