New Irish Language series discovers Belfast’s eight ‘quarters’ across the city
Date Posted: July 4, 2023
Did you know that Belfast has eight ‘Quarters’? In Ocht gCeathrú, a new six-part Irish Language Broadcast Fund series, presenters Aodhán Ó Baoill and Niamh Ní Dhubhgáin take listeners on a tour to discover the unique character of each of the city’s ‘Quarters’. Produced by Clean Slate Productions, the series begins tonight (Tuesday 4th July) at 7:30pm on BBC Radio Ulster and tomorrow (Wednesday 5th July) at 1.30pm on Raidió na Gaeltachta.
Over the six weeks, Aodhán and Niamh will meet a range of local people, historians and experts to find out what gives each ‘Quarter’ its distinctiveness – from the Titanic and Gaeltacht Quarters to the Cathedral and Library Quarters.
The series starts with a tour of the Queen’s Quarter. Architect Ciarán Mackel talks about how some of Belfast’s most iconic buildings were designed, including the main building of Queen’s University, the Lanyon Building. Queen’s University Professor, Míchéal Ó Mainnín, describes the changes that he has seen in the city and in attitudes towards the Irish language since starting work in the university in the 1980s. Niamh and Aodhán are met by epidemiologist Stephen Carson at one of Belfast’s most recognised historical sites, Friar’s Bush Graveyard. Stephen dispels the myth that if ‘Plaguey Hill’, where victims were buried during a cholera epidemic of the 1830s, were disturbed, cholera would spread among the population again.
Traditional guitarist, Neil Ó Briain from Cork tells the programme about the cultural scene in the Queen’s Quarter and how there is something for everyone in that part of the city, while archaeologist Pól Mac Cumhaill explains more about the history of Botanic Gardens, the buildings within its grounds and how it used to be inaccessible except to the social elite of Belfast.
An bhfuil a fhios agat go bhfuil ocht ‘gCeathrú’ i mBéal Feirste? I sraith úr sé chuid de chuid an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge, tabharfaidh láithreoirí Aodhán Ó Baoill agus Niamh Ní Dhubhgáin éisteoirí ar thuras le nádúr uathúil gach ‘Ceathrún’ sa chathair a aimsiú. Beidh an sraith nua seo, léirithe ag Clean Slate Productions le cloisteál ar BBC Gaeilge agus RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, leis an chéad chlár ag dul amach anocht (Dé Máirt 4ú Iúil) ag 7.30.i.n. ar BBC Raidió Uladh agus amárach (Dé Céadaoin 5ú Iúil) ag 01.30.i.n ar Raidió na Gaeltachta.
Thar na sé seachtaine, buailfidh Aodhán agus Niamh le réimse de dhaoine áitiúla, staraithe agus saineolaithe lena fháil amach cad é a fhágann a héagsúlacht féin ar gach ‘Ceathrú’ – idir na Ceathrúna Titanic agus Gaeltachta agus Cheathrúna na hArdeaglaise agus na Leabharlainne.
Tosaíonn an tsraith le turas thart ar Cheathrú na Banríona. Labhraíonn an t-ailtire Ciarán Mackel ar an dóigh ar dearadh cuid de na foirgnimh is mó aithne i mBéal Feirste, ar a n-áirítear Foirgneamh Lanyon, príomhfhoirgneamh Ollscoil na Banríona. Cuireann Ollamh de chuid Ollscoil na Banríona, Mícheál Ó Mainnín, síos ar na hathruithe a chonaic sé ar an chathair agus ar dhearcthaí i leith na Gaeilge ó thosaigh sé ag obair san ollscoil sna 1908idí. Buaileann Niamh agus Aodhán le Stephen Carson, eipidéimeolaí, i gceann de na láithreacha stairiúla is aitheanta i mBéal Feirste, Reilig Thor an Bhráthar. Faigheann Stephen réidh leis an tseanscéal go scaipfeadh an calar i measc na ndaoine arís dá mbainfí do ‘Plaguey Hill’, áit ar cuireadh na mairbh le linn eipidéim chalair sna 1830idí.
Insíonn Neil Ó Briain, giotáraí traidisiúnta as Corcaigh, don chlár faoin tsaol cultúrtha atá i gCeathrú na Banríona, agus go bhfuil rud ann do chách sa chuid sin den chathair. Agus míníonn Pól Mac Cumhaill, seandálaí, a thuilleadh faoi stair Gharraithe na Lus, faoi na foirgnimh ar na tailte ansin agus faoin dóigh nach mbíodh cead isteach ach ag scoth shóisialta Bhéal Feirste.
