A recent article on Belfast’s River Farset jogged my memory that I’ve got a ton of great info the hidden rivers in many cities around the world, so figured I’d start writing about them. For this post, I’ll focus on Belfast, and return shortly to discuss Dublin to round out Ireland, then move on to other locales. As mentioned in the most recent article, “For 170 years, the river that gave Belfast its name has been buried underground in a hidden tunnel.” It goes on to discuss how, similar to many stories of cities worldwide, the river was slowly changed from vital aquatic resource that fueled manufacturing such as linen mills, to it’s transformation as dumping ground, leading to the eventual encasement: “One million bricks and 40 years later, the last section of the Farset that flowed through the city centre was buried underground in 1848, and it has remained hidden from sight ever since.“
From the article:
“Belfast, or Béal Feirste (‘the sandy ford at the mouth of the Farset’, in Irish) not only owes its existence to this river, but also its growth and early prosperity. Yet, for the last 170 years, this ancient waterway has been sealed off from the outside world by a series of tunnels, and is largely forgotten by those walking just above it.”
The desire to open up the Farset is a common theme, with plans “…to redevelop land around an exposed part of the river and also produce a full heritage package – including an exhibition, Farset app, public information signs, and tours with trained guides – that will highlight the heritage to local people and also attract tourism.”
Another article echoing this sentiment in the Belfast Telegraph traces “The lost river that gave Belfast its name” and offers an exploration as well: “Old drawings show a bustling river which powered Belfast’s industrial development and ferried traders into what is now High Street. But most locals would be hard-pressed to pinpoint exactly where the Farset flows before it reaches the city centre – because almost the entire route is now hidden beneath our feet in the form of culverts. The Greater Shankill Partnership recently revealed it wants to transform one of the few open stretches of the Farset into a public amenity as part of its long-term Shankill Greenway plan.”
This similar theme is expressed in stories from 2015 from the BBC, “Hidden History of Belfast’s lesser-know rivers brought to the surface”, which includes the Farset, as well as the Blackstaff rivers, both of which “determined the shape of the city that grew up around the narrowest bridging point of the Farset, where High Street is today.”
Additionally, the Connswater, which was featured in Van Morrison’s song “Brown-Eyed Girl“, but also has a larger history as a locus of whiskey production, ” In Victorian times, two-thirds of whiskey exported from Ireland came from Belfast, and around half of that came from two distilleries – the Connswater distillery and the Avoneil distillery. “ Today, remnants run under the 400-year old bridge in east Belfast. Portions of the river runs through Orangefield park and supports wildlife, “The river used to run along fences at the back of the houses, which were susceptible to flooding. Instead of building floodwalls, here the river has been ‘moved’ to become a central feature of the park.”
HEADER: Partially hidden view of River Farset in Belfast – via Belfast Telegraph
Nice piece, Jason. I’d love to fast forward time a 100 years to see how we change/retrofit our urban areas to work better with nature.
Reminds me of the river, now an underground vehicle route, thru the center of Guanajuato, Mexico, which leaves that city a pedestrian’s dream.
The Farset ran open between our street ie. Jamaica Street and Etna Drive. I and just about every child around waded or played along this open part before it dived underground at Crumlin Street.
Hi Gerry, would love to chat to you about that over the phone – doing a project on rivers in Belfast – how can I contact you? Thanks!
Hello Gerry, I don’t think that was the Farset but a tributary. It was called the Rosebank I believe.I crossed it many times from the “Bone”to Ardoyne.
The stream that ran between Jamaica St and Erna Drive started up by ballysillan and ran through what was called Prices fields. Where it came to surface at the top of Jamaica St another stream that came from just west of Oldpark Road and ran at the back of Alliance and entered the first one.
Gerry Beggs
I recently wrote an article about rivers and I began by mentioning the rivers of my childhood in Belfast. However, as much as I remember them I had difficulty in identifying them. I already knew about the Farset which gave Belfast its name but there are three others which I’m not sure about. When I looked at a recent map of that river I discovered that it was the one which I knew as a child as it ran under Lawnbrook Avenue and between Cupar Street and Bombay Street. I knew it as the ‘Race’. The second river was one which ran through the Beechmount area and I imagine it was the Clowney as a street of that name was nearby. When I used the internet it stated that it was the Connswater, which surprised me as I knew that that river passed the old gasworks on the Ormeau Road and flowed into Victoria Park. A third river was the one which flowed through the National Trust at Colin Glen. I knew it as the Colin Glen river but that might not be its name. It flowed down to the then village of Suffolk. The fourth river was one which ran under the Springfield Road near a sharp bend. I knew it as ‘The Flush’ and there were derelict buildings nearby probably from the Linen era. This river ran down by the old Mackies factory in Forest Street and behind Fort street which it flooded in 1969 or 70. I remember soldiers rescuing residents during the ‘honeymoon’ period. Judging by the information I have given could someone please confirm the names of the rivers I have mentioned so that I can give an accurate description in my article. I am not a professional but it is one of my hobbies writing articles and short stories.
Many thanks,
Jim Wedge
Leicestershire.
Dear Jim,
Your memory is not failing you!
The Connswater is in the east of the city traversing the Newtownards Road. I think the Gasworks one you refer to is the Blackstaff. You are correct about the Farset and the Flush, as well as the Colin Glen and Clowney (the one I’m least sure about).
Also, the stream that fella Gerry was talking about in Ardoyne is the Oldpark river.
All the best,
Stevie
Thanks, Stevie. Your comments are greatly appreciated. Regards, Jim.