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From 1690, when King William’s forces crossed the nearby Blackstaff river, Sandy Row has been central to unionist and loyalist culture.

The handsome red brick building at the southern end of the street is one of the oldest purpose-built Orange Halls in Belfast and during the Great War, members of the 36th (Ulster) Division mustered in the courtyard of what had been the Ulster Brewery, in the heart of Sandy Row.

Today, this wee gem of a place is still a focus of the Twelfth of July celebrations, with many visitors warmly welcomed into the Row to experience the atmosphere and learn about the ties of heritage and culture that help to bind our community together.

In First Place

It’s maybe not surprising that as one of the oldest parts of Belfast, Sandy Row can claim quite a few firsts.

The first bridge over the River Blackstaff, built in 1642 and originally called the Great Bridge, heralded the beginning of Sandy Row and when Belfast’s first railway terminus was built, pretty much at the end of the street, Sandy Row quickly became one of the busiest shopping streets in Belfast. It’s fitting then that the city’s very first department store, Hewitt Brothers, was opened on the Row and just around the corner, tucked beside the allotments and dating from 1928, the Arellian Nursery was the very first nursery school opened in Ireland.

Not bad for our wee place.