Cathedral Quarter - Belfast City Council

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A lying-In hospital was
located at number 25 in
1794
A recent photographic
exhibition at Belfast
Exposed Gallery
might catch a glimpse of Fergus Purdy conserving
and restoring furniture in the building opposite.
25 Donegall Street
The sculptor Anthony Brennan displays his novel
satirical wares on the ground floor of this 18th
century building. Famous subjects have included
Bill Clinton, Mo Mowlam and Ian Paisley.
A Lying-In Hospital was located here in 1794,
relieving “chiefly poor tradesmen’s, labourers’ and
soldiers’ wives”.
23 Donegall Street 1881
The wholesale warehouse by James Mackinnon at
number 23 has an unaltered shopfront and pairs of
round-headed windows above. It was restored by the
Laganside Corporation and provides an ideal home
for a number of arts organisations including Belfast
Exposed, (which has a photographic gallery on the
ground floor), the Belfast Film Festival (and microcinema),
Medi-Able and Northern Visions. Northern
Visions launched a new community television
channel NVTV, to “enable community groups and
individuals in the city to be seen and heard”.
19-21 Donegall Street 1881
A very fine ground floor shopfront survives here with
grey granite columns supporting red sandstone fascia.
Lively uses within would add enormous interest to the
street. The four-storey stucco building has side
pilasters and a panelled parapet. Four round-headed
windows on the first floor form an arcade.
1950s and 1930s buildings in between could
provide residential accommodation in this
underpopulated area, or indeed additional bright
studio space.
“The Cathedral Quarter is steeped in history and has retained a
uniqueness and character which must be preserved. This area of
the city centre offers an opportunity to integrate new and exciting
buildings which reflect the inventiveness and aspirations of the
many cultural groups that are located here. It has the potential to
be populated with small businesses and imaginatively designed
dwellings, creating a place where children can play safely and
where adults enjoy living.”
Dave Hyndman, Northern Visions