[87][106], Harriet, Countess of Shaftesbury (1836-1898), the wife of The 8th Earl of Shaftesbury, later commissioned a sculpture to commemorate her brother, Lord Belfast, and her mother, Harriet, Marchioness of Donegall (1822-1860),[106] the daughter of The 1st Earl of Glengall and the first wife of The 3rd Marquess of Donegall. Lord Shaftesbury, his wife Harriet, Countess of Shaftesbury, and her Chichester ancestors are commemorated in the form of Belfast street names, much like how the original castles are remembered.[60][88]. This myth led to the creation of the Cat Garden right next to the stately pile on the slopes of Cave Hill. The building of these housing estates greatly reduced the castle's demesne in size. For more stunning views, don your hiking boots and head out on the Cave Hill Trail. The last service in the chapel was held in 1972, after which the building was closed. Belfast Castle is no less interesting. [26] Gearid g, Lord Kildare, had succeeded his father as Lord Deputy of Ireland in September 1513, also succeeding his father as the Geraldine leader at the same time. [63] This 'Plantation' castle had almost certainly been built on, or very near, the site of the 'Norman' Belfast Castle, which was the original medieval castle. The head of the Donegall family would not live in Belfast again for almost a century, until The 2nd Marquess of Donegall settled in Belfast in 1802, establishing his main residence there. Image by Hajotthu from Wikimedia. It is described as, The castle of Cair Paravel on its little hill towered up above them; before them were the sands, with rocks and little pools of salt water, and seaweed, and the smell of the sea, and long lines of bluish-green waves breaking forever and ever on the beach. Facts Here, you'll find everything from hike and drive guides to funky places to stay and more! Although a visit to the mighty Belfast Castle is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows thatll make your visit that bit more enjoyable. 20 interesting facts about Belfast Visitors can see a bedroom, set up in the style of the 1920s, so visitors can see a snapshot in time of what the castle looked like at the end of its life as a private residence. After three days and nights of feasting and celebrations, the English soldiers accompanying Lord Essex suddenly broke into Belfast Castle and murdered most of the family and retainers of Sir Brian inside the castle. [80][103] It seems that this small chapel was converted in 1891 into being a family chapel for regular worship, while also remaining as a family mausoleum.
