History and Heritage of Victoria Park to C.S. Lewis Square

Harland & Wolff – The names Edward Harland and Gustav Wolff are inextricably linked with Belfast’s shipbuilding industry. Their partnership in 1861 laid the foundations for what was to become one of the greatest shipyards in the world. The yard built over 70 vessels for the White Star Line, the most famous of which was the trio of Olympic- class vessels, Titanic, Olympic and Britannic, designed and built at Harland & Wolff from 1908 to 1914.

Samson and Goliath – Standing sentinel over the city are two towering yellow cranes of Harland & Wolff’s Queen’s Island Shipyard. Known locally as Samson (1947) and Goliath (1969), they measure 106 metres and 96 metres tall respectively. Although fully operational, they are now protected as historic monuments.

King George V Playing Fields – named after King George V who died on 20 January 1936. A National Memorial Fund Committee was established to raise funds to assist in the purchase of playing fields in memory of the late King. By 1946 471 fields had been created ‘to promote and assist in the establishment throughout the United Kingdom of playing fields for the use and enjoyment of the people….’

The Oval – The Oval Stadium is home to Glentoran Football Club, one of the oldest and most famous teams in Ireland. Founded in 1882, the team moved to the Oval in 1892. The club’s colours are green, red and black and a cockerel features in the centre of its badge, hence the fans’ nickname, “The Cock ’n’ Hens” which rhymes with “The Glens”.