Ballyhackamore Explained

Ballyhackamore ^[1] is a townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, it is a suburb of Belfast located on the Upper Newtownards Road. It is also a ward in the UK Parliamentary constituency of East Belfast.

The Sunday Times named Ballyhackamore the Brunch Capital of Belfast in a 2018 article on the Best Places to live in Britain. The neighbourhood (often called 'Ballyhack' for short^[2]) is the location of several restaurants and cafés as well as a range of local and national shops.^{[3] [4]}

Transport

Ballyhackamore is served by the Translink Glider G1 service. In addition Metro and Ulsterbus services stop here.^[5]

Places of note

• Cyprus Avenue a residential street and conservation area^[6] which lent its name to the Van Morrison song, Cyprus Avenue
• Neill's Hill railway station a former halt on the Belfast and County Down Railway line.
• Kincora Boys' Home, a home for boys that was the scene of serious organised abuse.
• Bloomfield Collegiate School, an Independent Grammar School for girls.

Notable people

• Judith Cochrane, politician, had a constituency office in Ballyhackamore
• Ian Geddes Davidson, Irish rugby union player, born in Ballyhackamore
• Gemma Garrett, former Miss Great Britain, attended Bloomfield Collegiate^[7]
• Christine Lampard, TV broadcaster, attended Bloomfield Collegiate^[8]
• Joan Lingard, Scottish novelist, grew up and lived in Ballyhackamore until the age of 18
• Naomi Long, leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, attended Bloomfield Collegiate and lives in Ballyhackamore
• Paddy O'Flaherty, broadcaster and journalist
• Elaine Shemilt, fine art printmaker, attended Bloomfield Collegiate

In popular culture

• Ballyhackamore – "Town of the big horses”, an NVTV television programme
• Cyprus Avenue, a Van Morrison song

Sport

In dodgeball, Ballyhackamore Dodgeball Club has the most successful men's and women's teams.^[9] They are governed by British Dodgeball and play in the Northern Irish Super League. The men's team is nicknamed the Ballyhackamore Barbarians, and the women's team is known as the Ballyhackamore Amazonians. They won their respective leagues in 2025, marking a league double for the suburb.^{[10] [11]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Place Names NI - Home. www.placenamesni.org.
2. Web site: Meredith . Fionola . How a touch of cafe culture has helped make Ballyhackamore one to watch in the upcoming election . Belfast Telegraph . 14 November 2023.
3. Web site: Five Northern Ireland Locations Named Among the Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2018 . 16 March 2018 . lovebelfast.co.uk.
4. Web site: The best place to live in the UK in 2018. theweek.co.uk.
5. Web site: Translink. www.translink.co.uk.
6. Web site: Cyprus Avenue Conservation Area | Planning Portal. 9 November 2006. www.planningni.gov.uk.
7. News: People thought Gemma Garrett looked great as Miss GB, but she was 'binge drinking, going on crash diets and so unhealthy'. Belfast Telegraph.
8. News: Smith . Ryan . Which Belfast schools did these celebrities go to? . 6 July 2018 . belfastlive . 28 March 2017.
9. Web site: Ballyhackamore Barbarians Dodgeball Club . 2026-02-27 . GameDay . en.
10. Web site: Drohan . Matthew . 2026-01-05 . 2025/26 Northern Irish Super League Preview . 2026-02-27 . British Dodgeball . en-GB.
11. News: 2025-03-13 . British Dodgeball announces 2025 British Championships to be held at Arena Kettering . 2026-02-27 . Northamptonshire Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.