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‘To Finaghy and Beyond’
‘Belfast Through Time’ by Aidan Campbell was published in May 2016 at
Hillmount Garden Centre, Gilnahirk and is available from all good booksellers.
Aidan takes a look at the history of Finaghy in South Belfast and how it has
changed over the years.
I was travelling along the Lisburn Road and followed a courier delivery van
with the liveried message ‘To Finaghy and Beyond’, which was the direction.
I was travelling and it got me thinking: ‘What is the source of the ‘Finaghy’
name?
The ‘Dictionary of Ulster Place-Names’ explains it is from Gaelic ‘An
Fionnachhadh’ meaning ‘the white field’ and is situated in the townland of
Ballyfinaghy, a suburb 5k m south west of the centre of Belfast. Today the
Finaghy crossroads junction is a well-known area for shopping and there had
probably been a small village here since the 1700s connected with the linen
industry, thus the name. The Finaghy area may be considered as starting
at the King’s Hall, Balmoral and extending along the Lisburn Road to the
outskirts of Dunmurry. The modern built up surroundings began to shape in
the 1920s and a few images of the past remind us of how it looked years ago.In 1896 The Royal
Ulster Agricultural
Society moved from
The Markets, Belfast
to a new grander 32-
acre site at Balmoral
and the King’s Hall
(above in the late
1940s) became
the centerpiece
building of the
complex in 1934. It
closed in 2012 and
the Balmoral Show
moved to the former
Maze prison site near
Lisburn.In 1912 Mr W.J. Ross opened his
‘Finaghy Cash Stores’ (left in the
1930s) on the corner of ‘Finaghy
Lane’ which by the 1930s had
become known as ‘Finaghy Road
North’. Interesting that the sign on
the gable wall declares ’Finaghy
Refreshment Rooms’ which today
we would probably call a coffee
shop. Mr Ross continued in business at these premises until the 1930s.As Finaghy began to grow in the 1930s the increasing population
brought with it the need for more churches. Lowe Memorial Presbyterian
Church (known as Finaghy
Presbyterian Church in the
1939 Belfast Street Directory)
was founded in 1936 and
is located at 191 Upper
Lisburn Road. Not far away St
Polycarp’s Church of Ireland
was established just a few
years earlier in 1932.Above: In 2019 Finaghy has no pubs or betting shops.
This is due to clauses in historical deeds for the land
belonging to Ballyfinaghy House (above), the ancestral
home of wealthy linen merchants, the Charley family
from the late 1600s. Ballyfinaghy House, now a listed
building, was their family home for over 150 years and
by the 1960s it was converted into a 24-bed residential
home known today as ‘Faith House’.growing CommerCial
opporTuniTies
Already a popular place to live, with its high
standard of housing, from starter homes to
large mansions; Finaghy is also an area of great
potential for young entrepreneurs looking to start
up or expand their business.
In particular, the Upper Lisburn Road offers a
great opportunity for coffee shops and retailers,
due to a high footfall and volume of traffic passing
through daily. There is also the added bonus of
generally low rental costs. It is clear to see the
growing success of the area for businesses, as
the vacancy rate of commercial property is much
lower than on the average high street.
At Douglas Huston we have agreed two larger
retail units one to an established local business
relocating and another to an established multi-
branch business that sees the huge potential of
the area.
In addition we have several fantastic commercial
properties within the Finaghy area which would
be suitable for a range of businesses, including
opportunities for a dance or yoga studio, café
and traditional office space. However, as there is
limited availability it is essential to be proactive.
We expect to see the continued success of
Finaghy for many years, given the schools,
residential housing and vibrant existing businesses
and new start-ups, wanting to get into this growing
area.http://www.douglashuston.comGareth J Gibson
FRICS, from
Douglas Huston,
Chartered
Surveyors and
Estate Agents,
outlines the
many business
opportunities
in the Finaghy
area.