The Gaeltacht Quarter / An Cheathrú Ghaeltachta

There are many places of social and cultural significance in this vicinity. Raise your eyes and you'll see the twin spires of St Peter's Cathedral, a much-loved landmark of West Belfast. St Peter's is the mother church of the Diocese of Down & Connor. It was opened on Sunday 14th October 1866 and the distinction of Cathedral was conferred on June 29 1986. Designed in the Gothic Revival style by Father Jeremiah McAuley, St Peter's Cathedral stands on ground donated by Bernard (Barney) Hughes, a successful local baker and renowned philanthropist.
Nearby is Divis Tower, which shares its name with Divis mountain. Built in 1966 and standing just over 200 ft high, Divis Tower is a reminder of a time when tower blocks were seen as a way to build a better future. The British army put an observation post on its roof in the 1970s and occupied its two uppermost floors until 2005. This iconic tower block has since been restored to full residential use.
During its long and colourful history, St Comgall's school has been a non-denominational school, a Protestant school, a Catholic school and an employment centre. The building dates from 1857, when it opened as the Belfast District Model school. It closed in 1999 and following a period of neglect, was purchased by Falls Community Council in 2002. The FCC's plans for St Comgall's will make



it accessible to community groups for a range of community development and peace-building projects. The building still wears the evidence of Belfast's more recent history - look closely and you'll see bullet holes in its brickwork, from shots fired across the peace lines.
Belfast bap, soda farls, wheaten bread, batch loaf, treacle farls and of course, potato bread. Belfast folks have enjoyed a long love affair with Belfast's unique breads. So both its citizens and its bakers owe much to Andrews Flour Mill, which since 1895 has brought employment and industry to the Falls Road. Today however, it is the wall of Andrews Flour Mill that receives most acclaim. Dubbed the International Wall, its murals depict a tapestry of local and global historical and political events. Themes portrayed in the murals have included subjects as diverse as Basque independence, the Cuban Revolution, and Picasso's 'Guernica'. The murals are ever-changing, so visitors are never quite sure what they might see.
[Photo captions, from top to bottom, read]
· St Peter's Cathedral
· The view from Divis Tower, late 1970s
· Picasso's Guernica reimagined

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