Short Strand

A nationalist mural on Beechfield Street in Short Strand, showing British troops leaving Ireland and wishing them Slán Abhaile

Entrance to Short Strand

The Short Strand (Irish: an Trá Ghearr) is a mainly-nationalist area in east Belfast, surrounded by a mainly-unionist area. It is within the townland of Ballymacarret (Irish: Baile Mhic Gearóid) and sits on the east bank of the River Lagan in County Down.

Security issues

Rioting between neighbouring loyalist and republican factions has been a feature of the area's recent past. The introduction of CCTV in the area, and in other similar places in the city, has had a positive effect with a drastic reduction in incidents there, and throughout Belfast.^{[citation needed]} The neighbouring districts are unionist areas to the east and to the south, the area to the north is an industrial area and to the west is the River Lagan spanned by the Albert Bridge and leading to the Nationalist/Republican Markets area.

There is currently a peace line on its southern edge, separating unionist Cluan Place and nationalist Madrid Street.

On Mountpottinger Road, which traverses it, there was a police station with fortifications made necessary during the Troubles because of bomb and gun attacks against security force members from Republican paramilitaries. These barriers dated from the days of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. The police station was closed in 2010, and demolished in February 2011.

History

Pre 20th century

In the 19th century, Catholics moved from County Down to the area. Despite living close to the shipyard, they were mostly excluded from working there.

The Troubles

During the early years of The Troubles the area was the scene of many violent events. In particular the Provisional IRA fought its first major action there on 27 June 1970, when a group of IRA men led by Billy McKee fought a gun battle of several hours with loyalist paramilitaries^{[citation needed]}. Two loyalists^{[citation needed]} and one IRA volunteer^{[citation needed]} were killed and many others were injured by gunfire. Irish Republicans claim that they were defending St Matthew's Church, and the Short Strand in general, from loyalist attack. Republicans remember the incident as the Battle of St Matthew's. The local Protestant community maintains that the IRA fired on unarmed Orange Order members who were returning from a parade, killing two and triggering the ensuing gun battles.[1]

Short Strand is in the area of the Third Battalion of the IRA's Belfast Brigade.

21st century

In June 2002, there was major rioting between rival republican and loyalist crowds, numbering over 1,000, and prolonged exchanges of gunfire between the rival paramilitaries.^{[citation needed]}

In March 2011, St. Matthews' Catholic Church was vandalised with paint.

On June 20, 2011, a group of 60 to 100 men were reported to be attacking peoples' homes. There were reports of injuries, as well as homes being damaged and petrol bombs being thrown. Two men were reported to have been shot. Fighting had started at an interface area between Mountpottinger Road and the lower Newtownards road. Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum of the PSNI said that the violence had been orchestrated by the UVF. Two men were shot, and eleven shots were fired. A press photographer was shot on the second night of riots, with the PSNI blaming dissident Republicans. Assistant Chief Constable Alastair Finlay said that there was no sign that the UVF intended to finish the rioting.

Popular Culture

The Short Strand, and St. Matthew's Church in particular, are settings for the FX programme Sons of Anarchy and features heavily in the progamme's third series.