Ballynafeigh

Ballynafeigh (Irish: Baile na Faiche; meaning townland of the green/lawn) is a ward located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This south Belfast suburb is located on the southern side of the Ormeau bridge and continues south to the where Hampton Park emerges onto the Ormeau Road. The area gets its name from the Irish "Baile na Faiche", meaning town(land) of the lawn. About 8,000 people live in the greater Ballynafeigh area. It is home to many great bars, restaurants, cafes and countless corner shops. Ballynafeigh is also an electoral ward of South Belfast.

It is considered to be an excellent example of a stable mixed community; and is being studied in order to help understand key factors in developing stable mixed communities. These include Protestant, Roman Catholic, butu also Muslim, Chinese, Indian, and more recently Eastern Europeans, such as Polish people. However, the area is very poorly resourced in terms of statutory funding and there appears to be little commitment to or understanding of "mixed" communities in either local/regional or national governments.

Two very important elements in maintaining this stability in the area are Ballynafeigh Community Development Association (BCDA), established in 1974, and Ballynafeigh Clergy Fellowship. Both have worked through the conflict to establish and develop strong links between identity groups in the area and to ensure that the locality thrives. Fact|date=October 2007

Tensions can arise around 12 July when Protestants celebrate the Battle of the Boyne with bands, marches, etc. TheBallynafeigh Apprentice Boys Flute Band is over 100 years old, the oldest of its kind. The Parades Commission has, however, not permitted the Loyal Orders to march down the Lower Ormeau Road in recent years, due to opposition from the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community, a local nationalist group opposed to parades by the Loyal Orders in the mostly nationalist Lower Ormeau area.

The key sporting organisations are Bredagh GAC and the Rosario Youth Club which is famous for soccer.

Under current proposals for the reform of local government in Northern Ireland the ward is to be replaced with a new Ormeau ward. [http://www.lgbc-ni.org/abelfastlgdp10.pdf]

External links

* [http://www.nihe.gov.uk/news/news.asp?Id=902 "Understanding mixed communities"]