Braniel

Braniel or The Braniel is a large housing estate and townland in southeast Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is in the barony of Castlereagh Upper and parish of Knockbreda in County Down.[2] Two small developments, Roddens and Glenview, are located in the area, and are often referred to the Braniel. It is a predominantly unionist area.

Braniel
Braniel
Location within County Down
Population4,741 (2011 Census)
County
CountryNorthern Ireland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBelfast
Postcode districtBT5
Dialling code028
PoliceNorthern Ireland
FireNorthern Ireland
AmbulanceNorthern Ireland
UK Parliament
NI Assembly
Website

History

The name 'Braniel' comes from the Irish Broinngheal ("bright front")[2] or Bruach Uí Néill ("O'Neill's slope/bank").[3] These likely refer to Braniel Hill.

The Entrance to the Braniel is via the Knock Road and the Ballygowan Road or through the Gilnahirk route. Nearby estates include Church Road (Rosewood, Rosemount, Gray Castle, Marlborough), Gilnahirk, Tullycarnet, Clarawood, Clonduff, Casaeldona and Cregagh. In 2001, a man was murdered on Ravenswood Park, at the end entering the Braniel Square.[4] In 2008, a man was stabbed on Whincroft Road, one of the main roads into Braniel Square. A 28-year-old man was then arrested and given bail following the event.[5][6][7][8] On 13 March 2012, a man drove through the front of a house on Whincroft Road. No further details have been released at this time though it is believed the man had a heart attack or blacked out at the steering wheel of his Citroen Picasso before driving through the front of 13 Whincroft Road.[9][10]

2009

On 11 April 2009 Braniel Primary school was set of fire by arsonists. The fire started in a bin area at the side of the school and spread to the roof of the school. It was extinguished and only the bin area and fencing as well as the roof were damaged. The School assembly hall was also slightly damaged inside. The fire cost around £10,000 in damages.[11][12][13][14]

2011

On 7 January 2011, a flat in the estate went on fire, a baby inside and four other people were saved.[15][16][17][18]

Services
  • Braniel Primary School, educates over 400 children.[19]
  • Braniel Church, which hosts both a Methodist and Presbyterian congregation.[20]
Braniel Church in 2005
  • Braniel Football Pitch, re-placed the Braniel Bowling Green
  • Braniel Community Centre, for community events and other activities. The B.C.A hold events and meetings here.[21]
  • Braniel Bowling Green, 1980s – 2011, removed in favour of a new football pitch.
  • Braniel Library, Closed 2010, a mobile Library now visits the car park at the Glenside Shops.[22]
  • Braniel Football Club, various football teams
  • Braniel Community Church, located at St Brigid's Hall on the Lower Braniel Road[23]

Parks
  • Carema Allen Memorial Park, at the top of the estate. Better known as Braniel Park or Sam's Park.
  • Roddens Park, Located in Roddens. Not to be confused with a nearby street with the same name.
Glenside
Smart Wash-in unit, at Glenside from 2008-2016
  • Utopia Beauty & Tanning (June 2016–present)
  • Hair Care (1990s–present)
  • Imperial Garden (February 2013–present)
  • Unit Vacant
  • McCalls Drycleaners (1 April 2016 – present)
Braeside
  • Braeside Sandwich Bar (2015–present)
Braniel
  • SPAR (1990s–2005, 2013–present)(better known as Sam's)
  • Post Office (1990s-present)(Located inside SPAR)
  • Braniel Pharmacy (1990s-present)
  • The Unit Cafe (2014–present)
Glenside
  • The Glen Newsagents (1990s-2002)
  • Vivo (2002–2003)
  • Golden King (?-2005)
  • Golden Fu (2005–2007)
  • Link Drycleaners (1990s-2008)
  • Asian Delight (2007–2010)
  • The Griffin (2004 - 9 February 2012)
  • Rose Garden (2010 – March 2012)
  • Far East Delicious (May 2012 – February 2013)
  • Wylie & Company Solicitors (1999–2014)
  • Mace Express (9 February 2012 – 27 November 2014)
  • Utopia Tanning (June 2015 - December 2015)
  • SMART WASH-IN (2008–31 March 2016)[24]
Braeside
  • HELEN'S (1990s-2004)
  • Hunger Buster (2011–2012)
  • O'Neills Stop & Shop (2004–2014)
  • O'Neills Stop & Tan (2012–2014)
  • Braeside Mini Market (2014)
Braniel
  • Centra (2005–2013)
  • KellsKitchen (2000s-2007)
  • Goodmans Traditional Fish and Chips (2007–2009)
  • DC's Fish & Chips (2011)

Residents

Former

Dreamscheme: Braniel

In 2009, the Braniel Dreamscheme painted a new mural over an old graffitied wall near the Braniel Park, on the back of the Braniel row of shops.[28] The Dreamscheme is still an ongoing activity in the estate.

References
  1. Placenames Database of Ireland
  2. The Place-names of Northern Ireland
  3. The Gaelic Placenames of Belfast. ULTACH Trust.
  4. "NORTHERN IRELAND | Man denies murder charge". BBC News. 12 November 2001. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  5. "UK | Northern Ireland | Man held over stabbing given bail". BBC News. 21 December 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  6. "UTV News – Arrest after Castlereagh stabbing". U.tv. 21 December 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  7. "Man arrested after city stabbing | San Francisco Luxury Living". Sfluxe.com. 20 December 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  8. sotiris (20 December 2008). "Man arrested after city stabbing". Scrapbookinghowtostartyourown.blogspot.com. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  9. http://www.u.tv/News/Car-crashes-into-house-in-Belfast/ca072be1-fd5f-4a4c-8e3b-5f5827cf6529
  10. "Family escape injury after car crashes into front of east Belfast house". BBC News. 13 March 2012.
  11. "Outrage as school is targeted by arsonists – East Belfast, Community Telegraph". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 14 April 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  12. "UK | Northern Ireland | Arsonists target primary school". BBC News. 12 April 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  13. "Primary school targeted by arsonists – Local". News Letter. 13 April 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  14. "UTV News – Arsonists attack school". U.tv. 12 April 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  15. "BBC News – Baby is rescued from fire at flat in Braniel estate". BBC. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  16. "Long shocked at fire in Braniel (The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland)". Allianceparty.org. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  17. "Baby is rescued from fire at flat in Braniel estate". Fire.org.uk. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  18. "UTV News – Baby rescued from blaze in flat". U.tv. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  19. "Home Page :: Braniel Primary School, Belfast, United Kingdom". Branielps.com. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  20. "Home". Branielchurch.org.uk. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  21. "Braniel Community-Association". Facebook. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  22. "librariesni.org.uk – Braniel Library". Ni-libraries.net. 23 June 2010. Archived from the original on 3 November 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  23. https://www.facebook.com/branielcommunitychurch
  24. "Expert Dry Cleaners in Belfast". Smart Wash-In. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  25. "BBC ON THIS DAY | 24 | 2000: Loyalist killer Michael Stone freed from Maze". BBC News. 24 July 1974. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  26. Lee Glendinning and agencies (8 December 2008). "Loyalist killer Michael Stone jailed for 16 years". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  27. "BBC ON THIS DAY | 16 | 1988: Three shot dead at Milltown Cemetery". BBC News. 16 March 1988. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  28. "Graffiti wall transformed – News, East Belfast". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
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