Belfast Live Cam

We are a religious community of priests and brothers, living and working in West Belfast for the past 100 years. We came here to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and although the methods we use may change - the central message is still the same.

It is so simple yet it is the answer to all our needs - namely, that you and I are loved, just as we are, by a God who deleights in us. He calls each of us to closeness with Him. Our Redemptorist motto tells us that "With Him is Plentiful Redemption".

His love for us knows no bounds. Here, you can find out more about our work at Clonard and beyond. So, enjoy your stay with us.

Belfast is Music City. Traditional. Classical. Country. Jazz. Blues. Rock. But what really sets us apart from other cities is that our music is ‘of the people’. Our talent is indigenous, it’s now; it’s here. But this is nothing new. During the ‘60s we had a groovy rhythm and blues scene. The ‘70s gave us an in your face punk scene. The ‘80s brought a truly new wave of artists. And speaking of artists- we’ve had quite a few theatrical and literary stars as well- Kenneth Branagh, Colin Bateman, Simon Callow, and C.S. Lewis just to name a few. But if you really want to put your finger on the pulse of our music scene or hone up on local writers, a specialised tour is just what the doctor ordered.

Shopping in Belfast is special. Why? Because we’ve high street stores, family owned businesses, designer boutiques, markets and the incredible Victoria Square Shopping Centre - all within minutes of each other.

These industries were situated in locales or ‘quarters’, from the old French term ‘quartier’. Weavers gathered with other weavers, tanners with tanners and butchers with butchers. Most had a local church that often became the trade guild church. There are still remnants of four quarters in Belfast- Cathedral, Queen’s, Titanic and Gaeltacht Quarters.

You can travel to Northern Ireland by air, ferry, bus or rail. Advances in aircraft technology, passenger shipping, road improvements and high-speed rail travel offer faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel. Fares will vary by season and promotional programme. Each carrier can be contacted directly for fare information and reservations.

Guided tours are among the best ways to enjoy the immense variety of delights that await visitors, especially if your time is limited. There are scores from which to choose - from luxury coach tours of all our scenic splendours to black taxi tours of political murals, from a ‘pub crawl’ of our oldest hostelries to sedate strolls around beautiful villages.

For thrills on wheels, take a trip on the open-top Bushmills Bus to the Giant’s Causeway, or a Wild Ulster jeep tour through the Sperrins, or join a guided motor-cycle convoy on the most scenic routes in Ireland. To relax, embark on a river cruise along the Foyle on Toucan One or the Lagan on The Joyce, or take the Mourne Rambler ride from the Newcastle seashore into our most famous mountain range.

Groups and individuals seeking something special should enlist a member of the élite Northern Ireland Tour Guides Association to organise a tour. From upwards of £50 a half day, one of these Blue Badge guides will tailor an itinerary to your chosen theme within the time available - the Titanic Trail; shores of Lough Erne; golf weekends; glorious gardens; Early Christianity; historic houses, the choice is yours. This being Northern Ireland, where good humour and sound scholarship go hand in hand, you are sure to be entertained as well as enlightened!

Visitors who enjoy nothing better than immersing themselves in the traditional music, dance and linguistic traditions of a region are in for a treat. The cultural expression and creativity of the Northern Irish is, naturally enough, closely aligned with the social and historic development of the country. Because of ancient shared ties with Scotland, for example, the so-called Native Irish and Ulster-Scots traditions have much more in common than many visitors may think.

With such strong shared roots, this means that what used to be known as 'folk music' here is nowadays an eclectic mix of Irish, Scots, English, American country music (itself largely a Scots-Irish emigrant product), cajun, blues and rock! That's why few music venues specialising in contemporary acoustic guitar-based music attempt to define it. If you see the label 'Folk Night' on a pub programme, all you can be sure of is that you will have a good time! On the other hand, 'Irish Traditional Session' on a programme usually means you are in for a rousing night of music with venerable enough antecedents to satisfy the purists as well as casual listeners.

A Scottish Pipe Band Pageant, such as the one in Lisburn in July has a great deal in common with, say, a Fleadh Ceoil , an Irish dancing Feis or an Irish Folk Festival such as the Tommy Makem School of Song at Mullaghbawn, home of the award-winning Ti Chulainn Centre. They are all great fun for visitors! The influence of Riverdance has increased the popular appeal of contemporary Irish dance / music, which crosses cultural boundaries of all kinds - not least by including both the Gaelic Bodhran and the Ulster-Scots Lambeg Drum in the percussion section.