Ardcarn, Belfast

Ardcarn Drive, Ardcarn Estate

Ardcarn, (Irish: Árd-Carna, Árd-charna) is a Protestant working-class housing estate located in Dundonald, East Belfast, Northern Ireland.[1] The estate sits off the Upper Newtownards Road, across from Stormont.[2] Dundonald Cemetery lies to the side the estate, with the Comber Greenway, Tullycarnet and East Point Entertainment Village lying behind it.

History

Ardcarn Estate was built in the 1950s, by the Northern Ireland Housing Trust.[3] It features a 15-storey tower block, known as Carnet House.[4][5] Also built in the 1950s, it received renovations in 2015. However in 2024, the residents of Carnet House were given a "decades notice", as it is apart of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's "action plan" for the demolition of tower blocks across the country.[6]

Etymology

The name "Ardcarn" comes from Old Irish, with Árd meaning "high" or "height". Carn refers to generally as "natural stone pile" or simply "mound" or "hill".[7]

Notable residents

• George Cassidy, jazz musician, lead saxophonist in the Regal Accordion and Saxophone Band, and music teacher to Van Morrison, lived in Ardcarn Drive.[8]

References

1. McGrath, T.E.; Kwasny, J.; Aiken, T.A.; Cox, S.; Soutsos, M.; Chen, J.F.; Mariotti, J.; Sha, W.; Correia, R. (2019). "Demonstration of using low carbon precast concrete products for an energy efficient built environment". Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies (SCMT). 2. Coventry University and The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Centre for By-products Utilization: 128–138. doi:10.18552/2019/idscmt5076.
2. "Hoodless, Donald Bentley, (born 14 Oct. 1942), Chairman, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, 2012–16", Who's Who, Oxford University Press, 2007-12-01, retrieved 2025-01-29
3. "Geograph:: Ardcarn Green, Belfast © Albert Bridge cc-by-sa/2.0". www.geograph.ie. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
4. "Dundonald (Ardcarn) | Tower Block". www.towerblock.eca.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
5. "Carnet House - Belfast". Discover Northern Ireland. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
6. admin (2024-05-02). "Carnet House residents given a decade's notice | Newtownards Chronicle". Newtownards Chronicle. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
7. "Ardcarn - Irish Place Names". www.libraryireland.com. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
8. "Funeral Times | Death Notice George CASSIDY". www.funeraltimes.com. Retrieved 2025-01-29.