Overview
Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich is the cultural anchor of the Gaeltacht Quarter, the Irish-language district that runs up the Falls Road from west Belfast city centre. It occupies a former Presbyterian church – the old Broadway church, its high ceilings and arched windows still intact behind a bold curved glass extension – and has done since 1991. Inside you’ll find an art gallery, an interactive exhibition on the Irish language, a bookshop and a café, all free to walk into. If you have an hour and a genuine interest, time it for a Saturday: the free lunchtime trad session is the most enjoyable thing here.
A church that became a Cultúrlann
The centre opened in 1991 in the disused Broadway Presbyterian Church, an initiative to promote Irish-language culture and education on the Falls Road. Its name honours two figures from either side of Belfast’s religious divide: Robert Shipboy MacAdam, a 19th-century Presbyterian industrialist and Gaelic revivalist, and Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich, the 20th-century Catholic archbishop and Irish-language scholar. That pairing is the whole point of the place – Irish as a shared inheritance, not a sectarian one.
A £1.9 million renovation in 2010–2011 added the interactive exhibition space and the Gerard Dillon art gallery, and the refurbished centre was reopened in September 2011 by then Irish President Mary McAleese.
Inside
The first-floor interactive space traces the development of Irish in Belfast, including the neat detail that everyday English words like shanty, smashing and kybosh have Irish roots. The ground floor holds the Gerard Dillon gallery, which rotates exhibitions of local artists and social history, and An Ceathrú Póilí, the Irish-language bookshop – a good place to pick up language-learning resources. The café serves coffee and lunch.
What to see and do
- The Saturday trad session – Free live traditional music runs every Saturday from 12 to 2pm in the café. Bring an instrument and join in, or just sit with a coffee and listen.
- The Irish-language exhibition – The first-floor displays use hands-on and audio features to trace Gaeilge in the city; it pairs well with a browse in the bookshop.
- Current art exhibitions – The Gerard Dillon gallery’s shows often tie into local heritage months or Féile an Phobail.
- Classes and events – The programme runs to Irish classes, art workshops, céilithe, concerts, a Monday reading circle and Monday-evening yoga. Check the website for what’s on.
Practical information
Opening hours
- Monday – Friday: 9:30am – 5:30pm
- Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Hours can vary during festivals or private hires, so check the website before travelling.
Admission Entry to the exhibitions, gallery and café is free.
Getting there The centre is at 216 Falls Road, BT12 6AH. It’s a short hop from the Falls Road on the Glider, and city bus routes run directly past. On-street parking is limited, so public transport is the easier option – it’s a 30 to 40-minute walk from the city centre if you’d rather go on foot and take in the road.
Accessibility The ground-floor gallery and café are wheelchair accessible via a side ramp. Full access details are on the AccessAble listing linked from Discover Northern Ireland.
Contact For listings, bookings or group enquiries, visit culturlann.ie or call 028 9096 4180.
Nearby
The Cultúrlann sits on the Falls Road, whose political murals are among the most photographed in the city and easily walked between. For a change of pace, the Belfast Botanic Gardens and Belfast City Hall are a short bus ride away in the city centre.
If you’re making a single visit, aim for a Saturday around noon: the café will be open, the gallery too, and the trad session will be in full swing.