It was common across Belfast, Ardoyne people were well known for hosting them, in the summer you would have orphans living with various families, they got treated better than their us as they didn't get much over all in the home. They were very well behaved (unlike us), we also brought them home at Christmas, most of my Santa photos where with orphans....I intend to find Tony Bradley to see if he even remembers me and to find out what happened to him in life ...most of it has to be done via post due to confidentiality reasons and if the person themselves even want to talk about it
Also, some one mentioned Angela's Ashes...before I say anything recommend you ask the people in Limerick about that book, I'm an acquantance with one of the Brothers of the family, their father was a belfast man, think he died up in Lenadoon