Roam Round Belfast
By Albert Haslett
Come with me and take a walk, pass an hour or two,
Down Memory Lane together, see Belfast we once knew,
Some places they are wiped away, some can still be seen
Relics of a bygone day, they bridged the Orange and Green.
Walk straight up the Shankill, pass right through ;The Nick’
Cut across the ‘Medda’ the stepping stones were brick
Dander up the Springfield,no need here to rush
Going past the Biscuit Factory, look down at ‘The Flush’.
Straight on up the road we go, Upper Whiterock our next stop
Many a drink I had up there, mountain water I would lap
Coming down the Ballgomartin, past the old ‘Rock Dam’
You can see across the Belfast Lough, oil tanks at Sydenham.
Turn left and up Glencairn, where many a time I fell
A lovely view of ‘Fernhill House’ on the way to ‘Robin’sWell’
Go across Harmony Hill, in places it was stony
To Ligoniel and Glenbank, down the Buttermilk Loney.
Look left and you will see, Carrs Glen and The Cavehill onit’s own
On down through ‘Glenard’ Estate, cut across ‘The Bone’
Then Oldpark and The Cliftonville, past the B.R.A.
Scuttle down ‘The Gardens’ out by ‘Tigers Bay’
We’re at The York Road Railway, ‘Alecs Banks’ in view
Round ‘The Clock at Albert Square, Queens Bridgeright now in sight
Many a bottle hit the sided, every Ould Years Night.
Over ‘The Bridge’ you’re in the East, go on past Scotch Row
Along the side of ‘The Ropeworks’, ‘The Skip’ is just below
Down the Albert, up Lord Street, we should’a brought a bike
I played football round here, on a pitch they called ‘TheDyke’.
Round Bloomfieldthrough the Loopland, the fields we see again
Up the Cregagh, ‘Sticky Park’ and ‘Daddy Winkers Lane’
Walk across by Ravenhill, round ‘The Ormeau Park
Just across the river, the gas tanks they look stark.
Turn left to go to ‘Ballynafeigh’ down the road ‘TheMarkets’ stand
But we’ll have to take a pilgrimage and see ‘The Holy Land’
Pass Botanic Gardens and the‘Queen’s’ were students go
Over ‘The Square’ up Donegall Road , and on past ‘Sandy Row.
Go on past ‘The Village’ then a meadow called ‘The Bogs’
Across the road, ‘Celtic Park’,’ Going to theDogs’
Then down ‘The Falls’ near Clonard, the mills are all around
Past ‘The Royal”, down the Grosvenor, up a loney called ‘ThePound’.
Now Divis Street, up Milfield, Carrickhill is straight ahead
But we’ll cut up by ‘Brown’s Square’ up Peter’s Hill instead
Our journey’s nearly over, did you enjoy the roam
The last place is the best of all ‘The Hammer” now I’m home.
