A Market man carrying the National Flag at the 1966 Easter Parade to honour Ireland's dead.
Above: The Chapelfields is now a municipal car park and earmarked for developement. gone are the heady days of Ma Copley's boxing bouts and her circus.
Joe McCann, r.i.p, seen in this now famous photo near Inglish bakery, Joe, in my opinion, was perhaps the greatest revolutionary socialist Belfast had throughout the recent war. He was later ambushed and cowardly murdered. Joe and I were close friends during the political agitation of the Civil Rights and Peoples Democracy days. His courage, sincerity and political awareness was always valued.
An Ancient Murder in the Market 1796.
January 5th, 1796, the body of a man called Phillips was dragged from the old Dam near Joys Paper mill, there was evidence that others had deliberately drowned him , it turned out he had been an ex-communicated priest who had arrived quite recently in the area having fled from Roscommon from a local Group known as The Defender’s against whom, it is said, he had been a paid informer. It seems even back then there was some sort of telegraph line. For years after the incident many spoke of seeing Phillips ghost by the Mill Dam. Also in the Market area a ghost is said to have appeared by the old Mill.
Lagan Street, The Market Belfast
St. George's Boxing Club, Standing, Steve Boyle T. Murphy, Jim Hanna, Barney Validay, Hughie Breen, Harry Hanley, Jack Robinson, Sitting, Con McCann, Frankie Burns, Dave Magee, Tommy Connolly, Gunboat Smith,
Joe, The Market was synonymous with fighters, in and out of the ring,. This must be the earliest picture taken of the St. George's Club. Most of the fighters in the picture are professionals, from the late 20's and early 30's. The trainer, 'Blind' Jack Robinson was a legendary figure. Sean Morris.
A young hopeful gets his hands wrapped in the St. George's Boxing Club in Townhall Street. Jimmy Clinton and his team had worked tirelessly to convert the old shed into a gym only to be told by the owner, a publican, that he wanted the premises back. Jimmy Murray, who boxed at Flyweight for the club, trained in six different premises as St. George's was pushed from pillar to post. Only the guiding hand of Jimmy Clinton and his dedicated band of helpers kept the club afloat. (Does anybody know the young lad in the picture, get in touch if you recognise him). 
Rushlight 25 years ago reporting on Lundy's Shop in Cromac Street where anything could be bought from a donkey to a four engine Bomber, the claim was written between the two upstairs windows of the handware shop.
Keep the old Belfast Photographs coming please. help preserve old Belfast History.
rushlight123@hotmail .com
Tel. 028 90626631