Divis

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Divis - Dubh Ais
Elevation	478 m
Location	Antrim Mountains, Northern Ireland
Prominence	380 m
Topo map	OSNI Discovery 15
OSI/OSNI grid reference	J280754
Listing	Marilyn

Map of Divis National Trust brochure

Divis (from the Irish, Dubh Ais, meaning black back) is an area of sprawling moorland to the north-west of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It extends north to the Antrim plateau and shares its geology consisting of a basaltic cover underlain by limestone and lias clay.

Only recently have the Divis area and its surrounding mountains been handed over to the National Trust; from 1953 to 2005, it was under the control of the Ministry of Defence. It was also used as a training area for the army. It might have been released earlier, but due to the period of unrest known as the Troubles, the British Government and military viewed the area as a useful vantage point, overlooking Belfast.

By way of its extensive transmitter bases, Divis contributes significantly to the telecommunications network for much of Northern Ireland.

Analogue television services broadcast on the following channel numbers:

BBC One Northern Ireland - 31,
BBC Two Northern Ireland - 27,
ITV (UTV) - 24,
Channel 4 - 21,
TG4 - 59.

All of the above channels, except TG4, broadcast at a power of 500 kW. As well as providing direct reception for most TV viewers in Northern Ireland, all the other analogue transmitters in the province source their output, either directly or indirectly, from Divis. TG4, a channel operated by a wholly owned subsidiary company of the state broadcaster of the Republic of Ireland, RTÉ, is broadcast at a very low power and not relayed to any other transmitters. Channel 5 is broadcast from the nearby Black Mountain transmitting station.

Digital television services broadcast on the following channel numbers, and with the following powers:

Mux 1 (BBC/Freeview) - 29 - 2.3 kW,
Mux 2 (ITV/Channel 4) - 33 - 2.3 kW,
Mux A (SDN) - 23 - 2.3 kW,
Mux B (BBC/Freeview) - 26 - 2.3 kW,
Mux C (Crown Castle/Freeview) - 48 - 3.0 kW,
Mux D (Crown Castle/Freeview) - 34 - 2.7 kW.

FM radio service broadcast on the following frequencies and with the following powers:

BBC Radio 1 - 99.7 - 250 kW
BBC Radio 2 - 90.1 - 250 kW
BBC Radio 3 - 92.3 - 250 kW
BBC Radio 4 - 96.0 - 125 kW
BBC Radio Ulster - 94.5 - 250 kW
Classic FM - 101.9 - 250 kW

The Divis site is the oldest television transmission site in the whole of Ireland, having come on stream in July 1955, although it was preceded by a temporary transmitter at Cave Hill, outside Belfast, which began broadcasts in 1953 in time for the coronation of Elizabeth II. Much of the adjoining Republic of Ireland can pick up fringe reception of the UK TV channels from Divis.

Divis, in common with the adjacent elevations of Mount Gilbert and Black Mountain, is managed by the National Trust. The area is served by a network of paths and provides magnificent views over the Lagan basin.