The Malone Road (from Irish: Maigh Lón meaning "plain of lambs")[1] is a radial road in Belfast, Northern Ireland, leading from the university quarter southwards to the affluent suburbs of Malone and Upper Malone, each a separate electoral ward. The road runs parallel to the Lisburn Road and is linked by over a dozen side streets, while at its northern end, the Stranmillis Road rejoins the Malone Road to form University Road, which in turn joins with the Lisburn Road to become Bradbury Place. Most of the road has a BT9 postcode.
The district contains two of Belfast's best known grammar schools. At the northern end of the road, Number 1 Malone Road is Methodist College Belfast, while further south lies Victoria College, Belfast.[2] The district also hosts Queen's Elms Village, the main halls of residence for students from Queen's University Belfast, housing over 1,000 students.
Inchmarlo, a distinguished primary school associated with the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, is also located in the area.
At the southern end of the Malone Road lies Malone House, a mansion in the late Georgian style. The house is now maintained by Belfast City Council and available to rent for private functions.
The residential streets leading off the Malone Road and Upper Malone Road are known for their high property prices,[3] in particular, Malone Park. In Northern Ireland culture, the area has become synonymous with affluence, making the general BT9 area comparable to Dublin 4 and which led to it becoming the main setting for the 2011 novel Popular.
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Off the Malone Road are many private sports clubs, the YMCA grounds at Bladon, Belfast Harlequins and Methody sports ground at Deramore Park, the Royal Belfast Academical Institution playing fields at Osborne Park and Bladon, the Queen's University Belfast playing fields at Upper Malone, the Police Service of Northern Ireland country club at Newforge Lane and Instonians and Cooke rugby clubs playing fields at Shaw's Bridge. Malone rugby club began life in Malone before moving to the Cregagh area of Belfast. The Malone Road is also home to St Brigid's Gaelic Athletic Club[1]and many residents of the area are members of Aquinas Football Club[4]
There are four churches in Malone, including St Brigid's Catholic Church, Fisherwick Presbyterian Church, [2][5] St John's Church Malone [3][5] and McCracken Memorial Presbyterian Church.[4]
The wild plants, "weeds", are listed and discussed in the "Urban Flora" by Beesley and Wilde.[6] They noted that the residents keep their gardens relatively weed-free. In the area Scrophularia nodosa (Common Figwort), Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove) and Silene dioica (Red Campion) were noted in an old lane off the Malone Park. Epipactis helleborine (Broad-leaved Hellborine) was spreading up New Forge Lane and Allium triquetrum (Three-cornered Garlic) was recorded from Cranmore.[7]
The Malone Road area of Belfast has been home to many of Belfast's most famous people and founding fathers. Right from Moyses Hill who received a 61 year lease in 1606, to modern day residents such as Caroline McCord, a highly esteemed English graduate and secondary school teacher.[8] John Eccles was the first known resident of Cranmore House.[8] Later John Templeton (botanist) lived here, as well as Michael McGovern. Malone Road is also the home of restaurateur and chef Paul Rankin, hair dresser Paul Stafford and TV Celebrity Rose Neill. The Malone Road is the setting for the Popular series of novels by Northern Irish author, Gareth Russell.
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