Where We Are

Short Strand Bytes

Introduction to Short Strand and its community

The Short Strand (“An Tra Ghear” in Irish) is an area in eastern inner-city Belfast in Northern Ireland. It is a nationalist (Catholic) enclave, with a population of around 3,000 within a much larger unionist area of about 60,000.

Rioting between neighbouring Loyalist and Republican factions has been a feature of the areas recent past. The neighbouring districts are unionist areas to the east and to the south, the area to the north is an industrial area and to the west is the River Lagan spanned by the Albert Bridge and leading to the Nationalist/Republican Markets area. There is currently a peace line on its northern edge, separating unionist Cluan Place and nationalist Madrid Street.

The Bytes Project is very popular with the young people of the Short Strand and we have great support from the community. We work closely with the community centre and everyone is welcome to call in and speak to Ronan or Natalie.