Belfast & NI in the 1980s

A trip down memory lane for anyone who grew up and/or lived in Northern Ireland in the 1980s. Featuring icons and iconic moments from TV, sport and everyday life.

As someone who lived in Belfast decades later after The Troubles, seeing checkpoints in the middle of a central avenue looks as eerie and strange as looking at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin. And for similar reasons. Glad that's gone! Thanks for the video too. I still miss NI 🙂

[@CouncilOfWolves]

This takes me right back to the good old, bad old days. It takes me back to my old stamping grounds and the perfect soundtrack of my youth. Happy days.

[@edwardmulholland7912]

I live in Sweden and have done for over 20 years now. This brings back memories from the ‘80’s when I was a teenager. I love Belfast to this day and always will.

[@jamescrawford9883]

@@edwardmulholland7912 I left Belfast in 1965, never regretted it, never been back. I detest sectarian bigotry!

[@edwardmulholland7912]

@@jamescrawford9883 I don’t regret leaving either, however I have family and friends there - my parents are buried just outside Belfast. I can’t stand the sectarian hatred, but not everyone is like that, though many are.

[@jamescrawford9883]

@@edwardmulholland7912 I had a sister there who died two years ago. She visited over here a few times (Australia). I don’t fly. I do have two sisters here. Best wishes to you.

[@edwardmulholland7912]

@@jamescrawford9883Best wishes to you too.

[@TheWorldinaGlass]

Brilliant video and captions. We remember it all very well!

[@bumblebeejimmy]

Great video, brought back some super memories! Used to go shopping to Supermac with the mother, & in that same wee complex was Stanleys Newsagents, Clarks Shoes, Northern Bank & Mervyn Stewart Cars...those were the days👌

[@stephensmith4480]

Fantastic city, I love the place, the people are so friendly and down to earth. I am born and bred in Liverpool, my Brother was working in the shipyard in Belfast in the late eighty`s and he used to drink in the Rosetta.

[@diarmuidkelly9079]

When I was a proper kid,on the the way up castle street to get a black hack home with my ma I always remember asking could we stop into leisure world,that place was the dogs balls for me.

[@user-nn8ve6jt2n]

O the memories great video

[@stevocooldude]

Great you chose songs by Stiff Little Fingers!

[@NeilVanceNeilVance]

Excellent compilation ... really enjoyed it thank you.

[@phillipwallace7211]

Great video, always remember the smell of the busses, cigarette smoke and diesel fumes, loved it because it meant I was heading somewhere.

[@marty3055]

Instant like, like! Great memories to a great Fingers sound track. Now sharing with those friends who emigrated to Canada, Australia, USA etc

[@mikelincoln8395]

'Can Keyholders please return to their premises'

[@TheTaytay4455]

Caroline Music in Ann St(Now Bogart),Rocky Mungos (originally in Linenhall St then Bedford St), Good Vibes (Great Victoria St). Could spend all day in one shop and walk out with a single. Belfast City Centre was an adventure. Got the number 17 or the 16 in

[@davek9901]

Leisureworld... That place was magical to a kid in the 80s!

[@SoEightiesItHurts]

Yeah, and round the corner to Lord Hamill's.

[@markgourley3745]

And the Model Shop a few doors up!

[@FrontWing-EndPlate]

Leisure world was like better than Disney world to me as a kid from Belfast, I remember goin into town..15p in a black taxi. Think I probably was 9-10 at the most! I spent many a Saturday afternoon in leisure world, looking and tryin out the latest games and toys that were available on display. After a few hours, security use to give me my marching orders if I wasn't buyin anything..which was every week lol. Rem winning a coca cola (super spinner) one day in leisure world, was the best thing ever..I was over the moon. The memories are all flooding back after watching this video.

[@phillipwallace7211]

The 'Action Man' display was brilliant. I wanted to be the guy who made those displays when I grew up.

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

SLF were the first band that I saw live ; the gig that I attended was in The Ulster Hall back in spring 1980. I also sang in a rock group ( who shall remain nameless ! lol) and we played in the Rosetta Bar (affectionately known as The Rosie) in the late 80s !

[@TheTaytay4455]

Saw The Stiffs and Starjets in 79 and later that year with The Members. Have seen them many times since. Loved those days in Belfast. Wasn't a Rosie fan but I did play my one and only gig at The Pound in February 82. I was 15 lol

[@jimsimpson1006]

At 5:04, those Portacabins behind the railings on the right of the screen are the D.O.E. offices where I worked in the early 1980s.

[@bicyclecambelfast5680]

Thanks for these memories

[@love2drone656]

Brilliant video. Very nostalgic! I remember the bus tickets you had to ding or in some cases double ding lol

[@TheTaytay4455]

Everyone double dinged and if you put candle wax on your ticket you could ding all day until you were caught by the inspector

[@bubba842]

I still be had to sing my bus ticket in 1998 when I left school. Funnily enough on the same busses that were in this video.

[@stephensmith4480]

Superb. My cousin worked in Belfast. At Harland and Wolfe in the eighties and he used to drink in the Rosetta Bar. I also have visited this wonderful city,hundreds of times. I am from Liverpool and the people of Belfast are just like us. Dead straight and take no shite. I love Belfast and all its lovely people.

[@Jumpmaster337]

Your cousin was probably a loyalist paramilitary then.

[@stephensmith4480]

@@Jumpmaster337 No he wasn`t Muppet.

[@Jumpmaster337]

@@stephensmith4480 😵🥺

[@stephensmith4480]

@@Jumpmaster337 What`s that supposed to mean??

[@Drifty40]

@@Jumpmaster337 Parasite !

[@SiVlog1989]

when I stayed in Belfast in August 2015 in spite of the pictures painted by the press, I felt safer, whichever area I was in, than I do in my hometown in Southeast England

[@binflynn1]

I went the the Frankie goes to Hollywood concert brilliant great memories on here

[@seanycage2610]

Great video, great music

[@The8thDOCTOR]

Thankfully NI is a far better place today.

[@yoyoholck]

The8thDOCTOR its probably better in terms of tension and trouble but its fuckin shite lol.

[@asl19999]

is it fuck

[@glenatkinson7732]

That was fantastic...thank you

[@alansmall8844]

Had many good times at Rosetta bar.

[@davidlally592]

Mm well remember staying in the Europa (up on the Enterprise from Dublin which then went to next door Gt Victoria St station). Oh and the security hut and cordon round the Hotel.

[@MatthewOkot]

I remember Supermac well. I also remember Stewarts on the Lisburn Road before it became Tesco. There was a fast food place near it called Nibblers.

[@roisin252]

I had a job there as a teen!

[@joemcconnell2674]

I now live in Sligo. Been living in the town since 1980 . I do remember Stewart's and also crazy prices. I think were supermac was is now forestside could be wrong though. I remember back in the 1980s visiting friends in Dunmurry we used to play in the golf course we would go into a field off the golf course with Fields and trees. I have not been in Dunmurry since the mid 1980s. I visited Dunmurry for the first time since then a few years ago. I couldn't get over the changes it is all new road systems everywhere. Part of the golf course is gone the Fields and trees we would play is now a duel carriageway onto the M1.

[@DeleteTheWeak]

Micky Marleys round-about outside Woolworths

[@yoyoholck]

DeleteTheWeak ats wer i bucked my cousin. member

[@malachyohara]

loved the video,At the edge is my favorite SLF song.hope to see them on the 19 August in Belfast,i remember they had a song called White Noise which was a bit edgy,i wonder if they could sing it now

[@ashleighskillen9596]

Love Belfast my home town n England now x

[@anawonka]

Love Belfast and im not even from Belfast. I lived as a student for years there. And dream to go back for work again ... i had my first ever kfc there in 2007

[@healey100austin]

I remember supermac.

[@tonyt5919]

Lol, I can remember the traffic reports back then," traffic is heavy at the supermac lights", but back then the rush hour was the rush hour, today it's the rush all day,!

[@user-xd9nx9gr5k]

There used to be a sealink to the mainland? 🤯 That's a long journey to Holland or France!

[@sevenswords8781]

Wednesday nights in the Abracon 50p a pint on thursday nights.happy days

[@lindalilly1544]

Except when it was bombed!

[@Drifty40]

Abercorn

[@best349]

climbing over closed security gates to get into the Plaza & the Delta

[@mumdadmark]

I also remember those strong bin men having to carry those big heavy metal bins to and from the bin lorry which was a lot harder than the current wheelie bins. I also remember newspapers being delivered to our houses by paper boys which doesn't seem to happen these days.

[@gremlinuk1968]

the bins back then was a lot smaller , dumb arse !!

[@stephensmith4480]

@@gremlinuk1968 You are the Dumb Arse. Fuckwit. The Bins in them days were heavy as fuck,because a lot more people had coal fires,so the bins were loaded up with ashes as well as the normal house trash.

[@allisonmackietarotangelssy9010]

You forgot Sammy "Im yer man" Mackie. world cup 1982 :)

[@bletheringfool]

Bel-1 rebranded to Ideas in Furniture and closed down in 2013 as they were in financial diffs.

[@TheTaytay4455]

The old cinema on the Lisburn Road

[@neil758]

I wish i went to see ozzy at avoniel when i was a kid!

[@charliebridges3584]

Och, aye, 'twere great wee times, so they were

[@nman3345]

You sound just like Jim McDonald from Coronation Street..... So you do :)

[@Jumpmaster337]

Only had nights out in the crescent and Rosetta if you were a Jaffa.

[@thomasclarke2880]

That statement isn't entirely true.

[@Ohh-Johnny-boy]

I’m from Portadown and my Ma brought me to leisure world once when I we were visiting my Dad around 77 or so I’m 50 now and I still remember how in awe I was tbh fcukin brill then, ps my Ma told me my Da was working in the action man department makin my Christmas presents then that’s why I only seen him a couple of times a year then 🤣😂😆😂 unreal.

[@OhEidirsceoil]

Care to change that profile pic n take that filthy butchers apron off Ireland?

[@stephenkirk1024]

Fraser's in Cornmarket for the Spencers 20 pleat trousers for school 🤣

[@robbiewright9145]

🤣👍

[@awall7635]

hahahha loved Spencers and Y cardigans!!! John Frazers Gresham Street loved it in there.

[@4pidgey357]

Smyth's for records on Royal Ave.

[@robbiewright9145]

The Crescent Bar & Supermac

[@daviclo]

SLF ✌️

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

The first band I saw live back in 1980 in The Ulster Hall ... great memory !

[@bigkieranmac9245]

Victors for a smokie then down for a go on Mickey Marleys roundabout .

[@OlafProt]

Cliff Burton came to Belfast!?! 3:44

[@jw7248]

Didnt see any check jeans herein nor quilted shell suits that went well with a wee pair of Sizzlers from Primark.

[@FrontWing-EndPlate]

Sizzlers were the trainers of choice!!! I remember the 2 big baskets in primark. Grey and red, or black and red were the only 2 colours on offer. A pair for a whoppin £2.99....big doe in them days 🤣🤣🤣

[@conorgreen4820]

Mainland..says it all

[@SteveFerson]

I dunno about everyone else but the fact that out of a 6 minute video and countless clips/comments that single word is what you pick out to focus on says a lot more to me

[@New2Ukulele]

Argos catalog shopping for toys then going to the pickup centre near Belfast city centre.

[@malcolmcampbell1968]

Jonh Fraser in Gresham street for your wranglers😂😂😂 and who's ma didn't get there furniture in bannons in north street on the never never ???

[@stephenmccoy898]

Don't think there was a John frazers in gresham Street I think you mean castle Street

[@stephenmccoy898]

There was another 1 in corn Market

[@samca4472]

Leisure world sold 10,000 baseball bats and 2 balls

[@MrMarky2007]

Ya don't need a pill for every ill !

[@NorthBelfastGhirl]

You can easily tell a Protestant made this......Rathcoole estate and boat to the "mainland"......should have been a view from both sides, but still an enjoyable view nonetheless

[@ultonian]

Actually your assumption about the religion of the poster is incorrect, but don't let that fact bother you - I hear ignorance is bliss.

[@MrMarky2007]

You can easily tell a compete 'fuckwit' wrote this comment !

[@pearse10000]

@@ultonian what other religon would call england the mainland, talk about ignorance all you want but he is spot on.

[@jamesupton4996]

@@pearse10000 I don't think any religion or religious denomination calls the island of Wales, Scotland and England 'the mainland' . Nor does the Bible.

[@lindalilly1544]

Lol you know what it's like. I can tell when a Catholic makes one... No offence of course!

[@patsymillar9447]

Who cares who made the video. When I was growing upvwarching the boats going down the Lough, they where going " across the water ". I used to wonder if I'd ever get to sail in one of those big boats. Eventually I did. On a foreign holiday with ulsterbus.

[@OhEidirsceoil]

McGuigan is from south of the border.

[@SteveFerson]

And fought for NI in the Commonwealth Games as well as having his "home* fights in Belfast so...

[@OhEidirsceoil]

@@SteveFerson we all make mistakes. McGuigan included

[@SteveFerson]

@@OhEidirsceoil indeed, apparently lots us make them commenting on the internet about things we aren't particularly clued up on, then follow up with a bitter response when we're called out.

[@Coilin101]

Barry mcguigan isn't from the north

[@SteveFerson]

He did fight for Northern Ireland in the commonwealth games and regularly fought "home" fights in Belfast though.

[@Coilin101]

@@SteveFerson was his parents from the north because he's from clones in Monaghan

[@SteveFerson]

@@Coilin101 His dad was also from Clones, no idea about his mum

[@Coilin101]

@@SteveFerson 👍

[@Alex-gn2rb]

Monaghan is one of the 9 counties of Ulster , so it is correct he is from Ulster and the North of Ireland.

[@TheFlipthis1967]

SLF were middle class prods, absolutely no connection with the working class

[@ultonian]

I'm not really sure what their religion has to do with the price of spuds. Care to elaborate?

[@thomasclarke2880]

That statement isn't entirely true.

[@scampthelazycat9891]

jimmy cricket and frank carson didnt keep us laughing, both were a total embarrassment to n.ireland and were switched off as soon as they appeared on tv

[@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603]

Nice photos crap music