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The 2009 conference is hosted by The Science Shop, Queen's University Belfast
Belfast Mela
The Belfast Mela now in its third year has attracted a combined audience of over 22,000 people making it the largest multi-cultural event in the whole of Northern Ireland. The Mela is an international showcase of music, dance, art and food from more than thirty nations around the globe.
Now an established event in the capital’s cultural calendar, the Mela prides itself in being an artistically led celebration of ethnic culture and creativity, inspired by local and international talent. At the Mela people have the opportunity to sample food from a host of countries, watch an international showcase of music and dance, participate in crafts workshops and browse stalls representing the work of Northern Ireland’s community organisations. Each year the Mela is given a theme; in 2009 this will be ‘Caring for Our Environment’. Previous themes have included ‘Health & Well-Being’ and ‘Bollywood’
Click here for further details.
Belfast City Walking Tour
Belfast City Walking Tours brings a range of interesting guided walking tours. We specialize in giving the visitor the best introduction to the heart of Belfast.
Belfast developed between three rivers, the Blackstaff, Farset and the Lagan. We invite you to get an insight into the Belfast of the past and learn about the people who lived and worked along the banks of the three rivers and finally to see Belfast in a new and fascinating way.
Tours can also be arranged to start from a day, time and location of your choice. Tours are available all year, cost £6.00 per head for 1 hour 30 minutes duration. Click here for further details and to book directly.
Belfast City Pub Tour
No visit to Belfast would be complete without a trip around its famous and historic pubs. The hospitality of Belfast City and its people is legendary and there's no better way to enjoy the "craic" and the banter with the locals than over a few drinks.
Each pub tour features six pubs and lasts for approximately 2 hours. Group booking by prior arrangment all year round. Group concessions are available for parties of 12 or more: £5.00 per head. Click here for further details and to book directly.
Belfast City Sightseeing Open Topped Bus
Tours depart regularly from Castle Place, right in the middle of Belfast City Centre and see how the city was born during a time of industry and engineering, survived famine, disease, bombing raids and of course recent political troubles, to now being one of the most exciting cities in Europe.
Not forgetting recent history and visitor can learn about the political wall murals on the Shankill and Falls Road, the peace line and recent civil unrest through dedicated and talented local tour guides.
Let the Belfast City Sightseeing tour guides entertain and educate on a whistle stop tour through 300 tumultuous years of history and introduce you to a city brimming with confidence and optimism.
Click here for further details and to book directly.
Black Taxi Tours
Start your tour in the City Centre, then move through the Shipyards and see where HMS Titanice was built and launched. See the political distrcits which have bore the brunt of conflict over the last thirty years before seeing the elegant University Quarter and Museum district. Finish your trip with a big bowl of Irish Stew and the ubiquitous pint of Guinness to wash it all down.
Tours can also be arranged for the North Antrim Coast where you can explore the Giants Causeway, Dunlice Castle, the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Bushmills Distillery.
Click here for further details and to book directly.
Value Cabs Taxi Tours
Value Cabs can accommodate a number of tours including:
- Belfast City Tours
- The Giants Causeway and Causeway Centre Tour
- The Giants Causeway and Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge
- The Giants Causeway and Old Bushmills Distellery
- Old Bushmills Distellery
- Carrickfergus Castle
- Strangford Lough and Exploris Complex
- Armagh Planetarium and City Tour
- Mount Stewart House and Gardens
- The Ulster American Folk Park
Click here for further details and to book directly.
Andy Irvine
Andy Irvine’s live solo performance was informative, witty, intense, full of a love for the music, which he transmitted to the audience with an honesty that only the truly committed can attain.Click here for further details
Eating Out in Belfast
Queen's Quarter
The area around the University is known as Queen's Quarter. There are a range of local restaurants and bars in the area, particularly along Botanic Avenue and Stranmillis Road. Just a few are listed below
Traditional à la carte menu, in a bar atmosphere.
"The restaurant serves a wide variety of traditional and modern dishes offering the best local produce in an exquisite setting at an affordable price" ( www.discovernorthernireland.com ).
Common Grounds is a unique café as all their profits are used to support community projects in the less developed world. Whilst it is particularly well known for its range of baked goods, it also offers a simple salad, soup and sandwich type food in pleasant surroundings. It is based in the Holylands area and is a two minute walk from the university.
Bo Thai Tree is a Thai restaurant situated a two minute walk from the University. All of the food is cooked from fresh and it offers delicious, authentic Thai cuisine at its very best.
Run by Michael Deane, one of Northern Ireland's best known chefs, Deanes at Queen's offers modern Irish food in calm and pleasant surroundings.
Boojum
Boojum is a small unpretentious cafe on Belfast's bustling Botanic Avenue. They offer fresh and delicious Mexican-style food, particularly burritos and fajitas
City Centre
Fusion-influenced food, this restaurant boasts the taste and style of New Orleans.
"Bourbon pride themselves on using fresh local produce to create British and Irish dishes with a twist. The New Orleans style decor gives the restaurant a vibrant feel of the American Deep South." ( www.viewbelfast.co.uk )
A bohemian bistro, specialising in fresh produce, seafood in particular.
"Specialising in fish, while not forgetting meat-eaters and vegetarians, Ginger has already forged a strong reputation for both quality and value for money. With a small, carefully chosen wine-list, an informal dining experience is just waiting to be discovered." ( www.4ni.co.uk )
Traditional Italian, specialising in pizzas.
"Pizza Express remains a popular destination among the pizza lovers out there. It offers a wide range of pizza toppings among together delicious dishes." (www.viewbelfast.co.uk).
Cathedral Quarter
Cathedral Quarter is Belfast's cultural centre, offering a wide range of restaurants and bars along cobbled streets. It is about 1.5 miles from the University.
A contemporary brasserie-style restaurant serving innovative modern Irish cuisine.
"Along the side of St. Anne's Cathedral, and down one of Belfast's oldest streets, sits this shiny new restaurant. The exterior may boast historic red brick but, once inside, it's a different story. Dazzling white open-plan dining is broken up with splashes of modern art. And, rather uniquely in the city, multi-hued lighting changes gradually as you enjoy your meal. Speaking of which, seafood, steaks, pasta, chicken and duck is all on offer and accompanied by a complementary array of classic and inventive sides. A minimalist space to tempt the cool set... perfect for the ever-more gentrified Cathedral Quarter." ( www.inyourpocket.com )
Red Bar & Grill (RBG) at the Park Inn
A varied menu of internation classic dishes, the Park Inn also serves a wide variety of cocktails, beers and drinks.
"Park Inn Belfast is also home to RBG Bar & Grill, Park Inn’s recently launched signature restaurant. The upbeat RBG Bar & Grill with its bright bold logo, stylish menus and signage all designed with splashes of scarlet, builds on Park Inn’s colourful approach to hospitality and the RBG menu and service is designed to be fast, fun and easy, aligned with the Park Inn ethos." ( www.viewbelfast.com )
Serving modern and delicious cuisine, they also have an extensive vegetarian menu.
"The Hill St Brasserie in Belfast brings modern cuisine to new levels and to a growing number of food fans thoughout Northern Ireland." ( www.4ni.co.uk )
Serves mainly British classics, with an extensive wine list.
"Nick's Warehouse has built up a reputation for consistency based on our simple ethos...honest, tasty food, fair value for money and friendly informed service" ( www.discovernorthernireland.com )
Menu is predominantly seafood, with some meat and vegetarian dishes. Tedfords is earning a growing following for imaginative and well cooked food, and caring service. An extensive and reasonably priced wine list includes half a dozen house wines.
Belfast Mela
The Belfast Mela now in its third year has attracted a combined audience of over 22,000 people making it the largest multi-cultural event in the whole of Northern Ireland. The Mela is an international showcase of music, dance, art and food from more than thirty nations around the globe.
Now an established event in the capital’s cultural calendar, the Mela prides itself in being an artistically led celebration of ethnic culture and creativity, inspired by local and international talent. At the Mela people have the opportunity to sample food from a host of countries, watch an international showcase of music and dance, participate in crafts workshops and browse stalls representing the work of Northern Ireland’s community organisations. Each year the Mela is given a theme; in 2009 this will be ‘Caring for Our Environment’. Previous themes have included ‘Health & Well-Being’ and ‘Bollywood’
Click here for further details.
Belfast City Walking Tour
Belfast City Walking Tours brings a range of interesting guided walking tours. We specialize in giving the visitor the best introduction to the heart of Belfast.
Belfast developed between three rivers, the Blackstaff, Farset and the Lagan. We invite you to get an insight into the Belfast of the past and learn about the people who lived and worked along the banks of the three rivers and finally to see Belfast in a new and fascinating way.
Tours can also be arranged to start from a day, time and location of your choice. Tours are available all year, cost £6.00 per head for 1 hour 30 minutes duration. Click here for further details and to book directly.
Belfast City Pub Tour
No visit to Belfast would be complete without a trip around its famous and historic pubs. The hospitality of Belfast City and its people is legendary and there's no better way to enjoy the "craic" and the banter with the locals than over a few drinks.
Each pub tour features six pubs and lasts for approximately 2 hours. Group booking by prior arrangment all year round. Group concessions are available for parties of 12 or more: £5.00 per head. Click here for further details and to book directly.
Belfast City Sightseeing Open Topped Bus
Tours depart regularly from Castle Place, right in the middle of Belfast City Centre and see how the city was born during a time of industry and engineering, survived famine, disease, bombing raids and of course recent political troubles, to now being one of the most exciting cities in Europe.
Not forgetting recent history and visitor can learn about the political wall murals on the Shankill and Falls Road, the peace line and recent civil unrest through dedicated and talented local tour guides.
Let the Belfast City Sightseeing tour guides entertain and educate on a whistle stop tour through 300 tumultuous years of history and introduce you to a city brimming with confidence and optimism.
Click here for further details and to book directly.
Black Taxi Tours
Start your tour in the City Centre, then move through the Shipyards and see where HMS Titanice was built and launched. See the political distrcits which have bore the brunt of conflict over the last thirty years before seeing the elegant University Quarter and Museum district. Finish your trip with a big bowl of Irish Stew and the ubiquitous pint of Guinness to wash it all down.
Tours can also be arranged for the North Antrim Coast where you can explore the Giants Causeway, Dunlice Castle, the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and Bushmills Distillery.
Click here for further details and to book directly.
Value Cabs Taxi Tours
Value Cabs can accommodate a number of tours including:
- Belfast City Tours
- The Giants Causeway and Causeway Centre Tour
- The Giants Causeway and Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge
- The Giants Causeway and Old Bushmills Distellery
- Old Bushmills Distellery
- Carrickfergus Castle
- Strangford Lough and Exploris Complex
- Armagh Planetarium and City Tour
- Mount Stewart House and Gardens
- The Ulster American Folk Park
Click here for further details and to book directly.
Andy Irvine
Andy Irvine’s live solo performance was informative, witty, intense, full of a love for the music, which he transmitted to the audience with an honesty that only the truly committed can attain.Click here for further details
Eating Out in Belfast
Queen's Quarter
The area around the University is known as Queen's Quarter. There are a range of local restaurants and bars in the area, particularly along Botanic Avenue and Stranmillis Road. Just a few are listed below
Traditional à la carte menu, in a bar atmosphere.
"The restaurant serves a wide variety of traditional and modern dishes offering the best local produce in an exquisite setting at an affordable price" ( www.discovernorthernireland.com ).
Common Grounds is a unique café as all their profits are used to support community projects in the less developed world. Whilst it is particularly well known for its range of baked goods, it also offers a simple salad, soup and sandwich type food in pleasant surroundings. It is based in the Holylands area and is a two minute walk from the university.
Bo Thai Tree is a Thai restaurant situated a two minute walk from the University. All of the food is cooked from fresh and it offers delicious, authentic Thai cuisine at its very best.
Run by Michael Deane, one of Northern Ireland's best known chefs, Deanes at Queen's offers modern Irish food in calm and pleasant surroundings.
Boojum
Boojum is a small unpretentious cafe on Belfast's bustling Botanic Avenue. They offer fresh and delicious Mexican-style food, particularly burritos and fajitas
City Centre
Fusion-influenced food, this restaurant boasts the taste and style of New Orleans.
"Bourbon pride themselves on using fresh local produce to create British and Irish dishes with a twist. The New Orleans style decor gives the restaurant a vibrant feel of the American Deep South." ( www.viewbelfast.co.uk )
A bohemian bistro, specialising in fresh produce, seafood in particular.
"Specialising in fish, while not forgetting meat-eaters and vegetarians, Ginger has already forged a strong reputation for both quality and value for money. With a small, carefully chosen wine-list, an informal dining experience is just waiting to be discovered." ( www.4ni.co.uk )
Traditional Italian, specialising in pizzas.
"Pizza Express remains a popular destination among the pizza lovers out there. It offers a wide range of pizza toppings among together delicious dishes." (www.viewbelfast.co.uk).
Cathedral Quarter
Cathedral Quarter is Belfast's cultural centre, offering a wide range of restaurants and bars along cobbled streets. It is about 1.5 miles from the University.
A contemporary brasserie-style restaurant serving innovative modern Irish cuisine.
"Along the side of St. Anne's Cathedral, and down one of Belfast's oldest streets, sits this shiny new restaurant. The exterior may boast historic red brick but, once inside, it's a different story. Dazzling white open-plan dining is broken up with splashes of modern art. And, rather uniquely in the city, multi-hued lighting changes gradually as you enjoy your meal. Speaking of which, seafood, steaks, pasta, chicken and duck is all on offer and accompanied by a complementary array of classic and inventive sides. A minimalist space to tempt the cool set... perfect for the ever-more gentrified Cathedral Quarter." ( www.inyourpocket.com )
Red Bar & Grill (RBG) at the Park Inn
A varied menu of internation classic dishes, the Park Inn also serves a wide variety of cocktails, beers and drinks.
"Park Inn Belfast is also home to RBG Bar & Grill, Park Inn’s recently launched signature restaurant. The upbeat RBG Bar & Grill with its bright bold logo, stylish menus and signage all designed with splashes of scarlet, builds on Park Inn’s colourful approach to hospitality and the RBG menu and service is designed to be fast, fun and easy, aligned with the Park Inn ethos." ( www.viewbelfast.com )
Serving modern and delicious cuisine, they also have an extensive vegetarian menu.
"The Hill St Brasserie in Belfast brings modern cuisine to new levels and to a growing number of food fans thoughout Northern Ireland." ( www.4ni.co.uk )
Serves mainly British classics, with an extensive wine list.
"Nick's Warehouse has built up a reputation for consistency based on our simple ethos...honest, tasty food, fair value for money and friendly informed service" ( www.discovernorthernireland.com )
Menu is predominantly seafood, with some meat and vegetarian dishes. Tedfords is earning a growing following for imaginative and well cooked food, and caring service. An extensive and reasonably priced wine list includes half a dozen house wines.