St George's Market

St George's Market is the last surviving Victorian covered market in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is located on May Street, close to the River Lagan and the Waterfront Hall. Belfast Corporation (now Belfast City Council) commissioned the building of St George's Market, which was built in three phases between 1890 and 1896. Before 1890 St George's Market was an open market and most likely contained a slaughterhouse and a meat market. Today it is a thriving market with 300 traders, crafters musicians and foodies.

The original (pre 1890) market was smaller than the new structure. The city surveyor (responsible for the new Albert Bridge following its collapse in the 1880s) JC Bretland designed the building. It was built in red brick with sandstone dressing. Externally it features Roman styled arches with Latin and Irish inscriptions – the City's Latin motto "Pro Tanto Quid Retribuamus", meaning "what shall we give in return for so much?" and the Irish phrase "Lámh Dearg na hÉireann", "Red Hand of Ireland". The main entrance arch displays the Belfast Coat of Arms. This newly covered market opened to the public on 20 June 1890.

After heavy bombing of Belfast by German aircraft in World War II, St George's Market was used as an emergency mortuary. Approximately 900 were killed during the bombing raids; 255 bodies were brought to St George's Market in an attempt to identify them. Not all of the bodies were identified, so a public funeral for the unclaimed dead took place on 21 April 1941. There were separate Catholic and Protestant services held at the market and thousands of people lined the streets as the procession passed on its way to the Milltown and City cemeteries.

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