New guide brings Lilliput link much closer to home

A famous literary resident of Carrick may not have had too far too travel to find inspiration for his most celebrated work, according to a new publication.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th May 2014, 21:01 BST
Attending the launch of The Little Book of Belfast are (from left to right) Gary Mitchell, playwright; Raymond ORegan, author and historian; Jonathan Swift (aka Nicky Birch); Arthur Magee, Experience Belfast and Neil Sinclair, former British welterweight champion. INCT 22-702-CONAttending the launch of The Little Book of Belfast are (from left to right) Gary Mitchell, playwright; Raymond ORegan, author and historian; Jonathan Swift (aka Nicky Birch); Arthur Magee, Experience Belfast and Neil Sinclair, former British welterweight champion. INCT 22-702-CON
Attending the launch of The Little Book of Belfast are (from left to right) Gary Mitchell, playwright; Raymond ORegan, author and historian; Jonathan Swift (aka Nicky Birch); Arthur Magee, Experience Belfast and Neil Sinclair, former British welterweight champion. INCT 22-702-CON

The Little Book of Belfast (published by History Press) is a compendium of fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts about the city past and present.

Written by Raymond O’Regan and Arthur Magee, it covers Belfast’s trade and industry, crime and punishment, music, literature and sport, architectural heritage, and its famous (and occasionally infamous) men and women.

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It also features little known facts about the city including a link with author Jonathan Swift.

Raymond O’Regan explains: “Many people suggest that Cavehill may have been the inspiration for the Giant in ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ by Jonathan Swift. What’s little known is the existence of a cottage and small farm on the Carrickfergus Road called Lilliput which dates back to the 1700s.”

In 1695, Swift was appointed prebend of the parish of Kilroot, where he is said to have written the ‘Tale of a Tub’.

A reference book and a quirky guide, the Little Book of Belfast’s authors faced difficulties with the amount of incident and talent the city has produced.

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Arthur Magee adds: “Belfast sometimes has a negative reputation but it’s a vibrant and culturally alive and we wanted to reflect this. The difficulty was the sheer amount of information. It’s almost impossible to write a little book about the city but we gave it a good go!”

Attending the launch was playwright Gary Mitchell, who said: “We’ve always produced characters and whilst the book includes fascinating insights into our hidden history, it’s also an opportunity to learn about some of the people that make Belfast the place it is.”

The book costs £10 and is available from retailers and online.

Related topics:BelfastCarrickKilroot