Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom that is variously described as a country, province, territory or region. Located in the northeast of the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland shares a border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland was created in 1921, when Ireland was partitioned by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, creating a devolved government for the six northeastern counties. The majority of Northern Ireland’s population were unionists, who wanted to remain within the United Kingdom. They were generally the Protestant descendants of colonists from Great Britain. Meanwhile, the majority in Southern Ireland (which became the Irish Free State in 1922), and a significant minority in Northern Ireland, were Irish nationalists and Catholics who wanted a united independent Ireland.
Cultural links between Northern Ireland, the rest of Ireland, and the rest of the UK are complex, with Northern Ireland sharing both the culture of Ireland and the culture of the United Kingdom. In many sports, the island of Ireland fields a single team, with the Northern Ireland national football team being an exception to this. Northern Ireland competes separately at the Commonwealth Games, and people from Northern Ireland may compete for either Great Britain or Ireland at the Olympic Games.
These vintage black and white photos from Public Record Office of Northern Ireland captured street scenes of Northern Ireland in 1958 and 1959.
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| High Street, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| 'Grannies' Corner', Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| Bowls and Tennis Courts, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| Harbor area, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| Lighthouse and harbor, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| Regatta Day, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| Seafront and harbor, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| The Bay, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| The Inner Harbor, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| View from backing wall, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| View of Moat and Copeland Islands, Donaghadee, Co. Down, 1958 |
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| Belfast Hills, Ravarnett, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Belvoir Park Golfcourse, Belfast, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Bridge over River Lagan, Dromara, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Council houses at Ballycraigy, Muckamore, Co. Antrim, circa 1959 |
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| Donegore church, Donegore, Co. Antrim, circa 1959 |
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| Fishing on the Lagan, Broomhedge, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Headquarters of Yacht Club, Cultra, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| High Street (looking east), Antrim town, Co. Antrim, circa 1959 |
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| Housing Development, Braniel, Castlereagh, 1959 |
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| Housing Trust Estate, Cregagh, Castlereagh, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Main Street, Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry, circa 1959 |
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| Main Street, Feeny, Co. Londonderry, circa 1959 |
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| Main Street, Saintfield, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Market Day, Castlewellan, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Maynard Sinclair Memorial Pavilion and playing fields, Stormont, Belfast, 1959 |
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| New housing estate, Dungannon Road, Aughnacloy, Co. Tyrone, circa 1959 |
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| Parish Church, Hillsborough, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Portadown Road, Gilford, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Regatta and Sports Day, Dundrum, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Retirement home and Banbridge Hospital, Co. Down, circa 1959 |
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| Roundtower, Drumbo, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| The 'Cut', Newry Street, Banbridge, Co. Down, circa 1959 |
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| Trade Exhibition Parade, Ballynahinch, Co. Down, 1959 |
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| Upper Main Street, Dungiven, Co. Londonderry, circa 1959 |