Andersonstown

Andersontown (Irish: Baile Andarsan) is a district of west Belfast.

It is also known as Whiteside town or Townland Ballinfeigh. It is overshadowed by the Black Mountain and Divis Mountain and contains a mixture of public and private housing. It is largely populated by the Irish nationalist and Catholic community. Andersontown is also an electoral ward of West Belfast.

The area begins at the tip of the Upper Falls Road where it meets the Andersonstown Road and the Glen Road. It ends where the Shaws Road meets the Glen Road forming a large triangle.

The area rapidly expanded during the 1960s and 1970s as the local housing authority built hundreds of houses for people who were rehoused during the redevelopment of the Lower Falls Road.

As the population of the area increased Twinbrook and Poleglass housing estates were built further out of Belfast.

During the 1970s and 1980s the area was a major centre of civil disturbances during the civil conflict known as The Troubles.

Today Andersonstown has a population of about 10,000. It remains a predominantly working class area. There has been considerable effort to attract employment to the area and to improve the physical infrastructure. It has four Catholic churches: St. Agnes, St. Theresa's, St. Michael's and St. Matthias.

The district is sometimes colloquially referred to as "Andytown".

The area publishes a newspaper named Andersonstown News which voices an Irish Republican viewpoint.

Andersonstown is regarded as a hot bed of chav related activity, with frequent confrontations between cider bottle wielding chavs and anyone who dares leave their house after dark.

It is also home to some of belfast finest eateries with such establishments such as the world famous 'Rainbow' chinese takeaway as well as the leisure centre cafe.