The Community of Castlereagh
Where are we?
The first references to Castlereagh were made in 1148AD with a battle between soldiers of Ulidia (a townland near Carrickfergus) who occupied the land and raiders from Tyrone. The name itself comes from the ‘Caislen Riabhach’ or ‘Grey Castle’ of the O’Neill’s that once perched on the Castlereagh Hills. This has since disappeared into the land scape and many a man has his own idea of were it was.
The modern Castlereagh is an urban borough taking in the east and south suburbs of Belfast. It has no town centre but its two main population centres are the large villages of Carryduff which is a market village and Dundonald which is home to the Ulster hospital. A notable sight overlooking Dundonald is the seat of government in Northern Ireland (Parliament Buildings at Stormont, and Stormont Castle).
The local council of which is made up of 21 members sits in the Castlereagh civic centre which is geographically in the centre of the borough. The area is well known for the Castlereagh hills which tower over the city of Belfast. Other places of interest of interest include:
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The Moat Park Moat in Dundonald which was once a motte and bailey fort looking over Belfast to the west and Strangford Lough to the east and offers some impressive views.
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The Dundonald Ice Bowl which is Northern Ireland’s only ice skating rink, (and is almost as much of a local landmark as Stormont!).
Dundonald from Moat Park
Belfast Lough from the Castlereagh Hills at sunset
The motte at the heart of Moat Park
Who are we?
"We are the Bahá'í Community of Castlereagh, Northern Ireland. We draw our members from all strata of society and religious backgrounds, finding unity in the Bahá'í Faith, the second most widespread religious community in the world. Our Faith gives meaning and direction to our lives both individually and collectively, answering such age old questions as who we are, where did we come from, and where are we headed. It gives great hope for the future at a time when major uncertainties challenge world peace and security."
The Bahá'ís of Castlereagh see themselves as a part both of their area and also of something far greater. They are part of the world-wide community of the Bahá'ís and people for whom the essential oneness of the human race is a key belief.
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The first local person to become a Bahá'í was Colin King on 1 January 1959. In September 1960 his father Harry King also became a Bahá'í. The family moved to Belfast in 1961 and it was there in August 1962 that Harry’s wife Jean accepted the Faith. The first Spiritual Assembly, the local Bahá'í administrative institution, for the area was formed on 21 April 1968. As the Bahá'í Faith has no clergy, or individuals in positions of personal leadership, all members participate in its activities and have their say. Community life includes spiritual and devotional meetings, open discussions, courses of study on spiritual and moral themes, and activities for children and junior youth.
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​Local Bahá'ís are involved with organisations of social benefit in the community, Several have gone on to international service in places such as India, Sardinia, Suriname, Jamaica, Russia, and even as far afield as St. Helena. If you want to know more, or think you would like to be involved, please get in touch.
What we believe
The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its founder, Bahá’u’lláh (a title meaning “Glory of God”) (1817-1892), is regarded by Bahá'ís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time. In just over a century-and-a-half it has established itself as the world's second most widespread religion (after Christianity) and it is now the eighth-largest organized religion (these statements come from non-Bahá'í scholars, by the way, not from us).
The central theme of Bahá'u'lláh's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its coming together in a global society based on justice and cooperation. Historical forces are breaking down traditional barriers of race, class, creed, and nation and that will, in time, give birth to a universal civilization. The main challenge facing the peoples of the earth is to accept the fact of their oneness and to work together.
For more than a century, Bahá'í communities around the globe have been working to break down barriers of prejudice between peoples and have collaborated with other like-minded groups to promote the model of a global society. At the heart of our belief is the conviction that humanity is a single people with a common destiny. In the words of Bahá'u'lláh, "The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."
There are no Bahá'í clergy or leaders, the community is administered at all levels by elected bodies. All members have a say in the work of community and play their part. To learn more about the Bahá'í Faith and its teachings and see something of its activities world-wide in the section below.
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Or to learn more you can contact us at bcni@bahai.org.uk.
Find out more
The Bahá'Ãs of the Republic of Ireland
The Worldwide Bahá'ís Community
The Bahá'Ãs of the United Kingdom