AHC: Belfast capital of Ireland

Tprynn

Banned
Well Belfast only really came to prominence in the very late 17th century, by which time Dublin had been firmly established as the administrative and trading centre of Ireland

It would be difficult to switch them but no impossible. Greater clashes between Catholics and Protestants groups in Dublin could force a move
 
If we're talking about the Republic, you need the Plantation of Ulster to fail to even get it into the country. Belfast pretty much didn't exist until long after that, so it doesn't seem possible.

The only way I can see it happening is if you have a lot more Protestants in the country, and have them be much more widespread. And that makes independence pretty unlikely.
 

Hibernicus

Banned
If we're talking about the Republic, you need the Plantation of Ulster to fail to even get it into the country. Belfast pretty much didn't exist until long after that, so it doesn't seem possible.

The only way I can see it happening is if you have a lot more Protestants in the country, and have them be much more widespread. And that makes independence pretty unlikely.

Well this is pre-1900 so pretty much throws out discussions of partition and the Troubles.
 
You're talking about an even smaller window than that, I think. From what I remember, Londonderry was the biggest city in the north from pretty soon after its foundation, and it was Carrickfergus beforehand. Belfast didn't gain prominence until the linen boom, which didn't really take off until post 1670ish.

Even then, it didn't really become big enough to rival Dublin until the 1840s or so. You might have to have Cromwell pull a Drogheda on Dublin in the 1650s or something equally dystopic to make this likely :(
 

abc123

Banned
Well, maybe in some TL, where Ireland is united ( say under Home Rule ) where Catholics offer to Protestants that if they agree to be part of unified Ireland, capital of that Ireland will be in the North- in Belfast?
 
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