A small but very welcoming library. Carries a good range of books and has computers available for…read morepublic use. Librarian is always very friendly and helpful. Would have been five stars, but opening hours are limited, hence only four - do check days/times as it is easy to forget and arrive to a closed building. Small but adequate car park adjacent, but mind the very narrow gateway into same.

Linen Hall Library is a quiet retreat from the busy Belfast city centre streets. A peaceful…read moresanctuary filled with winding staircases, books, a coffee shop and art exhibitions. It's the perfect place to discover some tranquillity when the hectic hustle and bustle of shopping gets too much. Stepping into Linen Hall is literally like stepping into another world and time. It's only recently I discovered this Library specialises in Irish Studies, Northern Ireland Politics and Theatre and Performing Arts. They also have a general lending section but you have to be a paying subscriber to borrow books. However any member of the public can step into this beautiful building and make use of the space to read, use the coffee shop, view art and just hang out and relax. A lovely place to escape to and its worthwhile keeping an eye on their website for upcoming events and exhibitions.

Best food in Belfast so far. Linen Hall breakfast is fantastic, vegetarian Linen Hall breakfast is…read moreevery bit as good. Poached egg on avocado toast with walnuts and feta highly recommended. Service quick and friendly. Atmosphere absolutely beautiful and a library to boot. Prices lower than many others of lesser quality and ambience. Don't pass up this Belfast gem.

Good local studies collection on the first floor. No public records per se, but lots of books to…read morehelp set the context for your family history. And the staff double teamed and help retrieve items of possible interest. Very impressive!

An excellent library (but pity it doesn't have parking facilities). The childrens area is a good…read moresize and very well stocked, albeit the seating for accompanying parents sometimes isn't adequate and a bench or two more would be helpful. Computers available in this area too and a couple of desks to sit and read at (or sometimes colour in). Upstairs is the main library, with more computers (and there are computers for the adults downstairs too), served well by stairs and a lift. There are toilets on site, but you need to ask for a key. A Local Studies section is a great boon to folk wanting to do some research and the staff are very knowledgeable and approachable in relation to the subject. If you are in a hurry, there is a self service section downstairs where you can scan through your books without waiting for a librarian to do it.

The public library service has moved to Pat's Brae in Ballymena town centre. The closest carparking…read moreis available at the Tower Centre. It is now situated in a large two-storey building and has photocopying, computing and archive facilities. Library users may now borrow both books and audio/video materials. The Education and Library Board still own the building at Demesne Avenue but it now only contains the Teacher's collection, Schools Library Service and Historical Research departments.

Definite must stop when you are touring the northern coast of stunning county Donegal, the most…read morebeautiful place on earth. We paid a fee to tour the lighthouse. We got to walk tp the top via a winding staircase as the tour guide told us stories of ship wrecks and smugglers. It was a bright, beautiful day and the view was incredible. There are a few food trucks parked in the parking lot in the summer, or you can bring a picnic, and enjoying eating outdoors. We had a blast and enjoyed every minute!!

The Fanad Head Lighthouse is a popular destination along the Wild Atlantic Way. I was with a group…read moreand we had walked about a mile from our lunch location. We were waiting in the small parking lot for the person with the tickets and noticed a number of folks jumping a nearby fence to sseemingly avoid paying the entrance fee. But it wasn't possible to get to the actual lighthouse that way. The views were pretty amazing. Once inside the lighthouse, a guide will provide a history of the lighthouse -- and there is a lot of original memoribilia to ask about. Especially the wooden box labeled Carnegie Library System of Ireland. Apparently the lighthouse keepers were avid readers and Carnegie Library had rotating boxes of books that got shared. It is possible to await your turn to walk to the top -- I did not do so, but those who did remarked on the view from the top. The grounds include a guesthouse where you can lodge.

Belfast Central Library is a great institution. One of the first libraries opened in Ireland, it…read morestill provides the general public with innumerable services and facilities. There's a lovely cafe on the ground floor selling coffee, tea, hot chocolate etc. and after you've refreshed yourself you can make use of the free computer and Internet facilities which are available for use throughout the building. The top floor houses the only dedicated Music Library in Northern Ireland, which is a great service and costs a small amount to rent out the Cd's. The Library also houses a number of special collections including archives, extremely old books (i.e. printed before 1500AD!), Irish Language manuscripts, literary manuscripts, maps, postcards, photographs, theatre and cinema collections. It also holds the F. J Bigger Library and Archive (a practising solicitor whose chief interest was Irish antiquities, he devoted his life to the study of Irish archaeology and Ulster history.) The building also houses a fine collection of maps, both contemporary and antiquarian. There's also the 'Theatre Collection' which consists of three thousand Irish theatre programmes. It's quite a comprehensive historical collection (the newspaper reviews, posters and programmes date from 1821 onwards!) In the Library there are various facilities available for use including public lifts, public toilets, meeting rooms, exhibition Space, a fax service and photocopiers. Call in to the alluring old building and check out some of these helpful services. The staff are hospitable and the building is a beautiful example of Victorian Belfast. N.B. The Library are currently carrying out some renovations and at the moment the outer facade of the building can't be seen (such a pity!) hopefully this will be completed soon though!

Although it is a fine resource I have mixed feelings about Belfast Central Library, having spent…read moremany hours in the Irish studies section researching local history. Just about anything in that line that you might need is available like other large formal libraries there is a system of requesting a book that staff will go and get for you. Mostly that worked fine but there were occasions when staff members really didn't seem willing to help and it creates a bad impression and puts me off using the library unless I'm really desperate. There are other libraries in the city with a much more welcoming atmosphere. On the other hand the opening hours are useful if you need to come here after work and there plenty of computer terminals for access to library members, with quite a good lending section on the ground floor and a useful coffee shop downstairs.