The Northern Ireland War Memorial (NIWM) are working in partnership with Belfast City Council to create a dedicated memorial to the people of Belfast who died during the Blitz. The memorial will feature as part of the Council's plans for the transformation of the Cathedral Gardens, an area between St Anne's Cathedral and Ulster University's Belfast campus.

Belfast suffered four bombing raids in 1941. These became known as the Dockside Raid (7-8 April), Easter Tuesday Raid (15-16 April), Fire Raid (4-5 May) and the Final Raid (5-6 May).

The new memorial will recognise those who were killed "as a result of enemy action" in Belfast. A total of 952 fatal casualties have been identified using official sources and government records in consultation with Blitz historians Alan Freeburn and Dr Brian Barton.

Elsewhere in Northern Ireland, on the night of Easter Tuesday, a further 32 lives were lost due to German bombing in Derry/Londonderry, Bangor and Newtownards. In time, NIWM are also hoping to support memorials to mark these raids.

Watch the video below to hear about the design of the Blitz Memorial with NIWM Museum Manager, Michael Fryer, and sculptor, Ralf Sander.

To find out more about the transformation of Cathedral Gardens and the Blitz Memorial, please visit Belfast City Council's dedicated webpage: Belfast City Council - Cathedral Gardens.

Belfast Blitz Casualties

The following list contains the names of the 952 people that will be remembered on the memorial. These names have been compiled using official sources and government records. If you think a victim of the bombing raids has been omitted, please send supporting evidence to NIWM by emailing info@niwarmemorial.org.

List of Known Fatalities for Belfast Blitz Memorial - September 2025

Learn more about the Belfast Blitz

The Northern Ireland War Memorial are offering community groups the opportunity to learn more about the Belfast Blitz with guided tours at our museum. Admission is free but please book a visit in advance. We also deliver outreach talks at local venues. For more information, please contact Mark Wigton, NIWM Outreach Officer by emailing outreach@niwarmemorial.org or telephone 028 9032 0392 option 3.

In addition, we would like to interview anyone who might have recollections of the Belfast Blitz. We would like the opportunity to speak to people who, as children, lived through the raids, or those who may have stories that have been passed on by relatives. If you can help, please contact the museum's Research Officer, Michael Burns, by email at projects@niwarmemorial.org or telephone 028 9032 0392 option 5.