By Denis O'Connor - Select Image To View Photographs

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BELFAST 2025

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Finding the Sweet Stream: A Wet Walk to the Sweet Water Arch

Sometimes, the best-laid plans of a traveller are washed away by the Belfast rain—and the whims of a rather rude bus driver.

My recent attempt to visit and photograph the Sweet Water Arch in Stranmillis turned into quite the expedition. I had intended a straightforward trip by bus, but after an unfortunate encounter with a bus driver who seemed to be having a very bad day, I was dropped a considerable distance from my destination. To make matters worse, the heavens opened, and the weather deteriorated with every passing minute.

I found myself walking along the Stranmillis Embankment, battling the elements. It was during this soggy trek that I realised the official descriptions of this sculpture’s location are doing a lot of "heavy lifting."

The Location: A Word of Warning If you read the official literature, the Sweet Water Arch is often described as being "adjacent to the Lyric Theatre." Let me save you a soaked pair of shoes: this is not accurate.
The Lyric Theatre is situated at King’s Bridge. The sculpture, however, is nearly a mile south, past the Governor's Bridge, sitting right near the Stranmillis Roundabout and the junction with Lockview Road. On a sunny day, it is a lovely riverside stroll between the two; on a wet afternoon, describing them as "adjacent" feels like a cruel joke.
The Sculpture: An Sruthán Milis By the time I reached the Governor’s Bridge, I decided it was prudent to abandon my original plan to cross the new pedestrian bridge to Annadale. Instead, I took the time to photograph the sculpture that had been my elusive target, and it was worth the effort.
Standing four metres high, the Sweet Water Arch is a striking piece of public art commissioned by Belfast City Council. Its name is a direct translation of the Irish for Stranmillis—An Sruthán Milis—meaning "sweet stream." This is a nod to the geography of the river here, where the fresh water of the Lagan meets the tidal, brackish waters from the lough.
The Artist and the Community: The work is often attributed solely to "local children," but the artistic vision belongs to Denis O’Connor. While some accounts label him purely as a Derbyshire sculptor, O’Connor actually hails from Cork. He runs ‘Sculpture Works’ based in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, alongside his partner and fellow artist Bernie Rutter.
The sculpture is a stainless steel arch, laser-cut with intricate shapes that reference the flow of the River Lagan and the distinctive red-brick architecture of the nearby Stranmillis University College. It wasn’t created in isolation; O’Connor and Rutter facilitated workshops with children from Stranmillis Primary, Forge Integrated Primary, and Holy Rosary Primary schools, as well as students from the local college, to design the motifs.
The installation acts as a frame, capturing the view across the river to the Annadale Embankment, symbolically linking the communities on either side of the water.

After capturing the shot, and with the rain still falling, I admitted defeat on further exploration and walked back along the Embankment to the Ormeau Road, ready for a warm hotel room. If you plan to visit, bring an umbrella, and don’t trust the bus driver to drop you at the door!

Update: A Much-Needed Revolution for Belfast Bikes

On my previous visit in May, I was scathing about the state of the Belfast Bikes scheme. It was a mess—docking stations were either completely empty or overflowing with damaged bikes, and it was clear that vandalism had overwhelmed the system.

However, returning to the Stranmillis area recently, I noticed a dramatic transformation.

I can now confirm that as of September 2025, the entire network has been taken over by a new operator, Beryl. The difference is night and day. The clunky, battered bikes of the old era have been replaced by a sleek new fleet, including—for the first time—electric bikes.

If you, like me, were put off by the poor state of the system earlier this year, it is time to give it another look. The new infrastructure is smarter, cleaner, and finally looks like a professional transport solution rather than a neglected experiment. You may still see some "works in progress" as they finish converting the old docking stations, but the bikes themselves are top-class.

Man And Dog - Select Image To View Photographs