Letter: Top physicist John Stewart Bell deserves much greater recognition in his native city of Belfast

The report had the heading ‘John Bell ranks among the top physicists of 20th century, so why haven’t you heard of him?’

The report went on to say that he disproved one of Einstein’s toughest theories, was regarded as a genius, and died in the year he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics. Yet, John Bell is largely unknown in his native city of Belfast.

The journalist asks why he doesn’t have the wider recognition he deserves, which is a good question and one that deserves answers.

Blackstaff Residents’ Association has done as much as possible with limited resources to make his name and what he has achieved known within the community from which he came.

A modest action by the association, but an important one, was putting a small plaque on his family home at Tates Avenue, facing Tavanagh Street, and being successful in getting the Olympia Drive entrance to a range of facilities including Olympia Leisure Centre named after John Stewart Bell.

But much more needs to be done, especially by Belfast City Council which failed to get involved in the United Nations International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

It was an opportunity to promote Belfast on the world stage, especially as John Stewart Bell was born in Belfast.

There was an opening ceremony for the Year of Quantum Science and Technology, held in Paris on February 4-5, 2025. It would’ve been Belfast City Council’s opportunity to organise events and attend the opening.

It was, to say the least, disappointing that John Stewart Bell and his native Belfast city were not even given some recognition at this world event, bearing in mind that when quantum mechanics is mentioned, the name that automatically comes to mind is John Stewart Bell.

If it had not been for Queen’s University arranging the annual John Stewart Bell Lecture, then Belfast would have shamefully done nothing during this special year for technology and science.

Blackstaff Residents’ Association had written to Belfast City Council in 2017 with a request to have the Olympia Drive entrance named in honour of John Stewart Bell. This was supported by a ‘consent letter’ from Mary Bell, widow of John Stewart Bell.

We, of course, were delighted that Belfast City Council agreed to our request.

Although the Olympia Drive Entrance is officially recognised as the John Stewart Bell Entrance, it is not widely known as his name appears only on a small information plaque on one of the pillars that can just about be seen when leaving the Olympia grounds.

This is far from satisfactory and we have been asking for some time to have a metal arch with the wording ‘John Stewart Bell Entrance’ placed between the brick pillars at the Olympia Drive entrance to the park, leisure centre and other facilities.

We now ask that this request be given due consideration at the next meeting of the People and Communities Committee.

Billy Dickson MBE, Chair, Blackstaff Residents’ Association