Barney Hughes was many things in life: baker, politician, entrepreneur, campaigning philanthropist. And of course, inventor of the famous Belfast Bap…

Born in Armagh in 1808, Bernard ‘Barney’ Hughes was already working in a bakery at the age of 12. An ambitious young man, by the time he was 18 he had moved to Belfast to seek his fortune.

In 1833 he was manager of the Belfast Public Bakery in Church Street. In 1840 he set up on his own in Donegall Street. Within a year he had added four additional ovens and had two teams of full-time bakers, one on day shift, the other on nights. In 1847 he opened a second bakery, in Donegall Square.

Barney Hughes was a considerate employer, while also striving to produce bread more cost-effectively for his customers. His most enduring creation was the Belfast Bap. It was large and filling but, crucially, it was also affordable for even the poorest.

Hughes’s empire expanded further with more mills and bakeries, and even ships to import and transport his own grain. By 1870 he was the owner of both the largest mill and bakery in Ireland.

Barney Hughes used his position to campaign against social injustice and sectarianism in his beloved Belfast. He was the first Catholic to be elected to the Belfast Corporation, and in 1872 became the city’s first Catholic Alderman.

He donated the land on which St. Peter’s Cathedral was built. The completed building includes a stained-glass window dedicated to Hughes’ wife Margaret and a side altar dedicated to his daughter.

Barney Hughes also contributed towards the erection of a statue to his friend, the Presbyterian orator Reverend Henry Cooke. The statue, known as The Black Man, stands in front of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution in College Square East.

Rinne Barney Hughes a lán rudaí ina shaol: bhí sé ina bháicéir, polaiteoir, fiontraí, daonchara feachtasaíochta. Agus dar ndóigh, ba eisean a chéadcheap Bapa Bhéal Feirste...

Rugadh Bernard ‘Barney’ Hughes in Ard Mhacha sa bhliain 1808, agus bhí sé ag obair i mbácús fán am a raibh sé 12 d’aois. B’fhear óg uaillmhianach é, fán am a raibh sé 18 d’aois, bhí sé bogtha go Béal Feirste lena fhortún a lorg.

Sa bhliain 1833, ba bhainisteoir i mBácús Poiblí Bhéal Feirste ar Shráid an Teampaill é. Sa bhliain 1840, chuir sé a bhácús féin ar bun ar Shráid Dhún na nGall. Taobh istigh de bhliain, chuir sé ceithre oigheann sa bhreis leis agus bhí dhá fhoireann de bháicéirí lánaimseartha aige, foireann lae agus foireann oíche. D’oscail sé bácús eile i gCearnóg Dhún na nGall sa bhliain 1847.

B’fhostóir cineálta é Barney Hughes, agus rinne sé a dhícheall arán a dhéanamh ar bhealach níos cost-éifeachtúla dá chuid custaiméirí.  Bhí Bapa Bhéal Feirste ar an tsaothar is suntasaí a bhí aige. Bhí sé mór scamhardach ach, níos tábhachtaí ná sin, bhí sé ar acmhainn na ndaoine is boichte fiú é a cheannach.

Tháinig méadú ar impireacht Hughes le níos mó muilte agus bácús, agus bhí longa aige fiú lena ghrán féin a iompórtáil agus a aistriú ó áit go háit. Sa bhliain 1870, ba leisean an muileann agus an bácús is mó in Éirinn.

D’úsáid Barney Hughes a ról le dul i mbun feachtasaíochta in éadan éagóir shóisialta agus seicteachais i mBéal Feirste, an áit ab ansa leis. Ba é an chéad Chaitliceach a toghadh i mBardas Bhéal Feirste riamh é, agus in 1872, bhí sé ar an chéad Bhardasach Caitliceach riamh sa chathair.

Dheonaigh sé an talamh ar ar togadh Ardeaglais Naomh Peadar. Tá fuinneog dhaite san fhoirgneamh tiomnaithe do bhean chéile Hughes, Margaret, agus taobh-altóir tiomnaithe dá iníon.

Chuir Barney Highes airgead ar fáil fosta fá choinne deilbhe dá chara, an t-óráidí Preispitéireach, an tOirmhinneach Henry Cooke. Tá an dealbh, ar a dtugtar The Black Man, suite os comhair Fhoras Ollscolach Ríoga Bhéal Feirste in gCeanrnóg na hOllscoile Thoir.