town ards ▁Road ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁part ▁in ▁what ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁ri ots . ▁At ▁first , ▁the ▁ri ots ▁were ▁only ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁were ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁East ▁B elf ast ▁ri ots ▁but ▁by ▁July , ▁the ▁ri ots ▁had ▁spread ▁to ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁country . ▁During ▁the ▁ri ots , ▁the ▁Protest ants ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁were ▁going ▁against ▁Short ▁Str and ▁C athol ics . ▁ ▁Transport ▁B ally mac ar rett ▁was ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁B ally mac ar rett ▁J unction , ▁a ▁large ▁railway ▁j unction ▁that ▁served ▁the ▁B elf ast ▁and ▁County ▁Down ▁Railway ▁from ▁its ▁Queens ▁Qu ay ▁termin us , ▁to ▁Bang or ▁in ▁the ▁north , ▁and ▁the ▁main line ▁running ▁south ▁to ▁Com ber , ▁Down pat rick ▁and ▁New castle . ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁inter connection ▁over ▁the ▁river ▁Lag an ▁to ▁the ▁Great ▁Northern ▁Railway ▁and ▁on ▁to ▁B elf ast ▁Central ▁railway ▁station . ▁ ▁B ally mac ar rett ▁was ▁the ▁scene ▁of ▁the ▁B ally mac ar rett ▁rail ▁crash ▁which ▁occurred ▁at ▁ 7 . 5 0 am ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁when ▁the ▁ 7 . 4 0 am ▁rail ▁motor ▁Holy wood ▁to ▁B elf ast ▁crash ed ▁into ▁the ▁rear ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 . 1 0 am ▁Bang or ▁to ▁B elf ast