Pupils from St Peter's Primary School and St Joseph's Primary School in West Belfast took part in an archaeological excavation that revealed remains of 19th century houses. The site lies under the Westlink, where the homes once stood.

Archaeologists from Queen's University Belfast led the dig at Belle Black Community Garden on Distillery Street. The project, run by Community Archaeology Project Northern Ireland and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, involved Grosvenor Community Centre.

The excavation lasted two weeks. Workers uncovered walls, drains and floors of houses built in the 1880s and demolished in the 1970s for the Westlink construction.

Finds included a clay pipe bowl from the 1800s, a pottery fragment showing alcohol's harms, tobacco pipe stems and an intact glass Bovril jar.

Dr Colm Donnelly from Queen's University School of Natural and Built Environment directed the work. He noted the programme lets public members join real digs and highlighted how the area shifted from green fields to streets like Venice Street, Turin Street and Genoa Street for Royal Irish Distillery workers.

Joe Black and Rachel Black from Grosvenor Community Centre said the children gained knowledge about the former houses and distillery, a major Irish whiskey exporter.