The Beatles Come to Belfast

In November 1963, Beatlemania swept across the British Isles before conquering the world. And on this day, Northern Ireland came into local contact with these most iconic of 1960s pop culture figures.

Just two days after John Lennon made his infamously cheeky quip about how the posh guests, including the Queen Mother, at the Royal Variety Show could "rattle their jewellery" to Twist and Shout, the Fab Four arrived in Ireland for the first of two concerts on the island. After playing in Dublin on 6 November they made the trip by road the following day to Belfast where crowds of adoring teenagers were waiting for them.

This footage from the UTV archives captures an interview with the chart-toppers as they crossed the border and finds them in typically playful spirits. There is also footage included of the crowds outside the concert venue of the Ritz Cinema in Belfast as well as silent footage taken inside as the Beatles checked out the site, with John Lennon filming the proceedings on his 8mm movie camera.