Glossary entry for
Conn's Water

The title of the Van instrumental track "Connswater" refers to the river Conn's Water which runs through eastern Belfast. The Conn in question is the Ulster hero Conn O'Neill. Conn's Water passes beside Van's elementary school, Elm Grove, and just two streets west of Van's home on Hyndford Street. It runs north to Musgrave Channel in Belfast harbour. A stretch of this river is (or was) known locally as the Beechie.

Interestingly, the river is bordered by a series of electricity pylons, which could well be the ones mentioned as a place of courtship in more than one Van song (see the Glossary entry for Hyndford Street).

Based on contributions by Richard Dowey, Sam McCready and Stuart Bailie.

Van references in:

• "Connswater" (on Inarticulate Speech of the Heart)

Part of the van-the-man.info unofficial website