Damascus is the capital of Syria. It is among the oldest cities in the world, dating back to the 3rd millennium B.C. It is the oldest continuously inhabited capital city in the world.
The motivation for the street-name is explained by Marshall as follows: "Holy Land: About 1890 Sir Robert J. McConnell, estate agent, and James Rea, a builder of small house property, went together on a trip to Egypt and Palestine. Upon their return James Rea commenced building on a still unoccupied portion of the Plains. With his Oriental tour fresh in mind he named some of the streets after places he had visited, viz. Carmel Street, Cairo Street, Damascus Street, Jerusalem Street, and Palestine Street." (John J. Marshall, Belfast Telegraph, 24/01/1941).
It was actually in spring of 1891 that McConnell and Rea visited the Holy Land. They visited a Presbyterian mission in Damascus which they supported financially (Northern Whig, 13/08/1891). In the spring of 1893 they visited Algiers, Mr Rea partly for health reasons, but he died in November of that year (Northern Whig, 15/11/1893). Many thanks to Allie Nickell for this information.
"That on the application of Mr James Rea a new street on his property situate off Agincourt Street next to Cairo Street be named Damascus Street". (Improvement Committee, 13th April 1892).
Application of the owner: Mr Thomas Rea four new streets property situate off Agincourt Avenue: Carmel Street, Palestine Street, Jerusalem Street, Damascus Street. Minutes, Town Improvement Committee, 24th August, 1898 - these streets being continuations of streets already thus named.