Mourners pay tribute to former NI Civil Service titan Sir Kenneth Bloomfield during funeral service

Belfast Telegraph

13-06-2025

Friends and family of the former head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service and NI Victims Commissioner attended the Service of Thanksgiving, alongside Stormont politicians and Jayne Brady – the current Civil Service chief.
Other guests at the service paying tribute to Sir Kenneth included Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt, former Ulster and Ireland rugby player Trevor Ringland and the Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast Dame Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle.
Sir Kenneth died peacefully on Friday at the age of 94.
He was the much loved and loving husband of Lady Elizabeth Bloomfield and a devoted father of Caroline and Tanya as well as a highly respected father-in-law of Boyd.
Sir Kenneth joined the Civil Service in 1952 and would rise through the ranks to head the organisation in 1984.
After standing down in 1991, he would later become the BBC's National Governor for Northern Ireland.
In 1997, he would be tasked by the then Secretary of State, Mo Mowlam, to take on the role of NI Victims Commissioner.
While at their home in Crawfordsburn in 1988 and while he was still the head of the Civil Service, he and his wife would become targets of an IRA bomb attack outside their home.
Neither of them were injured in the Co Down blast.
NI leaders paid tribute to Mr Bloomfield over the weekend.
'I was sorry to learn of the passing of Sir Kenneth Bloomfield. He gave many years of service to Northern Ireland and did so with thoughtfulness and dedication,' said the DUP leader, Gavin Robinson.
'His calm approach, even when targeted by the IRA, earned respect across the board, and his contribution to public life will not be forgotten.
'My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who knew him at this sad time.'
News Catch Up - Thursday 12th June
Also sharing her condolences was the Alliance Party leader, Naomi Long.
'Sir Kenneth had a distinguished career in public service over many years and in many roles,' said the Justice Minister.
'He and his wife were personally targeted in the Troubles, when their home was attacked by an IRA bomb, but he did not allow it to deter him from his enduring commitment to public service.
'In the decades since his formal retirement, he continued that commitment, offering his skills and experience in the service of the community, most particularly in his work as Victims' Commissioner in the early days of the Assembly, a role which he notably described as being a 'painful privilege'.
'I know that he kept in touch with political developments and was especially supportive of efforts to ensure the devolved administration was put on a firm and stable footing.
'On behalf of myself and Alliance, I would wish to extend our deepest sympathies to Lady Elizabeth and the family circle on their very personal loss."
UUP leader Mr Nesbitt described Sir Kenneth as a 'great intellect' and 'one of our finest'.