Portrait of Michael D Higgins removed from office of DUP lord mayor of Belfast
For over a year, portraits of Britain's King Charles and President Higgins have sat side by side on a wall in the lord mayor's parlour in Belfast City Hall.
Former lord mayor and Sinn Féin councillor Ryan Murphy pictured last year in the parlour, with both portraits visible in the background
Ryan Murphy
Ryan Murphy
The parlour is a formal room on the first floor of Belfast City Hall and is used for meetings, receptions and special occasions.
Last week, the current lord mayor and DUP councillor Tracy Kelly posted a picture to social media of her hosting members of 'Orangefest' in the parlour.
However, only the portrait of Charles was visible and the portrait of President Higgins was removed.
Tracy Kelly with members of 'Orangefest' in the lord mayor's parlour
Tracy Kelly
Tracy Kelly
Kelly became lord mayor of Belfast last month.
In doing so, she became the eight woman to hold the role and the first woman from the DUP to be elected to the office.
At a Belfast City Council meeting last night, former lord mayor of Belfast and Sinn Féin councillor Ryan Murphy praised Kelly for her work in the role so far.
'You've been out in all four corners of the city,' said Murphy.
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He also praised Kelly for taking part in Refugee Week and remarked that this was 'really welcome'.
However, he added that the lord mayor has to 'represent' everyone and that this is done 'by your deeds when you're out in the city, but also in terms of the mayor's office'.
He said people need to 'feel part' of the mayor's office and that this is 'even done through the stuff that was on the walls'.
'When our representatives have been in that position, there were certain things that we never took off walls, certain things that we felt were off limits,' said Murphy.
'When we were offered the royal portrait of the British King Charles [In March 2024], we accepted it and we put it up alongside Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins, and we marked it with a small event in the mayor's office.
'It's concerning that we've seen in recent weeks that that portrait is no longer there.
'Where is that portrait and what kind of message does it send out for the people in this city who hold the President of Ireland in high regard.'
However, no explanation was forthcoming of what had happened to the portrait, with Kelly responding: 'Thank you, that's being noted.'
A DUP spokesperson told
The Journal
that the 'decoration of the lord mayor's parlour is not yet complete' and that 'further artefacts' will be added 'in the next few weeks'.
It is not the first time there has been controversy over portraits in the lord mayor's parlour.
In 2011,
then Sinn Fein lord mayor of Belfast Niall Ó Donnghaile removed portraits of then Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth.
These were replaced with the 1916 proclamation and a portrait of the United Irishmen.
And last October, the
PSNI investigated damage caused to a portrait of former DUP Lord Mayor Wallace Browne at Belfast City Hall
.
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