Down Council chairman to rise again to former glory

Down Council chairman to rise again to former glory

8 April 2015

PORTRAITS of the politicians who were elected the district’s first citizens during Down Council’s 42 years in business are to be hung in the Downshire Civic Centre in Downpatrick.

The portraits of council chairmen and women since the local authority was established in 1973 will be placed on permanent display around the building to remember their contribution to the district over four decades.

Councillors decided a number of weeks ago that the portraits — which once adorned the steps leading to the old council’s debating chamber at the Strangford Road — should be displayed at the Downshire complex.

It was hoped the portraits would be in place before Down Council went out of business at the end of March but this was not be possible much to the dismay of some councillors.

Council official, Marie Ward, explained the portraits had been removed from their frames to be scanned for inclusion in a new book tracing the council’s 42-year history which was launched last week.

She suggested given the space placing all the portraits in the council building would take up, it may be better to do something more modern with the pictures and include them all in one new display. However, councillors were having none of it.

Council chairman, Billy Walker, said it’s important the portraits that were taken down and packed in boxes when the local authority relocated to its new base are put back on display. He said a unanimous decision was made to hang all the portraits and insisted this must happen. 

“The portraits must be put back in their original frames and hung as soon as possible,” he declared. “It is essential this work happens quickly as I fear the portraits will lie in boxes for several more years and that is not what the elected members want to see. They made a decision and want the portraits hung in this building.”

Councillor Walker added: “Displaying the portraits would be a fitting tribute to the politicians from all the district’s main parties who were elected Down Council chairman since 1973.”

Councillor Terry Andrews said the portraits “reflect 42 years of history” and must go on display, while councillor Robert Burgess said portraits of former members of Downpatrick Urban Council which were also on display at the old council headquarters, should be displayed at the Down County Museum.

Councillor Dermot Curran, who twice served as council chairman during his 42 years with the local authority, said other councils display portraits of their first citizens and Down Council should be no different. He said the portraits will provide visitors with a glimpse of people who gave great service to the district.

“I have travelled to all of Northern Ireland’s current 26 district councils in my role as Northern Ireland Local Government Association president and they all have portraits of former chairmen and women on display. We should be no different. We moved to this building almost two years ago and the portraits of all our first citizens have still not been hung,” added councillor Curran.