Spa man Harry High Sheriff of County Down

Spa man Harry High Sheriff of County Down

16 January 2019

THE new High Sheriff of Co Down hopes to raise the profile of this traditional role by fund-raising for charity.

Spa man Harry Shields has been appointed to the mainly ceremonial role by the Secretary of State, Karen Bradley.

The 57 year-old managing director of Waringstown-based Polypipe NI said he was delighted to carry out the High Sheriff’s duties for the rest of 2019.

He succeeds Sue Cunningham from Comber.

“I am both pleased and honoured to be High Sheriff for the county and will represent and discharge my duties to the best of my abilities,” said Mr Shields.

“This is a long standing traditional post and represents a link between the people and the judiciary of old. 

“I honestly don’t know how the appointment came about and I suppose it’s not for me to know it but it is a honoury appointment of an old, traditional role.”

He will be helping at formal engagements where the Lord Lieutenant of Down, Mr David Lindsay, is required to represent the Queen.

Mr Shields does not know what the year may hold for him but he admitted that he hoped that the new Baron Kilkeel, the Duke of Sussex and his wife, the former Meghan Markle, will make a visit.

“I’m hoping that there will be some Royal visits this year and it would be tremendous if the Duke of Sussex would make a trip,” he said. 

Mr Shields is married to Karen and they have two adult daughters, Sarah-Louise Harris and Kristina McMullan.

He has been a long-standing chairman of Spa Primary School’s board of governors and is known for his fell running in the Mournes.

Mr Shields hopes that he can continue to raise money for charity, particularly for the Friends of the Cancer Centre in Belfast.