HomeLord Mayor of Belfast
The current Lord Mayor of Belfast is Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Féin). A representative for the Pottinger area of east Belfast, Councillor Ó Donnghaile was elected to office on 26 May 2011 and will continue to serve as Lord Mayor until June 2012.
The 25-year-old is Belfast's youngest ever Lord Mayor.
Before his election to council in May 2011, he was a full-time party activist, joining Sinn Féin at the age of 16, before becoming the party's press officer in the Stormont Assembly.
Educated through the Irish Medium sector, Councillor Ó Donnghaile is a politics graduate and fluent Irish speaker who actively campaigns on language rights and equality. He was born and bred in the Short Strand area of the city, where he is well-known for his community work.
Councillor Ó Donnghaile is a member of the Short Strand Partnership Board which lobbies for economic and social regeneration in east Belfast. A GAA enthusiast, he is an avid support of the Co. Down football team.
- Read the Lord Mayor's blog
Duties and responsibilities
As Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Ó Donnghaile has a number of duties and responsibilities:- presiding over council meetings and, in the case of equality of votes, he has a second or casting vote
- promoting and raising awareness of the council’s main objectives and priority issues
- encouraging and supporting all aspects of life in Belfast by attending civic and public events
- receiving distinguished visitors to the city
- acting as host on behalf of the council and the citizens of Belfast at civic functions
- acting as a spokesperson to the local, national and international media
- providing an appropriate response on behalf of Belfast at times of local, national and international catastrophe
- supporting and encouraging charitable and other appeals as appropriate
- promoting Belfast's business, commercial, cultural and social life
- promoting Belfast as a place of excellence in which to do business and as a tourist destination.
Addressing the Lord Mayor
If you are speaking in public and would like to welcome or introduce the Lord Mayor, the usual form of address is simply 'Lord Mayor'. For example, "and so, I'd like to welcome Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile, Lord Mayor of Belfast."If you are speaking to the Lord Mayor in conversation, the correct title remains 'Lord Mayor'.
If you would like to write to the Lord Mayor, you should address your letter to 'the Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor, Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile'. You can also abbreviate this to 'Rt Hon, the Lord Mayor, Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile'.
You should also begin your letter with 'Dear Lord Mayor'.
Contact the Lord Mayor's office
For more information about the Lord Mayor, contact us at:Lord Mayor's Office
Belfast City Hall
Belfast
BT1 5GS
Telephone: 028 9027 0486
Email: lordmayorsoffice@belfastcity.gov.uk
