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New exhibition shows Belfast is `No Mean City`
13 December 2006
A new photographic exhibition is showing that Belfast is `No Mean City`.
The permanent exhibition of the same name, at the City Hall, profiles more than 50 of Belfast`s most celebrated citizens, past and present.
The exhibition has been commissioned by Belfast City Council to mark the centenary of the City Hall.
Alongside a commemorative stained glass window, unveiled last night, it is one of two legacy projects from the year of celebrations to mark the official opening of the city`s civic centrepiece in 1906.
Photographed by Belfast-born Michael Donald, the exhibition features a wealth of celebrated citizens from the past century, from backgrounds as diverse as sport and music, literature and trade unionism, drama and medicine, business and engineering.
The legendary George Best, `Titanic` designer Thomas Andrews, Van `The Man` Morrison, John Boyd Dunlop, war hero James Magennis, Baroness May Blood, Irish President Mary McAleese, Frank Pantridge and chef Michael Deane are among the eclectic mix of portraits featured.
Poet John Hewitt rubs shoulders with Mary O`Malley, founder of the Lyric Theatre. Seamus Mac Seain, champion of the Irish language, stands alongside educationalist Margaret Byers. Ruby Murray shares the stage with Gary Lightbody, lead singer of Snow Patrol.
Marie Jones writes a new script for Kenneth Branagh, while centenarian Lilian Spence looks over the shoulders of mural painters Mark Irvine and Danny Devenny. Boxer Brian Magee squares off with artist Rita Duffy and entrepreneur Lord Rana. Dame Mary Peters shares memories with Brian Keenan and Sir Otto Jaffe.
Former snooker world champion Alex Higgins shares the frame with film maker John T Davis, while the inimitable Terry Hooley shares stories from the road with `Moving Hearts` founder Keith Donald and opera star Angela Feeney. Artists Basil Blackshaw and Oliver Jeffers paint pictures of the past and present with architect Dawson Stelfox, who scales the heights with civil engineer LL McCassey. Novelist Glenn Patterson, actor James Ellis and poet Michael Longley swap stories with missionary Amy Carmichael and the one and only David Healy.
One space has been left blank, to let the people of Belfast decide who should be in it. For more information, and to nominate your celebrated citizen of the last 100 years, log on to www.belfastcity.gov.uk/nomeancity.
`No Mean City` will be on display in the west corridor of the City Hall until the end of June, and will be rehoused when the City Hall closes for refurbishment next summer.
The complete list of portraits featured in `No Mean City` is as follows:
Thomas Andrews – engineer and designer of `Titanic`; George Best – footballer; Basil Blackshaw and Neil Shawcross (pictured together) – artists; May Blood – trade unionist; Kenneth Branagh – actor/director; Margaret Byers – educationalist (founder of Victoria College); Johnny Caldwell and Brian Magee (pictured together) – boxers; Amy Carmichael - missionary; Mairead Corrigan - peace activist.
John T Davis – film maker; Michael Deane – chef; Keith Donald – musician; Rita Duffy – artist; John Boyd Dunlop – inventor; Jimmy Ellis – actor; Angela Feeney – opera singer; James Galway – flautist; Mike Gibson and Jack Kyle (pictured together) – rugby players; Alan Green – sports commentator.
David Healy – footballer; Alex Higgins – snooker player and former world champion; John Hewitt – poet; Terry Hooley – music promoter; Gloria Hunniford – broadcaster; Mark Irvine and Danny Devenny (pictured together) – mural painters; Sir Otto Jaffe – philanthropist and businessman; Oliver Jeffers – artist and children`s author; Marie Jones – playwright.
Brian Keenan – writer; Lord Kelvin – scientist; Brian Kennedy – singer/songwriter; James Larkin – trade unionist; C S Lewis – writer; Gary Lightbody – musician; Anna Lo – community worker; Michael Longley – poet.
Seamus Mac Seain – Irish linguist; James Magennis VC – war hero; Mary McAleese – President of Ireland; LL McCassey – civil engineer; Peter McGuckin – architect; Francis McPeake – musician; Ivan `Van` Morrison – musician; Ruby Murray – singer.
Mary O`Malley – founder of the Lyric Theatre; Professor Frank Pantridge – pioneering cardiologist; Glenn Patterson – novelist; Dame Mary Peters – athlete, sports ambassador and Olympic gold medalist; Lord Rana – entrepreneur; Stephen Rea – actor; Lilian Spence – centenarian; Dawson Stelfox – architect and mountaineer.
ENDS
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