City status success for Lisburn and Newry

Two Northern Ireland towns are celebrating after being awarded city status in a special competition to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

Lisburn, Co Antrim, and Newry, Co Down, have been given the award - which is granted personally by the Queen – following an application process that also saw Carrickfergus, Ballymena, Coleraine and Craigavon competing for the honour.

News of the successful bids came early on Thursday 14 March, in an announcement made by Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, in London.

An official statement said: "On advice from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Lord Chancellor exceptionally recommended, and Her Majesty agreed, that two towns in Northern Ireland be granted city status on this occasion."

Previously, Northern Ireland had only three cities, Belfast, Derry and Armagh – which had its city status restored in 1994. Now, Lisburn and Newry join Preston in England, Newport in Wales and Stirling in Scotland as being the first towns to be given the recommendation since a special round of 'Millennium Awards' two years ago.

Following the criteria outlined by the Lord Chancellor's Department, Lisburn had been put forward for the recommendation partly on the basis that it is the borough in which Hillsborough Castle – the official residence of the Royal Family when in Northern Ireland – and the offices of the Secretary of State are located.

Newry was nominated due to its strategic position on the main Belfast-Dublin corridor, for its cultural importance, and for the role the former town has played in the history of both the UK and the Republic.

Promoted as a "frontier community", Newry's economic importance was also stressed as part of its bid, thanks to its strong commercial relationship with the Republic.

The conferring of city status is only a nominal title, with each new city not gaining any additional powers or functions. However, that has not stopped representatives of both Newry and Lisburn from welcoming the news, with Lisburn's Lord Mayor, Jim Dixon, describing the award as meaning "a tremendous amount to Lisburn".

Ulster Unionist MLA Ivan Davis also hailed Lisburn's success as "a triumph" and "a marvellous day for Lisburn and the people of the whole district".

Seamus Mallon SDLP MLA for Newry and Armagh warmly welcomed the announcement, stating: "This is a great day for Newry and represents a strong recognition of the work which has taken place in the city in recent times."

(CL)