Alliance councillor to make history as city's first openly gay Lord Mayor

An Alliance councillor is set to make history by becoming the first openly gay Lord Mayor of Belfast.

Cllr Micky Murray who represents the Balmoral DEA on the council will take up the role from Sinn Féin's Ryan Murphy at the council's AGM on June 3.

Speaking after the announcement, Cllr Murray said that he hopes Belfast can become a more inclusive city.

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"In my role as Lord Mayor I want to meet people in all areas of Belfast and recognise those who are making a difference in every quarter, finding ways to work alongside them for the better," he said.

"Supporting the most vulnerable is a priority of mine, and I want to use my experience working in the homeless sector to ensure our city does more to help people.

"I want to help transform Belfast into a more inclusive city where everyone can enjoy, regardless of who you are or where you’re from. We’re 26 years on from the Good Friday Agreement and we were promised peace, which has largely been delivered, but now is the time to further break down barriers and create a thriving city.

"Our city should be recognised for its inclusivity, rather than its division. As the first openly gay Lord Mayor, I want to use this platform to represent the LGBTQ+ community and be a positive role model for them."

Having worked for South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw since 2016, the North Belfast man was co-opted on to the council to replace former Lord Mayor Kate Nicholl when she was elected to the Assembly in 2022 and went on to win the seat at the 2023 local elections having previously ran in the Botanic DEA in 2019.

"A thriving city is vital for a prosperous economy and environment," Cllr Murray added.

"I’m committed to building on the work that Belfast City Council is doing to regenerate our city centre through schemes such as Vacant to Vibrant, which promote the growth of our city and enable businesses to thrive,.

"Belfast has so much to offer, and my hope for this year is that we can look back and see the steps that have been taken to ensure Belfast is a more diverse, forward-thinking and kind city."

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