The Lord Lieutenant for County Antrim, Mrs Joan Christie OBE, with the High Sheriff for the County, Mrs Julia Shirley, were principal guests of the Mayor of Ballymena, Alderman P.J. McAvoy, when a guide to protocol associated with the offices of Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff for County Antrim was launched by the Mayor in The Braid on Wednesday morning, 31 October.
The Lord Lieutenant in response to the Mayor thanked Ballymena Borough Council for the leading role that the Council had taken in County Antrim events to mark the Diamond Jubilee Year of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and for the production of the reference guide which would be a legacy of the Diamond Jubilee year.
Town Clerk and Chief Executive of Ballymena Borough Council Mrs Anne Donaghy also spoke at the prestigious event. She explained the rationale behind the production of the guide which was to ensure that proper protocols were observed by elected members and Council staff at formal and ceremonial occasions which involved the Lord Lieutenant, Mrs Joan Christie OBE, the Vice-Lord Lieutenant, Mr Richard Reade, a Deputy Lord Lieutenant or the High Sheriff .
Mrs Anne Donaghy in her speech recognised the tireless work of the current Lord Lieutenant in encouraging voluntary service and charities in County Antrim, including within the Borough of Ballymena, and the work of Mrs Julia as High Sheriff for the County. She also thanked the Vice-Lord Lieutenant for his assistance in the creation of the guide, the County Antrim families who gave permission for private photographs, portraits and uniforms associated with former Lord Lieutenants to be photographed for inclusion and also the Ulster Reform Club in Belfast in this regard.
Guests who attended included the Vice- Lord Lieutenant, Mr Richard Reade, the previous Lord Lieutenant for County Antrim, Lord O’Neill, Deputy Lieutenants from across County Antrim and former High Sheriffs for the County. Staff from the Ceremonial Unit of the Northern Ireland Office were present. Other Councils within County Antrim were well represented with the Mayors of Ballymoney, Coleraine and Antrim in attendance.
The guide, officially entitled ‘The Lord Lieutenancy and Office of High Sheriff, County Antrim – A guide to protocol and a brief history’ is available from Mid-Antrim Museum at The Braid on request or can be down loaded on Ballymena Borough Council’s website www.ballymena.gov.uk from Wednesday 8 November.