Belfast’s new Lord Mayor has urged residents to help present the city at its best as it prepares for a major summer of visitors around Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly made the call after being installed as Lord Mayor at Belfast City Hall on 1 June 2026, taking over the chain of office from Councillor Tracy Kelly.
Róis-Máire Donnelly takes the chain of office
Councillor Donnelly, a Sinn Féin representative for the Black Mountain electoral area, is from Ballymurphy and has served on Belfast City Council since May 2023.
She said the summer ahead would require residents, community groups and civic partners to work together as Belfast prepares to host one of Europe’s largest traditional music gatherings. The Fleadh is due to take place in the city in 2026 and again in 2027.
“This is a huge year for Belfast, and I’m calling on all our citizens to get involved this summer and show what we can do and achieve together,” Councillor Donnelly said.
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann brings a citywide focus
The Lord Mayor said the event would give Belfast a platform to highlight its people, diversity, traditions and stories, with benefits expected to reach beyond the immediate summer programme.
Her message closely follows the city’s wider preparations for the Fleadh, with residents already being urged to support a landmark Belfast Fleadh summer across neighbourhoods, venues and cultural spaces.
Councillor Donnelly said the theme of “celebrating together” should shape how communities engage with the event and how visitors experience Belfast across the city.
Young people and Irish language among priorities
The new Lord Mayor also said young people, particularly girls and young women, would be a priority during her term. She pointed to cost of living pressures, inclusive growth and climate adaptation as issues that will strongly affect residents aged 30 and under.
She also pledged to promote Belfast’s Irish language community, saying the language should be protected and nurtured alongside other languages in the city.
Councillor Hedley Abernethy of the Alliance Party has become Deputy Lord Mayor, representing the Ormiston electoral area and succeeding Councillor Paul Doherty.
Source: Belfast Scraper
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This report is based on Belfast City Council’s notice about the Lord Mayor handover and the city’s Fleadh preparations.
- Confirmed the installation date as 1 June 2026.
- Checked the named office holders and outgoing representatives.
- Matched the civic message to the stated Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann context.
- Kept the geographic scope to Belfast.
- Source
- Belfast City Council
- Scope
- Belfast
- Updated
- 2026-06-04 21:56
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