Portrait of former Lord Mayor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir unveiled

One of the most unique portraits of a former Lord Mayor of Belfast has been unveiled.

The portrait of Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, painted by well known artist Robert Ballagh, will now take pride of place alongside portraits of previous Lord Mayors in the corridors of City Hall.

Diamond shaped and depicting the Sinn Fein politician wearing running gear without his chain of office, the portrait is sure to be a talking point.

Former councillor Ó Muilleoir who, earlier this month gave up his seat in Belfast City Council to move to Stormont as an MLA, said: “I wanted a piece which, while offbeat, echoes the vibrancy and fun of Belfast and speaks to the momentum and drive which a mayor needs equally to run the city or run the towpath.

“I also pay homage to the wonderful Northern Ireland Hospice, where my father died 10 years ago this week, by wearing a tee-shirt they presented to me,” he added.

Dublin based artist Robert Ballagh has his works showcased in galleries across Europe.

“I have known Máirtín for a number of years, and this was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down,” he said.

“Máirtín did great things during his time as Lord Mayor and I wanted to create a piece that would complement his great love for Belfast. To have another one of my pieces displayed in City Hall is very special.”

Each year an artist is commissioned by the Lord Mayor to paint a portrait of them as a permanent display in City Hall of their year in office. These are hung side by side in the corridors of the iconic building and can be viewed as part of the daily public tours.

This article first appeared on Belfast City Council’s website.