NI 100: Centenary lights illuminate buildings across the UK

Titanic Belfast is among the buildings lit up on Friday night

A number of buildings across the UK are being illuminated in blue and green to mark 100 years of Northern Ireland.

They include the UK Cabinet Office in London, Dundee's V&A Museum and the Welsh government building in Cardiff.

The British Embassy in Washington DC in the US will also be lit up.

On Thursday night, Sinn Féin blocked a move to illuminate Belfast City Hall which led to the DUP criticising a legal decision not to allow a council committee to debate the lighting-up.

The DUP wanted to discuss the issue at a committee on Friday, but were told it was not possible for legal reasons.

The Newtownards town hall building was also illuminated on Friday

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said that the colours of blue and green have been chosen to signify "a bright future for all in Northern Ireland".

The Prime Minister tweeted an image of 10 Downing Street lit up with these colours on Friday night.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said it was important to "reflect upon the lessons of the last 100 years in NI".

Following the legal decision not to allow a Belfast City Council committee to debate the lighting-up of City Hall to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland, DUP cllr Brian Kingston complained: "There is considerable public and media interest in this."

However, the council's solicitor, John Walsh, told the committee meeting: "I've taken the view that I'm now rescinding the decision to include this on the agenda, therefore it's not for discussion today."

A centenary celebration conundrum

Analysis by BBC News NI's Mark Simpson

The centenary of Northern Ireland has not been celebrated as enthusiastically as many unionists would have liked.

The coronavirus pandemic has been a major factor, with curbs put on large gatherings and parades.

The lighting of buildings in the four corners of the United Kingdom will be welcomed by unionists who see the centenary as an opportunity to celebrate their Britishness.

It comes during a week when a religious service was held to mark, rather than celebrate, what happened in 1921 when Ireland was divided into two.

This centenary year has divided politicians over attendance at organised events, but away from the arguments and the headlines, historians have hosted a number of debates and webinars outlining what happened 100 years ago and explained the political context.

Like most things in Irish politics, it is complex. The centenary has not just brought some controversy, but a period of reflection and education.

After a further complaint from Mr Kingston, he was told by the chair of the committee, cllr Áine Groogan of the Green Party, that he should respect the legal opinion.

"I think for the sake of all our sanities, and to get this meeting over with, we need to park it and bring it up at the appropriate time," she said.

"I understand the frustration that you have, but we are where we are with it."

DUP councillor Brian Kingston said there was considerable public and media interest in the issue

Mr Kingston re-iterated his disappointment with the decision and said he still believed the issue should be discussed.

Ms Groogan told him: "Unfortunately it's not on the agenda to discuss at the moment, but can we please put this issue to bed for now and move on for the rest of the meeting and hopefully we can do so in a friendlier tone."

The exchanges occurred at a meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

The reason for the legal decision not to allow any debate on the matter was that the lighting-up issue is now subject to a council "call-in", a mechanism which will review the legality of the original decision to go ahead with the illumination.

In a statement, Belfast City Council said: "The decision to illuminate City Hall was subject to a call-in [on Thursday].

"An initial legal opinion indicates the call-in has merit. As a result of this, the illumination will not be proceeding."

On Thursday, Sinn Féin party group leader Ciaran Beattie said that proper procedures were not put in place to light up the City Hall.

He said "the partition of Ireland is nothing to celebrate" and illuminating the building "would have an adverse impact on those from an Irish nationalist background in the city".

Belfast City Hall was lit in rainbow colours on Friday night, to mark 40 years since a court ruling, brought by Jeff Dudgeon, that led to the decriminalisation of homosexuality.