About this Event

On 22 June 1921, King George V opened the first parliament of Northern Ireland at Belfast City Hall. To mark the centenary of this occasion, Belfast City Council are hosting a live re-enactment of the speech in the Council Chamber.

This free online event, organised by Belfast City Council, will take place on 22 June from 7pm-8:15pm, live streamed through their YouTube channel. The event will feature:

• A reading of the king’s speech from when the parliament was opened

• The unveiling of the two chairs used by King George V and Queen Mary when they visited City Hall

• A talk by historian, broadcaster and commentator Dr Éamon Phoenix, exploring the content, nature and implications of the speech

• The premiere performance of a specially commissioned play about the king’s speech, developed by Terra Nova Productions in conjunction with young people from across the city.

The event is fully accessible, with the live elements signed by a sign language interpreter, and captions for the talk and play.

This is one of several events running as part of the council’s Decade of Centenaries programme.