An Alliance Party councillor has said it is a “significant moment” for the LGBTQ+ community in Belfast as he is to become the city’s first openly gay lord mayor.
Micky Murray, who represents the Balmoral area, will take up the role in June.
He was selected by Alliance to take up the chain of office for the coming year, and will replace Sinn Féin’s Ryan Murphy.
The 32-year-old was co-opted to the council to replace former Alliance councillor Kate Nicholl, who was elected as a South Belfast MLA in 2022.
Ms Nicholl also served as Belfast’s lord mayor from 2021-22.
Mr Murray held his seat when he was elected in Balmoral in the 2023 council elections.
In a social media post, Mr Murray said: “It’s truly an honour to have been selected by my party to be the next Lord Mayor of Belfast in June.
“This is a significant moment for the LGBTQ+ community, as I step into a role which has never represented us before.”
He added: “I look forward to getting stuck in!”
