Our local government officials have decided to give our local footballing legend "as near as can be" to a state funeral tomorrow (Sat 3rd Dec)
George died last Friday. He was very much loved here for his wizardry on the soccer field with the great Manchester United F.C (England).
He never forgot his roots, and that has made him even more popular in this little country. The local ordinary boy who "did good".
His father lives in the same house where he raised the boy wonder.
George is coming home today (Fri) to be waked overnight in that very same childhood home.
However. tomorrow morning the funeral leaves his family home and proceeds to Parliament Buildings, Stormont Castle, Belfast
for a very much publicised sermon in the Great Hall.
My son works at the Parliament Buildings. I visite him one day a few years ago and had a conducted tour. Something which is NOT publicised too much is the beautiful gardens. So, heres a few links:
The Parliament buildings.
http://www.nics.gov.uk/castle/castle.htmThe newspaper articles (this is my employer... I'm the Systems Analyst/Programmer here)
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.ukThe BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4475276.stmI had a lot of surfin to do to find a photo looking up the impressive drive towards stormont. This is the best I could find. Must get some of my own!
http://www.mpeacock.demon.co.uk/photos/ireland/slides/stormont.JPGand finally a few of the photos I took on MY visit in May 2002, the day after the Queen of England visited N Ireland and Stormont as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations. I dont think the Queen and the Duke had time to have a walk around the grounds to see the beauty at that time, The Rhododendrons and Azaleas were splendid at that time!
The first is the peace garden, with Stormont Building in the background.
To quote from another site:
... the statue, entitled "Reconciliation" which is situated in a garden in Stormont Estate. Copies of the statue, by scuptress Josephina de Vasconcellos, are also located in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, Hiroshima and on the site of the Berlin Wall. The sculpture depicts a young man and woman kneeling to embrace across a devide.
and
