North Inner-City councillor and former Dublin Lord Mayor Nial Ring has become one of the few public representatives from Dublin to be awarded the Freedom of the City of London after receiving the historic civic honour last week.
The award, which dates back to 1237, was presented to Cllr Ring during a ceremony in the British capital on Friday, July 10.
It is one of the world’s oldest surviving civic traditions and was originally granted to citizens who enjoyed special rights and privileges within the City of London.
Speaking exclusively to the Northside People, Cllr Ring described receiving the honour as a proud and memorable moment.
“To be nominated for and to receive the Freedom of the City of London, an honour stretching back to 1237, was a significant and historic occasion, and one I was delighted to accept,” he said.
“If you had told me 40 years ago that I would be standing in the Guildhall receiving this award, I probably would have shaken my head.”
Born and reared in Ballybough, Cllr Ring was first elected to Dublin City Council in 2004 to represent the North Inner City before serving as Lord Mayor of Dublin in 2018.
Cllr Nial Ring pictured signing the papers in the Guildhall, London
While acknowledging his lifelong republican background, he said the honour reflected the progress made in relations between Ireland and Britain over recent decades.
“I have never made a secret of my republican background and my lifelong aspiration for a peaceful, united Ireland,” he said.
“Indeed, in 2011, I actively opposed the state visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Dublin.
“But time moves on, and we must move with it.
“Over the years, like so many others inspired by Bertie Ahern’s tireless work for peace on our island, I have quietly done my own small bit behind the scenes to support that process and, during my term as Lord Mayor of Dublin in 2018, I met Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in an official capacity.
“That was certainly a unique experience and, alongside my work assisting in building economic bridges through the British Irish Trade Association, it showed me that true political maturity lies in finding common ground and fostering mutual respect.”
Cllr Ring said accepting the award did not diminish his political beliefs but instead recognised the close relationship that now exists between the two cities and the many personal ties linking Ireland and Britain.
“Accepting this award does not dilute my republican traditions; rather, it reflects how far relationships between our two islands have matured,” he said.
“Like so many Irish people, I have deep personal ties to London. I worked there in my youth and I have many close friends and relatives living across the city.
“To be honoured in a city that is home to so many of our diaspora is very special. I accept this award as a small nod to the enduring, positive friendship that now exists between Dublin and London.”
Never one to miss an opportunity for humour, Cllr Ring joked that despite receiving the historic honour, not everything about him had changed.
“Even if, as anyone who knows me will expect, I was still shouting for Argentina last night! Some things, after all, will never change,” he said.
He also joked that he might ask his friends, neighbours and constituents to start referring to him as “Baron Ring of Ballybough”, before adding that he was looking forward to exercising the ancient right traditionally associated with the Freedom of the City by herding sheep across London Bridge.
“I’m sure Bono can lend me a few,” he laughed.
Reflecting on the achievement, Cllr Ring also pointed to the North Inner City’s remarkable record of producing recipients of prestigious civic honours.
“Interesting that in the North Inner City we now have a recipient of the Freedom of Dublin, Kellie Harrington, and of the Freedom of London, myself.
“How many other places can boast that?” he said.
During the ceremony at Guildhall, recipients are escorted into the historic Chamberlain’s Court, where they sign the Register of Freemen before receiving a hand calligraphed parchment recording their admission.
Among the best known symbolic privileges associated with the Freedom is the ancient right to drive sheep across London Bridge, a tradition that survives today as a ceremonial reminder of the honour’s medieval origin