Celtic boss Martin O'Neill to be awarded freedom of borough

Martin O'Neill is to be awarded the freedom of the borough of Causeway Coast and Glens in recognition of his outstanding contribution to football and remarkable sporting achievements.

O'Neill, who is from Kilrea, County Londonderry in Northern Ireland, has enjoyed a highly decorated career both as a player and a manager, achieving success at the highest levels of the game.

Currently managing Scottish Premiership side Celtic, he has won nine major trophies, while as a player with Nottingham Forest, he was part of the side that won back-to-back European Cups, as well as a First Division title.

O'Neill also earned 64 caps for Northern Ireland, captaining the team at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

During an illustrious managerial career spanning almost 40 years, O'Neill has enjoyed success at both club and international level.

He took charge of the Republic of Ireland from 2013–2018, guiding them to qualification for Euro 2016 and the last 16 of the tournament.

At club level, O'Neill has managed clubs such as Wycombe Wanderers, Norwich City, Leicester City, Celtic, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Nottingham Forest.

He enjoyed particular success with Leicester City, guiding the club to three Football League Cup finals and winning the competition twice.

O'Neill's main managerial success has come with Scottish side Celtic, where across multiple spells in charge he has won nine major trophies, including four Scottish Premiership titles, four Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup.

The motion to confer the honour was proposed by Sinn Féin councillor Sean Bateson and seconded by his party colleague, councillor Leanne Peacock.

The move was unanimously agreed at a special meeting of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council on Thursday.

The freedom of the borough is the highest honour that a council can bestow on an organisation or individual.

Last year, Olympic gold medallist Hannah Scott was awarded the honour after her success at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Also approved at Thursday's special council meeting was a motion to confer the freedom of the borough on Coleraine Football Club.

The motion was proposed by UUP councillor John Wisener in recognition of the club's "outstanding contribution to the borough", as well as "its sporting excellence and profound cultural and community impact, particularly in light of the club's 100th anniversary in 2027".

The club won the Clearer Water Irish Cup for the seventh time in their history after defeating Dungannon Swifts last year.

Backing the move, Sinn Féin councillor Niamh Archibald said Coleraine FC "is more than a football club" and is part of our town's identity".

"As someone from the town I know how important it is to have a sense of pride and belonging," Archibald said.

Independent councillor Margaret-Anne McKillop said the club is incredibly important to the community and the honour is a recognition of the excellent work being done both on and off the pitch.

The tradition finds its roots in the Middle Ages when freedom of the borough came with certain privileges.

Nowadays, however, the title is purely honorary and Ards and North Down Borough Council describes it as "symbolic expression of honour and appreciation for an organisation or individual".

Other notable recipients of freedom of the borough or city include Sir Kenneth Branagh, Van Morrison, Dame Mary Peters, Michael Longley and Bill Clinton who all have the freedom of Belfast.

Liam Neeson has the freedom of Ballymena (now part of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council) and racer Jonathan Rea was given the honour by Antrim and Newtownabbey.

Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody has the freedom of Ards and North Down, while Gloria Hunniford was the first female recipient of the freedom of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, and George Best, was given the freedom of Borough of Castlereagh in 2002 (an area absorbed into Belfast City Council and Lisburn and Castlereagh in 2015).

Freedoms are also conferred to organisations like the emergency services and health and social care staff.

Speaking at the meeting, Alliance councillor Amy Mairs said that, for any young person growing up in a local community and as a lifelong football fan, "Martin's journey is an inspirational example of what can be achieved".

DUP councillor Daryl Wilson said that O'Neill was a fantastic footballer, manager and pundit.

He said that although he was only three years old when O'Neill captained Northern Ireland at the World Cup, he described Northern Ireland's victory over hosts Spain and "that iconic Gerry Armstrong goal" as "peak football".

UUP councillor John Wisener said he was fortunate enough to have been at the match in 1982 and said the party was more than happy to support the motion.

PUP councillor Russell Watton said he had the honour of meeting O'Neill when he was 18 and that he "deserves all recognition he gets".