Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is encouraging its residents to join in with its array of virtual VE Day 75 celebrations from Friday 8th May to Sunday 10th May.

More details of our itinerary and that of other organisations are shown below.

The Union Flag will fly at Lagan Valley Island from 8th-10th May inclusive to mark this weekend of remembrance and thanksgiving for the Second World War generation. 

Over this weekend our Civic Headquarters, Castle Gardens, ISLAND Arts Centre and the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum will be lit up blue in memory of the fallen.

The Royal British Legion has designed a VE Day 75 Learning Pack. This is for 7-14 year olds and nicludes first-hand accounts from the Second World War generation, veteran interviews and a range of activities to allow families to explore and commemorate VE Day 75 together. 

Wednesday 6th May

7.00pm to 8.00pm –  Videos to start your preparations for VE Day 75

Our ISLAND Arts Centre team have created two videos on VE75 Bunting with a Cultural Difference and How-To on 1945 make-up and hair. 

Watch our short video online at www.facebook.com/LisburnCastlereagh or www.facebook.com/ISLANDArtsCentre

 

Thursday 7th May

7.00pm –  Launch of VE75 colouring competition

Check out the details online at Watch our short video online at www.facebook.com/LisburnCastlereagh or www.facebook.com/ISLANDArtsCentre

 

Friday 8th May

10.57am - Two Minute Silence with the Royal British Legion

The Mayor, Councillor Alan Givan and Raymond Corbett the President of the Royal British Legion will lay wreaths at the Lisburn War Memorial and the Last Post will be played by local Bugler Andrew Carlisle and a two minute silence will be held at 11.00am. Please watch this online at www.facebook.com/LisburnCastlereagh.  Please see the video at the bottom of this webpage.

11.15am - Royal British Legion will live stream its VE Day event

Individuals will share stories and memories from those who served and sacrificed during the Second World War.  Watch it live on the Legion’s website www.rbl.org.uk/veday75

12 noon -  Mayor’s Zoom poem with local children

1.00pm - Swinging Gals Video

2.45pm - Virtual VE Day 75 Commemoration Event

This virtual event format will be: 

  • Opening remarks by Mayor Givan
  • The playing of the Last Post
  • Two minutes silence
  • Reveille 
  • The piping of Battle's O'er and VE 75 Years March
  • The Mayor will undertake the nation's Toast to the Heroes of the Second World War: “To those who gave so much” “We thank You”

Please see the video at the bottom of this webpage.

3.15pm - Be part of our VE75 Virtual Exhibition

Alderman James Tinsley, Chairman of the council's Leisure & Community Development Committee will launch our museum's VE75 exhibition.  It is very significant that we have an online museum presence to commemorate this poignant event.  Watch our short promotional video online at www.facebook.com/LisburnCastlereagh or www.facebook.com/IrishLinenCentreAndLisburnMuseum
Please see the video at the bottom of this webpage.

The VE75 exhibition will use artefacts, photographs and primary material from Lisburn Museum archives to outline the following themes: 

  • Pre-war Life in Lisburn
  • War!  The Causes
  • At War
  • The Economy
  • The Home Front 
  • Victory in Europe 
  • After the War: When the Dust Settle

9.00am - 5.00pm: 30s and 40s Wartime music to play throughout Bow Street

7.00pm - Lisburn Castlereagh's take on We'll Meet Again

Watch our short video online at www.facebook.com/LisburnCastlereagh or www.facebook.com/ISLANDArtsCentre

8.00pm - 9.10pm: VE Day 75: The People’s Celebration BBC ONE

To mark the 75th anniversary of VE day, in these unprecedented times, the BBC in partnership with The Royal British Legion will honour and celebrate the Second World War generation with an evening of memories and music.  Featuring some of those who remember this historic day, together with Britain’s favourite performers who will entertain us with popular songs of the era.  In a fitting finale at 9.00 pm we will see the nation unite for a very special rendition of “We’ll Meet Again” as we all give thanks to our veterans and remember our loved ones. Lyrics available at https://www.rbl.org.uk/stories/ve-day-singalong

9.00pm - Her Majesty the Queen will address the nation

The Queen is scheduled to make a televised address which is scheduled to occur on Friday 8 May, taking place at 9pm in the evening – the exact time her father made his radio address to the nation in 1945.

 

Saturday 9th May

10am - Celebrate from Home

The Mayor and the Royal British Legion would like everyone to celebrate in their own gardens. Share your celebrations with us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/LisburnCastlereagh 

We can then put all the Lisburn Castlereagh celebrations together in a short video to show online the following week.

 

Sunday 10th May

10.00am - The Mayor will read the Tribute to the Millions

With churches and cathedrals temporarily closed due to the national lockdown, the planned services of remembrance for VE Day 75 cannot now take place. This pre-recorded message from the Mayor can be seen online at www.facebook.com/LisburnCastlereagh.  We will add the video to this webpage after the event.

 

Two Minute Silence with the Royal British Legion

Virtual VE Day 75 Event

Be part of our VE75 Virtual Exhibition

The Mayor reads the Tribute to the Millions