Some years ago, the Northern Ireland Builders’ Federation was holding its annual dinner dance in a Co Down hotel. There was an after-dinner speaker: Bill Morrison (July 16th 1942 – August 30th, 2024), renowned city planner, a man who was always worth hearing. On this occasion, there was a surprise. As he finished his speech, he lifted a guitar and launched into a song. It was the old Tammy Wynette hit but this time it had become Stand By Your Plan.
Later, with the tables cleared away, the curtains parted on the stage and there was Bill again, this time leading the band for the evening, the Dominoes.
As one wag said – “Bill, you’re the only person I’ve ever met who could follow himself.”
The truth is that Bill Morrison never followed anybody. He was a trailblazer whose achievements were rich and varied, a man who developed a national plan for an island in the Caribbean and at home launched the career of a future Eurovision winner.
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He cut his planning teeth on the creation of the new city of Craigavon. Later challenges would include how to revitalise Belfast city centre, the development of Poleglass in West Belfast and the problems of planning in a divided community.
In 1975, he and his family made the adventurous move to the island of St Lucia which was in the process of becoming independent.
Bill’s job, working with a UN team, was to develop a plan for that transition. His influence is still felt there today.
Throughout his career, his guiding star would be his desire to make things better for people, to improve their lives and conditions, wherever they were and whatever their economic and social circumstances. And there was his music. That was about people too – giving them a good time, brightening their lives.
Right from his schooldays at Campbell College in Belfast, he had always led bands. The list includes the Dominoes, the Group, and Chips which he formed but then had to leave when they wanted to turn professional. Chips became one of Ireland’s most popular touring bands and featured a young Linda Martin who would go on to win the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland in 1992.
After his return from St Lucia, the music started again with a revived version of the Dominoes. The band played on until August 2011 when Bill called a halt. Things weren’t right and eventually he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. It was a shocking blow but he insisted, “I may have it but it doesn’t have me.”
He threw himself into the work of Parkinson’s UK, helping to create a programme for sufferers with speech difficulties. He wrote a book, Big Hand for the Band, a memoir of his life and times, and he had the bright idea of organising train rides to Dublin every year so that Belfast musicians could meet up with old musical friends.
Covid put an end to these excursions but since then there have been other gatherings and a series of charity musical nights, all inspired by Bill and his wonderful ability to bring people together. Indeed, he did so again at his memorial service in St Columba’s Church in Belfast on September 10th.
Bill is survived by his wife Lyn, daughter Sara, son Michael and his grandchildren Jack and Lottie. During the service, just like his father, Michael produced an acoustic guitar. He touched everyone with a moving performance of a song about loss, Bread’s Everything I Own.