Unveiling of plaques listing those commemorated by new Nave chairs in St Anne’s

Monday December 1st 2025

Dean Stephen Forde with Esther Miller and Gillian McGaughey who unveiled the commemorative plaques.

Two new commemorative plaques have been unveiled in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, listing the names of those in whose memory, and in thanksgiving, the new chairs in the Cathedral Nave were given.

The 500 new chairs – 200 cushioned chairs and 300 easily stackable and ergonomic wooden chairs – were dedicated by the Most Rev John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh, at the Cathedral’s 120th anniversary service on June 2 2024.

The Nave’s original wooden chairs had seated capacity congregations and individuals seeking prayer and solace for 120 years. They seated soldiers going to war and civic dignitaries attending services.

But they were never considered comfortable and were difficult to move for concerts and events which provide the Cathedral with vital income.

To reflect the needs of the Cathedral for the coming decades, the Board agreed to replace these with new chairs which are comfortable, stackable, moveable, and fit for the 21st century.

Many of these new chairs were given in memory of family members and members of the Cathedral community. Others were given in thanksgiving. A number of the commercial companies who supply the Cathedral also made significant contributions.

On Advent Sunday, November 30, the plaques listing the names of all those commemorated by the gift of chairs were unveiled by Esther Miller and Gillian McGaughey of the Cathedral community, with the Very Rev Stephen Forde, Dean of Belfast.