Several years previously, a popular recurrent event organised by the Northern Ireland Builders’ Federation took place at a hotel in Co Down. The distinguished urban planner, Bill Morrison (born July 16th, 1942, passed away August 30th, 2024) was the chosen speaker for the evening event. Known for his captivating talks, Bill provided an unexpected thrill by playing a rendition of Tammy Wynette’s famous tune with a guitar post-speech, renaming it “Stand by Your Plan”.
After dinner, the stage curtains unfolded to reveal Bill once more accompanied by the Dominoes for the evening’s live music. An attendee jokingly remarked on Bill’s one-of-a-kind ability to outshine even himself.
Bill Morrison was never one to blend in with the crowd. He was a pioneering figure and his accomplishments, many and remarkable, spanned across different geographies – from formulating a national blueprint for a Caribbean isle to propelling the career of a Eurovision sensation back home.
Beginning his planning journey with the new city of Craigavon, Bill tackled several challenging assignments thereafter, such as resuscitating Belfast city centre, developing West Belfast’s Poleglass, and negotiating the complications of planning within a divided society.
In 1975, he courageously relocated to the Caribbean island of St Lucia, which was on the cusp of achieving its independence. Collaborating with a UN team, Bill was tasked with devising a plan for St Lucia’s transition to independence; his influence continues to be significant on the island.
Throughout his career, Bill’s guiding principle was his commitment to enhancing people’s lives and their living conditions, no matter their geographical location or socio-economic status. Just as crucial was his love for music, another way he found joy in serving people by brightening their existence.
From the time he was a student at Campbell College, Belfast, band leadership was a constant in his life. He founded several bands including the Dominoes, the Group, and Chips, though he had to depart from Chips when its members decided to step into professional music. Chips eventually became one of the most sought-after tour bands in Ireland, boasting members like Linda Martin, who later won the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland in 1992.
After coming back from St Lucia, he revived the Dominoes, and they kept performing until August 2011. Bill put a stop to the music after he discovered he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Although this diagnosis was devastating, he declared that the disease could not define him.
He dedicated himself to Parkinson’s UK, contributing towards a programme aimed at helping those struggling with speech as a result of the disease. In his book, Big Hand for the Band, he reflected on his life and achievements. He also took the initiative of planning annual train rides to Dublin for Belfast musicians to reunite with their musical peers.
However, the recent pandemic halted these trips. Despite this setback, Bill managed to organise charity music evenings and other get-togethers, recognisable evidence of his exceptional knack of bringing people together. His talent for fostering camaraderie was clearly visible even at his memorial service, hosted at St Columba’s Church, Belfast, on the 10th of September.
His wife Lyn, daughter Sara, son Michael, and grandchildren Jack and Lottie mourn his loss. Poignantly, Michael paid tribute to his father by performing Bread’s Everything I Own, a touching song about loss, on an acoustic guitar during the service.