Notice of Motion Submitted to Honour Coleraine FC With Freedom Of The Borough

A notice of motion has been submitted to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council seeking to confer the Freedom of the Borough upon Coleraine F.C. ahead of the club’s centenary year in 2027.

The proposal was submitted by Councillor Wisener and seconded by Councillor Holmes and Alderman Hunter.

In the citation accompanying the motion, elected members described the football club as one of Northern Ireland’s “most respected and successful sporting institutions”, recognising both its achievements on the pitch and its contribution to community life across the Borough.

Founded in 1927, Coleraine FC is approaching its 100th anniversary and has represented the town and wider Borough at regional, national and European level throughout its history.

The citation states the honour is being sought in recognition of the club’s “outstanding contribution to the Borough, its sporting excellence and profound cultural and community impact”.

It also highlights the club’s long-standing involvement in grassroots football, youth engagement and wider community initiatives.

The motion notes that beyond football, the club has played “a vital role in promoting youth engagement through grassroots programmes” while encouraging “inclusion, wellbeing and cross-community participation through sport”.

Reference was also made to the club’s support for schools, charities and community initiatives over many decades.

The citation describes the upcoming centenary celebrations in 2027 as “an historic milestone, not just for Coleraine FC, but for the Borough itself”.

It continues: “Conferring the Freedom of the Borough at this time would be a fitting and enduring tribute to a club that has faithfully served its community for 100 years, and continues to do so with integrity, ambition and respect.”

The motion further states that the honour would recognise the club’s “exceptional and sustained service to the area”, adding that few organisations “embody this principle more fully than Coleraine Football Club”.

If approved by Council, the Freedom of the Borough would represent one of the highest civic honours that can be bestowed by the local authority.