Belfast mourns George Best
Belfast today continued to honour home town boy George Best.
Queues built up outside Belfast City Hall as people, young and old alike, waited patiently to sign Books of Condolence opened by the Lord Mayor.
In the east of the city flags flew at half mast to mark his passing.
The local Castlereagh Borough Council ordered flags to be lowered for the local boy they honoured with the Freedom of the Borough in 2002.
The flags will stay at half mast until Best’s funeral in east Belfast next week.
Floral tributes also continued to pile-up outside the Best family home in the Cregagh area of the city – where his father continues to live and from which Best set off to seek fame at Manchester United over 40 years ago.
Meanwhile a one minute silence was being marked at all Irish League matches today – as is happening in Britain and all Premiership and Championship games.
Howard Wells, chief executive of the Irish Football Association, said: “I have very fond memories of a player who was clearly head and shoulders above most of his time.
“We are having a minute’s silence at matches today as a mark of respect for George Best and his family and to represent the feelings of the country for the massive contribution he made as an international player.
“The like of his ability will not be seen again.”
The George Best story will come to an end when he is laid to rest in a hill top cemetery overlooking east Belfast.
He will be buried beside his mother – something he had always said he wanted.
It is likely to be one of the biggest events the North has seen. Many sporting stars, including team mates from Manchester United’s European Cup winning side of 1968 together with current representatives of the club, are expected to attend.
