Herbert Ditty was a lifelong Ulster Unionist politician, representing the Shankill Road, Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

.

Ditty was a founding member of the Ulster Protestant Action

Ulster Protestant Action

Ulster Protestant Action was an loyalist and Protestant fundamentalist vigilante group in Northern Ireland.The group was founded at a special meeting at the Ulster Unionist Party's offices in Glengall Street, Belfast, in 1956. Among the attendees were many loyalists who were to become major...

 executive in the 1950s.

He was elected as High Sheriff of Belfast

High Sheriff of Belfast

The High Sheriff of Belfast is a High Sheriff title and position which was created in 1900 under the Local Government Act 1898, with Sir James Henderson the first holder. It is a largely ceremonial position currently held by Ian Adamson, who took office in January 2011...

 (1985–1986); became Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast (1991–1992) and Lord Mayor

Lord Mayor of Belfast

The Lord Mayor of Belfast is the leader and chairman of Belfast City Council, elected annually from and by the City's 51 councillors.The Lord Mayor is Niall Ó Donnghaile of Sinn Féin, while the Deputy Lord Mayor is Ruth Patterson of the Democratic Unionist Party, who were elected in May 2011.The...

 (1992–1993).

In 1993 he garnered negative publicity from some quarters for receiving the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Gay Mitchell

Gay Mitchell

Gabriel "Gay" Mitchell is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Dublin constituency since 2004. He is a member of Fine Gael, part of the European People's Party, and a former Teachta Dála for the Dublin South Central constituency from 1981–2007. He was defeated by...

, as a "foreign visitor" (http://www.uhb.fr/langues/cei/chron93.htm).

External links

• http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/lordmayor/formerlordmayors.asp
• http://www.answers.com/topic/high-sheriff-of-belfast
• http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60737338.html