Billy Stewart honoured with MBE

Billy Stewart, was awarded the MBE in the New Years Honours for his Services to the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games.

 

Billy became a member of the NI Commonwealth Games Council, as his sport of cycling's representative in 1958. He was elected Vice Chairman in 1974 and became Chairman in 1979, a post he held with distinction up to November 2006. In that role he was no mere figurehead but very much a hands-on worker who, with considerable organisational skill and an unerring eye for detail, made sure that a whole host of tasks, particularly relating to the equipping of teams, was performed with maximum efficiency.

 

He was assistant team manager of five games, was Assistant Chef de mission in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and Chef de Mission in Manchester in 2002. In all these roles he earned the deep appreciation of all who worked with him and, most importantly, the competitors who were always his priority concern.

 

NICGC Chairman, Robert McVeigh said, " the Games Council and all the team join me in congratulating Billy. He has been associated with sport in Northern Ireland for many years and we are delighted that his commitment to our country has at last been recognised."