The Coronation window, the Guildhall organ and the City's Coat of Arms

NO tour of The Guildhall would be complete without standing with your head tilted back to have a good stare at what has to be the most impressive looking organ in any public building.

In fact, my tour guide, Colin Sharpe, the Guildhall's superintendent and myself, opt to stand back a bit to ease the pressure on our neck muscles.

"This is reputed to be one of the finest organs in Europe. This was originally installed in 1914 by Hill Bros of London. The organ was designed by former City Surveyor, Matthew Robinson," says Colin, adding: "Originally when it was installed it was at the complete cost of 897. It is a three manual (keyboard] 50-stop organ. There are 3,132 pipes in the organ, and all the pipework is laid up in the back of the organ, and it is set up in trays, a lot of them are lead and the rest are wooden. The smallest is as fine as a pencil and is really delicate. No music actually comes out of the front, what you can see is all bluff. It's decoration," says Colin, pointing out some darker original pipes which survived the 1972 bombing that ripped the building apart.

The bomb made the entire organ and its casing sink four feet and destroyed it utterly. It is now electrically operated having originally been operated by bellows and Colin tells me that it was the same firm that restored it as originally installed the instrument in 1977, then known as Hill Norman and Baird.

"Unfortunately, within the last eight to 10 years they have packed up completely and now have organ tuners and builders from Lisburn helping us look after the organ and tuning it," says Colin, adding that much of the woodwork is original, and the restoration work came to 68,000.

The official recital to relaunch the organ was presided over by Carlo Curley, from the US.

"The Mayor invited him into the parlour afterwards and he reckoned the organ was one of the finest he has ever set eyes on, as is the hall itself for acoustics, Colin says visibly proud, adding that the vaulted ceiling is original, and is Californian redwood. Above your head are the original lights too.

Originally members of the public could pay half a Crown for an hour on the ivories, and over the decades that increased to 10, but now anyone that wants to, can book time on the organ by contacting the council. Not only is it allowed, is is welcomed as it keeps the workings in perfect working order. Sadly the lunchtime recitals have stopped.

Outside the corridor is the Coronation Window, celebrating the crowning of George V and Queen Mary in 1911. This is the only set of window lights in the Guildhall that was not made locally. It was made by Mairs of Munich, and it too was destroyed in the 1972 bombing and was replaced by a Belfast crew, to the last detail.

"Every head that you see in this window represents somebody who was at the actual Coronation. They are not just faces in the crowd. If you look at the six public galleries, all the people were actually at the Coronation, even the tiny ones. It's fantastic...there is a fault in this window and they have deliberately left it. Can you see it?" Colin teases.

After several minutes I give in: "Look at George's feet. He has his shoes on the wrong feet. It does look like that doesn't it?" he asks, and I have to agree.

The very last of the stained glass is a beautiful colourful arch, presented in 1913 by the Deputy Govenors of the Honourable the Irish Society, and contains the only remaining original glass in the circular section, which looks like 'under the sea' sea green (see photos below).

The last of my Guildhall tales is the Coat of Arms: Vita Veritas Victoria. The top section is the 'London connection' with the red cross (St George) and red sword (St Paul). The connection was granted by Royal Charter in 1613. The skeleton on a mossy stone signifies the city was raised in 1608, Sir Cahir O'Doherty, Earl of Tyrone burned the city to the ground, the small turret signifies that the City is a Walled City, was in fact the last walled city to be built in Europe, and is the only completely intact walled city remaining in Europe. The swords, maces and canon all signify that the city was once fortified through the great Siege.

The Motto at the bottom, in Latin: Vita Veritas Victoria mean life, truth and victory.

"That is the recognised version that is taken out of the Fox-Davies Book of Public Arms," Colin says, adding: "But the council believes the skeleton goes way back, and we think goes back to 1332 to the De Burgh family. Sir Richard de Burgh starved a kinsman and locked him in a dungeon after allegedly fighting over a lady."

l Here ends my tour. It only remains for me to register my sincere thanks to Colin for his time and sharing his knowledge. I hope Sentinel readers feel inspired to visit the Guildhall to view their amazing heritage themselves.