It is entirely appropriate that a new bridge has been opened in east Belfast as a tribute to the late Jimmy Ellis, who was not only one of Ireland's most distinguished actors but also a figure who was prepared to take a stand against any form of bigotry.
Mr Ellis, who died in 2014 at the age of 82, was best known for his television roles in the mould-breaking series Z Cars from 1962 to 1978 and the acclaimed Billy dramas which were screened by BBC Northern Ireland in the 1980s.
However, he had previously come to prominence in 1960 by defying a range of pressures in his home city to produce the legendary Over The Bridge play, written by Sam Thompson, which placed a firm spotlight on sectarianism in the Harland and Wolff shipyard.
It is fitting that two bridges close to the shipyard now bear the names of both Mr Thompson and Mr Ellis and ensure that their legacy will never be forgotten.
