Dr Marie Lacey MBE
From East Belfast to Royal recognition
We are delighted to announce that Dr Marie Lacey, Director of Belfast Community Gospel Choir and community champion, has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours with a Member of the British Empire (MBE) commendation for her work within the community and arts in Northern Ireland.
From her early days of growing up in East Belfast, Marie has always had a strong sense of joy and community instilled in her. Built from a close-knit family and living through ‘The Troubles’ where the community bonded together in the face of adversity.
Her mother, Margaret, who was also a Gospel singer, introduced her to Gospel musicians such as Jim Reeves in the 50’s and 60’s but it was when The Edwin Hawkins Singers hit the charts in 1969 with Oh Happy Day that Marie’s love of gospel was cemented – a passion that has flowed through her life. This was then fueled by singers such as Andre Crouch and many Southern American Gospel Singers, a focus on music that brings a depth of joy like no other.
With a strong faith, Marie was renowned as a successful international worship leader and speaker across a 25 year period. She is a recording artist in her own right and was involved in many Northern Ireland based community projects during this time. However, in her early 50s, Marie felt called to something new, something that brought the medium of gospel music into the community. Taking a sabbatical from all engagements she focussed on her next steps and the dream that had long been in her mind.
Belfast Community Gospel Choir (BCGC) was formed in 2009, born from Marie’s passionate vision of creating an inclusive choir grounded in joy. With just one requirement, that members could sing, BCGC began with 60 singers and has grown to a vibrant community of 120 active members, with more than 500 having sung with the choir over the years. Representing a diverse community, BCGC brings together people of different faiths, races, sexual orientations and socio-economic backgrounds. Under Marie’s leadership, the choir has become a living example of commUNITY, where peace, love and joy are central and those core values exude in each performance.
The choir boasts an impressive track record, with numerous television appearances and performances for heads of state, royalty, corporate leaders, and civic events, as well as weddings, church services, and charity concerts. Internationally, they’ve taken their message of joy and unity to audiences in New York City, Boston, Indiana, and Portugal. Each year, thousands are moved by the powerful message Marie and her choir share, one of hope, inclusivity, and community. Over the years, their reach has extended to millions, including through a now-viral flash mob video from 2013 that has garnered over a million views alone. Their voice is not just musical, it’s a symbol of a brighter future for Northern Ireland, one rooted in unity and far removed from its troubled past.
For choir members, BCGC is family and it is hard to underestimate the important role Marie plays in this and the high regard each individual holds for her. That community in turn has gained a reputation as a professional talented group bringing joy wherever they go. Marie is the creative, ‘driving force’ behind the choir, arranging each song together with a tight team of musicians plus she is the visionary, always aiming higher to create a big impact on audiences so they too can be uplifted and are left feeling changed. She has changed so many individuals’ lives and made a huge impact on community and arts in Northern Ireland.
In 2023, Marie was recognised for her decades of work with an honorary doctorate from Queen’s University, Belfast. To receive a Member of the British Empire accolade from His Majesty King Charles is another testament to the driving force for good that Dr Marie Lacey is.
“I can not put into words what this honour means to me. To think back to that little girl on the Newtownards Road in Belfast to now receiving this recognition is beyond what I could have dreamed for myself. BCGC was a long time vision for me, one that I am immensely proud of and that has achieved what I wished. Widening the scope and love of Gospel Music in Northern Ireland for those from all walks of life, both our choir family and every audience member we meet. Enriching lives, seeing friendships blossom through community, creating musical arrangements that allow the spirit to soar, that is and will always be my goal in life. To be recognised and honoured for “just being me” is pretty overwhelming.” Dr Marie Lacey MBE
The members of Belfast Community Gospel Choir, collectively known as the ‘BCGC Family’ wish to express our deepest love and admiration for their ‘Choir Mama’, and are delighted that Marie has been awarded such a prestigious, well-earned honour.