Hymnwriters Keith and Kristyn Getty pay tribute to teachers and supporters as they are made Freemen of the City of Lisburn

Keith grew up in a musical family in Lisburn and attended Friends School Lisburn and Pond Park Primary School. He met his future wife Kristyn in the city too - and the pair went on to record hundreds of songs in a Lisburn studio. With their four daughters Eliza, Charlotte, Grace and Tahlia, the couple now divide their time between homes in Nashville, Tennessee and Portstewart.

Yesterday's guest list at the special ceremony included representatives of the schools Keith attended, other freemen, as well as their family and friends.

Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Scott Carson said: “It is such an honour for me to thank Keith and Kristyn for the contribution they have made to communities across the world; they have inspired so many people globally through their music and I am proud to say they are from Northern Ireland.”

Keith Getty OBE said it was an honour for the couple to return to Lisburn and receive the Freedom of the City.

"Born and raised in the city, I owe so much to the people of Lisburn, from the school teachers who encouraged me and developed my passion for composing, to the friends and family who supported Kristyn and I as we moved across the water to the United States,” he said.

"To have pupils from Pupils from Pond Park Primary School and Friends’ School, Lisburn perform for us was a privilege, and I hope we can inspire more young people from the city to work hard and never give up on what it is they wish to achieve. We are so grateful to the Council for conferring this great honour on us which means so much.”

He added: “Our music ministry began here, with ‘In Christ Alone’ being written on the back of a Northern Ireland Electricity Bill! Lisburn is a place we love to return to whenever we are back in Northern Ireland with our four children, and it will always hold a special place in our hearts."

Yesterday's celebration, which ran for most of the day, including the official proceedings in the council chamber, a tree planting ceremony and a civic luncheon.

There were also performances by pupils from Friends’ School Lisburn and Pond Park Primary School, closing with a special performance by New Irish Arts with Keith and Kristyn.

The Freedom of the City follows the couple’s Grammy nomination for their album 'Confessio – Irish American Roots' which they described as their “love letter” to Northern Ireland.

The Gettys are launching their Sing! World Tour at the SSE Arena Belfast on Saturday 17 June. The couple will also host a special four-hour conference featuring teaching, creative artistry and singing from classical and gospel musicians at the SSE Arena on Friday 16 June. Further details and tickets are available here: https://www.gettymusic.com/tour