Location: East Belfast, off Belmont Road, approaching Stormont Estate
Renamed: Early 1920s (c. 1923–1924)
Former Name: Killeen Road (named after the townland of Killeen, from Irish An Coillín, “the little wood”)
Named For: William Ferguson Massey (1856–1925), Prime Minister of New Zealand
Story Behind the Name:
Originally called Killeen Road, this rural route was renamed Massey Avenue in the 1920s as Northern Ireland’s new government took shape. The road ran alongside the Stormont Estate, which was chosen as the site of the Parliament Buildings. The renaming was part of a wider effort to express Ulster’s identity within the British Empire by commemorating an Ulster-born figure of international stature.
William F. Massey, born near Limavady, rose to become Prime Minister of New Zealand (1912–1925). A farmer-turned-politician, he was known for his leadership during World War I and his strong Imperial loyalty. Though he lived most of his life abroad, Massey remained deeply attached to his Ulster roots.
Visit to Northern Ireland:
In 1923, William Massey returned to Northern Ireland as an honoured guest of Sir James Craig, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. His visit was met with celebration and affection. Students at Queen’s University Belfast performed a haka and declared him their “Paramount Chief,” a playful and heartfelt tribute that acknowledged his role as a bridge between Ulster and New Zealand. He also visited his hometown of Limavady, strengthening the emotional and cultural ties between his adopted homeland and the land of his birth.
Legacy Today:
Massey Avenue is now a prominent, tree-lined road leading to the Stormont Parliament. It is home to buildings such as Netherleigh House and the iconic Stormont gate lodges. The name endures as a civic tribute to an Ulsterman who shaped another nation while never forgetting his own.
THE AVENUE TO STORMONT TO BE CALLED FOR PREMIER
Belfast Telegraph – Friday, 29 February 1924
At the meeting of Down County Council—General W. E. Montgomery presiding—the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of Belfast (Sir William Turner) wrote that it was proposed that the new approach road from Belmont to the Ulster Parliament buildings at Stormont be named Massey Avenue, as a compliment to the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, a distinguished Ulsterman and Prime Minister of New Zealand for the past twelve years. The Improvements Committee of the Belfast Corporation sought the approval of the County Council down to this name.
The County Council, while they approved the name, referred the letter to the Castlereagh Rural District Council, in whose district the road lay.