Two hundred and sixteen years after the Society of United Irishmen's was formed, a blue plaque was erected on one of their meeting places, Kelly's Cellars in Bank Lane, Belfast. The inn has been in continuous existence since 1720 and it has successfully survived without major changes, escaping the worst effects of 'modernisation' and preserving the best features of the traditional public house.

The Ulster History Circle has already erected plaques to individual United Irishmen - William Drennan, Henry Joy McCracken, Thomas and Henry Putnam McCabe and, more recently, William Steel Dickson. This was however the first to honour the Society as a whole.

Belfast City Council has been very supportive of the Blue Plaque scheme and is working with the Circle to develop a Blue Plaque Trail which will provide a focus for people to find out about the people and places that are important to an understanding of the development of the City.