Norman plans to scale back on the big events

Norman Ireland, who lives in Portobello, worked tirelessly for the council for more than 40 years organising top attractions across the Capital.

He took a lead role in events including the city's popular street party, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1997, the opening of the Scottish Parliament and the Queen's Golden Jubilee events.

Born in Glasgow, he moved to Edinburgh from Dennistoun in 1977 with his wife Vivien.

After obtaining a masters postgraduate degree in planning at Heriot-Watt University, Mr Ireland began his career in local government in 1972, in the planning department of Glasgow City Council.

In 1975 he moved to the Sports Council.

After moving to the Capital, he joined Lothian Regional Council as the head of planning in the leisure services department, before joining the policy planning department a couple of years later.

He went on to lead his small team through a number of firsts, including being the first European Affairs Forum in the UK and the first cross-regional consortium on Europe, in the shape of the East of Scotland European Consortium.

Following those achievements, he held a trial of an event which, from 1993 onwards, became known as Edinburgh's Hogmanay.

Though he didn't know it at the time, this proved to be a turning point in his career. From then on he began to specialise in major events and special projects, and went on to lead a well-respected events team with Edinburgh City Council.

He said: "I've been lucky not to have to stick in the same job during my career for years. I've always tried new things, experienced different challenges.

"We couldn't believe the success of the Hogmanay party when it started up."

In his spare time he found time to become a visiting professor at Edinburgh Napier University.

The events team joined the culture and sport division in summer 2008, to work more closely with the corporate sports team, and with other colleagues on arts and festival matters.

Mr Ireland's resignation last Friday was marked with a low-key party for his close friends and colleagues.

He now intends to relax for a couple of weeks before getting into biking and volunteering work and spending more time with his children, Jennifer, 33, and Matthew, 30, and grandaughter Abigail, 2.