Town mourns Chinese restaurant 'pioneer'

Hundreds of heartfelt tributes have been paid to Mr. Louis Sung, the founder of Ballymena’s Go-Sun Restaurant, who passed away last week.

Mr. Louis Hon Yiu Sung died peacefully in hospital last Wednesday afternoon.

He was surrounded by his entire family at the time.

The impact which Mr. Sung and his family made in Ballymena when they arrived from Hong Kong to set up their iconic Go-Sun restaurant can hardly be comprehended by today’s generation.

He had worked in various restaurants across England gaining experience all the time but it was in 1965 that he first came to Ballymena with the Go-Sun being established the next year.

In an era where cuisine styles from all over the globe are readily available on our high streets, it is very hard to imagine that the Go-Sun was almost certainly the first Chinese restaurant established in Co. Antrim.

Back in 1966, Ballymena’s food offering was entirely based on European cuisine ranging from the traditional hotel dinner to the weekend staple of the ‘fish supper’.

WELFARE

The advent of the Go-Sun changed Ballymena’s cultural palate and led the way for scores of other similar ‘foodie’ businesses down through the years.

But Mr. Sung also played a leading role in the Chinese community throughout Northern Ireland as a prime mover inm organisations such as the Chinese Welfare Association.

When Mr. Sung’s son Stanley broke the news of his father’s passing on social media, a wave of tributes flowed in - a mark of the high esteem in which Mr. Sung and his family are held in the Ballymena area.

On behalf of the Borough, Mayor of MEA, Ald Gerardine Mulvenna, said: “I was very sorry to hear of the passing of Louis Hon Yiu Sung.

“The huge outpouring of support for his family and fond reflections from local people are testament to the huge impact he made within our community.

PIONEER

“He was a pioneering businessman whose customers often became close friends, and his absence will be keenly felt throughout the town.

“My thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones at this very sad time and I trust they will take some comfort from the great respect and admiration in which Louis is held throughout Ballymena.”

Louis was the much loved husband of Choi Lin, loving father of Stanley, Susan, Suzie, Sophie and Stephen, father-in-law of Karen, John and Carly and devoted grandfather of Johnathan, Oliver, Ryan, Neasa, Sammy, Nathan, Mia and Christopher, great grandfather of Ezra, Olivia and Poppy. His funeral service took place at Henry’s Funeral Parlour 100 Broughshane Street, Ballymena on Saturday 16th September at 10.30am with interment afterwards at Ballee Cemetery.