Events from the year 2021 in Northern Ireland.

Incumbents

Arlene Foster Arlene Isobel Foster, Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (née Kelly; born 17 July 1970), is a British broadcaster and politician from Northern Ireland who served as First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2016 to 2017 and from 2020 to 2021 and ...

(until 14 June) ** ''Vacant'' (14 - 17 June) ** Paul Givan (from 17 June) *

deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland The First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland are the joint heads of government of the Northern Ireland Executive and have overall responsibility for the running of the Executive Office. Despite the different titles for the two ...

– Michelle O'Neill *

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...

–

Brandon Lewis Brandon Kenneth Lewis (born 20 June 1971) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor from September to October 2022. He previously served as Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2018 to 2019 and ...

Events

January

*1 January - First freight arrives in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

after the

Irish Sea Border The Irish Sea border is an informal term for the trade border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. It was specified by the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit withdrawal agreement (February 2020), was refined by the Joint Commi ...

comes into effect under the Provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol. *5 January - Education Executive announces AQE/GL transfer tests will not go ahead, then AQE announces they will hold one exam in late February, postponed for a second time. *6 January – Education Minister Peter Weir announces that

GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private sc ...

, AS Level and

A Level The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational aut ...

exams scheduled for summer 2021 will be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. *9 January – Lorry drivers from Northern Ireland travelling directly to France from the Irish Republic have been told they will need a recent negative COVID test in order to do so. Drivers have been using a route from Rosslare to Cherbourg to avoid UK delays caused by COVID. *10 January – All of Northern Ireland's six health trusts have forecast that the number of patients in hospital with COVID could double by the third week of January. *17 January – Jennifer Welsh, Chief Executive of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, says that hospitals are preparing for a peak in admissions from COVID during the coming week. *21 January - The lockdown restrictions for Northern Ireland are extended until 5 March. *22 January - Following the cancellation of transfer tests, it is reported that grammar schools in Northern Ireland will not use academic tests to admit pupils in 2021. *28 January - The Northern Ireland Executive agrees that most schools in Northern Ireland will not return until at least Monday 8 March.

February

* 1 February - Health Minister

Robin Swann Robin Swann (born 24 September 1971) is a politician from Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland's Minister of Health from Jan 2020 to Oct 2022, he was the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party from 2017 to 2019.

confirms that as of Sunday 31 January, 246,421 COVID vaccinations had been given in Northern Ireland. *2 February –

, AS and

qualifications will be calculated by schools in 2021, it is confirmed. *8 February – People from Northern Ireland crossing the border into the Irish Republic without a reasonable excuse are being sent back by Gardai, and face a fine of €100 (£88).

March

*3 March - The

Loyalist Communities Council The Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) is a group in Northern Ireland with representatives from the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Commando. It was launched on 13 October 2015 in response to the perceived neglect and political disenfranchisement of worki ...

and other loyalist groups tell Prime Minister Boris Johnson that they are withdrawing support for the Good Friday Agreement in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol. *8 March - Pupils in Years P1 to P3 return to school. The plan is for them to return to remote learning on 22 March, but Education Minister Peter Weir announced plans to change this to allow for them to stay in the classroom, saying the present plans do not make "enormous sense”. *12 March - The UK Government agrees to deploy 100 military medical personnel to Northern Ireland to help with the accelerated rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. *19 March - The head of the

, David Campbell, says that the Good Friday Agreement is under threat under the current conditions of

Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or ...

and

. Campbell warns that it could unleash a "political crisis" and says that the Northern Irish Protocol breaches the 1998 accord. *21 March -

2021 United Kingdom census The decennial 2021 censuses of England and Wales and of Northern Ireland took place on 21 March 2021, and the census of Scotland took place on 20 March 2022. The censuses were administered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in England an ...

. Figures released in 2022 show the proportion of the Northern Ireland population which is Roman Catholic (or raised Catholic) is 45.7% compared to 43.48% Protestant, the first time a Catholic majority has been recorded. *30 March - Loyalists begin rioting in parts of

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...

and

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

in response to the introduction of the

and PPS decision not to prosecute

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...

for attending the funeral of Bobby Storey. This is the beginning of the

2021 Northern Ireland riots A series of riots in Ulster loyalism, loyalist areas of Northern Ireland began in Waterside, Derry, Waterside, Derry, on 30 March 2021. After four nights of rioting in Derry, disturbances spread to south Belfast on 2 April, where ...

April

* 2 April - Following a protest on

Sandy Row Sandy Row () is a large inner city estate in south Belfast, Northern Ireland. It lends its name to the surrounding residential community, which is predominantly Protestant working-class. The Sandy Row area had a population of 2,153 in 2001; in 2 ...

, a riot erupts and Ulster Loyalists attack the PSNI with bottles, bricks, petrol bombs and fireworks. Eight people are arrested in total. * 3 April - Riots break out in Loyalist areas of

Newtonabbey Newtownabbey ( ) is a large settlement in North Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the rest of the city by Cavehill and Fortwilliam golf course. It surrounds Carnmoney Hill, and was formed from the merging of severa ...

, multiple vehicles are hijacked and set ablaze, and

petrol bombs A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see other names'') is a hand thrown incendiary weapon constructed from a frangible container filled with flammable substances equipped with a fuse (typically a glass bottle filled with flammab ...

thrown at police. * 4 April - Minor events continue during rioting in Newtonabbey, with further disturbances taking place on the North Road area of Carrickfergus. Projectiles including bricks, bottles and incendiary devices are used against police. * 5 April - **PSNI officers are attacked after a call in regards to a suspicious object on Templemore Road in Derry, considered to be an “elaborate hoax”. **A bonfire is built in the middle of North Road in Carrickfergus. Projectiles including petrol bombs are thrown at police. **Nine police officers are injured across Newtonabbey and Carrickfergus. **Several unauthorized Loyalist

parades A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of ...

take place in areas such as Portadown,

Ballymena Ballymena ( ; from ga, an Baile Meánach , meaning 'the middle townland') is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is part of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim. The town is built on land given to the Adair family by King Charles I i ...

and Markethill. PSNI say the parades breach COVID-19 regulations and have not been authorized by the Parades Commission. * 6 April - Rioters again gather in Derry and other areas, with vehicles being set alight in the Sperrin Park area of Nelson Drive. * 7 April - ** Rioters gather in Belfast at the junction of Lanark Way and the

Shankhill Road The Shankill Road () is one of the main roads leading through West Belfast, in Northern Ireland. It runs through the working-class, predominantly loyalist, area known as the Shankill. The road stretches westwards for about from central Belfast an ...

. PSNI officers are once again attacked and a bus was hijacked and set alight. **A ''

Belfast Telegraph The ''Belfast Telegraph'' is a daily newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by Independent News & Media. Its editor is Eoin Brannigan. Reflecting its unionist tradition, the paper has historically been "favoured by the Protestant po ...

'' photographer is attacked whilst covering the riots in Belfast. * 8 April - **The

Northern Ireland Assembly sco-ulster, Norlin Airlan Assemblie , legislature = 7th Northern Ireland Assembly, Seventh Assembly , coa_pic = File:NI_Assembly.svg , coa_res = 250px , house_type = Unicameralism, Unicameral , hou ...

calls for an immediate end to the rioting, with

MLAs The Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) was a proposed alternative to the Maxime Faget-invented "tractor" launch escape system (LES) that was planned for use by NASA for its Orion (spacecraft), Orion spacecraft in the event an Ares I malfunction du ...

calling on the violence to stop. ** Crowds again gather in West Belfast, throwing bricks and projectiles at police on

Springfield Road The Springfield Road ( ga, Bóthar Chluanaí) is a residential area and road traffic thoroughfare adjacent to the Falls Road in west Belfast. The local population is predominantly Irish nationalist and republican. Parts of the road form an int ...

, police respond by using water cannons. A police dog and 19 officers are injured. * 9 April - ** Flags fly at

half mast Half-mast or half-staff (American English) refers to a flag flying below the summit of a ship mast, a pole on land, or a pole on a building. In many countries this is seen as a symbol of respect, mourning, distress, or, in some cases, a salut ...

at Stormont following the death of Prince Philip. **Police are attacked in the

Tiger's Bay The Shore Road is a major arterial route and area of housing and commerce that runs through north Belfast and Newtownabbey in Northern Ireland. It forms part of the A2 road, a traffic route which links Belfast to the County Antrim coast. Histor ...

area of North Belfast. A car is also set alight. * 10 April - As the Department of Health announces that the milestone of a million COVID-19 vaccinations has been reached in Northern Ireland, Health Minister

describes it as "a landmark". * 11 April - The Loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), reportedly orders the removal of

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

families from a housing estate in Carrickfergus. *12 April - ** School pupils across Northern Ireland return to the classrooms following the strict COVID-19 lockdown. ** A burning vehicle is left on the railway line near

Bellarena Bellarena (derived from French ''belle'' "beautiful" + Latin ''arena'' "sand, strand"; is a small village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the A2 coastal road between Limavady and Coleraine, north of Limavady ...

, Derry. A train on the Belfast to Derry route avoids a collision. * 13 April - Health Minister

tells the Northern Ireland Assembly it could take ten years to clear Northern Ireland's backlog of hospital waiting lists unless there is significant investment from the Executive. *15 April - Stormont gives the go-ahead for outdoor hospitality, gyms and non-essential retail to reopen on 30 April, and for indoor hospitality to reopen on 24 May. *19 April -A female PSNI officer discovers an explosive device behind her vehicle in

Dungiven Dungiven () is a small town, townland and civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is near the main A6 Belfast to Derry road, which bypasses the town. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the B ...

; an Army bomb squad makes the device safe. The New IRA are blamed for the attempted attack. *22 April - The New IRA issues a statement admitting to the bomb plot in Dungiven days prior. *23 April -

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS; ga, Sheirbhís Dóiteáin & Tarrthála Thuaisceart Éireann; Ulster-Scots: '; formerly Northern Ireland Fire Brigade) is the statutory fire and rescue service for Northern Ireland. The NIFRS ...

begins tackling a

wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...

in the

Mourne Mountains The Mourne Mountains ( ; ga, Beanna Boirche), also called the Mournes or Mountains of Mourne, are a granite mountain range in County Down in the south-east of Northern Ireland. They include the highest mountains in Northern Ireland, the high ...

near

Newcastle, County Down Newcastle () is a small seaside resort town in County Down, Northern Ireland, which had a population of 7,672 at the 2011 Census. It lies by the Irish Sea at the foot of Slieve Donard, the highest of the Mourne Mountains. Newcastle is known fo ...

. *25 April - Loyalist Willie Young is shot in the chest outside his home in the Mount Vernon Park area of Belfast. He is able to walk to the ambulance. *28 April -

announces that she will resign as

Democratic Unionist Party The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is a unionist, loyalist, and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who led the party for the next 37 years. Currently led by J ...

leader on May 28, and as First Minister in June. This follows 29 DUP MLAs and 4 DUP MPs signing a letter of no confidence. *29 April - Following a strict COVID-19 lockdown, non-essential businesses reopen, including outdoor service at pubs and restaurants.

May

* 1 May - In a Centenary poll run by

Kantar A kantar is the official Egyptian weight unit for measuring cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Ma ...

, it is revealed that 44% of people support a unity referendum, but the majority of people on both sides of the border would be opposed to paying higher tax to finance a united Ireland. *3 May - Northern Ireland celebrates its centenary. *5 May - The Housing Executive reports a 150% increase in the number of people seeking emergency accommodation during 2020. *8 May -

Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the Irish Home Rule movem ...

leader

Steve Aiken Stephen Ronald Aiken (born 16 June 1962) is a Northern Irish politician, who served as Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) from 2019 to 2021, and was Chief Whip of the UUP from 2017 to 2019. Aiken has been a Member of the Northern Irela ...

announces he is stepping down as party leader. *11 May - ** According to a

coroner A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into Manner of death, the manner or cause of death, and to investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...

inquest An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person's death. Conducted by a judge, jury, or government official, an inquest may or may not require an autopsy carried out by a coro ...

report, ten people shot dead in the 1971

Ballymurphy massacre The Ballymurphy massacre was a series of incidents between 9 and 11 August 1971, in which the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment of the British Army killed at least nine civilians in Ballymurphy, Belfast, Northern Ireland, as part of Operation ...

were innocent

civilian Civilians under international humanitarian law are "persons who are not members of the armed forces" and they are not "combatants if they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war". It is slightly different from a non-combatant, b ...

s and their killings were unjustified. Nine of the people had been shot by the

British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, s ...

. **

Derry City and Strabane District Council Derry City and Strabane District Council ( ga, Comhairle Chathair Dhoire agus Cheantar an tSratha Báin; Ulster-Scots: ''Derry Cittie & Stràbane Destrìck Cooncil'') is the local authority for Derry and Strabane district in Northern Ireland. I ...

confirms the

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is a biennial race that takes paying amateur crews on one or more legs of a circumnavigation of the globe in 11 specially-designed identical yachts owned by Clipper Ventures. Professional skippers and addi ...

will return to Derry in 2022. *13 May - The Executive announces further easing of COVID-19 restrictions planned to come into force from 24 May, including allowing non essential travel to Northern Ireland from other parts of the Common Travel Area, allowing spectators to attend sporting events, and allowing for the reopening of libraries and museums. *14 May -

Edwin Poots Edwin Poots (born 27 April 1965) is a British politician in Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from May to June 2021. He was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in 1998, and was ...

is selected as the new leader of the

. *18 May - The number of people in Northern Ireland to receive their first COVID vaccine passes one million, meaning roughly 69% of the population have been vaccinated with their first dose. *20 May - Stormont gives the go-ahead for indoor hospitality to reopen from Monday 24 May, when six people from two separate households will be permitted to meet up indoors. A traffic lights system for overseas travel will also begin on the same day. *24 May – Further COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are loosened with indoor hospitality being permitted to reopen across the country, while six people from two separate households can meet up indoors again. *28 May -

is ratified as the leader of the

June

* 2 June - The

Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants, particularly those of Ulster Scots heritage. It als ...

confirms the

Twelfth of July The Twelfth (also called Orangemen's Day) is an Ulster Protestant celebration held on 12 July. It began in the late 18th century in Ulster. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution (1688) and victory of Protestant King William of Orange over C ...

parades will go ahead this year, after the 2020 parades were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. *3 June -

states

will remain

First Minister A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of '' ...

in order to lead a June 11 British-Irish Council meeting. *14 June –

resigns as First Minister of Northern Ireland. *15 June -

Stena Line Stena Line is a Swedish shipping line company and one of the largest ferry operators in the world. It services Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden. Stena Line is a major unit of Ste ...

announces a new weekend ferry route between

and

Holyhead Holyhead (,; cy, Caergybi , "Cybi's fort") is the largest town and a community in the county of Isle of Anglesey, Wales, with a population of 13,659 at the 2011 census. Holyhead is on Holy Island, bounded by the Irish Sea to the north, and is ...

, starting 25 June. * 17 June **

resigns as Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (D.U.P) After only 21 Days as leader but will remain in post until a replacement leader is elected by the Party ** Paul Givan assumes the roll of First minister despite D.U.P members objecting. * 22 June - Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is nominated as the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, being the only person to put his name forward for the post. *26 June - Sir Jeffrey Donaldson officially assumes the position as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party.

July

* 1 July - BBC Northern Ireland Radio presenter Stephen Nolan takes legal action against an online troll and is to receive a six figure payout for damages. * 6 July - Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has described as reckless Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plans to end all

COVID Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

restrictions for England on 19 July. She states Northern Ireland would not follow the same model. * 9 July - Executive ministers take legal action against the PSNI due to their lack of actions concerning a controversial bonfire being constructed in

, North Belfast. *10 July - A controversial bonfire in Portadown collapses after being ignited overnight. *12 July - Smaller, local parades take place across Northern Ireland by Loyalists celebrating

The Twelfth The Twelfth (also called Orangemen's Day) is an Ulster Protestant celebration held on 12 July. It began in the late 18th century in Ulster. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution (1688) and victory of Protestant King William III of England, W ...

. *13 July - At the House of Commons, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood uses parliamentary privilege to name Soldier F, the British soldier whose identity was hidden following a murder trial into his participation in

Bloody Sunday Bloody Sunday may refer to: Historical events Canada * Bloody Sunday (1923), a day of police violence during a steelworkers' strike for union recognition in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia * Bloody Sunday (1938), police violence agai ...

in 1972. *21 July - Derry City and Strabane council are approved to provide £50,000 for a major event to mark the 50th anniversary of

in January 2022. *26 July - Ministers agree to re-open theatres and concert venues from 27 July, at 6PM. *31 July - In

Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...

Tyrone defeat

Monaghan Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It also provides the name of its Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Monaghan (barony), barony. The population of the town as of the 2016 census was 7 ...

0–16 to 0–15 to win the Anglo-Irish cup at

Croke Park Croke Park ( ga, Páirc an Chrócaigh, ) is a Gaelic games stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, it is referred to as Croker by GAA fans and locals. It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and he ...

August

*5 August - The Armagh weather observatory announces that

Armagh Armagh ( ; ga, Ard Mhacha, , "Macha's height") is the county town of County Armagh and a city in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Pri ...

recorded its driest July in 21 years. *6 August - Flooding in

affects a number of businesses and homes near the

city centre A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...

. The floods are described as being the "worst flooding in years." *15 August - Republican youths in the

Bogside The Bogside is a neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry, Northern Ireland. The large gable-wall murals by the Bogside Artists, Free Derry Corner and the Gasyard Féile (an annual music and arts festival held in a former gasyard) are pop ...

area of

, build and ignite a bonfire, similar to the Loyalists fires built a month prior. The fire is criticized due to it featuring Israeli flags and signs featuring murdered PSNI officers. *21 August - PSNI are investigating reports of firearms being used by masked

Irish Republicans Irish republicanism ( ga, poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate. The developm ...

at a commemoration in Derry in remembrance of hunger striker Michael Devine. *28 August - The

Royal Black Institution The Royal Black Institution, the Imperial Grand Black Chapter Of The British Commonwealth, or simply the Black Institution,wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch#Unsupported%20attributions">who?''/sup> argue is an Ulster syncretism of ri ...

holds its Last Saturday parades for the first time since 2019, with 17,000 marchers and bandsmen taking part. *31 August - Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill confirms that she has been diagnosed with

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

September

*7 September - The

Irish Football Association The Irish Football Association (IFA) is the governing body for association football in Northern Ireland. It organised the Ireland national football team from 1880 to 1950, which after 1954, became the Northern Ireland national football team. ...

is criticized due to ticket pricing ahead of the World Cup qualifier match against

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the home ground of Linfield F.C. who own the land the stadium is built on, while the Irish Football Association own and operate the stadium and pay Linfield an annual rent ...

. *11 September - In

, Tyrone defeats

Mayo Mayo often refers to: * Mayonnaise, often shortened to "mayo" * Mayo Clinic, a medical center in Rochester, Minnesota, United States Mayo may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Mayo Peak, Marie Byrd Land Australia * Division of Mayo, an Aust ...

in the

2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final The 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final was the 134th final of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the culmination of the 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. The match was played at Croke Park in Dublin on ...

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

. In doing so, Tyrone wins a fourth title and denies Mayo their first title since 1951. *13 September - Hundreds of young people gather for a

street party A block party or street party is a party in which many members of a single community congregate, either to observe an event of some importance or simply for mutual solidarity and enjoyment. The name comes from the form of the party, which ofte ...

in the Holylands area of

, in what has been described as the worst night of disturbance in a decade. *17 September - Around 350 people gathered on the

Newtownards Road The A20 is a road in County Down in Northern Ireland. It runs from Belfast to Newtownards and on to Portaferry. Beginning as the Newtownards Road at the junction of Bridge End close to Belfast city centre, the road runs in an easterly directio ...

in East Belfast in protest of the Northern Ireland Protocol. *21 September – Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill warns Northern Ireland's health service is "about to topple over" and faces a "difficult winter" if urgent action is not taken.

October

* 1 October - The Parades Commission announces it has banned a centenary parade from entering the

Kilcoole Kilcoole () is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is three kilometres (2 miles) south of Greystones, 14 kilometres (9 miles) north of Wicklow, and about 28 kilometres (17 miles) south of Dublin. It was used as the set for the Irish tel ...

area of Belfast due to it being a mixed area. The North Belfast Orange Lodge condemned the decision. * 3 October - The Belfast City Marathon takes place, with Olympian Mick Clohisey and Armagh's Fionnuala Ross winning the men and women's titles. * 7 October – The Northern Ireland Executive agrees to scrap the requirement for social distancing in bars and restaurants from 31 October, meaning nightclubs will be allowed to reopen from that date. *13 October - The

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

issues new proposes that would see an 80% reduction on customs checks on the

Irish Sea The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...

and the SDLP welcome the proposal, whereas Unionsts reject it. *17 October - In

Snooker Snooker (pronounced , ) is a cue sports, cue sport played on a Billiard table#Snooker and English billiards tables, rectangular table covered with a green cloth called baize, with six Billiard table#Pockets 2, pockets, one at each corner and o ...

Mark Allen Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Finn ...

wins the

2021 Northern Ireland Open The 2021 Northern Ireland Open, referred to as the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open for sponsorship purposes, was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 9 to 17 October 2021 at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, Northern Irelan ...

. *21 October - A church service is held in

to mark the Northern Ireland centenary, neither

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

or Irish President Michael D. Higgins accepted an invite.

November

* 1 November - A

Translink Translink (or TransLink) may refer to: * TransLink (British Columbia), the public transport operator in Vancouver, Canada * Translink (Northern Ireland) Translink is the brand name of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo), a ...

bus is hijacked and burned in

Newtownards Newtownards is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles (16 km) east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. It is in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of Newtownard ...

by members of the

Protestant Action Force The name Protestant Action Force (PAF) was used by Ulster loyalism, loyalists, especially members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), to claim responsibility for a number of paramilitary attacks during the Troubles. It was first used in this ...

, claiming it to be the start of a campaign against the Northern Ireland Protocol. * 3 November - Anti-Northern Ireland Protocol rallies take place on Lanark Way in West Belfast with fireworks being thrown at police officers. * 8 November -

bus drivers stage a spontaneous walk-out in response to the recent hijacking of a bus in Newtownards. *14 November -

Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...

events take place across Northern Ireland, including a controversial UVF march on the

Shankill Road The Shankill Road () is one of the main roads leading through West Belfast, in Northern Ireland. It runs through the working-class, predominantly loyalist, area known as the Shankill. The road stretches westwards for about from central Belfast a ...

. *17 November – Northern Ireland's ministers vote to introduce mandatory COVID passports for Northern Ireland from December, which will need to be produced for entry into pubs, restaurants and nightclubs. *21 November – Justice Minister

Naomi Long Naomi Rachel Long MLA (née Johnston; born 13 December 1971) is a Northern Irish politician who served as Minister of Justice in the Northern Ireland Executive from January 2020 to October 2022. She has served as leader of the Alliance Party ...

describes plans drawn up in a government document to give her department responsibility for raising the compliance level of wearing face coverings to at least 80% as "highly inappropriate". *26 November -

Storm Arwen Storm Arwen was a powerful extratropical cyclone that was part of the 2021–22 European windstorm season. It affected the United Kingdom, Ireland and France, bringing strong winds and snow. Storm Arwen caused at least three fatalities and wides ...

swept across Northern Ireland, with a man in Antrim being killed by a falling tree.

December

*4 December – The annual Lundy Parade is held in Derry, the first full event since 2019. *6 December - Stormont announces it will begin debating a ban on hunting with dogs in Northern Ireland. *7 December - Thousands of homes lose power as

Storm Barra Storm Barra was a hurricane-force extratropical bomb cyclone in the North Atlantic Ocean that impacted Ireland and the United Kingdom with damaging gusts and heavy rainfall. Barra was also the reason for one of Navarre in Spain's worst floods in ...

hits the

British isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

. *13 December – COVID Passes become enforceable for hospitality businesses in Northern Ireland, with a £10,000 fine for any venue that does not comply. *20 December - Due to the rise in COVID cases,

Queen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

announces that it will return to remote learning in January. *26 December - COVID-19-related restrictions are reintroduced, which includes closing nightclubs and banning indoor seating at events, restricting socialisation to three households, and reintroducing the rule of six at bars, restaurants, and pubs that only offer table service.

Deaths

January

5 January - James Greene (b 1931), actor.

February

3 February -

James Fenton James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

(b 1931), poet. 5 February -

Ernie Tate Ernie Tate (24 May 1934 – 5 February 2021) was a long-standing supporter and leading member of Trotskyist groups in Canada and the United Kingdom and a founder in the 1960s of the International Marxist Group and Vietnam Solidarity Campaign in B ...

(b 1934), anti-war activist.

March

4 March - Jimmy Spratt (b 1951), politician. 8 March -

Danny McAlinden Danny McAlinden (1 June 1947 – 8 March 2021) was a heavyweight boxer from Northern Ireland who was British and Commonwealth champion in 1972 when he defeated Jack Bodell in two rounds at the Aston Villa football ground. McAlinden nick named "D ...

(b 1947), boxer. 11 March - Ken Wilkinson, Loyalist activist. 15 March - Jim Dornan (b 1948), obstetrician and gynecologist.

May

13 May - Seamus Deane (b 1940), poet.

June

11 June - Lucinda Riley (b 1966), author 20 June -

Gordon Dunne Gordon Dunne (4 April 1959 – 20 June 2021) was a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland representing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Dunne was a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) from 2011 to 2021, representing North ...

(b 1959), politician

July

17 July -

James McConnell James Edward McConnell (1815–1883) was one of the first locomotive engineers of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR). He was Locomotive Superintendent of the LNWR's Southern Division at Wolverton railway works from 1847 to 1862 and o ...

(b 1937), pastor

August

9 August - Colm McKinstry (b 1949), Gaelic football manager. 29 August - Rodney Rice (b 1944), Journalist.

October

4 October -

Terry Eades Terry Gerald Eades (5 March 1944 — 4 October 2021) was a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played in Football League for Cambridge United and Watford. Career Eades made his debut in senior football for Chelmsford City on 20 M ...

(b 1944), Footballer. 28 October -

Davy Tweed David Alexander Tweed (13 November 1959 – 28 October 2021) was a Northern Irish politician, Irish rugby union international and alleged serial child sex offender. He served as a Traditional Unionist Voice councillor on Ballymena Borough Counci ...

(b 1959) Rugby player and politician.

November

30 November -

Barney Carr Charles Oliver "Barney" Carr (27 August 1897 – 19 January 1971) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League during the 1920s. A centreman, Carr played 130 games with St Kilda and represented ...

(b 1923), Gaelic footballer.

References

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