The Privy Council of Northern Ireland is a formal body of advisors to the sovereign and was a vehicle for the monarch's

prerogative power The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy, as belonging to the sovereign and which have become widely vested in the ...

s in Northern Ireland. It was modelled on the Privy Council of Ireland. The council was created in 1922 as a result of the division of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

into the

Irish Free State The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between ...

and

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 ...

. The latter remained part of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, albeit with its own

parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

. The previous Privy Council of Ireland was obsolete although never formally abolished in British law. The Privy Council of Northern Ireland consisted of senior members of the

Government of Northern Ireland The government of Northern Ireland is, generally speaking, whatever political body exercises political authority over Northern Ireland. A number of separate systems of government exist or have existed in Northern Ireland. Following the partitio ...

, including the

Prime Minister of Northern Ireland The prime minister of Northern Ireland was the head of the Government of Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920; however, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, as with governo ...

; its members were appointed for life. The council rarely met and was largely a ceremonial body with its responsibilities exercised by the Cabinet. The last appointments were made in 1971, after which it was effectively abolished when the office of Governor of Northern Ireland and the

Parliament of Northern Ireland The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended because of its inability to restore ord ...

were formally abolished in 1973 and its powers were transferred to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, a member of the

British Cabinet The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the senior decision-making body of His Majesty's Government. A committee of the Privy Council, it is chaired by the prime minister and its members include secretaries of state and other senior ministers. ...

. Members are entitled to use the prefix ''

The Right Honourable ''The Right Honourable'' (abbreviation: ''Rt Hon.'' or variations) is an honorific Style (form of address), style traditionally applied to certain persons and collective bodies in the United Kingdom, the former British Empire and the Commonwealth ...

'', whilst peers who are members use the post-nominal letters PC (NI). Two members are still living as of May 2022: Lord Kilclooney (appointed 1970) and

Robin Bailie The Rt Hon. Robin John Bailie, PC (NI) (born 6 March 1937), is a Northern Irish solicitor and former politician. Biography Bailie was born in Toomebridge, County Antrim. He studied at the Rainey Endowed School and Queen's University, Belfas ...

(appointed 1971).

Notable members

* Sir Jack Andrews * J. M. Andrews * Sir Anthony Babington * Sir Milne Barbour * Richard Best * Arthur Black * The 1st Viscount Brookeborough * The 1st Viscount Craigavon * Bill Craig * Sir Lancelot Curran *

Brian Faulkner Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, (18 February 1921 – 3 March 1977), was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972. He was also the chief executive ...

George Boyle Hanna George Boyle Hanna, KC (17 December 1877 – 30 October 1938) was a Northern Irish barrister, unionist politician and county court judge. He was born at Linen Hall Street in Ballymena, County Antrim, the son of auctioneer Robert Hanna and Mar ...

Sir Edward Warburton Jones Sir Edward Warburton Jones PC(NI) PC QC (3 July 1912 – 17 March 1993), was a Northern Irish barrister, judge and politician. Jones, son of a Resident Magistrate, was educated at Portora Royal School and Trinity College Dublin. He was called ...

* Sir Basil Kelly *

Herbert Kirk Herbert Victor Kirk PC (5 June 1912 – 4 March 2006) was an Ulster Unionist cabinet minister in Parliament of Northern Ireland. Early life Born in Belfast, Kirk studied at Queen's University, Belfast before becoming an accountant. Career K ...

William Lowry The Rt Hon. William Lowry, PC (NI), KC (19 March 1884 – 14 December 1949), was a Northern Irish barrister, judge, Ulster Unionist Party Member of Parliament, and Attorney General for Northern Ireland Career Born in Limavady, he was educated ...

* The Lord MacDermott *

Brian Maginess William Brian Maginess, QC (10 July 1901 – 16 April 1967), was a member of the Government of Northern Ireland, who was widely seen as a possible successor to The 1st Viscount Brookeborough as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Life He was ...

* The Lord Moyola *

Edward Sullivan Murphy Edward Sullivan Murphy PC(NI) KC (3 February 1880 – 3 December 1945) was an Irish barrister, judge and politician. He was brother-in-law to the first Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Sir Denis Henry, Bt. (they both married daughters ...

* Sir Ivan Neill * The Lord O'Neill of the Maine * Hugh MacDowell Pollock * John Maynard Sinclair *

Edmond Warnock John Edmond Warnock PC(NI) KC (1887–19 December 1971Ian McAllister and Richard Rose, ''United Kingdom Facts'', p.60) was an Irish barrister and politician. Born in Belfast, he was educated at Methodist College Belfast and Trinity College, Dub ...

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Notable members

Footnotes

See also