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 is serving as Chair of Intertrade UK since September 2024. She previously served as First ...

(until 14 June) ** ''Vacant'' (14–17 June) **

Paul Givan Paul Jonathan Givan (born 12 October 1981) is a Northern Irish unionist politician who served as First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2021 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Unio ...

(from 17 June) * deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland –

Michelle O'Neill Michelle O'Neill ( Doris; born 10 January 1977) is an Irish politician who has been First Minister of Northern Ireland since February 2024 and President of Sinn Féin#Vice Presidents, Vice President of Sinn Féin since 2018. She has also been ...

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland The secretary of state for Northern Ireland (; ), also referred to as Northern Ireland Secretary or SoSNI, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the Northern Ireland Office. The offi ...

–

Brandon Lewis Sir 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 201 ...

Events

January

*1 January - First freight arrives in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

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 The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, commonly abbreviated to the Northern Ireland Protocol (NIP), is a protocol to the Brexit withdrawal agreement that sets out Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit relationship with both the EU and Great Bri ...

. *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 Peter Lindsay Weir ( ; born 21 August 1944) is a retired Australian film director. He is known for directing films crossing various genres over forty years with films such as '' Picnic at Hanging Rock'' (1975), '' Gallipoli'' (1981), '' The Y ...

announces that

GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a range of subjects taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, having been introduced in September 1986 and its first exams taken in 1988. State schools ...

, 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 ...

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 The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is a health and social care trust in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has be ...

, 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 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 and other loyalist groups tell Prime Minister Boris Johnson that they are withdrawing support for the

Good Friday Agreement The Good Friday Agreement (GFA) or Belfast Agreement ( or ; or ) is a pair of agreements signed on 10 April (Good Friday) 1998 that ended most of the violence of the Troubles, an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland since the la ...

in opposition to the

. *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

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 Loyalist Communities Council, David Campbell, says that the

is under threat under the current conditions of

Brexit Brexit (, a portmanteau of "Britain" and "Exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Brexit officially took place at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February ...

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 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, Numeral (linguistics), numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest Positive number, positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in o ...

. 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 Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...

begin rioting in parts of

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry, is the second-largest City status in the United Kingdom, city in Northern Ireland, and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. Located in County Londonderry, the city now covers both banks of the River Fo ...

and

Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...

in response to the introduction of the

and PPS decision not to prosecute

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

for attending the funeral of

Bobby Storey Robert Storey (11 April 1956 – 21 June 2020) was a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteer from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Prior to an 18-year conviction for possessing a rifle, he also spent time on remand for a variety of charge ...

. This is the beginning of the 2021 Northern Ireland riots.

April

* 2 April - Following a protest on

Sandy Row Sandy Row () is an inner city area of south Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is predominantly Protestant working-class. In 2018, the population was estimated to be around 4,000. It is a staunchly loyalist area and heartland of the paramilitary U ...

, a riot erupts and Ulster Loyalists attack the

PSNI The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; ; Ulster-Scots: '), is the police service responsible for law enforcement and the prevention of crime within Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) after it w ...

with bottles, bricks, petrol bombs and fireworks. Eight people are arrested in total. * 3 April - Riots break out in Loyalist areas of Newtonabbey, multiple vehicles are hijacked and set ablaze, and petrol bombs thrown at police. * 4 April - Minor events continue during rioting in Newtonabbey, with further disturbances taking place on the North Road area of

Carrickfergus Carrickfergus ( , meaning " Fergus' rock") is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It sits on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 28,141 at the 2021 census. It is County Antrim's oldest t ...

. 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 some variety of ...

take place in areas such as

Portadown Portadown ( ) is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is based on the River Bann in the north of the county, about southwest of Belfast. It is in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area and had a population ...

Ballymena Ballymena ( ; from , meaning 'the middle townland') is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 31,205 people at the 2021 United Kingdom census, making it the List of localities in Northern Ireland by population, seven ...

and

Markethill Markethill is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is beside Gosford Forest Park. It had a population of 1,647 people in the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 census. This article contains quotations from this source, which is availabl ...

. PSNI say the parades breach COVID-19 regulations and have not been authorized by the

Parades Commission The Parades Commission is a quasi-judicial non-departmental public body responsible for placing restrictions on any parades in Northern Ireland it deems contentious or offensive. It is composed of seven members, all of whom are appointed by the ...

. * 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. 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, which also publishes the Irish Independent, the Sunday Independent and various other newspapers and magazines in Ireland. Its e ...

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

Northern Ireland Assembly The Northern Ireland Assembly (; ), often referred to by the metonym ''Stormont'', is the devolved unicameral legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliam ...

calls for an immediate end to the rioting, with

MLAs A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected to sit in a legislative assembly. The term most commonly refers to members of the legislature of a federated state or an autonomous region, but is also used for several nationa ...

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

Springfield Road The Springfield Road () 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. Along parts of the road are several interface are ...

, police respond by using

water cannon A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-velocity stream of water. Typically, a water cannon can deliver a large volume of water, often over dozens of meters. They are used in firefighting, large vehicle washing, riot control, and mining. ...

s. A

police dog A police dog, also known as a K-9 (phonemic abbreviation of canine), is a dog that is trained to assist police and other law enforcement officers. Their duties may include searching for drugs and explosives, locating missing people, findin ...

and 19 officers are injured. * 9 April - ** Flags fly at half mast at Stormont following the death of

Prince Philip Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 19219 April 2021), was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he was the consort of the British monarch from h ...

. **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. Histo ...

area of North Belfast. A car is also set alight. * 10 April - As the

Department of Health A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their o ...

announces that the milestone of a million COVID-19 vaccinations has been reached in Northern Ireland, Health Minister Robin Swann describes it as "a landmark". * 11 April - The

Loyalist paramilitary Ulster loyalism is a strand of Ulster unionism associated with working class Ulster Protestants in Northern Ireland. Like other unionists, loyalists support the continued existence of Northern Ireland (and formerly all of Ireland) within the U ...

group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), reportedly orders the removal of

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

families from a housing estate in

. *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, Derry. A train on the Belfast to Derry route avoids a collision. * 13 April - Health Minister Robin Swann 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 parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is near the main A6 road (Northern Ireland), A6 Belfast to Derry road, which bypasses the town. It lies where the river ...

; an Army bomb squad makes the device safe. The

New IRA New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

are blamed for the attempted attack. *22 April - The

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) is the statutory fire and rescue service for Northern Ireland. The NIFRS is overseen by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board, which in turn is subordinate to the Department of H ...

begins tackling a

wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...

in the

Mourne Mountains The Mourne Mountains ( ; ), also called the Mournes or the Mountains of Mourne, are a predominantly granite mountain range in County Down in the south-east of Northern Ireland. They include the highest mountain in all of Ulster, Slieve Donard ...

near

Newcastle, County Down Newcastle is a small seaside resort town in County Down, Northern Ireland, which had a population of 8,298 at the United Kingdom Census 2021, 2021 Census. It lies by the Irish Sea at the foot of Slieve Donard, the highest of the Mourne Mountain ...

. *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 Unionism in Ireland, unionist, Ulster loyalism, loyalist, British nationalist and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who ...

leader on 28 May, 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 During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions, particularly lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions), were implemented in numero ...

, 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. It corresponds to the US hundredweight, and is roughly equal to 99.05 pounds, or 45.02 kilogram The kilogram (also spelled kilogramme) is the base unit of mass in the Inte ...

, 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, the 'NI100' term was used for marketing purposes. *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 Unionism in Ireland, unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded as the Ulster Unionist Council in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it l ...

leader Steve Aiken 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 the manner or cause of death. The official may also 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 cor ...

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 eleven civilians in Ballymurphy, Belfast, Northern Ireland, as part of Operation Demetri ...

were innocent

civilian A civilian is a person who is not a member of an armed force. It is war crime, illegal under the law of armed conflict to target civilians with military attacks, along with numerous other considerations for civilians during times of war. If a civi ...

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

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

. **

Derry City and Strabane District Council Derry City and Strabane District Council (; Ulster-Scots: ''Derry Cittie & Stràbane Destrìck Cooncil'') is the local authority for Derry and Strabane district in Northern Ireland. It was created as part of the 2014 Northern Ireland local go ...

confirms the

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is a biennial sailing 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 ...

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 The Common Travel Area (CTA; , ) is an open borders area comprising the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. The British Overseas Territories are not included. Governed by non-binding agreements ...

, allowing spectators to attend sporting events, and allowing for the reopening of libraries and museums. *14 May -

Edwin Poots Edwin Poots (born 27 May 1965) is a British politician from Northern Ireland, serving as Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly since February 2024. He served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from May to June 2021. He was fir ...

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. It also has lodges in England, Grand Orange Lodge of ...

confirms the

Twelfth of July The Twelfth (also called Orangemens' Day) is a primarily 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 Ora ...

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, shipping line company and one of the world's largest ferry operators. It services Denmark, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Finland and Sweden. Stena Line is a ...

announces a new weekend ferry route between

and

Holyhead Holyhead (; , "Cybi's fort") is a historic port town, and is the list of Anglesey towns by population, largest town and a Community (Wales), community in the county of Isle of Anglesey, Wales. Holyhead is on Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island ...

, 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 **

assumes the roll of First minister despite D.U.P members objecting. * 22 June -

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson Sir Jeffrey Mark Donaldson (born 7 December 1962) is a Northern Irish former politician, who served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 2021 to 2024 and leader of the DUP in the UK House of Commons from 2019 to 2024. He was t ...

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 Stephen Raymond Nolan (born 20 August 1973) is a Northern Irish radio and television presenter for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio 5 Live. Nolan is the highest earning BBC broadcaster in Northern Ireland. In the 2023–2024 financial year h ...

takes legal action against an online troll and is to receive a six figure payout for damages. * 6 July - Deputy First Minister

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 the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

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

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 Orangemens' Day) is a primarily 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 Ora ...

. *13 July - At the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

SDLP The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP; ) is a social democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Ireland Assembly ( MLAs) and two members of Parliament (MPs ...

leader

Colum Eastwood Colum Eastwood (born 30 April 1983) is an Irish nationalism, Irish nationalist politician who served as Social Democratic and Labour Party, Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) from 2015 to 2024. He has served as the Member o ...

uses parliamentary privilege to name Soldier F, the British soldier whose identity was hidden following a murder trial into his participation in Bloody Sunday 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 Bloody Sunday 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 (; short name '')'', commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA, or football, is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score ...

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), Monaghan barony. The population of the town as of the 2022 cen ...

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

Croke Park Croke Park (, ) 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 headquarters of the Gaelic At ...

August

*5 August - The Armagh weather observatory announces that

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

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, also known as an urban core, is the Commerce, commercial, Culture, cultural and often the historical, Politics, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely e ...

. 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 ...

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

officers. *21 August - PSNI are investigating reports of firearms being used by masked

Irish Republicans Irish republicanism () is the political movement for an Irish republic, void of any British rule. Throughout its centuries of existence, it has encompassed various tactics and identities, simultaneously elective and militant and has been both w ...

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

Royal Black Institution The Imperial Grand Black Chapter of the British Commonwealth, or simply the Royal Black Institution,

holds its Last Saturday parades for the first time since 2019, with 17,000 marchers and bandsmen taking part. *31 August - Deputy First Minister

confirms that she has been diagnosed with

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

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 (1882–1950), Ireland national football team from 1880 to 1950, which after 1954, became t ...

is criticized due to ticket pricing ahead of the

World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...

qualifier match against

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

Windsor Park The National Football Stadium at Windsor Park (officially the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park for sponsorship reasons), or the National Football Stadium, also known as Windsor Park is a association football, football stadium in B ...

. *11 September - In

, Tyrone defeats Mayo in the

2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final The 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final was the 134th Final (competition), final of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the culmination of the 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. The match was played at Cro ...

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

. 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 in East Belfast in protest of the

. *21 September – Deputy First Minister

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

announces it has banned a centenary parade from entering the

Kilcoole Kilcoole () is a town in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is south of Greystones, north of Wicklow, and about south of Dublin. The town is in a townland and civil parish of the same name. Kilcoole was used as a filming location for the Irish tele ...

area of Belfast due to it being a mixed area. The North Belfast

Orange Lodge 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. It also has lodges in England, Scotland, Wales and th ...

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 The Northern Ireland Executive (Irish language, Irish: ''Feidhmeannas Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster Scots: ''Norlin Airlan Executive'') is the devolution, devolved government of Northern Ireland, an administrative branc ...

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 union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

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

Irish Sea The Irish Sea is a body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel and to the Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland in the north by the North Ch ...

and the

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

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

Mark Allen Mark may refer to: In the Bible * Mark the Evangelist (5–68), traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark * Gospel of Mark, one of the four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels Currencies * Mark (currency), a currenc ...

wins the

2021 Northern Ireland Open The 2021 Northern Ireland Open (officially the 2021 BetVictor Northern Ireland Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 9 to 17 October 2021 at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was the third ran ...

. *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 19268 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. ...

or Irish President

Michael D. Higgins Michael Daniel Higgins (; born 18 April 1941) is an Irish politician, poet, broadcaster, and sociologist who has been serving as the president of Ireland since 2011. Entering national politics through the Labour Party, he served as a senator ...

accepted an invite.

November

* 1 November - A Translink 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 Newtow ...

by members of the Protestant Action Force, claiming it to be the start of a campaign against the

. * 3 November - Anti-Northern Ireland Protocol rallies take place on Lanark Way in West Belfast with fireworks being thrown at police officers. * 8 November - Translink 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 of Nations, Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces me ...

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 ...

. *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 has served as Minister of Justice in the Northern Ireland Executive since February 2024, having previously served from January 2020 to October 202 ...

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 wide ...

swept across Northern Ireland, with a man in

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...

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 hits the

British isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, 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 Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

. *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 The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...

announces that it will return to

remote learning Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance; today, it usually involves online ...

in January. *26 December - COVID-19-related restrictions are reintroduced, which includes closing

nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...

s 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 Martin Fenton (born 25 April 1949) is an English poet, journalist and literary critic. He is a former Oxford Professor of Poetry. Life and career Born in Lincoln, Fenton grew up in Lincolnshire and Staffordshire, the son of Canon Jo ...

(b 1931), poet. 5 February - Ernie Tate (b 1934), anti-war activist.

March

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

Danny McAlinden Daniel McAlinden (1 June 1947 – 8 March 2021) was a boxer from Northern Ireland. He won the British and Commonwealth heavyweight championship in 1972 when he defeated Jack Bodell in two rounds at Aston Villa football ground. Nicknamed "Danger ...

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

May

13 May -

Seamus Deane Seamus Francis Deane (9 February 194012 May 2021) was a Northern Irish poet, novelist, critic, and intellectual historian. He was noted for his debut novel, '' Reading in the Dark'', which won several literary awards and was nominated for the ...

(b 1940), poet.

June

11 June -

Lucinda Riley Lucinda Kate Riley (; 16 February 1965 – 11 June 2021) was a Northern Irish author of popular historical fiction, formerly an actress and ballet dancer. Biography Lucinda Edmonds was born in Lisburn and spent the first few years of her life i ...

(b 1966), author 20 June -

Gordon Dunne Gordon Dunne (4 April 1959 – 20 June 2021) was a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for North Down from 2011 until June 2021. Biography Born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Du ...

(b 1959), politician

July

17 July - James McConnell (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 professional footballer who played in Football League for Cambridge United and Watford. Career Moving to Essex from Northern Ireland as a child, Eades initially played for ...

(b 1944), Footballer. 28 October - Davy Tweed (b 1959) Rugby player and politician.

November

30 November - Barney Carr (b 1923), Gaelic footballer.

References

{{Reflist 2021 in Europe