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2021 in Northern Ireland

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2021
in
Northern Ireland

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Events from the year 2021 in Northern Ireland.

Incumbents

Events

See also: Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland (2021)

January

  • 1 January - First freight arrives in Northern Ireland after the Irish Sea Border comes into effect under the Provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol.[1]
  • 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.[2]
  • 6 January – Education Minister Peter Weir announces that GCSE, AS Level and A Level exams scheduled for summer 2021 will be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
  • 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.[4]
  • 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.[5]
  • 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.[6]
  • 21 January - The lockdown restrictions for Northern Ireland are extended until 5 March.[7]
  • 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.[8]
  • 28 January - The Northern Ireland Executive agrees that most schools in Northern Ireland will not return until at least Monday 8 March.[9]

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 – GCSE, AS and A Level qualifications will be calculated by schools in 2021, it is confirmed.[10]
  • 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).[11]

March

April

  • 2 April - Following a protest on Sandy Row, a riot erupted and Ulster Loyalists attacked the PSNI with bottles, bricks, petrol bombs and fireworks. Eight people are arrested in total.[17]
  • 3 April - Riots break out in Loyalist areas of Newtonabbey, multiple vehicles were hijacked and set ablaze, and petrol bombs were thrown at police.[18][19]
  • 4 April - Minor events continued during rioting in Newtonabbey,[20] with further disturbances taking place on the North Road area of Carrickfergus. Projectiles including bricks, bottles and incendiary devices[21] were used against police.[22]
  • 5 April -
    • PSNI officers are attacked after a call in regards to a suspicious object on Templemore Road in Derry. The report is deeper to be an “elaborate hoax”.[23]
    • A bonfire was built in the middle of North Road in Carrickfergus. Projectiles including petrol bombs were thrown at police.[24]
    • Nine police officers were injured across a Newtonabbey and Carrickfergus.[25]
    • Several unauthorized Loyalist parades take place in areas such as Portadown, Ballymena and Markethill. PSNI claim the parades breached COVID-19 regulations and were not authorized by the Parades Commission.[24]
  • 6 April - Rioters again gathered in Derry and other areas, with vehicles being set alight in the Sperrin Park area of Nelson Drive.
  • 7 April -
    • Rioters gathered in Belfast at the junction of Lanark Way and the Shankhill Road. PSNI officers were once again attacked and a bus was hijacked and set alight.[26]
    • A Belfast Telegraph photographer is attacked whilst reporting on the riots in Belfast.[27]
  • 8 April -
  • 9 April -
  • 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 Robin Swann describes it as "a landmark".[33]
  • 11 April - the Loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), reportedly orders the removal of Catholic families from a housing estate in Carrickfergus.[34]
  • 12 April -
    • School pupils across Northern Ireland return to the classrooms following the strict COVID-19 lockdown.[33]
    • A burning vehicle was left on the train line near Bellarena, Derry. A train on the Belfast to Derry route avoided a collision.[35]
  • 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.[36]
  • 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.[37]
  • 19 April -A female PSNI officer discovers an explosive device behind her vehicle in Dungiven, the Army bomb squad made the device safe, the New IRA have been blamed for the attempted attack.[38]
  • 22 April - The New IRA issues a statement, admitting to the bomb plot in Dungiven days prior.[39]
  • 23 April - Firefighters begin tackling a wildfire in the Mourne Mountains near Newcastle, County Down.[40]
  • 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.[41]
  • 28 April - Arlene Foster announces that she would resign as Democratic Unionist Party 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.[42]
  • 29 April - Following a strict Covid-19 lockdown, non-essential businesses reopen, including outdoor service at pubs and restaurants.[43]

May

  • 1 May - In a Centenary poll ran by Kantar, 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 unites Ireland.[44]
  • May 3 - Northern Ireland celebrates its centenary.[45]
  • 5 May - The Housing Executive reports a 150% increase in the number of people seeking emergency accommodation during 2020.[46]
  • 8 May - Ulster Unionist Party leader Steve Aiken announces he is stepping down as party leader.[47]
  • 11 May -
  • 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 is selected as the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party.[50]
  • 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.[51]
  • 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.[52]
  • 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.[53]
  • 28 May - Edwin Poots is ratified as the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party.[54]

June

July

August

Deaths

January

5 January - James Greene (b 1931), actor.[76]

February

3 February - James Fenton (b 1931), poet.[77]

5 February - Ernie Tate (b 1934), anti-war activist.[78]

March

4 March - Jimmy Spratt (b 1951), politician.[79]

8 March - Danny McAlinden (b 1947), boxer.[80]

11 March - Ken Wilkinson, Loyalist activist.[81]

15 March - Jim Dornan (b 1948), obstetrician and gynecologist.

May

13 May - Seamus Deane (b 1940), poet.[82]

June

11 June - Lucinda Riley (b 1966), author[83]

20 June - Gordon Dunne (b 1959), politician[84]

July

17 July - James McConnell (b 1937), pastor[85]

August

9 August - Colm McKinstry (b 1949), Gaelic football manager.[86]

29 August - Rodney Rice (b 1944), Journalist.[87]

References

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  52. ^ "Covid-19: Indoor hospitality set to reopen in NI on Monday". BBC News. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
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  87. ^ Libreri, Samantha (29 August 2021). "Journalist and broadcaster Rodney Rice dies aged 76". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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