2010 in Northern Ireland
Encyclopedia
January
- 6 January - Ulster Defence AssociationUlster Defence AssociationThe Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
(UDA) confirms that all weaponry under its control has been put verifiably beyond use. - 8 January - PSNIPolice Service of Northern IrelandThe Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
Constable Peadar Heffron seriously injured as a bomb explodes under his car in RandalstownRandalstownRandalstown is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, located between the towns of Antrim and Toome. It had a population of 4,956 people in the 2001 Census. It has a very prominent disused railway viaduct and lies beside Lough Neagh and the Shane's Castle estate...
. Dissident republicans have been blamed for the attack. - 8 January - Iris Robinson scandalIris Robinson scandalThe Iris Robinson scandal, also known as Irisgate, was a political scandal in Northern Ireland which came to light in early January 2010. In a televised interview on 6 January Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland's First Minister, revealed that his wife Iris Robinson, had an affair in 2008 and...
emerges. - 11 January - Peter RobinsonPeter Robinson (politician)Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
temporarily steps aside as First MinisterFirst Minister and deputy First MinisterThe First Minister and the Deputy First Minister , sometimes abbreviated to FM/DFM, are positions in the Northern Ireland...
, designating Arlene FosterArlene FosterArlene Isabel Foster is a politician in Northern Ireland. She is one of two Democratic Unionist Party MLAs representing the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. She became Minister of the Environment on 8 May 2009 and was subsequently reshuffled into the...
to act in his place. - 20 January - Talks between Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
and the DUPDemocratic Unionist PartyThe Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
about the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland administration come to an end. - 23 January - Sinn Féin party executive meets to discuss talks position.
- 25 January - Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Gordon BrownGordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
and TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Brian CowenBrian CowenBrian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
travel to Hillsborough CastleHillsborough CastleHillsborough Castle is an official government residence in Northern Ireland. It is the residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and the official residence in Northern Ireland of HM Queen Elizabeth II The Secretary of State combines two roles...
for talks with the parties. - 26 January - The two Prime Ministers remain in the Hillsborough Castle talks and all-party discussions begin.
- 27 January - The two Prime Ministers leave without an agreement being reached, giving the parties 48 hours to reach agreement, otherwise the governments would publish plans for moving the political process forward.
- 31 January - Talks, which have continued all week, break for the day with reports of "considerable progress" having been made.
- 31 January - At the annual Bloody SundayBloody Sunday (1972)Bloody Sunday —sometimes called the Bogside Massacre—was an incident on 30 January 1972 in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland, in which twenty-six unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders were shot by soldiers of the British Army...
commemoration march, the victim's families call for the immediate release of the delayed Saville InquiryBloody Sunday InquiryThe Bloody Sunday Inquiry, also known as the Saville Inquiry or the Saville Report after its chairman, Lord Saville of Newdigate, was established in 1998 by British Prime Minister Tony Blair after campaigns for a second inquiry by families of those killed and injured in Derry on Bloody Sunday...
report.
February
- 3 February - Peter Robinson resumes role as First Minister, but has yet to convince his party to accept a deal.
- 5 February - Justice and policing powers to be devolved to Northern Ireland's power-sharing government from 12 April 2010 following agreement between Sinn Féin and the DUP. Endorsed by presence of British and Irish Prime Ministers.
- 6 February - Mark DurkanMark DurkanMark Durkan is an Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland who was leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party from 2001 to 2010.-Early life:...
delivers his final address to the SDLPSocial Democratic and Labour PartyThe Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
as party leader at its annual conference in Newcastle, County DownNewcastle, County DownNewcastle is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,444 people recorded in the 2001 Census. The seaside resort lies on the Irish Sea coast at the base of Slieve Donard, one of the Mourne Mountains, and is known for its sandy beach and the Royal County Down Golf Club...
, where a new leader will be elected. - 7 February - SDLP elect Margaret Ritchie (current Minister for Social DevelopmentDepartment for Social DevelopmentThe Department for Social Development is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister for Social Development.-Aim:...
) as new party leader, becoming the first female leader of a major NI party. - 19 February - Mortar bomb is abandoned near a police station in KeadyKeadyKeady is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated south of Armagh city and very close to the border with the Republic of Ireland. The town had a population of 2,960 people in the 2001 Census....
, supposedly by Dissident republicans, leading to a long security alert. - 22 February - Car bomb weighing up to 250lbs explodes outside NewryNewryNewry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
Courthouse damaging buildings. No-one was killed or injured and Dissident republicans are blamed for the attack.
March
- 9 March - Cross-community vote on devolving policing and justice powers to be held in the NI Assembly.
- 17 March - Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinnessMartin McGuinnessJames Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
to meet President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
April
- 12 April - Justice and policing powers to be devolved to Northern Ireland's power-sharing government.
May
- 6 May - 2010 UK General Election takes place and the results for Northern Ireland are: Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist PartyThe Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(8 Seats), Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
(5 Seats), SDLPSocial Democratic and Labour PartyThe Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
(3 Seats), AllianceAlliance Party of Northern IrelandThe Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
(1 Seat) and IndependentSylvia HermonSylvia Eileen Hermon, Lady Hermon is a Northern Irish politician. Since 2001, she has been the Member of Parliament for the constituency of North Down, first elected for the Ulster Unionist Party , but now an independent...
(1 Seat). The First Minister of Northern Ireland Peter Robinson lost his seat of Belfast EastBelfast East (UK Parliament constituency)Belfast East is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Naomi Long of the Alliance Party, elected in 2010...
to Naomi Long of the Alliance Party, giving the Alliance Party its first Westminster seat since 1974.
September
- 22 September - Tom ElliottTom ElliottTom Elliott MLA is a Northern Ireland Ulster Unionist MLA and the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and former UDR member...
is electedUlster Unionist Party leadership election, 2010An election for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party was held on 22 September 2010.-Background:Following poor results in the UK general election, 2005, the UUP held a leadership election, in which Reg Empey was successful...
to be leader of the Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(UUP).
November
- 14 November - Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams announces that he plans to step down as an MP and Stormont assembly member to stand for election in the Irish Republic.
December
- 29 December - Thousands of bottles of bottled water are sent to Northern Ireland by the Scottish Government to help supply households cut off from mains supplies
Government
- Secretary of State for Northern IrelandSecretary of State for Northern IrelandThe Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
- Shaun WoodwardShaun WoodwardShaun Anthony Woodward is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for St Helens South since 2001. He served in the Cabinet from 28 June 2007 to 11 May 2010 as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland...
until May 11, 2010. Succeeded by Owen PatersonOwen PatersonOwen William Paterson is a British Conservative Party politician and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. He is the Member of Parliament for North Shropshire.-Early life and career:Paterson was born in Whitchurch, Shropshire...
. - First Minister - Peter RobinsonPeter Robinson (politician)Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
- Acting First Minister - Arlene FosterArlene FosterArlene Isabel Foster is a politician in Northern Ireland. She is one of two Democratic Unionist Party MLAs representing the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. She became Minister of the Environment on 8 May 2009 and was subsequently reshuffled into the...
(from 11 January 2010 to 3 February 2010) - Deputy First Minister - Martin McGuinnessMartin McGuinnessJames Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
Arts and literature
- 26 January - Blue plaque unveiled at Montrose Street South, BallymacarrettBallymacarrettBallymacarrett or Ballymacarret is the name of both a townland and electoral ward in Belfast. The townland is in County Down and the electoral ward is part of the Pottinger district electoral area of Belfast City Council....
, Belfast, the location of the house playwright Sam ThompsonSam Thompson (writer)Sam Thompson was a Northern Irish playwright best known for his controversial plays Over the Bridge, which exposes sectarianism, and Cemented with Love, which focuses on political corruption...
was born in, on the 50th anniversary of the first performance of his controversial play Over The Bridge. - 26 January - Formation of Opera Company NI is announced, funded by the Arts Council of Northern IrelandArts Council of Northern IrelandThe Arts Council of Northern Ireland is the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland....
, and incorporating the best resources from Castleward OperaCastleward OperaCastleward Opera was a Northern Ireland opera company which staged an annual opera festival at Castle Ward, a National Trust House near Strangford in County Down. It was founded in 1985 by Ian Urwin and Jack Smith, with performances taking place in a converted stable on the grounds of the castle...
and Opera Fringe. - 31 January - Successful Belfast4Haiti music events are held in Belfast - One day, One cause, 50 Acts.
- 15-30 October - 48th Ulster BankUlster BankUlster Bank is a large commercial bank, one of the Big Four in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Ulster Bank Group is subdivided into two separate legal entities, Ulster Bank Limited and Ulster Bank Ireland Limited...
Belfast Festival at Queen'sBelfast Festival at Queen'sThe Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's is an annual arts festival held in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The 49th Festival will take place from 14 to 31 October 2011.-History:...
.
Sport
- 21 January - Kris MeekeKris MeekeKris Meeke is a professional rally driver. He was the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion. His current co-driver is Paul Nagle...
, winner of the Intercontinental Rally ChallengeIntercontinental Rally ChallengeThe Intercontinental Rally Challenge is a rallying series organised by SRW Ltd and sanctioned by the FIA, aiming to "give new opportunities to young or amateur rally drivers competing in recognised regional and international rallies, while offering organisers an innovative TV format concept,...
title in 2009, crashes out of the Monte Carlo RallyMonte Carlo RallyThe Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
for the second year running. - 23 January - Antrim International Cross Country Races.
- 3 May - Deep RiverRock Belfast City MarathonBelfast MarathonThe Belfast Marathon is a marathon run every year in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The marathon is run on May Day of each year and has been held for 29 years . In 2011 there were over 20,000 race participants....
. - 26-30 July - Northern Ireland Milk CupMilk CupThe Milk Cup is an international youth football tournament held annually in Northern Ireland. The cup matches are mainly played in the North Coast area of Northern Ireland, with matches taking place in the towns of Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock, Limavady, Coleraine, Ballymoney, Ballymena and...
2010, ColeraineColeraineColeraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
.
Rugby Union
- 6 January - Ireland 29-11 Italy
- 13 February - France 33-10 Ireland
- 27 February - England 16-20 Ireland
- 13 March - Ireland-Wales
- 20 March - Ireland-Scotland
GAA
- 17 March - St. GallsSt. GallsSt. Galls is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.In 2010, they won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship, their first title by defeating Kilmurray Ibrickane of Clare in the final at Croke Park....
(Antrim) defeat Kilmurry Ibrickane (Clare) to win the All-Ireland Senior Club Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Club Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...
for the first time in club history. - 18 July - TyroneTyrone GAAThe Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
defeat MonaghanMonaghan GAAThe Monaghan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Monaghan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Monaghan and the Monaghan inter-county football and hurling teams. Separate county boards are responsible for the...
1-14 to 0-7 to win the Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipUlster Senior Football ChampionshipFor information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
. - 19 September - Cork defeat DownDown GAAThe Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
0-16 to 0-15 to win the All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
, while Tyrone defeat Cork 1-13 to 1-12 in the Minor finalAll-Ireland Minor Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
.
Deaths
- 12 January - Allen McClayAllen McClaySir Allen McClay, CBE was a Northern Irish multi-millionaire businessman and philanthropist who founded Galen , a pharmaceutical company which was Northern Ireland's first one billion pound business. After resigning from Galen in 2001, he went on to form a second successful pharmaceutical company,...
, businessman and philanthropist (b.19321932 in Northern Ireland-Events:*5 July - The Chapel of the Holy Spirit in St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast is dedicated.*16 November - Edward, Prince of Wales travels to Belfast for the first time to open the new Parliament buildings....
)