1973 in Northern Ireland
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File:Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election_1973.png
Events during the year 1973 in Northern Ireland.
Incumbents
Events
- 8 March – Northern Ireland sovereignty referendum (the "Border Poll"): 98.9% of those voting in the province want Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom. Turnout is 58.7%, although less than 1% for Catholics.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/9/newsid_2516000/2516477.stm|work=On This Day|title=Northern Ireland votes for union|publisher=BBC News|date=9 March 1973|accessdate=19 June 2012}}
- 20 March – A UK government White Paper on Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Constitutional Proposals, proposes the re-establishment of an Assembly elected by proportional representation, with a possible All-Ireland council.
- 2 April – Special Powers Act 1922 is replaced by the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act{{cite web |url=http://www.larkspirit.com/history/chronology.html |title=Larkspirit Irish History |publisher=Larkspirit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423022915/http://larkspirit.com/history/chronology.html |archivedate=23 April 2009}} abolishing the death penalty for murder in Northern Ireland and establishing the Diplock courts.
- 28 June – Northern Ireland Assembly election.
- 18 July – The office of Governor of Northern Ireland, at this time held by The Lord Grey of Naunton, is abolished under Section 32 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=94hgYO8I6T0C&dq=abolished+%22governor+of+northern+ireland%22&pg=PA545|title=A New History of Ireland|first1=Theodore William|last1=Moody|first2=Francis|last2=John|year=1976|isbn=978-0-19-821745-9}} The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, a UK cabinet office created in 1972, takes over the functions of the Governor on 20 December 1973 under Letters patent.
- 31 July – Militant protesters of Ian Paisley disrupt the first sitting of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
- 28 August (12:01 AM) – A Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb blows up the monument to the Rev. George Walker (died 1690) on Derry city walls.{{cite news|title=Siege hero Walker felled in midnight blast|newspaper=Derry Journal|date=2 July 2010|url=http://www.derryjournal.com/news/local/siege-hero-walker-felled-in-midnight-blast-1-2147025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121110610/http://www.derryjournal.com/news/local/siege-hero-walker-felled-in-midnight-blast-1-2147025|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 January 2013|accessdate=1 August 2012}}
- 1 November – James Flanagan, first and only Roman Catholic Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, replaces Graham Shillington.
- 9 December – The Sunningdale Agreement is signed by British Prime Minister Edward Heath, Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave, Brian Faulkner, Gerry Fitt and Oliver Napier.
Arts and literature
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Sport
=Football=
Births
- 26 January – Brendan Rodgers, footballer and manager.
- 2 March – Peter Hutton, footballer.
- 17 March – David McCann, professional road bicycle racer.
- 16 July – Juliet Turner, singer.
- 20 August – Stephen Nolan, radio and television presenter.
- 12 November – Chris Walker, footballer.
=Full date unknown=
- Philip McGuigan, Sinn Féin councillor and former MLA.
Deaths
- 19 January – Max Adrian, actor (born 1903).
- 8 April – E. R. Dodds, classical scholar (born 1893).
- 9 April – Warren Lewis, soldier and historian, brother of C. S. Lewis (born 1895).
- 21 May – Eugene O'Callaghan, Bishop of Clogher 1943–1969 (born 1888).
- 22 May – Harry Baird, footballer (born 1913).
- 18 August – Basil Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough, Ulster Unionist Party MP, third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland (born 1888).
- 15 September – Tommy Herron, prominent member of the Ulster Defence Association.
- Paddy Wilson, SDLP politician (born 1933).