2002 in Northern Ireland

• First Minister - David Trimble (until 14 October)
• deputy First Minister - Mark Durkan (until 14 October)
• Secretary of State - John Reid (until October 24), Paul Murphy (from October 24)

• 9 January – Holy Cross dispute: Confrontations outside Holy Cross Primary School, a Roman Catholic girls' school in the largely Protestant Ardoyne district, during the afternoon school run, explode into widespread sectarian rioting which spreads across north Belfast and continues on 10 January, when the school is closed.{{cite news|last1=Cowan|first1=Rosie|last2=|first2=|title=More schools caught in cycle of hate|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jan/11/northernireland.schools|work=The Guardian|accessdate=10 January 2018|date=11 January 200}}
• 14 February – Kilkeel fishing boat The Tullaghmurray Lass is lost with all three crew in the Irish Sea.{{cite web|title=Search for family postponed|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1891146.stm|work=BBC News|accessdate=10 January 2018|date=25 March 2002}}
• February – West Belfast Task Force recommends creation of the Gaeltacht Quarter, Belfast.{{citation|title=West Belfast Task Force Report|publisher=West Belfast Task Force|date=February 2002|url=http://www.detini.gov.uk/west_belfast_report-_cover___exec_summary.pdf|accessdate=21 August 2012|archive-date=26 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326201620/http://www.detini.gov.uk/west_belfast_report-_cover___exec_summary.pdf|url-status=dead}}
• 14 March – Lisburn and Newry are granted city status.{{cite web|title=Two NI towns awarded city status|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1872287.stm|work=BBC News|date=14 March 2002|accessdate=14 March 2013}}
• 5 April – The first recruits of the new Police Service of Northern Ireland graduate.{{cite web|title=All change for NI police|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1911817.stm|work=BBC News|accessdate=10 January 2018|date=5 April 2002}}
• May – May 2002 Belfast riots{{cite web |title=Man shot in Belfast riots |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1968543.stm |work=BBC News |accessdate=18 June 2018 |date=5 May 2002}}
• 31 May to 3 June – 2002 Short Strand clashes{{cite web |last1=Oliver |first1=Mark |title=Northern Ireland timeline: September 2001 to August 2002 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/aug/29/northernireland.northernireland |website=The Guardian |accessdate=18 June 2018 |date=29 August 2002}}
• 4 October – "Stormontgate": Denis Donaldson, Sinn Féin’s Northern Ireland Assembly group administrator, and two others are arrested for intelligence-gathering.{{cite book|last1=Gillespie|first1=Gordon|title=The A to Z of the Northern Ireland Conflict|date=2009|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=9780810870451|page=240|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NFr9NteKEagC&q=Stormontgate+4+October+2002&pg=PA240|language=en}}
• 14 October – The Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive are suspended by order of the Secretary of State.{{cite web|last1=Left|first1=Sarah|title=Suspension of the Northern Ireland assembly|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/oct/14/qanda.northernireland|website=The Guardian|accessdate=10 January 2018|date=14 October 2002}}
• Work is completed on the renovation of the Albert Memorial Clock, Belfast.{{cite web|last1=Ireland|first1=Culture Northern|title=Time Leans for No Man|url=http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/features/heritage/time-leans-no-man|website=Culture Northern Ireland|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=24 April 2006}}

• David Park's novel The Big Snow is published.{{cite web|title=The Big Snow by David Park|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-big-snow-by-david-park-5362503.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-big-snow-by-david-park-5362503.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription|website=The Independent|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=16 January 2002}}{{cbignore}}
• Richard Dormer's one-man play Hurricane (based on the life of snooker player Alex Higgins) opens at the Old Museum Arts Centre, Belfast.{{cite web|last1=Muir|first1=Marie-Louise|title=Hurricane|url=http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/reviews/performing-arts/hurricane|website=Culture Northern Ireland|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=27 January 2011}}

• Irish League

::Winners: Portadown{{cite web|title=Portadown win Irish League title|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/1952891.stm|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=27 April 2002}}

• Irish Cup

::Winners: Linfield 2 – 1 Portadown{{cite web|title=Linfield 2-1 Portadown|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/8669943.stm|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=8 May 2010}}

• FAI Cup

::Winners: Derry City 1 – 0 Shamrock Rovers{{cite web|title=Derry City edge Rovers in FAI Cup final – Irish Echo|url=http://irishecho.com/2011/02/derry-city-edge-rovers-in-fai-cup-final-5/|website=irishecho.com|date=16 February 2011|accessdate=11 January 2018}}

• Ulster Senior Football Championship Final

::Armagh 1–14 – 1–10 Donegal{{cite web|title=Clockwatch: Armagh are champions|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/2110287.stm|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=7 July 2002}}

• All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

::Armagh 1–12 – 0–14 Kerry{{cite web|title=Salute Armagh's All-Ireland victory|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_talk/2025163.stm|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=23 September 2002}}

• Senior British Open Championship held at Royal County Down Golf Club, (winner: Noboru Sugai).{{cite web|title=Sugai hangs on for Senior Open title|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/sugai-hangs-on-for-senior-open-title-1.431291|website=The Irish Times|accessdate=11 January 2018}}
• Graeme McDowell turns professional and wins that season's Volvo Scandinavian Masters.{{cite web|title=Local lad is the toast of Portrush and Rathmore Golf clubs|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/local-lad-is-the-toast-of-portrush-and-rathmore-golf-clubs-1.681561|website=The Irish Times|accessdate=11 January 2018}}

• Belfast Giants win the Ice Hockey Superleague championship.{{cite web|title=Giants on the rocks|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/3010778.stm|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=22 June 2003}}

• 8 January – David McWilliams, singer, songwriter and guitarist (born 1945).{{cite web|title=David McWilliams|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/david-mcwilliams-9188402.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/david-mcwilliams-9188402.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The Independent|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=16 March 2002}}{{cbignore}}
• 26 February – Helen Megaw, crystallographer (born 1907).
• 19 March – David Beers Quinn, historian (born 1909).{{cite web|last1=Dutton|first1=David|title=Obituary: David Quinn|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/apr/06/guardianobituaries.highereducation|website=The Guardian|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=6 April 2002}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20060619083104/http://www.f1rejects.com/drivers/titterington/index.html Profile on F1 Rejects]
• 13 April – Desmond Titterington, racing driver (born 1928).
• 17 May – James Chichester-Clark, Fifth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland (born 1923).{{cite web|last1=Ryder|first1=Chris|title=Obituary: Lord Moyola|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/may/20/guardianobituaries.northernireland|website=The Guardian|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=20 May 2002}}
• 28 August – Jim McFadden, ice hockey player (born 1920).{{cite web|title=Jim McFadden Stats|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/m/mcfadji01.html|website=Hockey-Reference.com|accessdate=11 January 2018}}
• 3 October – John Erritt, Deputy Director of the British Government Statistical Service (born 1931).{{cite web|title=Erritt, (Michael) John (Mackey) : Who Was Who – oi|url=http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U15060|website=Oxford Index|date=December 2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=11 January 2018|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u15060|archive-date=11 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111110519/http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U15060|url-status=dead}}
• 17 October - Derek Bell, harpist and composer (born 1935).{{cite web|last1=Laing|first1=Dave|title=Obituary: Derek Bell|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/oct/19/guardianobituaries.arts1|website=The Guardian|accessdate=11 January 2018|date=19 October 2002}}

• 2002 in England
• 2002 in Scotland
• 2002 in Wales

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2002 In Northern Ireland}}

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland