2012 in Northern Ireland
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{{Use British English|date=September 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
Events during the year 2012 in Northern Ireland.
Incumbents
- First Minister - Peter Robinson
- deputy First Minister - Martin McGuiness
- Secretary of State - Owen Paterson (until 4 September), Theresa Villiers (from 4 September)
Events
=March=
- 17 March – Saint Patrick's Day parade and carnival in Belfast city centre and Custom House Square.[https://archive.today/20130419203312/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/a-packed-calendar-of-events-makes-belfast-the-place-to-be-in-2012-16098009.html A packed calendar of events makes Belfast the place to be in 2012] Belfast Telegraph, 2012-01-02.
- 31 March – Former broadcast journalist Mike Nesbitt elected leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.{{cite news|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17572015|title= Mike Nesbitt is new Ulster Unionist leader|publisher= BBC|work= BBC News|date= 31 March 2012|accessdate= 31 March 2012}}
=April=
- 15 April – RMS Titanic maiden voyage centenary celebrations, including opening of £90m Titanic Belfast visitor facility.[https://archive.today/20130420040758/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/queens-visit-set-to-crown-titanic-year-as-city-comes-into-its-own-16097998.html Queen's visit set to crown Titanic year as city comes into its own] Belfast Telegraph, 2012-01-02.
=May=
- 3 May – Bairbre de Brún submitted her resignation to the European Parliament as MEP for Northern Ireland.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0503/sinn-feins-de-brun-steps-down-as-mep.html|title=Sinn Féin's Bairbre de Brún steps down as MEP for 'personal reasons'|work=RTÉ News|publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|date=3 May 2012|accessdate=3 May 2012}}
- 22 May – Murder of Michaela McAreavey trial began in Mauritius.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0522/michaela-mcareavey-murder-trial-set-to-begin-today.html|title=Michaela McAreavey murder accused to stand trial in Mauritius|date=22 May 2012|work=RTÉ News|accessdate=22 May 2012}}
=June=
- Lord Mayor's Parade in Belfast.
- Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee celebrations throughout Northern Ireland.
- 26 June – The Queen began a two-day visit to Northern Ireland in Enniskillen.[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/26/queen-begins-tour-northern-ireland Queen begins two-day tour of Northern Ireland] The Guardian, 26 June 2012.
- 27 June – The Queen met former IRA commander Martin McGuinness for the first time, in Belfast. They met and shook hands in private in the McGrath Suite of the Lyric Theatre. The meeting was witnessed by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Northern Ireland first minister, Peter Robinson, the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, and his wife, Sabina. The Queen and McGuinness shook hands once more in public for the benefit of the media. It was also the first meeting between the Queen and the recently elected president Higgins.[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/27/queen-martin-mcguinness-shake-hands The Queen and Martin McGuinness shake hands and make history] The Guardian, 27 June 2012.[http://www.president.ie/media-releases/statement-by-president-michael-d-higgins-following-cooperation-ireland-event-at-belfasts-lyric-theatre/ Statement by President Michael D. Higgins following Cooperation Ireland event at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre, 27 June 2012] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230234636/http://www.president.ie/media-releases/statement-by-president-michael-d-higgins-following-cooperation-ireland-event-at-belfasts-lyric-theatre/ |date=30 December 2013 }} Áras an Uachtaráin, 27 June 2012.
=July=
- 3 July – Giant's Causeway Visitors' Centre designed by Heneghan Peng for the National Trust was opened.{{citation|title=Heneghan Peng's Giant's Causeway scheme finally opens doors|date=2012-07-04|accessdate=2013-07-19|first=Richard|last=Waite|work=Architects' Journal|url=http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/heneghan-pengs-giants-causeway-scheme-finally-opens-doors/5215711.article}}
- 12 July – Marching season culminated in The Twelfth celebration of the Glorious Revolution and the Battle of the Boyne.
=August=
=September=
- 13 September – Fermanagh player Brian Óg Maguire died in an industrial accident in the Ballymaconnell Road area of Derrylin.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0913/brian-og-maguire-fermanagh.html|title=Fermanagh footballer killed in industrial accident|work=RTÉ News|publisher=RTÉ|date=13 September 2012|accessdate=13 September 2012}}
- 15 September – Ulster player Nevin Spence died in County Down. His father and brother also died.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-19614688|title=Nevin Spence killed in County Down slurry accident|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=15 September 2012|accessdate=15 September 2012}}
=October=
- 4 October – Expelled Ulster Unionist Party member David McNarry, representing Strangford, joined the UK Independence Party, giving it its first representative in any of the devolved assemblies in Britain and Northern Ireland.{{cite news|first=Gerry|last=Moriarty|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1004/breaking61.html|title=Expelled UUP man joins UKIP|newspaper=The Irish Times|publisher=Irish Times Trust|date=4 October 2012|accessdate=4 October 2012}}
- 18 October – Marie Stopes International opened a clinic in Belfast.{{cite web|title=Marie Stopes private abortion clinic to open in Belfast|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-19902778|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=11 October 2012|accessdate=22 October 2012}}
- 23 October – Derry was named fourth in a top ten of cities to visit in 2013 by the travel guidebook Lonely Planet.{{cite news|first=Genevieve |last=Carbery |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1023/breaking20.html |title=Derry in Lonely Planet top list – The Irish Times – Tue, Oct 23, 2012 |publisher=The Irish Times Trust |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=23 October 2012 |accessdate=23 October 2012}}
- 24 October – Digital television transition in the UK is completed in Northern Ireland.
=November=
- 3 November – Match for Michaela at Casement Park.{{cite news|url=http://www.thescore.ie/match-for-michaela-donegal-ulster-649927-Oct2012/ |title=Jim McGuinness names strong Donegal side to compete in Match for Michaela |work=The Score |date=25 October 2012 |accessdate=25 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329180026/http://www.the42.ie/match-for-michaela-donegal-ulster-649927-Oct2012/ |archivedate=29 March 2015 }}
=December=
- 3 December – Trouble flared in Belfast as hundreds of hooded Loyalists burn Irish tricolours and tried to storm Belfast City Hall.{{cite news|first=Lesley-Anne|last=McKeown|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/protesters-attempt-to-storm-belfast-city-hall-after-flag-vote-3315464.html|title=Protesters attempt to storm Belfast city hall after flag vote|newspaper=Irish Independent|publisher=Independent News & Media|date=3 December 2012|accessdate=3 December 2012}}
The arts
- 20 April – Belfast MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre), designed by Hackett Hall McKnight, opened.{{cite news|title=Belfast's new arts venue the MAC prepares to open|work=BBC News|date=2012-04-19|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17770503|accessdate=2014-10-27}}
- June – European Pipe Band Championships in Stormont.
- Glenn Patterson's novel The Mill for Grinding Old People Young was published.{{cite news|first=Patricia|last=Craig|title=The Mill for Grinding Old People Young, By Glenn Patterson|newspaper=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-mill-for-grinding-old-people-young-by-glenn-patterson-7640230.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-mill-for-grinding-old-people-young-by-glenn-patterson-7640230.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription|location=London|date=2012-04-13|accessdate=2012-04-24}}{{cbignore}}
Sports
=January=
- 16 January – Occupy Belfast: The Bank of Ireland was occupied in the city.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0116/belfast.html|title=Protesters occupy bank in Belfast|work=RTÉ News|publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|date=16 January 2012|accessdate=16 January 2012}}
- 28 January – Irish Football League Cup final – Coleraine v Crusaders.[http://ifapremiership.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=393:irn-bru-league-cup-final-arrangements&catid=12:irish-league-cup&Itemid=18 IRN-BRU League Cup final arrangements] Irish Football Association, 2011.12.17.
=February=
- Irish Indoor Athletics Championships in the Odyssey Arena.
=March=
- 17 March – Loughgiel Shamrocks (Antrim) won the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, defeating Coolderry GAA (Offaly) 4–13 to 0–07 in the final.{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2012/0317/loughgiel_coolderry.html |title=Loughgiel win hurling club title |date=17 March 2012 |work=RTÉ Sport |accessdate=17 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318212314/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2012/0317/loughgiel_coolderry.html |archivedate=18 March 2012 }}
- 31 March – Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh) won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship, defeating Garrycastle (Westmeath) 2–19 to 1–07 in the replay after the final initially ended in a 0–15 to 1–12 draw on 17 March.{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2012/0331/315708-crossmaglen-x-xx-garrycastle-x-xx/ |title=Crossmaglen 2-19 Garrycastle 1-07 |date=31 March 2012 |work=RTÉ Sport |accessdate=31 March 2012}}
=May=
- 15 May – The most supported football team in Northern Ireland, Manchester United played a testimonial match for their former goalkeeper, Harry Gregg against an Irish Premiership Select XI in front of over 14,000 Northern Irish Manchester United fans at Windsor Park in Belfast.
- 19 May – Ulster Rugby contested the 2012 Heineken Cup Final, losing 42–14 to Leinster Rugby.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/heineken-cup/2012/0519/321612-leinster-42-14-ulster/|title=Leinster 42-14 Ulster|work=RTÉ Sport|publisher=RTÉ|date=19 May 2012|accessdate=24 June 2012}}
- Belfast City Marathon.
=June=
- 3 June – The Olympic Flame arrived in Belfast, with relay runners carrying it to towns, villages, and beauty spots throughout Northern Ireland.
=July=
- 22 July – Donegal defeated Down 2–18 to 0–13 to win a second consecutive Ulster Senior Football Championship.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2012/0722/330139-donegal-beat-down-to-claim-ulster-title/|title=Donegal 2-18 Down 0-13|work=RTÉ Sport|publisher=RTÉ|date=22 July 2012|accessdate=6 August 2012}}
=August=
Deaths
- 20 January - Lucy Faulkner, journalist, 86
- 22 February - Frank Carson, comedian and actor, 85
- 16 April - Ray Davey, minister, founded the Corrymeela Community, 97
See also
References
{{Reflist}}