1973 in Northern Ireland

Centuries:	20th ; 21st ;
Decades:	1950s ; 1960s ; 1970s ; 1980s ; 1990s ;
See also:	1973 in the United Kingdom ; 1973 in Ireland ; Other events of 1973 ; List of years in Northern Ireland ;

Last updated December 17, 2025

Incumbents

Secretary of State - Francis Pym

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.^[1]
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 ^[2] abolishing the death penalty for murder in Northern Ireland and establishing the Diplock courts.
28 June – Northern Ireland Assembly election.^[2]
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.^[3] 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.^[4]
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.

Sport

Football

Irish League

Winners: Crusaders

Irish Cup

Winners: Glentoran 3 – 2 Linfield

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).

References

↑ "Northern Ireland votes for union". On This Day. BBC News. 9 March 1973. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
1 2 "Larkspirit Irish History". Larkspirit. Archived from the original on 23 April 2009.
↑ Moody, Theodore William; John, Francis (1976). A New History of Ireland. ISBN 978-0-19-821745-9.
↑ "Siege hero Walker felled in midnight blast". Derry Journal . 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2012.

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[1] "Northern Ireland votes for union". On This Day. BBC News. 9 March 1973. Retrieved 19 June 2012.

[LS-2] 1 2 "Larkspirit Irish History". Larkspirit. Archived from the original on 23 April 2009.

[3] Moody, Theodore William; John, Francis (1976). A New History of Ireland. ISBN 978-0-19-821745-9.

[4] "Siege hero Walker felled in midnight blast". Derry Journal . 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2012.

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