2018 in Northern Ireland

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Centuries:	20th 21st
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See also:	2018 in the United Kingdom 2018 in Ireland Other events of 2018 List of years in Northern Ireland

Events during the year 2018 in Northern Ireland .

Incumbents

• First Minister – Vacant
• deputy First Minister – Vacant
• Secretary of State for Northern Ireland – James Brokenshire (until 8 January), Karen Bradley (from 8 January)

Events

• 8 January – Sinn Féin MP Barry McElduff was suspended from all party activity for three months after he posted a video online that relatives of the victims of the 1976 Kingsmill massacre described as callous and offensive. He resigned as an MP a week later. ^[1]
• 15 January – Resignation of Sinn Féin MP, Barry McElduff, which will result in a by-election for West Tyrone ^[2] on 3 May; the seat is retained by Sinn Féin.
• 10 October – In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of the U.K. rules the Christian owners of Ashers Baking Co. were not obliged by law to make a cake featuring the words "Support Gay Marriage". ^{[3] [4]}

The arts

• 4 January – Sitcom Derry Girls , set in the 1990s, premieres on Channel 4 television. ^[5]
• 4 April – The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards take place at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. ^[6]
• May – Anna Burns' novel Milkman, set in a fictionalised Belfast during The Troubles, is published; on 16 October it is awarded the Man Booker Prize, making the author its first winner from Northern Ireland. ^[7]

Deaths

• 22 February – Gladys Maccabe, painter (b. 1918) ^[8]
• 3 March – Arthur Stewart, footballer (Glentoran, Derby County, Detroit Cougars) (b. 1958) ^[9]
• 7 July – William Dunlop, motorcycle racer, collision during practice (b. 1985) ^[10]
• 10 July – John Laird, Baron Laird, Unionist politician (b. 1944) ^[11]
• 5 September – Robert Coulter, Unionist politician, MLA for Antrim North (1998–2011) (b. 1929) ^[12]
• 22 September – Jo Gilbert, film producer ( Closing the Ring ) and casting director, brain tumour (b. 1955 in England) ^[13]
• 4 October – Bertie McMinn, footballer (Distillery, Glenavon, Moyola Park), cancer (b. 1958) ^[14]
• 11 October – Jimbo Simpson, UDA paramilitary, lung cancer, 60 ^[15]

See also

• 2018 in England
• 2018 in Scotland
• 2018 in Wales

References

1. Sinn Féin MP suspended for three months over Kingsmill video, RTÉ News, 2018-01-08.
2. "Sinn Féin MP McElduff resigns over tweet". BBC News. 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
3. "Christian 'gay cake' bakery wins in UK Supreme Court". www.abc.net.au. 10 October 2018. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018.
4. "Ashers 'gay cake' row: Bakers win Supreme Court appeal". BBC News . 10 October 2018. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018.
5. Little, Ivan (20 December 2017). "Derry Girls could become TV hit – if viewers can understand them". Belfast Telegraph . Retrieved 23 December 2017.
6. "Folk awards go to Belfast for first time". BBC News. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
7. "Man Booker Prize: Anna Burns becomes first winner from Northern Ireland". BBC News. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
8. "Inspiration to a generation of women artists in Northern Ireland". The Irish Times. 3 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
9. "Former Northern Ireland international Arthur Stewart dies aged 76". Belfast Telegraph.
10. "William Dunlop killed in crash at Skerries 100 road races". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 July 2018.
11. "Tributes to flamboyant unionist peer Laird, dead at 74". Belfast Telegraph. 11 July 2018.
12. "Tributes as former MLA Robert Coulter passes away". Belfast Telegraph. 5 September 2018.
13. Preston, Allan (22 September 2018). "Producer who brought film world to Northern Ireland dies at 63". Belfast Telegraph.
14. Gracey, Jim (5 October 2018). "Obituary: Bertie McMinn, Irish League legend who was one of the most gifted players of his generation". Belfast Telegraph.
15. Ainsworth, Paul (15 October 2018). "Holy Cross dispute UDA leader Jim Simpson dies from cancer". The Irish News . Belfast.