2018 in Northern Ireland

* 2017
* 2016
* 2015
*   *

|  | 2018

Northern Ireland |

* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
*   *

|
|
|

Centuries:|

*   * 20th
* 21st
*   *

Decades:|

* 1990s
* 2000s
* 2010s
* 2020s

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

[edit]

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

## Events

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

* 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]

## Sports

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2018)

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## Deaths

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

## See also

[edit]

* 2018 in England
* 2018 in Scotland
* 2018 in Wales

## References

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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. ^ "Former Northern Ireland international Arthur Stewart dies aged 76". Belfast Telegraph.
9. ^ "William Dunlop killed in crash at Skerries 100 road races". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 July 2018.
10. ^ "Tributes to flamboyant unionist peer Laird, dead at 74". Belfast Telegraph. 11 July 2018.
11. ^ "Tributes as former MLA Robert Coulter passes away". Belfast Telegraph. 5 September 2018.
12. ^ Preston, Allan (22 September 2018). "Producer who brought film world to Northern Ireland dies at 63". Belfast Telegraph.
13. ^ Gracey, Jim (5 October 2018). "Obituary: Bertie McMinn, Irish League legend who was one of the most gifted players of his generation". Belfast Telegraph.
14. ^ Ainsworth, Paul (15 October 2018). "Holy Cross dispute UDA leader Jim Simpson dies from cancer". The Irish News. Belfast.