1999 in Northern Ireland explained

Events during the year 1999 in Northern Ireland.

Incumbents

• First Minister - David Trimble
• deputy First Minister - Seamus Mallon
• Secretary of State - Mo Mowlam (until 11 October), Peter Mandelson (from 11 October)

Events

• 15 March - Rosemary Nelson, a Lurgan solicitor, is killed in a car bomb attack by loyalist paramilitary group the Red Hand Defenders.
• April - Senator George Mitchell Peace Bridge opened across the Border.
• 14 May - The fully renovated St George's Market in Belfast reopens its doors.
• 21 October - Peter Mandelson arrives in Belfast as the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
• 29 November - Ten designated ministers are appointed to the power-sharing executive of the Northern Ireland Assembly.^[1]
• 2 December - The Irish Government ratifies changes to Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. Direct rule from Westminster in Northern Ireland ends.^[1]
• 13 December - The first meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council takes place in Armagh.
• Nuala O'Loan is appointed as first Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.

Arts and literature

• Ciaran Carson publishes The Ballad of HMS Belfast: A Compendium of Belfast Poems.
• Seamus Heaney publishes a verse translation of Beowulf from the Old English.
• Glenn Patterson publishes his novel The International.

Sport

Athletics

• The 27th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 27–28 March in Belfast.

Football

• Ulster Senior Football Championship

Winners: Armagh

• Ulster Senior Club Football Championship

Winners: Crossmaglen Rangers

• Irish League

Winners: Glentoran

• Irish Cup

Winners: Portadown (as Cliftonville were disqualified)

Golf

• The Amateur Championship is held at Royal County Down Golf Club, (winner:Graeme Storm).

Births

• 4 January - Ross Corrigan, rower

Deaths

January to June

• 11 January - Brian Moore, novelist (b.1921).
• 15 January - Robert Lowry, Baron Lowry, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland (b.1919).
• 28 January - Markey Robinson, artist (b.1918).
• 15 March - Rosemary Nelson, solicitor killed by loyalist paramilitary group.
• 4 April - Sir James Flanagan, first and only Roman Catholic Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. (b.1914).
• 3 May - Paddy Kennedy, Republican Labour Party Councillor and MP (b.1942).
• 6 June - Billy Brown, musician and artist (b.1943).
• 29 June - Declan Mulholland, actor (b.1932).

July to December

• 1 July - William Whitelaw, 1st Viscount Whitelaw, first Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
• 15 August - Paddy Devlin, a founder of the SDLP, a member of the 1974 Power Sharing Executive and author (b.1925).
• 21 August - Noel Larmour, cricketer and diplomat (b.1916).
• 23 August - James White, science fiction novelist (b.1928).
• 15 October - Josef Locke, tenor (b.1917).

Full date unknown

• Eamon Collins, Provisional Irish Republican Army activist and writer (b.1954).

See also

• 1999 in England
• 1999 in Scotland
• 1999 in Wales

Notes and References

1. Book: Edwards, Aaron. The Northern Ireland Troubles. Oxford. Osprey Publishing. 2011. 978-1-84908-525-0. 13.