2002 in Northern Ireland explained

Events during the year 2002 in Northern Ireland.

Incumbents

• First Minister - David Trimble (until 14 October)
• deputy First Minister - Mark Durkan (until 14 October)
• Secretary of State - John Reid (until October 24), Paul Murphy (from October 24)

Events

• 9 January – Holy Cross dispute: Confrontations outside Holy Cross Primary School, a Roman Catholic girls' school in the largely Protestant Ardoyne district, during the afternoon school run, explode into widespread sectarian rioting which spreads across north Belfast and continues on 10 January, when the school is closed.^[1]
• 14 February – Kilkeel fishing boat The Tullaghmurray Lass is lost with all three crew in the Irish Sea.^[2]
• February – West Belfast Task Force recommends creation of the Gaeltacht Quarter, Belfast.
• 14 March – Lisburn and Newry are granted city status.^[3]
• 5 April – The first recruits of the new Police Service of Northern Ireland graduate.^[4]
• May – May 2002 Belfast riots^[5]
• 31 May to 3 June – 2002 Short Strand clashes^[6]
• 4 October – "Stormontgate": Denis Donaldson, Sinn Féin’s Northern Ireland Assembly group administrator, and two others are arrested for intelligence-gathering.^[7]
• 14 October – The Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive are suspended by order of the Secretary of State.^[8]
• Work is completed on the renovation of the Albert Memorial Clock, Belfast.^[9]

Arts and literature

• David Park's novel The Big Snow is published.^[10]
• Richard Dormer's one-man play Hurricane (based on the life of snooker player Alex Higgins) opens at the Old Museum Arts Centre, Belfast.^[11]

Sport

Football

• Irish League

Winners: Portadown^[12]

• Irish Cup

Winners: Linfield 2 – 1 Portadown^[13]

• FAI Cup

Winners: Derry City 1 – 0 Shamrock Rovers^[14]

Gaelic Athletic Association

• Ulster Senior Football Championship Final

Armagh 1–14 – 1–10 Donegal^[15]

• All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

Armagh 1–12 – 0–14 Kerry^[16]

Golf

• Senior British Open Championship held at Royal County Down Golf Club, (winner: Noboru Sugai).^[17]
• Graeme McDowell turns professional and wins that season's Volvo Scandinavian Masters.^[18]

Ice Hockey

• Belfast Giants win the Ice Hockey Superleague championship.^[19]

Deaths

• 8 January – David McWilliams, singer, songwriter and guitarist (born 1945).^[20]
• 26 February – Helen Megaw, crystallographer (born 1907).
• 19 March – David Beers Quinn, historian (born 1909).^{[21] [22]}
• 13 April – Desmond Titterington, racing driver (born 1928).
• 17 May – James Chichester-Clark, Fifth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland (born 1923).^[23]
• 28 August – Jim McFadden, ice hockey player (born 1920).^[24]
• 3 October – John Erritt, Deputy Director of the British Government Statistical Service (born 1931).^[25]
• 17 October - Derek Bell, harpist and composer (born 1935).^[26]

See also

• 2002 in England
• 2002 in Scotland
• 2002 in Wales

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cowan. Rosie. correspondent. Ireland. More schools caught in cycle of hate. The Guardian. 10 January 2018. 11 January 2002.
2. Web site: Search for family postponed. BBC News. 10 January 2018. 25 March 2002.
3. Web site: Two NI towns awarded city status. BBC News. 14 March 2002. 14 March 2013.
4. Web site: All change for NI police. BBC News. 10 January 2018. 5 April 2002.
5. Web site: Man shot in Belfast riots . BBC News . 18 June 2018 . 5 May 2002.
6. Web site: Oliver . Mark . Northern Ireland timeline: September 2001 to August 2002 . The Guardian . 18 June 2018 . 29 August 2002.
7. Book: Gillespie. Gordon. The A to Z of the Northern Ireland Conflict. 2009. Scarecrow Press. 9780810870451. 240. en.
8. Web site: Left. Sarah. Suspension of the Northern Ireland assembly. The Guardian. 10 January 2018. 14 October 2002.
9. Web site: Ireland. Culture Northern. Time Leans for No Man. Culture Northern Ireland. 11 January 2018. 24 April 2006.
10. Web site: The Big Snow by David Park. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-big-snow-by-david-park-5362503.html . 1 May 2022 . subscription. The Independent. 11 January 2018. 16 January 2002.
11. Web site: Muir. Marie-Louise. Hurricane. Culture Northern Ireland. 11 January 2018. 27 January 2011.
12. Web site: Portadown win Irish League title. BBC Sport. 11 January 2018. 27 April 2002.
13. Web site: Linfield 2-1 Portadown. BBC Sport. 11 January 2018. 8 May 2010.
14. Web site: Derry City edge Rovers in FAI Cup final – Irish Echo. irishecho.com. 16 February 2011. 11 January 2018.
15. Web site: Clockwatch: Armagh are champions. BBC Sport. 11 January 2018. 7 July 2002.
16. Web site: Salute Armagh's All-Ireland victory. BBC Sport. 11 January 2018. 23 September 2002.
17. Web site: Sugai hangs on for Senior Open title. The Irish Times. 11 January 2018.
18. Web site: Local lad is the toast of Portrush and Rathmore Golf clubs. The Irish Times. 11 January 2018.
19. Web site: Giants on the rocks. BBC Sport. 11 January 2018. 22 June 2003.
20. Web site: David McWilliams. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/david-mcwilliams-9188402.html . 1 May 2022 . subscription . live. The Independent. 11 January 2018. 16 March 2002.
21. Web site: Dutton. David. Obituary: David Quinn. The Guardian. 11 January 2018. 6 April 2002.
22. https://web.archive.org/web/20060619083104/http://www.f1rejects.com/drivers/titterington/index.html Profile on F1 Rejects
23. Web site: Ryder. Chris. Obituary: Lord Moyola. The Guardian. 11 January 2018. 20 May 2002.
24. Web site: Jim McFadden Stats. Hockey-Reference.com. 11 January 2018.
25. Web site: Erritt, (Michael) John (Mackey) : Who Was Who – oi. Oxford Index. December 2007. Oxford University Press. 11 January 2018. 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u15060. 11 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180111110519/http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U15060. dead.
26. Web site: Laing. Dave. Obituary: Derek Bell. The Guardian. 11 January 2018. 19 October 2002.