1996 in Northern Ireland

Events

*24 January - The international body proposes six principles of democracy and non-violence ('the Mitchell principles') as conditions for entry to all-party talks in Northern Ireland.
*31 March - Crumlin Road (HM Prison) in Belfast is closed.
*1 October - Radio station Belfast CityBeat begins broadcasting.
*Northern Ireland Forum is established.

Arts and literature

*Seamus Deane's "Reading in the Dark" is published.
*Seamus Heaney publishes the collection, "The Spirit Level" which wins the Whitbread Book of the Year Award.

port

Football

*Irish League::Winners: Portadown

*Irish Cup::Winners: Glentoran 1 - 0 Glenavon

Motorcycling

*20 April - Robert Dunlop, after an accident in 1994, returns to race in the Cookstown 100, taking ninth place in the 125cc race won by brother, Joey Dunlop.

Births

Deaths

*12 February - Bob Shaw, science fiction novelist (b.1931).
*6 August - Havelock Nelson, composer and pianist (b.1917).
*1 October - Pat McGeown, volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army, took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike (b.1956).
*4 October - Humphrey Atkins, fifth Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
*17 December - Ruby Murray, singer (b.1935).