2008 in Northern Ireland

Events

*22 January - Peter Robinson, Minister of Finance, releases the first final budget and programme for government, agreed by the Stormont executive. [cite web | title=Northern Ireland’s most confident Budget for decades was laid before the Assembly today | work=Department of Finance and Personnel News | url=http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-dfp/news-dfp-220108-average-householder-now.htm | accessdate=2008-01-27]
*23 January - The brother of a Real IRA leader is one of two Irish citizens arrested in Lithuania on suspicion of buying firearms and explosives for the Real IRA. [cite news | first=Henry | last=McDonald | title=Real IRA man's brother arrested in Lithuania weapons sting | url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,2245593,00.html|date=2008-01-23|work=The Guardian | accessdate=2008-02-08]
*28 January - The appointment of four Commissioners Designate for Victims and Survivors is announced: Bertha McDougall, Patricia MacBride, Brendan McAllister and Mike Nesbitt. [cite web | title=Statement issued by the Commissioners Designate for Victims and Survivors | work= Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister News | url=http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-ofmdfm/news-ofmdfm-280108-statement-issued-by.htm | accessdate=2008-01-28]
*29 January - Environment Minister, Arlene Foster, refuses developer, Seymour Sweeney, planning permission for a Giant's Causeway visitor centre, reversing her earlier position of "being minded" to approve it. [cite news | first=David | last=Gordon | title=Foster ditches Sweeney centre | | work=The Belfast Telegraph | pages= 1-2 | date=2008-01-29 ]
*29 January - PSNI Historical Enquiries Team is to reopen files on 124 deaths resulting from fatal shootings by British Army soldiers between 1970 and 1973. [cite news | first=Brendan | last=McDaid | title=PSNI team to probe shootings by soldiers | work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 3 | date=2008-01-29 ]
*1 February - Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, travels to Ballymena to meet First Minister, Ian Paisley, and open a resort and spa. [cite news | first=Dan | last=McGinn | title=Taoiseach bound for Ballymena | work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 2 | date=2008-02-01 ]
*6 February - Éamon Ó Cuív, Irish Minister for Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, announces €250,000 grant to allow Orange Lodges to employ a development officer. [cite news | first=Claire | last=McNeilly | title=Dublin funds new Orange post | work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 5 | date=2008-02-05 ]
*7 February - Northern Ireland Policing Board decide to appoint a panel of independent experts to carry out a review of the police investigation into the Omagh bombing. Relatives still seek a public inquiry. [cite news | first=Deborah | last=McAleese | title=Dad raps Omagh review | work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 2 | date=2008-02-07 ]
*8 February, Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward reveals that the Bloody Sunday Inquiry is still costing £500,000 a month although it has not held hearings since 2005. The total cost of the Inquiry has reached £181.2m and will not report until the second half of 2008. [cite news | first=Chris | last=Thornton | title=Bloody Sunday probe costing £500k a month | work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 4 | date=2008-02-08 ]
*8 February - Economy Minister, Nigel Dodds, officially opens Invest NI's first office in India, in Mumbai. [cite news | first=Graham | last=Bardgett | title=Invest NI opens Indian office | work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 18 | date=2008-02-08 ]
*6 March - Victoria Square, commercial, residential and leisure development in Belfast is opened.
*7 August - DUP NI Assembly member, Mervyn Storey, who chairs the Assembly education committee, calls for creationism to be taught alongside evolution in schools in Northern Ireland. [cite news | first=Niall | last=Dumigan | title=Darwin latest target of DUP as creationists challenge evolution | url= http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0807/1218047756470.html|date=2008-08-07|work=The Irish Times| accessdate=2008-09-01]
*16 August - Flash floods occurred over all of Northern including Counties Antrim, Down and Armagh. Many rivers were flooded, cutting off traffic to several towns. The newly constructed Broadway Underpass in west Belfast was under 15ft of flood water. 3/4 of the rain for the month of august fell in a 24 hour period.

Government

* Secretary of State for Northern Ireland - Shaun Woodward
* First Minister - Ian Paisley
* Deputy First Minister - Martin McGuinness

Arts and literature

*8 February - Ulster Bank announces three-year sponsorship worth over £1m for Belfast Festival at Queen's [cite news | first=Matthew | last=McCreary | title=£1m ’new dawn’ deal for Queen’s Festival | | work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 1 | date=2008-02-08 ] [cite news | first=Matthew | last=McCreary | title=Festival future looks bright with £1m deal | work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 3 | date=2008-02-08 ]
*28 April - Björk plays a concert in the Waterfront Hall, Belfast.

port

Athletics

*26 January-27 January - Irish Indoor Athletics Championships, Odyssey Arena, Belfast.
*5 May - 27th Belfast City Marathon takes place. [cite web | title=Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon 2008 | work= Belfast City Marathon | url=http://www.belfastcitymarathon.com/ | accessdate=2008-01-27]

Football

*Internationals:18 January - Nigel Worthington is reappointed as manager of the Northern Ireland International team. [cite web | title=Nigel looks to the future | work=Irish Football Association |url=http://www.irishfa.com/the-ifa/news/3632/nigel-looks-to-the-future/ | accessdate=2008-01-27]

:6 February - Northern Ireland 0 - 1 Bulgaria:26 March - Northern Ireland 4 - 1 Georgia:20 August - Scotland 0 - 0 Northern Ireland

*World Cup 2010 Qualifiers [cite web | title=Matches - 2010 FIFA World Cup | work=FIFA |url=http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/teams/team=43952/fixturesresults.html | accessdate=2008-01-27] :6 September - Slovakia v Northern Ireland:10 September - Northern Ireland v Czech Republic:11 October - Slovenia v Northern Ireland:15 October - Northern Ireland v San Marino

*29 January - Local developer, Doug Elliott, announces that he will put up the rest of the money required by the George Best Memorial Fund to raise a life-size bronze sculpture of George Best, and would manage delivery of the project. [cite news | first=Victoria | last=O'Hara | title=Best memorial plan rescued by fan |work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 3 | date=2008-01-29 ]

Rugby Union

* RBS Six Nations Championship:2 February - Ireland 16 - 11 Italy:9 February - France 26 - 21 Ireland:23 February - Ireland 34-13 Scotland:8 March - Ireland 12-16 Wales:15 March - England 33-10 Ireland

Deaths

*13 April - Robert Greacen, poet (b.1920).
*16 May - William Blease, Baron Blease, trade unionist and politician (b.1914).
*19 July - Sarah Conlon, housewife and successful campaigner for the release of the Guildford Four (b.1926).
*25 August - David Hammond, singer, film-maker and broadcaster (b.1928). [cite news | first=Seamus | last=Heaney | title=david Hammond | url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/28/ireland.folk|date=2008-08-28|work=The Guardian | accessdate=2008-09-01]

References