X-Nico

4 unusual facts about Northern Ireland


James McBratney

James McBratney (a.k.a. Jimmy From Queens) was born in 1941 to emigrant Catholic parents from Northern Ireland in 1941.

Lutheran Church in Great Britain

The Lutheran Church in Great Britain is a Lutheran church, operating in Great Britain (The Lutheran Church in Ireland operates in the Irish Republic and in Northern Ireland).

One for the Man Over There

One For The Man Over There is the first and only album by Northern Irish trio The Tides, and was released on 1 February 2007.

Victoria Park, Belfast

Today the Victoria Park can be accessed from Sydenham.


1950s in Irish television

21 July 1955 - The BBC brings into service its Divis transmitter, its first permanent 405-line VHF Band I facility serving Northern Ireland, marking the launch of a television service for Northern Ireland; the 35 kW transmissions can also be readily received in much of the Republic of Ireland.

1951 Ringway Dakota accident

On 27 March 1951 a Douglas Dakota 3 cargo aircraft registered G-AJVZ operated by Air Transport Charter en route from Ringway Airport, Manchester, England, to Nutts Corner Airport, Antrim, Northern Ireland, crashed shortly after take-off following the failure of the aircraft to gain height.

1978 in Northern Ireland

18 January - The European Court of Human Rights finds Britain guilty of inhuman and degrading treatment of republican internees in Northern Ireland, but not guilty of torture.

1983 FA Cup Final

This capped an incredible 12 months for the teenager, who had played in the 1982 FIFA World Cup Finals for Northern Ireland, and who had scored in the League Cup Final defeat to Liverpool F.C. earlier in the season.

2011–12 Irish League Cup

The 2011–12 Irish League Cup (known as the Irn-Bru League Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 26th edition of Northern Ireland's secondary football knock-out cup competition.

493d Bombardment Group

Aircrews left McCook in early May and flew the northern transport route to the U.K.; via New Hampshire, Labrador, thence to Debach by way of Iceland and Wales, or by way of Northern Ireland.

9 Parachute Squadron RE

9 Independent Airborne Squadron RE accompanied the Division to Germany, returning to the UK in 1950, since when the squadron has served on active service in countries such as Egypt, Cyprus, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Aden, Radfan, Borneo, Rhodesia as well as six full tours and two spearhead tours of duty in Northern Ireland.

Aghaloo O'Neills GAC

The club is based in Aughnacloy and Caledon which encompasses the parish after which the club is named, Aghaloo, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

Aidan Davison

Aidan John Davison (born 11 May 1968 in Sedgefield, County Durham) is an English-born Northern Irish former professional footballer and coach who is without a club after previously holding the position of Head Coach at USL Premier Development League side FC JAX Destroyers until the club disbanded in 2012.

Andrew Mamedoff

On 8 October 1941, Mamedoff was flying with 133 Squadron on a standard transit flight from Fowlmere Airfield to RAF Eglinton in Northern Ireland in his Hurricane Z3781.

Antrim RFC

Antrim RFC (Antrim Rugby Football Club) is a rugby club based at Allen Park in Antrim, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Arthur James Turner

He was offered the post of director of research at the Linen Industry Research Association, Lambeg, Lisburn, in Northern Ireland in 1940 and spent his last 16 years of service there, raising its profile to become accepted as the research centre of the whole linen industry and trade.

Barn United F.C.

The club's current facilities at Haslett Park are basic but does feature a social club, which was opened in 1981 by Rangers player and Northern Ireland international John McClelland.

British Forces Broadcasting Service

BFBS broadcasts to service personnel and their families and friends worldwide with local radio studios in Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, and Northern Ireland and operational areas from the studio in Afghanistan.

British Superkart Championship

The karts race on full size British circuits such as Pembrey, Silverstone, Bishopscourt (Northern Ireland), Castle Combe, Darley Moor, Snetterton and Croft, Cadwell Park, Thruxton, Donington Park, Oulton Park along with the 31st running of the MSA British Superkart Grand Prix at Cadwell Park.

Caolas

Hirta was also the most western settlement in the United Kingdom, which is now Belleek, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

Commons Act 1236

The whole Chapter, in so far as it extended to Northern Ireland, was repealed by section 1 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1950.

Cross-border flag for Ireland

This is the flag of the nine-county province, similar to but distinct from the Ulster Banner, the former flag of the Northern Irish government.

Damaen Kelly

Damaen Kelly (born August 18, 1976) (also incorrectly known as Damien Kelly) is a former professional boxer from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who represented the Ireland at the Olympics.

Dual naming

"Derry/Londonderry" has been used unofficially to circumvent the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, in which Irish nationalists used "Derry" and Ulster unionists use "Londonderry" for the city and county in Northern Ireland.

Frederick Hammersley

The exhibit, which traveled to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London and Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, was praised for its presentation of cool abstractions which were very different from the emotional ones of the established abstract expressionist movement.

Gareth McLearnon

McLearnon is a recipient of the 2003 Ian Fleming Charitable Trust Music Education Award, a Countess of Munster Musical Trust Award and was awarded full scholarships to attend Sir James Galways Masterclasses in Italy (2003) and Switzerland (2004) McLearnon has given recitals all over the U.K. and Europe for the Ireland Funds, Invest Northern Ireland, and the Concordia Foundation, and is currently a Making Music Recommended Artist for 2006.

Garry Robison

In 1977 and 1978 he made two Emergency tours of duty in Northern Ireland during "The Troubles".

Gayle Williamson

Gayle Williamson (born c. 1980, Dollingstown, Northern Ireland) is a model and former Miss Northern Ireland and Miss United Kingdom winner.

George Washington Wilson

They date from the late 1850s down to the early years of the 20th century and cover not only Aberdeen and the North East but the whole of Scotland and most of England, as well as parts of Wales and Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, Morocco including Tangier, the South of Spain, and (especially) colonial South Africa and Australia.

History of Fianna Fáil

The election of Tony Blair in Britain gave renewed hope of an agreement for peace in Northern Ireland, an issue that has traditionally always been an aspiration of Irish Governments.

John Hermon

He was the first RUC officer to attend the advanced policing course at the British police training college in Bramshill in England, before returning to Northern Ireland and a promotion in Belfast.

Kieran Dynes

Kieran Dynes, born in Clonmore Dungannon, Northern Ireland, is a race car driver currently competing in the European Late model(NASCAR) series, he has also raced in the NASCAR nationwide series and the ARCA remax series in the United States.

Kirkistown Castle

Kirkistown Castle is a castle situated near Cloghy, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Latvia national under-17 football team

The following players have been called up for the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship matches against Northern Ireland, Turkey and Luxembourg in Belfast and Dungannon in November 2013.

Learjet 45

De Havilland Canada builds the LJ45s wings, and Bombardier subsidiary Short Brothers of Belfast, Northern Ireland, builds the fuselage and empennage.

Live at Austin City Limits Festival

Live at Austin City Limits Festival by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison is a limited edition live album recorded from the Austin City Limits Festival concert at which he was the first night headliner on September 15, 2006.

Mikael Heggelund Foslie

Foslie contributed an algal collection named Algae Norvegicae to the Ulster Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Monty's Pass

Monty's Pass was the winner of the 2003 Grand National at Aintree, Liverpool, when ridden by Barry Geraghty, trained by Jimmy Mangan and running in the colours of the Dee Racing Syndicate, a group of owners based in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland, and led by Blackpool born bingo hall owner Mike Futter.

Musa Qala

In memory of a prior conflict, in 2006, involving the British Royal Irish Regiment, a new Regimental March, composed by Chris Attrill and commissioned by Larne Borough Council, was gifted to the regiment on Saturday 1 November 2008 in Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland during an event in which the regiment was presented with the 'Freedom of the Borough'.

Of One Belief

The Group was established on December 7, 2007 at a general meeting in the Elk Restaurant in Toome, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, which was attended by over 400 people.

Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels

The Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels (Office of the NI Executive in Brussels) is part of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister and is the focus of Northern Ireland's relations with the institutions of the European Union .

Owen Carron

Carron is the nephew of former Nationalist Party politician John Carron.

Peter Murnoy

Murnoy was elected to the Parliament of Northern Ireland as the Nationalist Party MP for South Down at the 1945 general election.

Quinn brothers' killings

Jason, Richard and Mark Quinn were three brothers killed by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in a firebomb attack on their home in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland on 12 July 1998, towards the end of the three-decade period known as "The Troubles".

Robbie Blake

He made his debut for the club alongside Northern Ireland striker David Healy in the first match of the 2005–06 season against Millwall and scored his first goal just two days later in the Championship match against Cardiff City at Ninian Park.

Robert Wesley Colglazier, Jr.

He attained the rank of Colonel while carrying out engineer staff officer assignments in Northern Ireland, England, North Africa Italy and France.

Sharon McPeake

McPeake was born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland and was a member of Ballymena & Antrim Athletics Club.

Songs from the Deep Forest

Songs from the Deep Forest is an album by Northern Ireland based artist Duke Special.

St Neots Town F.C.

The club's ambition to move on was shown with the 2009 addition of former Northern Ireland internationals Steve Lomas and Michael Hughes as a player managerial team, where they were joined by Sylvain Legwinski, formerly of Fulham.

The O'Rahilly

O'Rahilly's family for many years owned the port of Greenore in County Louth not far from the present day border with Northern Ireland, while his grandson Ronan O'Rahilly achieved some fame during the 1960s as the founder of the offshore radio station Radio Caroline, and was also involved in the production of some films and the promotion of several recording artists including Georgie Fame and The Animals.

Thomas Begley

Begley was killed when a bomb he was planting on the Shankill Road, West Belfast, Northern Ireland intending to kill Johnny Adair and senior members of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) exploded prematurely, killing him, a UDA member and eight Protestant civilians.

Tom Robertson

Tommy received 1 international cap for Scotland playing against Northern Ireland in a British Championship match on the 26 March 1898 at Solitude, Belfast, Robertson also managed to find the net in the 3–0 victory.


see also

1996 in Northern Ireland

7–11 July - Drumcree conflict: A standoff over the annual Orange Order parade at Drumcree leads to rioting here and elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

2nd Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment

The funeral of one, Private Paul Sutcliffe, an Englishman, was held in Barrowford, Lancashire - the only UDR funeral to be held outside Northern Ireland.

Action on Smoking and Health

The Health Act 2009 provides for removal of vending machines for tobacco products (implemented in October 2011) and for the prohibition of the display of tobacco products at the point of sale in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Annagh

It is bounded on the north by the international border with Fermanagh and Northern Ireland, on the east by Cuillaghan, Killywilly, Corranierna and Mullaghduff townlands, on the south by Cullyleenan townland and on the west by Doon, Rakeelan and Gortawee townlands.

Chris Reason

While reporting for Seven News, Chris has filed stories from some of the world's hot spots - including Bosnia, Northern Ireland, the Middle East and the Pacific rim.

Clooney

Clooney, Kilcronaghan civil parish, a townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Clyde Lamb

At the age of 53, he died of pancreatic disease in Dublin, Ireland on July 8, 1966, and was cremated at the Belfast Crematorium in Northern Ireland on August 12, 1966.

Creggan

Creggan, Derry, a large housing estate in Derry, Northern Ireland

Daisy Hill

Daisy Hill Hospital, a National Health Service Hospital in Newry, Northern Ireland

Disinvestment

The effort to disinvest in Northern Ireland met with little success, but the United States Congress did pass (and then-President Bill Clinton signed) a law requiring American companies with interests there to implement most of the MacBride Principles in 1998.

Down Royal

The most valuable race run there is the JNwine.com Champion Chase, run at the Northern Ireland Festival of racing in November.

Frederick Hamilton

Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 3rd Marquess of Dufferin and Ava (1875–1930), British soldier and Senator of the Northern Ireland Parliament

Gawa

Green and White Army (slang for Northern Ireland international football fans)

Gerald Brown

Gerald Browne (1871/2-1951), unionist politician in Northern Ireland

Habeas Corpus Act 1862

In 1971 Lord Denning led the Court of Appeal in Re Keenan 1971 3 WLR 844 in saying that no English court has jurisdiction to issue a writ of habeas corpus anywhere in Ireland, whether in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland.

History of Fine Gael

The National Coalition is noted for its attempts to build a power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland through the Sunningdale Agreement.

History of the Jews in Northern Ireland

Well known Belfast Jews include: Ronald Appleton QC, Crown Prosecutor during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, who was elected President of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation and served in that post until he retired in 2008; Belfast actors Harold Goldblatt and Harry Towb; pioneer of modern dance in Northern Ireland Helen Lewis; and jazz commentator Solly Lipschitz.

Hugh Mulholland

Mulholland was appointed the curator for the Northern Irish Pavilion at the 2005 Venice Biennale by the British Council Northern Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

J D Wetherspoon

He was educated at eleven different schools in Northern Ireland and New Zealand including Campbell College in Belfast.

James Craig

James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon (1871–1940), British politician and Prime Minister of Northern Ireland

James McCusker

James Harold McCusker (1940–1990), Northern Ireland Ulster Unionist Party politician

James Spratt

Jimmy Spratt (born 1951), Unionist politician from Northern Ireland

Joe Fenton

Joseph Fenton (1953–1989), Northern Ireland estate agent, killed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army for acting as an informer

John Blelloch

Since 1998, he has been the co-chair of the Northern Ireland Sentence Review Commission along with Brian Currin.

Kennomeat

Robert Wilson & Sons were an established manufacturer of pet foods, with canneries in Barrhead near Glasgow and at Malone in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and in the 1930s they registered the names Kennomeat and Kattomeat.

Leader of the House

Minister and Leader of the House of Commons, former post in the Parliament of Northern Ireland

Miles Messenger

The production aircraft were built at Newtownards in Northern Ireland and flown to Woodley for final fitting out.

Newsom Report

:Secondary modern schools (secondary intermediate schools in Northern Ireland) trained pupils in practical skills, aimed at equipping them for less skilled jobs and home management.

Northern Ireland Assembly Elections Act 2003

The Northern Ireland Assembly Elections Act 2003 (c 3) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games

At the games the Northern Ireland team uses the flag of the former Government of Northern Ireland, the Ulster Banner as its national flag.

Paddy Toland

Paddy Toland is the coach of the current Middle and Light Middleweight kickboxing champion, Tommy McCafferty (born in Letterkenny, Ireland) and the ISKA World Heavyweight and Cruiserweight champion, Daniel Quigley (born in Derry City, Northern Ireland).

Prisons by country

In section 38B of the Criminal Law Act 1977, the word "prison" means, in the case of a person who is under the age of 21 years arrested in England and Wales, any place in which he could be detained under section 12(10) of the Criminal Justice Act 1982, and, in the case of a person under that age arrested in Northern Ireland, a young offenders centre.

Quinn brothers' killings

The killings took place at the height of the stand-off over the Orange Order march at Drumcree, which created a tense atmosphere in various towns across Northern Ireland.

Robert Lowry

Robert Lowry, Baron Lowry (1919–1999), Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland and a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary

Ronnie Flanagan

On 22 January 2007 a report by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, Nuala O'Loan, made findings of collusion between members of the proscribed paramilitary organization, the Ulster Volunteer Force, and officers under the command of Flanagan.

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Northern Ireland international footballer Maik Taylor was a lance corporal before going into professional football and his father was a staff sergeant.

Sale of Offices Act 1551

This section, in so far as it extended to Northern Ireland, was repealed by section 1(1) of, and Schedule 1 to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1950.

Sam McMillan

Sammy McMillan, association football player (Manchester United, Wrexham, Northern Ireland)

Seacat

SeaCat (1992–2004), ferry company formerly operating from between Northern Ireland, Scotland and England

Short Sealand

A third, G-AKLW (originally bought by the wealthy Egyptian client mentioned above) is under rebuild (2008) at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra, Holywood, Northern Ireland.

Silent Valley

Silent Valley Reservoir, a reservoir located in the Mourne Mountains near Kilkeel, County Down in Northern Ireland

Sky Blues

Magherafelt Sky Blues F.C., in the Ballymena & Provincial Intermediate League of Northern Ireland

Sophia Swire

Hugo Swire MP, Minister for Northern Ireland (brother), Philip Swire (brother)

The Afghan

As a result, Mike's military record is adjusted ten years forward, with his career now including stints in Northern Ireland and Afghanistan (he was part of the relieving force during the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi).

Tommy Lyttle

A former officer from the Force Research Unit (the covert military intelligence agent-handling unit based in Northern Ireland) using the pseudonym "Martin Ingram" suggested that Lyttle ordered Nelson, who was recruited by the FRU to infiltrate the UDA's intelligence structure, to compile targeting information on Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane prior to his killing in 1989.

Ulster Project

Currently, the project brings teens from eleven cities in Northern Ireland, including Banbridge, Belfast, Derry, Omagh, Coleraine, Strabane, Sion Mills, Limavady, Portadown, Castlederg, Enniskillen and Cookstown.

Veerstichting

David Trimble MLA, former President of Northern Ireland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Dr. Javier SolanaSecretary-General of the Council of the EU.

Virgil Mihaiu

Mihaiu has performed his poetry in Ireland, Scotland, Romania, England, Austria, USA, Serbia, Germany, Northern Ireland, Hungary, France, Croatia, and at the Lisbon World Exhibition.

Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Artists represented in The Northern Ireland Collection include Willie Doherty, Jock McFadyen, Rita Duffy, John Keane, Siobhan Hapaska and Robert Priseman.