2008 in Northern Ireland

none March 2012 October 2020 2008 Events during the year 2008 in Northern Ireland. Incumbents First Minister - Ian Paisley (until 5 June), Peter Robinson (from 5 June) Deputy First Minister - Martin McGuiness Secretary of State - Shaun Woodward Events 4 January – An unforecast blizzard creates havoc across eastern Northern Ireland, with falls of 8 inches in one hour. 22 January – Peter Robinson, Minister of Finance, releases the first final budget and programme for government, agreed by the Stormont executive.Northern Ireland’s most confident Budget for decades was laid before the Assembly today Department of Finance and Personnel News http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-dfp/news-dfp-220108-average-householder-now.htm 27 January 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080209233127/http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-dfp/news-dfp-220108-average-householder-now.htm 9 February 2008 live 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.Henry McDonald Real IRA man's brother arrested in Lithuania weapons sting https://www.theguardian.com/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,2245593,00.html 23 January 2008 The Guardian UK 8 February 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080124183630/http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0%2C%2C2245593%2C00.html 24 January 2008 live 28 January – The appointment of four Commissioners Designate for Victims and Survivors is announced: Bertha McDougall, Patricia MacBride, Brendan McAllister and Mike Nesbitt.Statement issued by the Commissioners Designate for Victims and Survivors Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister News http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-ofmdfm/news-ofmdfm-280108-statement-issued-by.htm 28 January 2008September 2016 medicmedic 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.David Gordon Foster ditches Sweeney centre The Belfast Telegraph 1–2 29 January 2008 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.Brendan McDaid PSNI team to probe shootings by soldiers The Belfast Telegraph 3 29 January 2008 1 February – Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, travels to Ballymena to meet First Minister, Ian Paisley, and open a resort and spa.Dan McGinn Taoiseach bound for Ballymena The Belfast Telegraph 2 1 February 2008 6 February – Éamon Ó Cuív, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, announces €250,000 grant to allow Orange Lodges to employ a development officer.Claire McNeilly Dublin funds new Orange post The Belfast Telegraph 5 5 February 2008 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.Deborah McAleese Dad raps Omagh review The Belfast Telegraph 2 7 February 2008 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.Chris Thornton Bloody Sunday probe costing £500k a month The Belfast Telegraph 4 8 February 2008 8 February – Economy Minister, Nigel Dodds, officially opens Invest NI's first office in India, in Mumbai.Graham Bardgett Invest NI opens Indian office The Belfast Telegraph 18 8 February 2008 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.Niall Dumigan Darwin latest target of DUP as creationists challenge evolution http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0807/1218047756470.html 7 August 2008 The Irish Times 1 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080830052836/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0807/1218047756470.html 30 August 2008 live 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 15 ft of flood water. 3/4 of the rain in August fell in a 24-hour period. Arts and literature 8 February – Ulster Bank announces three-year sponsorship worth over £1m for Belfast Festival at Queen'sMatthew McCreary £1m 'new dawn' deal for Queen’s Festival The Belfast Telegraph 1 8 February 2008Matthew McCreary Festival future looks bright with £1m deal The Belfast Telegraph 3 8 February 2008 28 April – Björk plays a concert in the Waterfront Hall, Belfast. Sam Millar's detective novel Bloodstorm, introducing Belfast private investigator Karl Kane, is published. David Park's novel The Truth Commissioner is published.Ian Sansom David Park The Guardian Review London 21 April 2012 12–13 Sport Athletics 26 – 27 January – Irish Indoor Athletics Championships, Odyssey Arena, Belfast. 5 May – 27th Belfast City Marathon takes place.Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon 2008 Belfast City Marathon http://www.belfastcitymarathon.com/ 27 January 2008 Football Internationals 18 January – Nigel Worthington is reappointed as manager of the Northern Ireland International team.Nigel looks to the future Irish Football Association http://www.irishfa.com/the-ifa/news/3632/nigel-looks-to-the-future/ 27 January 2008 August 2026 InternetArchiveBot 6 February – Northern Ireland 0 – 1 Bulgaria 26 March – Northern Ireland 4 – 1 Georgia 20 August – Scotland 0 – 0 Northern Ireland World Cup 2010 QualifiersMatches – 2010 FIFA World Cup FIFA https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/teams/team=43952/fixturesresults.html 27 January 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080327211033/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/teams/team%3D43952/fixturesresults.html 27 March 2008 dead 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.Victoria O'Hara Best memorial plan rescued by fan The Belfast Telegraph 3 2008-01-29 1 June – Prohibition on Sunday football in Northern Ireland lifted. GAA 20 July – Fermanagh and Armagh draw 1–11 to 2–08 in the final of the Ulster Senior Football Championship 2008. 27 July – Armagh defeat Fermanagh 1–11 to 0–08 in the replay. 20 September – Tyrone defeat Kerry 1–15 to 0–14 to win the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2008. 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 (born 1920). 16 May – Robert Dunlop. motorcycle racer (born 1960) (motorcycle crash). 16 May – William Blease, Baron Blease, trade unionist and politician (born 1914). 19 July – Sarah Conlon, housewife and successful campaigner for the release of the Guildford Four (born 1926). 25 August – David Hammond, singer, film-maker and broadcaster (born 1928).Seamus Heaney David Hammond https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/aug/28/ireland.folk 28 August 2008 The Guardian London 1 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081006184815/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/28/ireland.folk 6 October 2008 live See also 2008 in England 2008 in Scotland 2008 in Wales References 30em Category:2008 in Europe