History of the BSA

History of The Belfast Solicitors' Association

Date	Belfast Solicitors’ Association Chairs	Law and legislation events	Other events
2021/22	Paul Moylan	The Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 came into force in February 2022. The most well known impact of this Act is that it created a new domestic abuse offence for Northern Ireland which effectively criminalised coercive and controlling behaviour.  International Law - International Court of Justice - Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) - Key Conclusions of Order of 16 th March 2022 - The Court concluded that, prima facie, it has jurisdiction pursuant to Article IX of the Genocide Convention to entertain the case [48], thus, it cannot accede to the Russian Federation’s request that the case be removed from the General List for manifest lack of jurisdiction [49]. - The Russian Federation shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on 24 February 2022 in the territory of Ukraine [86:1]. - The Russian Federation shall ensure that any military or irregular armed units which may be directed or supported by it, as well as any organizations and persons which may be subject to its control or direction, take no steps in furtherance of the military operations [86:2]. - Both Parties shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolve [86:3].	In February 2022 the Northern Ireland Executive collapsed again. The May 2022 Assembly elections saw Sinn Fein overtake the DUP as the largest party. However, the DUP refused to nominate ministers, so no Assembly was formed. This continues. The BSA gala dinner returned after a break due to COVID and a wonderful event was held at Queens University Belfast in aid of Action Cancer.
2020/21	Ciaran Maguire	The Honourable Mrs Justice Keegan was sworn in as the first Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. The NI Protocol came into force. The Protocol set out Northern Ireland's post-Brexit relationship with both the EU and Great Britain. The DUP brought an unsuccessful High Court challenge to the NI Protocol. The beginning of the overhaul of licensing laws in NI began in 2021 with the introduction of the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2021.	Due to COVID-19 few BSA events took place in 2019/2020 so Ciaran Maguire remained Chair for a further year. Many restrictions remained during the year and CPD events took place remotely. We were delighted to have both Lady Hale and Robert Shapiro (O.J. Simpson’s original trial lawyer) as speakers at our BSA events. The golf day and marathon returned raising money for Action Cancer.
2019/20	Ciaran Maguire	In January 2020 the Stormont stalemate ended and power-sharing resumed. Emergency legislation was introduced due to COVID-19 pandemic. The UK left the EU on 31 st January 2020	Nurses went on strike for the first time in 100 years over pay. The world was hit by a deadly pandemic named COVID-19 or coronavirus in March 2020. This deadly virus spread across the world at a frightening speed causing borders to close, businesses to shut, people were ordered to remain in their houses and unfortunately the loss of thousands of lives in Northern Ireland. Life as we knew it changed beyond what anyone could ever have imagined. The Courts and Tribunals shut down, Solicitors started working from home, remote Court hearings started and a new word, “furlough” was introduced.
2018/19	Enda Lavery	Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in July 2019 and prorogues parliament. However, the Supreme Court rules the prorogation unlawful and ordered the recall of parliament.	Brexit deadlines passed due to failures to agree a Brexit deal. Past Chair, Steven Keown was appointed as a District Judge
2017/18	Steven Keown	The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was introduced in May 2018 giving individuals greater control of their personal data that is held by third parties. GDPR was adopted into UK law through the Data protection Act 2018. Huge fines of up to £20 million can be imposed on companies that misuse an individual’s personal data.	Northern Ireland continued without a functioning Executive, numerous attempts at talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein failed and Civil Servants were effectively running NI on diminishing resources. The BSA won The Inspire Workplace Wellbeing Innovation Award
2016/17	Owen McKenna	The EU or Brexit referendum took place on 23 rd June 2016 in the UK to ask the electorate whether the UK should remain a member of, or leave, the European Union. The UK voted to leave the EU. In March 2017, Prime Minster Teresa May, triggered Article 50 which started a 2 year countdown to Brexit.	In November 2016 a scandal emerged surrounding a Renewable Heat Incentive, commonly referred to as the RHI scandal. This scheme was signed off by the First Minister Arlene Foster in 2012 and ended up costing the NI Executive £480m. It had huge consequences for NI. Sinn Fein demanded Arlene Foster resign but she refused and so Sinn Fein’s Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, reigned and was not replaced causing the collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2017. With the collapse of the Executive, fresh elections were called by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, but the DUP and Sinn Fein were unable to reach any agreement so the stalemate continued. Westminster passed a budget for Northern Ireland but the country did not return to direct rule. The BSA raised an amazing £15,000 for the chosen Charity, Inspire.
2015/16	Olivia O'Kane	With a view to making our copyright system better suited to the digital age, in November 2014, media lawyers saw the arrival of the long-awaited final stages of the Hargreaves recommendations. It included a series of new statutory copyright exceptions [PDF] around quotation and data mining. The law was changed to allow people to make more use of creative content protected by copyright, for the purpose of caricature, parody or pastiche, without having to obtain the permission of the rights holder. This paved the way to encourage an increase in sampling and artworks, especially by musicians and cartoonists, with a consequential increase in court actions testing the boundaries of the new exceptions. Meanwhile the Polish President, Andrzej Duda, signed controversial laws enabling it’s new conservative government to appoint the heads of public TV and radio, as well as civil service directors. The treasury minister would have the right to hire and fire the broadcasting chiefs - a role currently in the hands of a media supervisory committee. European media watchdogs protested the move. The EU Commission suspected Poland may be jeopardising EU values as a result of the legislative change.	In May 2015, Prince Charles met Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams at the start of his four-day visit to Ireland. Mr Adams was among a number of politicians to greet the prince at a reception at National University of Ireland Galway; a judge ruled that a Christian-run bakery discriminated against a gay customer by refusing to make a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan. Ashers Baking Company, based in County Antrim, was taken to court by gay rights activist Gareth Lee and the 2015 May elections saw the return of two Ulster Unionist MPs which meant the UUPs leader Mike Nesbitt emerged as a clear winner. The defeat of Michelle Gildernew and Naomi Long lowered the profile of local women in politics. In 2016 First Minister Peter Robinson stepped aside and other DUP ministers resigned as a result of the political crisis at Stormont. He asked his party colleague Arlene Foster to take over as acting first minister, after the DUP failed to get enough support to adjourn the assembly. In 2016 Arlene Foster became the first woman and the youngest person to be appointed First Minister. On 23rd June 2016, the UK voted to leave the EU. 56% of the electorate in Northern Ireland voted to remain. In August 2016 former North Antrim MLA Daithi McKay resigned over claims he and another Sinn Fein member “coached” loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson for a Stormont finance committee probe into the Nama scandal.
2014/15	Paul Dougan	The first elections to the new 11 local councils took place on the 22nd May. The reform of local government had been a protracted process with the 26 local councils eventually reduced to 11 “super councils.” The statutory framework for the new local councils was codified in the Local Government Act (NI) 2014 passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly on the 12th May. The Assembly also passed the Legal Aid and Coroner’s Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 on the 17th November -an Act to inter alia, dissolve the Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission and provide for the exercise of its functions by the Department of Justice and to provide for the Lord Chief Justice to be president of the coroners’ courts and for the appointment of a Presiding coroner.	One of cycling’s Grand Tour races, the Giro d’Italia started off in Belfast on the 9th May with 198 riders from 22 teams competing in the 21-stage race which concluded in Trieste, on the 1st June. Later that year on the 12th September, the former First Minister and founder of the DUP, Ian Paisley died.
2013	Colin Mitchell	On 19 January the Historical Institutional Abuse Act (NI) 2013 became law providing the legislative framework for what would become the biggest public inquiry into child abuse ever held in the UK, investigating cases from 1922 to 1995. It would eventually open at Banbridge Courthouse in January 2014.	This was the year of Derry/Londonderry as UK City of Culture and many events were held throughout the year to critical acclaim. Lough Erne hosted the G8 in June- the most peaceful G8 ever held. President Barack Obama visited Belfast before the start of the G8 and delivered a keynote address at the Waterfront Hall. In November Van Morrison was awarded the freedom of Belfast.
2012	John Burke	On 29 March the Licensing and Regulation of Clubs (Amendment) Act (NI) 2011 became law- first major change to liquor licensing and clubs law since 1997. It introduced a number of changes including a penalty points system for breaches of licensing legislation and empowering the PSNI to close licensed premises and registered clubs in the event of disorder and to ban certain irresponsible drinks promotions that encourage excessive drinking.	This year heralded the start of the many centenary celebrations for the next decade with the commemoration of the signing of the Ulster Covenant in 1912. In April, the centenary celebrations of the maiden voyage of RMS Titanic took place with the opening of the £90m Titanic Belfast. In June the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations were held and during a visit to Belfast that year she met and shook hands with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
2011	Reg Rankin	The Northern Ireland Justice Act received the Royal Assent on 4 May to become the first piece of justice legislation passed by the Assembly in over 40 years and was heralded as an important milestone following the devolution of these powers to the local assembly.	Gerry Adams resigns as an MP in January in order to stand in the general election in the Republic of Ireland where he is elected in February as TD for the Louth constituency. That election sees Fine Gael return to power with party leader Enda Kenny elected Taoiseach. The television series Game of Thrones premieres in May in the US on the HBO network. Prince William married Kate Middleton on 29 April. In September a field and a farmer from Ballygilbert make the headlines over a music video featuring the singer Rihanna.
2010	Susan Brennan	Policing and Justice powers were dissolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly on the 12 April and David Ford becomes the first locally elected minister with responsibility for that portfolio in 38 years. John Larkin QC is appointed Attorney General for Northern Ireland in May, the first person to hold that position since 1973.	In January Allen McClay, business man and philanthropist dies at the age of 78. Following the general election in May, the UK has its first coalition government since World War II with the Conservative/Liberal Democrat in power. David Cameron becomes Prime Minister.
2009	Simon Crawford	On 12 March the Northern Ireland Act 2009 was enacted to make provision in relation to policing and justice in Northern Ireland and to amend section 86 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998	In March the Real IRA shoot dead soldiers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey outside Masserrene Barracks, Antrim; and within two days, the Continuity IRA shoot dead PSNI Constable Stephen Carroll in Craigavon. Holywood golfer Rory McIlroy claims his first professional golf tournament win at the Dubai Dessert Classic.
2008	Matt Higgins	Belfast Solicitors’ Association celebrates its 65th anniversary. Assets Recovery Agency merges with the UK-wide Serious Organised Crime Agency.	Victoria Square shopping Centre opens in Belfast. Bertie Ahern resigns as Taoiseach and Brian Cowan takes over. Ian Paisley steps down as First Minister; Peter Robinson takes over.
2007	John Guerin	Northern Ireland Law Commission will be created under the Justice (NI) Act 202, replacing existing non-statutory Law Reform Advisory Committee. The Commission will keep the law of NI under review, with a view to law reform. Al Hutchinson succeeds Nuala O’Loan as Police Ombudsman.	In May, NI Executive assumes control with the Rev. Ian Paisley as First Minister and Martin McGuinness as Deputy. Microsoft launches Vista OS. Ireland wins Triple Crown. Young Ulster Golfer, Rory McIlroy earns £186,645 in less than a month as a professional. O’Loan becomes a Dame in the New Year Honours on retirement
2006	Joe Rice	Judge Burgess appointed Presiding Judge with responsibility for the County Courts. New era of ‘tesco law’ in Legal Services Bill in the Queen’s speech.	Belfast City Airport named after footballer, George Best. Asda, the UK subsidiary of Wal-Mart, buys Safeway supermarkets. Last Top of the Pops TV show. Nintendo launches Wii games console.
2005	Chris Ross	The Criminal Justice (NI) Order 2005 introduced to make miscellaneous amendments to criminal justice legislation, including amendments relating to anti-social behaviour orders, the administration of prisons and young offenders centres, the proceeds of crime and road traffic offences.	Underground bombings in London. George Best dies. NI beats England at Windsor Park. Hurricane Katrina floods New Orleans. Oil prices surge to record 60 dollars a barrel.
2004	Gavin Patterson	Justice Act restructures courts with presiding judges appointed at each court tier accountable overall to the Lord Chief Justice. Saville inquiry final evidence.	Northern Bank robbery of £26.5m, one of the biggest bank robberies in British history. Madrid Train bombings kill over two hundred people. Belfast office block, Churchill House, demolished for new development.
2003	Martin Mallon	The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, officially opens the Laganside Courts complex. Access to Justice (NI) Order sets up the Legal Services Commission, which takes over legal aid and other services. New Bar Library completed in Belfast	Anvil Point, last Harland & Wolff ship, leaves Belfast, ending one hundred and fifty years of shipbuilding. Iraq War.
2002	Peter Campbell	Proceeds of Crime Act creates an Assets Recovery Agency, which made provision for confiscation in the UK, replacing separate drug trafficking and criminal justice legislation with a consolidated and updated set of provisions. It also sets out powers for use in criminal confiscation, civil recovery and money laundering investigations	Power-sharing NI government collapses. Euro replaces the punt in the Republic.
2001	Stephen Andress	Financial Investigation (NI) Order 2001 introduced to amend aspects of the Proceeds of Crime (NI) Order 1996 with Article 6 providing a power to require a solicitor to provide information as to whether a specified person was a client of his in respect of certain matters and about the nature of any transaction relating to them.	Y2K computer bug fear proves groundless. 9/11 attacks bring down the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York. Apple iPod media player unveiled.
2000	Steven Millar	Terrorism Act. Michael Stone and other paramilitary prisoners released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.	Odyssey Arena opens. Playstation 2 launched. Joey Dunlop, motorcycle ace, killed while racing.
1999	Richard Palmer	Nuala O’Loan appointed Police Ombudsman.	Solicitor, Rosemary Nelson killed by a bomb under her car. Full powers devolved to NI. Assembly and power-sharing government. Launch of the Euro.
1998	John Caldwell	Public Processions (NI) Act which outlines the powers and duties of the Parades Commission. Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday begins.	UFF and UDA ceasefires. Good Friday Agreement. Omagh bomb kills 29 people, the most deaths in a single incident since the beginning of the Troubles. NI Assembly elected. John Hume and David Trimble awarded Nobel Peace prizes.
1997	Graham Keys	Criminal Cases Review Commission to review miscarriages of criminal justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.	Final IRA ceasefire. Tesco and Sainbury’s open first stores in NI. Waterfront Hall in Belfast opens. Divorce becomes legal in Republic of Ireland under certain circumstances.
1996	Ciaran McAteer	Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act. Crumlin Road prison closes. Broadcasting Act.	Canary Wharf bombing ends IRA ceasefire. EU ban on british beef. Tiger Woods PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Hotmail launched.
1995	Patrick White	For the first time, evidence is heard in a NI court relating to an attempted murder in the Republic. Criminal Appeal Act. Remission rate for NI paramilitary prisoners returned to 50 percent. European Court of Justice rules that aspects of the Prevent of Terrorism Act contravene European Union Law by impinging on the freedom of movement guaranteed by the Treaty of Rome.	Seamus Heaney awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. Bill Clinton visits NI, the first serving US President to do so. Commons chamber at Stormont badly damaged by fire. Framework for Agreement published by the British and Irish governments. Prince Charles makes and official visit to Ireland – the first official royal visit since Irish independence. Trimble succeeds Molyneaux and UUP leader.
1994	Caroline Boston	Sir Louis Blom-Cooper, independent commissioner for the RUC holding stations, calls for video and audio recording of interrogations. LCJ, Sir Brian Hutton judges the conviction of Paul Hill for the murder of a former British soldier in 1974 unsafe. Land Registration Rules (NI).	IRA motor attacks on Downing Street and Heathrow. First IRA general ceasefire. Loyalist ceasefire announced. The Shannon-Erne Waterway reopens. Nelson Mandela becomes South African President. The British and Irish government lift the broadcasting ban on Sinn Fein and other paramilitary organisations. Chinook carrying 25 security personnel crashes in fog in Mull of Kintyre.
1993	Donald Eakin	Fiftieth anniversary of the BSA. Irish President, Mary Robinson is guest speaker at the celebratory dinner. During a visit to west Belfast, Robinson shakes Gerry Adam’s hand. The visit had not been approved by the Government.	President Mary Robinson meets the Queen at Buckingham Palace, the first official contact between an Irish President and a British monarch. Ten die in IRA Shankill Road bomb. Hallowe’en Greysteel pub bombing kills seven in UFF revenge. Lagan Weir and M3 bridge completed. Belfast architect Dawson Stelfox climbs Everest.
1992	David Flinn	UDA proscribed. Judge Thomas Burgess leads the UK delegation to the Council of Bars and Law Society of the European Community	Teebane IRA bomb kills 8 workers in a minibus. IRA detonates huge bomb, estimated at two thousand pounds, at the forensic science laboratories in South Belfast, damaging seven hundred houses. Bill Clinton becomes US President. Intelligence gathering in GB moved from the police TO MI5. Irish People’s Liberation Organisation disbands.
1991	Rowan White	Laganside Development (NI) Order provides for redevelopment of the city waterfront. Thomas A. Burgess becomes NI’s first solicitor County Court Judge. Birmingham Six freed on appeal after 16 years jail. Property Misdescriptions Act.	Berners-Lee’s short summary of the World Wide Web project. USSR and Warsaw Pact military alliance dissolved. Robert Maxwell drowns. Fair Employment Commission announces that the display of religious or political symbols in work places might be considered intimidation.
1990	Brian Stewart	Stevens Inquiry finds evidence of some collusion between members of the security forces and Loyalist paramilitaries. Room being used by the Steven Inquiry destroyed by a fire. Broadcasting Act. Computer Misuse Act.	Taoiseach Charles Haughey makes official visit to NI. Castlecourt Shopping Centre opens. Nelson Mandela released from prison in South Africa. Brian Keenan released after being held hostage for 1,574 days in Beirut.
1989	Roger Watts	Police and Criminal Evidence (NI) Order. Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act. New Prevention of Terrorism Act allows authorities to check bank accounts for paramilitary funds.	Fall of the Berlin Wall. Sky Television, first commercial satellite system in UK, launched. Home Office Minister, Douglas Hogg is critical of a “number of solicitors in Northern Ireland who are unduly sympathetic to the cause of the IRA”. Belfast Solicitor, Patrick Finucane, who had represented a number of Republicans, is shot dead by Loyalists the following month. Michael Stone is jailed for 30 years.
1988	Michael Leonard	Tom King, NI Secretary of State, announces legislation allowing a court to draw an inference from an accused person’s decision to remain silent when questioned by the police. Remission of sentences for prisoners in NI reduced from 50 percent to a third. European Court of Human Rights rules that by detaining suspects for more than four days, Britain was in breach of the European Convention of Human Rights. The UK decides nevertheless to retain a seven-day detention.	Stormont assembly dissolved. Hume-Adams meetings. Broadcasting ban on direct statements by those representing the IRA and other paramilitary organisations. Introduction of compulsory monitoring of the religious composition of workforces of all companies with twenty-five or more employees. Loyalist gunman Michael Stone kills three mourners at a funeral in Milltown Cemetery.
1987	David McFarland	Lord Justice Maurice Gibson of the Court of Appeal and his wife, Cecily, killed by an IRA bomb at Killeen. The Judge is the fifth members of the NI Judiciary to be killed by the IRA.	Enniskillen Remembrance Day Bombing kills 11, injures 63. First taxi driver to be killed in the Troubles shot by the UFF. Black Monday on New York Stock Exchange. First Rugby World Cup
1986	Neil Faris	In an action brought by the Alliance Party, the High Court orders Belfast City Council to end the adjournment of council business in protest at the Anglo-Irish Agreement. The council has also to remove the large “Belfast Says No” banner from the City Hall. New prison at Maghaberry receives its first prisoners	John Stalker removed from the investigation into the alleged “Shoot-to-kill” policy of the security forces. Stalker was cleared of the allegations of misconduct and reinstated to his post but not to the inquiry. Chernobyl disaster. Smithfield Market rebuilt in Belfast. International Fund for Ireland established.
1985	Nigel Kerr	The USA and UK sign a treaty that prevents the avoidance of extradition by claiming a political motive. Last of the supergrass trials.	Titanic wreck discovered. Back to the Future Hollywood film features the DeLorean car. Anglo-Irish Agreement signed.
1984	Pauline Knight	New Prevention of Terrorism Act allows the NI Secretary of State to proscribe certain organisations, to issue exclusion orders that prevent people from NI travelling to other parts of the UK or from travelling from the Republic to NI. Court of Appeal in Belfast quashes the convictions of the fourteen men who had been sentenced on the evidence of a UVF supergrass.	IRA Brighton bomb claims five lives and almost kills Margaret Thatcher. Miners’ strike UK. University of Ulster created out of New University of Ulster and Ulster Polytechnic. President Ronald Reagan pays a four day visit to the Republic. Amstrad CPC 464 computer launched. John Stalker, deputy chief constable of the Greater Manchester Police, begins investigation into the alleged “shoot-to-kill” policy of security forces.
1983	Niall Browne	County Court Judge William Doyle shot dead by the IRA. In a supergrass trial in Belfast 14 UVF members are jailed for a total of 200 years. In another supergrass trial, 22 alleged IRA members are jailed for a total of over four thousand years. Thirty-eight IRA prisoners escape from the Maze. Edgar Graham, law lecturer and a UUP assembly member, shot dead by the IRA. Land Registration Rules (NI).	Belfast Harbour Airport (later Belfast City Airport) re-opens for civil flights. IBM PC European launch. Apple Lisa first computer with a graphical user interface involving a mouse, windows and pop-up menu.
1982	Stephen Gowdy	IRA gun attack on LCJ Lord Lowry while visiting Queen’s. Three of the five members of the Committee of Inquiry set up to investigate the Kincora scandal resign, claiming the police had not dealt with all the major criminal matters surrounding the case.	NI Assembly reinstated. Falklands War. DeLorean company, despite £80m in grants, closes with the loss of approximately one thousand five hundred jobs. British Enkalon in Antrim announces closure with loss of eight hundred and fifty jobs. Michelin at Mallusk announces closure with the loss of over two thousand jobs. Erica Rowe bares her chest during England vs Australia rugby match at Twickenham.
1981	Michael Davey	European Court rules against the British government for treating homosexuality as a crime in NI.	First section of the Westlink opens. DeLorean car first produced in NI. IBM PC launched in USA. Bobby Sands dies on hunger strike. Northern Ireland’s first religiously integrated secondary school, Lagan College, opens.
1980	Henry A. Coll	End of Special Category Status in NI prisons.	Microsoft commissioned to write the operating system for the PC. Indecency scandal at Kincora Boys’ Home, Belfast: staff members charged with acts of gross indecency.
1979	Ruaidhri J. Higgins	Estate Agents Act. Eleven of the Shankill Butchers sentenced to total of forty-two life sentences.	First European MPs elected from NI. Margaret Thatcher first UK female Prime Minister. Lord Mountbatten killed by IRA bomb. Pope visits Ireland. Compact disk invented. CompuServe becomes first service to offer electronic mail.
1978	Thomas A. Burgess		NI Westminster MPs increased from 12 to 17. First test tube baby. Space Invaders video game.
1977	G. Paul McRandal	Bennett Report into RUC interrogation methods set up.	First Star Wars Firm. Elvis Presley dies. Crosby dies after completing a round of golf in Spain. Apple II computer with spreadsheet software visicalc.
1976	Colin Gowdy	Solicitors (NI) Order to prevent solicitors acting when unqualified or bankrupt. Fair employment (NI) Act gives effect to anti-discrimination provisions. Remission of sentences for NI prisoners raised to 50 percent.	Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan awarded Nobel Peace Prize. Temporary IRA ceasefire ends. First laser printer introduced by IBM.
1975	George A. Palmer	Four get life imprisonment for 1973 Guildford pub bomb.	Temporary IRA ceasefire and more secret talks. John Luke, Belfast painter, dies. Ethernet developed to connect PCs together.
1974	Edwin Gibson	Internment ends. Westminster Prevention of Terrorism Act after Birmingham bombs gives powers to detain for up to seven days without charge and to allow authorities to “exclude” people from entering Britain.	UWC strike brings down first power-sharing NI government. Dublin and Monaghan bombings by loyalists kill 33 people and an unborn child in 4 explosions. Approximately two hundred and fifty-eight are injured.
1973	Frederick Haugh	Emergency Powers Act allows certain cases to be heard by a Judge of the High Court or County Court, sitting alone with no jury (Diplock Courts).	First NI Assembly. UK, Ireland and Denmark join the EEC. Local government for the new 26 district councils. Proportional representation used in NI for the first time since 1920. Sunningdale Agreement on power sharing. The graphite golf-club shaft invented.
1972	Frederick Haugh	Dublin Solicitors’ Bar Association presents BSA with chairman’s badge of office. Welfare of Animals Act (NI). Widgery Tribunal, the first inquiry into Bloody Sunday. Scarman Report published into the causes of 1969 violence.	Direct rule after Stormont parliament prorogued. Bloody Sunday in Derry. Bloody Friday in Belfast. Temporary PIRA ceasefire and secret talks with British government. Mary Peters wins Olympic gold in the pentathlon. First pocket calculator. Troubles stop Wales and Scotland Rugby teams travelling to Dublin.
1971	Raymond Segal	Housing Executive (NI) Act becomes law. Decision to appoint a direct of public prosecutions for NI announced. Internment introduced. Leasehold (Enlargement and Extension) Act (NI).	Brian Faulkner becomes sixth and last NI PM of the old Stormont parliament. First British soldier killed in NI. Ulster Polytechnic established at Jordanstown. DUP established. UDA formed.
1970	Raymond Segal	Criminal Justice (Temporary Provisions) Act introduces mandatory 6 months prison for rioting. Estate Agents Act 1970.	SDLP and Alliance parties founded. Provisional Sinn Fein established.
1969	Victor Arnold	Theft Act (NI). The Cameron commission established to consider the reasons for the unrest in Derry/Londonderry. Scarman inquiry into the causes of violence during the summer of 1969 in NI	Ulster Troubles begin. First death of the Troubles. “Temporary” peace line built in Belfast. First deployment of the arm on NI streets. James Chichester Clark becomes fifth NI PM. New terminal at Aldergrove opens. Samuel Beckett wins Nobel Prize for literature. Man lands on the moon. Sea Quest makes first commercial oil find in the North Sea.
1968	Victor Arnold	Society of Labour Lawyers publish a report about alleged discrimination in NI. Electoral Law Act (NI) abolishes university representation and the business vote in Stormont elections.	New University of Ulster established. George Best nominated European Footballer of the Year and Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year.
1967	Thomasina McKinney	Transport Act (NI) abolishes the Ulster Transport Authority and sets up a structure similar to that of today.	Las section of the M1 TO Dungannon opens. BBC2 regularly broadcasts in colour. Sea Quest, one of the first oil rigs, launched in Belfast.
1966	Thomasina McKinney	Last man hanged in Crumlin Road Prison.	Queen Elizabeth Bridge over the River Lagan opens.
1965	T. Hall Dorman	New Towns Act (NI) creates the framework for Craigavon.	Kings Hall Conference Centre built. Sean Lemass makes the first official visit by a Taoiseach to NI.
1964	T. Hall Dorman		Terence O’Neill is first NI PM to visit a Catholic school. First Top of the Pops broadcast with Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” at number 1. Nelson Mandela sentenced to twenty-seven years in Jail in South Africa.
1963	James O’Hara	Caravans Act (NI). District Councils to keep a register of site licences.	Terence O’Neill becomes the fourth NI PM. Civil flights move from Nutts Corner to Aldergrove. President John F. Kennedy assassinated in Dallas.
1962	James O’Hara		Junctions 1-6 M1 opens (but there are no junctions 4 and 5). Police run education programme to tell drivers how to use a motorway. First single issued by the Beatles. First commercial modem.
1961	H. Harper Wilson	Rights of Light Act (NI) gives property owners a right not to have their light obstructed.	Stirling Moss drives Harry Ferguson’s four-wheel dirve P99 racing car to victory in the International Gold Cup at Oulton Park. Gary Player becomes the first foreign player to win the Masters.
1960	H. Harper Wilson		Death of inventor Harry Ferguson. Russian dogs successfully retrieved from orbit; the first living creatures to survive the experience.
1959	William J. Jefferson		UTV launched.
1958	William J. Jefferson	Summary Jurisdiction and Criminal Justice Act (NI). Ulster Folk and Transport Museum set up by act of Parliament.	Belfast painter Paul Henry dies. Lagan canal from Belfast to Lough Neagh abandoned. Closure of numerous NI railway lines.
1957	Robert McD. Coulter		Treaty of Rome sets up Common Market in Europe. Sputnik, first artificial satellite, launched by USSR.
1956	Robert McD. Coulter	School leaving age raised to 15.	Suez Canal Zone invaded by Britain and France.
1955	Robert McD. Coulter		Television begins for NI from the BBC transmitter on Divis Mountain. Xerox launch first office photocopier.
1954	Robert McD. Coulter	Flags and Emblems (Display) Act (NI) gives the RUC a positive duty to remove any public flag considered likely to cause a breach of the peace.	US launches first nuclear-powered submarine and tests first hydrogen bomb. First Fender Stratocaster guitar. End of wartime food rationing in UK.
1953	Robert McD. Coulter		Twenty-seven killed when a BEA Vickers Viscount strikes Nutts Corner landing lights. Korean War ends. Manchester University makes the first transistorised computer. First nuclear-tipped missiles deployed by USA. Tenzing and Hillary climb everest.
1952	D.P. Marrinan		Queen Elizabeth II succeeds George VI. European Coal and Steel Community, a forerunner to the EU, established.
1951	Leslie Morris	Age of Marriage Act (NI) forbids marriage under the age of 16.	Festival of Britain eshibition in London. Oral contraceptive invented. Communist Chinese forces enter Tibet.
1950	George Leitch Snr	Children and Young Persons Act (NI) increases child protection.	Queens’ University Belfast parliamentary seat at Westminster abolished. Ireland leaves the British Commonwealth and becomes a republic.
1949	Albert J Walmsley	The Ireland Act gives first legal guarantee that NI would not cease to be part of the UK without the consent of its citizens.	Maiden flight in England of the de Havilland Comet, world’s first commercial jet airliner.
1948	Albert J Walmsley	Health Services Act (NI) guarantees Exchequer funding for the first time to provide a health service equal to that in the rest of the UK. Belfast Corporation (General Powers) Act (NI). Transport Act (NI) set up the Ulster Transport Authority	Gerry Adams born. Israel independence and the Arab-Israeli War. Berlin Blockade. Arthur Miller writes Death of a Salesman. Rory Gallagher born. Rugby drop-goal made 3 points instead of 4.
1947	Albert J Walmsley	Education Act (NI). Children to be assessed by tests at age 11 to determine what type of secondary school they will attend (Only two non-grammar secondary schools in NI at this time.) Funding for Voluntary (Catholic) schools is raised to 65 percent. Grants for third-level education open up universities to many less well-off people.	Coal nationalised. Partition of India and Pakistan. Kon-Tiki raft crosses Pacific. Golf (US Open) televised for first time.
1946	T.M. Heron	Marriage and Matrimonial Causes Act (NI) extends the hours within which marriages may lawfully be solemnised	Civil flights transferred to Nutts Corner from the Harbour Airport. Bikinis go on sale in Parish. George W. Bush, Stephen Rea and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, born. John Logie Baird, TV pioneer, dies.
1945	T.M. Heron	Northern Ireland Housing Trust set up under the Housing Act (NI). Criminal Justice Act (NI).	Second World War ends. First atomic bombs used against Japan. British take over Lebanon and Syria. Winston Churchill election defeat. 88 German rocket scientists taken to USA.
1944	Robert Watts	BSA Constitution and Regulations formally approved by the Council of LSNI. Ministries Act (NI), establishes a Ministry of Health with its own minister.	David Trimble born. Mount Vesuvius in Italy erupts and kills 26. Glenn Miller disappears while flying to Paris. Mairead Corrigan, Nobel Laureate, born.
1943	Robert Watts	BSA is formed: constitutional objects include maintenance of the highest professional standards; provision of a social programme; interaction with other local solicitor associations and with LSNI; and delivery of an efficient and effective service to the general public	Basil Brook (Lord Brookborough becomes third NI Prime Minister, Eisenhower becomes the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. Colossus computer developed to break German encryption. PGA Championship cancelled and Masters discontinued for the duration of the war.