In Pictures: Success for Sinn Féin although Stormont stays mothballed in 2023

Thu, 28 Dec, 2023 - 10:00

Stormont has had a quiet 2023 with the institutions yet to get up and running, but the emergence of Sinn Féin as Northern Ireland’s largest party at council level ensured it was nonetheless a landmark year.

The historic Republican party had a triumphant night at local government polls but, due to political deadlock over trading arrangements, Michelle O’Neill has still not yet taken up her likely role as first minister because of the constraints of powersharing despite being the largest party in Assembly elections in 2022.

Elsewhere, US President Joe Biden, who has strong Irish roots, visited the country while there was turmoil at the PSNI in the autumn, leading to change at the top.

The coronation divided views but the presence of Ms O’Neill at Westminster Abbey signalled that there has been change since the previous such event in 1953.

The cases of Natalie McNally and Chloe Mitchell provoked demonstrations against violence towards women, both were found dead in cases with criminal proceedings under way.

It was a snowy start to 2023 in Eglinton, Co Londonderry, Northern Ireland (David Young/PA)

Mr Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland preceded a longer stay south of the border but the US president still managed to fit in meetings with politicians and a speech at Ulster University.

Some demonstrators used his visit to voice concern about policy issues.

The Good Friday agreement featured strongly in talks 25 years after they were made but the injuries sustained by John Caldwell, an off-duty police officer, in February showed that such incidents are not yet entirely banished to the history books.

President Biden visit to the island of Ireland

Messages are displayed on Black Mountain which overlooks the city of Belfast, in Northern Ireland, as US President Joe Biden, delivers his keynote speech at Ulster University (Niall Carson/PA)

Sinn Féin’s success at constitutional politics was reflected in a landmark local elections result although Ms O’Neill has still to assume the role of first minister with Stormont remaining shut down.

That will only occur when a deal is done with opposition parties to enable an executive to be formed.

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill, president Mary Lou McDonald and Tina Black who won her seat, at Belfast City Hall as the results came in for the Northern Ireland local elections (Liam McBurney/PA)

For the first time in 70 years, a coronation drew tributes and protests with the King and Queen visiting weeks after the event which had been attended by Ms O’Neill in a sign of how Northern Ireland has changed since the previous such event.

The King and Queen marked the coronation with a visit to Northern Ireland weeks after the setpiece (Brian Lawless/PA)

The people of Northern Ireland had weeks earlier marked the coronation day itself in different ways although the first minister-in-waiting’s presence at the ceremony was a sign of change.

A group of women cross the Shankill Road, Belfast, in front of a newly unveiled mural, on the day of the coronation (Brian Lawless/PA)

There were varied weather conditions with a snowy start to the year, very high temperatures in June and September and floods in November.

Beachgoers enjoying the warm weather at Helen’s Bay in Bangor, Northern Ireland, in the hottest June on record (Liam McBurney/PA)

The marching season came and went with one loyalist bonfire featuring an image of the first minister in waiting, prompting a police investigation.

However, the police themselves were coming under scrutiny with a series of issues including a data breach leading to the departure of chief constable Simon Byrne who was replaced by Jon Boutcher.

An effigy of Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill on the Eastvale Avenue bonfire in Dungannon, which led to a police investigation (Liam McBurney/PA)

Permission was granted to remove some trees at Dark Hedges, known around the world because of their association with television series Game Of Thrones.