Stormont has had a quiet 2023 with the institutions yet to get up and running, but the emergence of Sinn Fein 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.
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.
Sinn Fein’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.
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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.
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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.