A series of attacks by Irish nationalist groups, notably the New Irish Republican Army, causes the UK’s MI5 to raise the level of the domestic terror threat to severe.

Assembly fails to elect a speaker, the first step in forming a government, because the Democratic Unionist Party continues to protest the Brexit customs checks, which it sees as undermining Northern Ireland’s British identity. The UK government is forced to an election now that the six-month deadline for forming a government has not been met.

Reports that Catholics are now the largest religious group.

Democratic Unionist Party refuses to support a speaker for the Assembly or to name any ministers until the UK rewrites the Northern Ireland Protocol that governs trade between the UK, including Northern Ireland and the EU, including Ireland. This effectively shuts down the government. The protocol created a customs border in the sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, but the UK now says the required bureaucracy is unworkable.

Johnson visits all political parties. He supports changing the Brexit agreement with the EU, as does the DUP. Sinn Fein supports maintaining the current agreement.

Sinn Fein is officially declared the winning party in the legislative elections. Led by the popular Michelle O’Neill, who focused the campaign on everyday issues of prices and health care, the party won 27 of the 9 0 seats. The DUP won 24 seats and the Alliance Party, which seekls to reconcile the other two, won 17. While Sinn Fein will have the right to form a government, its deputy minister would have to be from the DUP. The Alliance Party would like to reform the process, since the Good Friday agreement prioritizes the two major parties. So it will be difficult to form a majority government and Sinn Fein’s goal of a referendum on reunification with Ireland is likely to be long delayed.

Rioting continues and police use water cannons.

Several days of unrest by Loyalists, who have attacked police and civilians. The unrest was ignited by the failure to prosecute Sinn Fein members over breaches of COVID-19 regulations, but there has been simmering frustration about the government for some time.

Government rejects Brexit agreement.

Arlene Foster (DUP) is reelected First Minister as power-sharing government is restored.

Northern Ireland courts dismisses case against prorogation in regard to Northern Ireland.

Brexit talks break down again over Northern Ireland border. The backstop agreement was the problem. The EU is believed to be seeking further reassurances that its internal market will be protected and that additional customs and regulatory checks will continue without a physical border. The Northern Ireland Democratic Union Party has rejected any checks on goods moving between it and Great Britain.

Brexit talks edging closer to resolution that would keep the UK in the customs agreements temporarily. Other trade relations between the UK and the EU would for the most part have to be worked out in more detail. The Irish border remains a point of contention. The Democratic Unionist Party, an ally of May’s government, has insisted that Northern Ireland be treated the same as the rest of the UK. However, after DUP leader Arlene Foster meets with EU negotiator Michel Barnier, she indicates a willingness to compromise.

After 589 days, Northern Ireland remains without a government, and most feel there will be no government until after Brexit.

After 589 days, Northern Ireland remains without a government, and most feel there will be no government until after Brexit.

UK announces a compromise on the Ireland-Northern Ireland border that satisfies EU negotiators. It will allow a free border between the two and “the UK will maintain full alignment with those rules of the internal market and the customs union which, now or in the future, support North-South cooperation, the all-island economy and the protection of the 1998 agreement" establishing peace in Northern Ireland. It is not clear how this satisfies the objections of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, but the party has accepted the language. The UK also agrees to continue payments to the EU until 2020, and EU citizens in the UK will retain all their EU rights.

Negotiations on the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland break down, a few days before an EU deadline for an agreement. The Democratic Unionist Party rejected a compromise that would allow Northern Ireland to write its own border laws (continuing the procedures in place when in the EU), insisting that the UK and Northern Ireland have the same laws.

Northern Ireland government remains paralyzed since 1/17 collapse of power-sharing agreement.