Michelle O’Neill became Northern Ireland’s first nationalist First Minister, and a couple found love after being stuck in Belfast for four months because of the delayed departure of the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship.
Courtesy of photographers from the PA news agency, here is the year in pictures in Northern Ireland.
Public sector workers protest at Belfast City Hall in January, as an estimated 150,000 workers took part in walkouts over pay across Northern Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA)
Adele Irwin’s cockapoo Luna plays in the snow during a walk at Sixmilewater Park in Ballyclare in January, after temperatures dropped below freezing for the bulk of the country (Liam McBurney/PA)
Behind the scenes at Stormont as Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill becomes Northern Ireland’s first nationalist First Minister in February (Liam McBurney/PA)
First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly during a press conference at Stormont Castle, Belfast, following the restoration of the powersharing executive (Liam McBurney/PA)
A group of young men carrying crates of petrol bombs at the start of an Easter Monday parade in the Creggan area of Londonderry, commemorating the anniversary of the Easter Rising Rebellion of 1916 (Liam McBurney/PA)
Former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson leaves Newry Magistrates’ Court in April, after being released on continuing bail on a number of historical sex charges, including one count of rape (Brian Lawless/PA)
Clones Marina, Clones, Co Monaghan, after the completion of phase two of the Ulster Canal restoration project, in June (Niall Carson/PA)
People taking part in Belfast Pride Parade (PA)
Abdelkader Mohamad Al Alloush, owner of the Sham Supermarket on Donegall Road in Belfast, which was burned during disorder in August after an anti-immigration protest (Rebecca Black/PA)
Demonstrators taking part in a United Against Racism rally in Belfast (PA)
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood during a press conference where he announced his resignation as party leader, at Eskaheen View, Derry, on August 29 (Mark Marlow/PA)
Animal whisperer Catherine Hoy (right) shows Seapatrick Care Home resident Celine Mushroom a turtle during a pet therapy session at the Banbridge home in September (Liam McBurney/PA)
In September, Gian Perroni and Angela Harsanyi found love after being stuck in Belfast for four months because of the delayed departure of the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship and its unexpected repair work (Liam McBurney/PA)
In October hundreds of people queued to visit the relics of St Bernadette at St Mary’s Church in Chapel Lane in Belfast, as part of a pilgrimage across the island of Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA)
The Prince of Wales records a video message for the friend of a student who missed his visit to Ulster University’s Belfast City Campus Centre in November (Liam McBurney/PA)