2021 in Northern Ireland

• 1 January - First freight arrives in Northern Ireland after the Irish Sea Border comes into effect under the Provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol.[1]
• 5 January - Education Executive announces AQE/GL transfer tests will not go ahead, then AQE announces they will hold one exam in late February, postponed for a second time.[2]
• 6 January – Education Minister Peter Weir announces that GCSE, AS Level and A Level exams scheduled for summer 2021 will be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
• 9 January – Lorry drivers from Northern Ireland travelling directly to France from the Irish Republic have been told they will need a recent negative COVID test in order to do so. Drivers have been using a route from Rosslare to Cherbourg to avoid UK delays caused by COVID.[4]
• 10 January – All of Northern Ireland's six health trusts have forecast that the number of patients in hospital with COVID could double by the third week of January.[5]
• 17 January – Jennifer Welsh, Chief Executive of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, says that hospitals are preparing for a peak in admissions from COVID during the coming week.[6]
• 21 January - The lockdown restrictions for Northern Ireland are extended until 5 March.[7]
• 22 January - Following the cancellation of transfer tests, it is reported that grammar schools in Northern Ireland will not use academic tests to admit pupils in 2021.[8]
• 28 January - The Northern Ireland Executive agrees that most schools in Northern Ireland will not return until at least Monday 8 March.[9]

5 January - James Greene (b 1931), actor.[10]

3 February - James Fenton (b 1931), poet.[11]