Northern Ireland’s deaths of 2022: In memoriam to 20 people we said farewell to this year

Brian Hannon, a former Church of Ireland bishop, died in January at the age of 85. He served as bishop of the cross-border diocese of Clogher from 1986 to 2001. His death united the Assembly during 2022. Christopher Hannan was the youngest member of Belfast City Council at 22.

Christopher Stalford died on February 19, aged 39. He was an MLA for South Belfast since 2016 and Principal Deputy Speaker in the Assembly.

Sammy Mackie died on February 22 at the age of 82. He is best known for his 1982 song "I'm Yer Man". It was a football anthem for Northern Ireland.

Patricia Cardy was the mother of Jennifer, who was abducted and murdered in 1981. Robert Black was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Jennifer in 2011. Pat died on February 25, aged 73.

Norman Surplus was the first person to circumnavigate the globe in an autogyro. He completed the journey in 2019 after setting himself the challenge of completing the epic 27,000-mile flight while recovering from chemotherapy in 2003. Norman also worked as a video game designer, a wind farmer and a lifeboat captain.

Lady Joy Hastings died on May 31 at 90. She was the matriarch of a hotel empire. Her husband built up a portfolio of hotels around Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

Billy Bingham died on June 9 at 90. He was Northern Ireland's most successful manager. Binghama led his country to two World Cups in the 1980s. He had played at a World Cup in 1958. His career took him from Glentoran to Sunderland, Luton Town and Everton.

Damian Casey died in Spain at the age of 29 after a swimming pool accident. He was a star hurler for Tyrone for the past decade. His career tally of 39 goals and 906 points is unlikely to be surpassed.

Aideen Kennedy died on June 18, aged 43. She will be remembered for her time as a presenter on UTV. Aideens sister died of cancer in 2016, her brother Dara died from a brain tumour less than a year earlier, and her older brother Rory was killed in a road accident when he was just a baby.

Jim Fitzpatrick died on June 25 at the age of 92. He was the chairman of The Irish News for more than 50 years. Mr Fitzpatrick was proprietor of the nationalist newspaper since the early 1980s. His tenure coincided with the worst years of Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Joan Lingard died on July 12, aged 90. Joan wrote the Kevin and Sadie novels in Northern Ireland. She also wrote a children's novel, The Twelfth Day Of July. In all, Joan published more than 60 novels during her career.

Paddy Hopkirk won the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally in a classic Mini Cooper S. He is the last British driver to win the event. Paddy received telegrams from Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home and The Beatles.

William Wright died on July 24 at the age of 94. He was a business tycoon who brought bus building to Ballymena and developed electric buses. His company was bought by English industrialist Jo Bamford in 2019. Mr Wright was also a member of Balymenia Borough Council from 1981 to 1985 and again from 1993 to 2005.

Lord Trimble died on July 25 at the age of 77. He was the principal architect of the Belfast Agreement. Trimpe won the Nobel Peace Prize with John Hume in 1998.

Terry Neill was a former Northern Ireland international and captain of Arsenal in the 1960s. He was also a part-time manager of the national team from 1971 to 1975. Neil was born in Belfast in 1942.

Don Stirling died on August 26 at the age of 83. He was Ballymena United's vice-president.

Kim Lenaghan died on September 11 at 61. She worked for BBC Northern Ireland for 25 years. Ms Lenaghans was a versatile broadcaster. She presented the BBC Radio Ulster series The Foodie and the live Christmas Day morning show on BBC radio.

Baroness May Blood died on October 21, aged 84. She was a trade unionist and a strong advocate of integrated education in Northern Ireland. In the 1990s she was president of the Labour Party in NI and served as a peer in the House of Lords until retiring in 2018.

Eamon Phoenix was an expert on the history of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Sammy was a runner-up in the Northern Irish Entertainer of the Year competition in 1982 and 1983. He received a special award for The Essence of Northern. Ireland in 1983 and was named Co Tyrone Entertainser.

Brendan McAllister died on December 13 at the age of 66. He was a long-time mediation expert and a Catholic Church deacon. Mr Mc allister was attached to Kilbroney Parish in Rostrevor following his January ordination.