2000s
The terror attacks on New York and Washington on 9/11 changed the world and were followed by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The economic crash of 2007 and its aftermath brought a period of economic austerity and the Celtic Tiger came to an abrupt halt in the Republic of Ireland. The 7/7 bombs in London, planted by Islamist extremists, killed 56 people.
In Northern Ireland disagreements over the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons and continued IRA activity led to suspensions of the newly formed Assembly. In 2007 the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin agreed to go into government together. Ian Paisley became First Minister at the age of 81, with Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister. The failure to agree the devolution of justice and policing powers continued to destabilise power-sharing, while conflicts over culture, identity and dealing with the past remained deeply divisive.
In 2005, George Best was buried in Belfast after what was effectively a state funeral at Parliament buildings, Belfast. Northern Ireland became known as the home of the popular television series Game of Thrones. The first civil partnership ceremonies for gay couples in the UK took place in Northern Ireland in 2005. Ethnic minorities, which had previously made up a small part of the population, accounted for 4.5 percent of the population by 2011.
