Saturday/Sunday
The Ulster Unionist Party emerged as the largest party in the new Northern Assembly when counting of votes was completed on Saturday. The SDLP, however, received the biggest share of first-preference votes. Candidates against the Belfast Agreement won 28 of the 108 seats, just two short of the number needed to block key elements of the Agreement.
Two men were killed and another seriously injured when a car ploughed into a group of cyclists taking part in the Co-operation North cross-Border "maracycle". The incident happened five miles north of Newry, Co Down.
Train drivers announced that a national stoppage would take place on July 12th, the day thousands of sports fans will travel to Dublin to see the first stage of the Tour de France. The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Locomotive Drivers' Committee.
Monday
Lord Alderdice announced his resignation as leader of the Alliance Party.
The Northern Ireland Parades Commission said it would not permit the Drumcree Orange parade on Sunday to march on Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The Taoiseach appealed to the Orange Order and the Garvaghy Road residents to engage in dialogue to avert a crisis around the planned parade.
Final details of Le Tour en Irlande, the opening stages of the Tour de France which take place in Ireland next weekend, were announced in Dublin. The former winner of the Tour, Mr Stephen Roche, said the event would cause mayhem but the benefits to the economy would far outweigh the cost of any disruption.
Tuesday
The Garda Representative Association said progress was being made in talks with the Government aimed at resolving the pay dispute. Gardai had threatened to withdraw services during next week's Tour de France.
The Orange Order said it was not prepared to accept the Parades Commission's decision preventing its march on the Garvaghy Road. The Co Armagh District Master of the Order, Mr Denis Watson, said marchers were prepared to stand at Drumcree "for 365 days if necessary . . . for their right to return and walk along the Garvaghy Road back into Portadown".
A Victorian home on 1.5 acres of seaside garden in Dalkey was sold at auction for £5.9 million, a record price for a house in Dublin. Sorrento House was bought by a solicitor, Mr Michael O'Gorman of A.& L.Goodbody, on behalf of an anonymous client.
Wednesday
Grants for eight industrial projects, involving the creation of 3,000 jobs, were approved by the Cabinet. About 2,000 of the jobs are to be outside Dublin and the remainder in the capital.
The UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, was elected First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly at its first meeting. Mr Seamus Mallon, the deputy leader of the SDLP, was elected Deputy First Minister after his party leader, Mr John Hume, announced that he was not seeking the post. Sinn Fein members of the Assembly abstained in the vote.
The Fianna Fail backbench TD, Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn, vigorously denied allegations made against her by a retired Meath farmer, Mr James Howard, and said she had instituted legal proceedings against Mr Howard and RTE. It was Ms Cooper-Flynn's third statement in less than a week rejecting a claim that, when working for National Irish Bank, she had helped Mr Howard put money into an offshore account to evade tax.
The former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, was drawn into the controversy over the Fitzwilton donation of £30,000, paid to Mr Ray Burke, in 1989. Mr Sean Fleming TD, Fianna Fail's accountant at the time, told the Dail that he informed Mr Haughey in June 1989 that the party had been "left short" in respect of the donation.
Thursday
The half-year Exchequer figures indicated that this could well be the strongest year of the economic boom so far. Department of Finance forecasters said tax revenues were likely to be £800 million higher than predicted at Budget time.
Efforts to resolve the Drumcree crisis intensified. The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, flew into Belfast for meetings about the issue with senior political and church leaders. Mr Blair visited the burnt-out St James's Chapel, near Aldergrove Airport, one of 10 Catholic churches destroyed or damaged in early-morning arson attacks. Sources close to the Loyalist Volunteer Force, which was blamed for the attacks, denied responsibility.
