NI 100: BBC News NI marks a milestone in Irish history

"I appeal to all Irishmen to pause, to stretch out the hand of forbearance and conciliation, to forgive and to forget, and to join in making for the land which they love a new era of peace, contentment and goodwill."

These were the words of King George V on 22 June 1921, when he officially opened Northern Ireland's first parliament at Belfast City Hall.

Just over six months earlier, on 23 December 1920, the passage of the Government of Ireland Act at Westminster officially introduced partition in Ireland by legislating for two new home rule parliaments on the island, in Belfast and Dublin.

It was this law that pointed the way towards the establishment of a separate jurisdiction - Northern Ireland.

• Who were the major players in 1920?

• Northern Ireland emerges from a tumultuous decade

At the time, the future of Northern Ireland - born as it was shortly after World War One and in the midst of the Irish War of Independence between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and British forces on the island - was extremely unclear.

But, now 100 years on, Northern Ireland will mark its centenary, with events planned to look at its past, present and future.

The anniversary is likely to reignite the debate on the partition of Ireland into Northern Ireland and the modern-day Republic of Ireland and how it has shaped life on the island.

King George V opened the new NI Parliament at Belfast City Hall, with thousands lining the streets

Likewise, here at BBC News NI, we'll be evaluating how Northern Ireland came to be and how decisions made 100 years ago reverberated across both the UK and the newly-created Irish Free State (later to be the Republic of Ireland).

Across our digital output, on BBC Newsline and on BBC Radio Ulster, we'll bring you programmes, items and articles looking at the birth and evolution of Northern Ireland from its beginnings to the present day, as well as developments in London and Dublin.

This week - which marks 100 years since the passage of the Government of Ireland Act - sees the beginning of that coverage, with more 100-year anniversaries to come in the coming months - whether that be opening of NI's first parliament, as mentioned above, or the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in December 1921, which established a 26-country Irish Free State and copper-fastened partition.

From today, you'll be able to read about the events that led up to partition, the major players, the simmering sectarian tension that led to trouble in Londonderry and more.

Throughout the year our online coverage will be carried under the tag NI 100 and displayed on the news page, so you can all check here for the latest coverage throughout the year.

Explore how Northern Ireland was created a hundred years ago in the company of Tara Mills and Declan Harvey.

Each week a different piece of the story is added.

But this is not about 1921, it's about how we got to 2021.

You can listen to the latest podcast, and catch-up on previous episodes here.