New Year Honours 2021: Kingsmills survivor and NI musician on list

Alan Black was the only survivor of an attack near a County Armagh village

The sole survivor of the 1976 Kingsmills massacre is among almost 90 people from Northern Ireland who feature on the New Year Honours list.

Alan Black was appointed MBE for services to the community in south Armagh.

World-famous pianist and conductor Barry Douglas is also on the list with a CBE for services to music and to community relations in NI.

Born in Belfast, Douglas had already been appointed OBE in the 2002 Honours.

NI's Chief Social Work Officer Sean Holland has also been appointed CBE.

Also recognised for public service, particularly during the Covid-19 response was DUP MLA William Humphrey who has been appointed MBE.

Barry Douglas performs in London in 2016

Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Philip McGarry, who was appointed OBE, said he was "delighted" to accept the honour but that it had not been anticipated.

He said the recognition was not just for "mental health as a whole not just psychiatrists, but all those who work in the field" and for patients and families.

"Over recent years, it's become much more acceptable to talk about mental health," he said.

He added that the approach and culture was different to when he had started out in the 1980s.

"It is now very acceptable for people, including men, to talk about their emotions and mental illness when there was a terrible stigma about it at that time".

Sports stars also feature in the Honours, with Commonwealth and European pommel horse champion Rhys McClenaghan receiving a British Empire Medal (BEM).

The Newtownards native, 21, became the first Irish gymnast to win a World Championship medal last year.

Karen McDowell has been appointed MBE in the New Year Honours list

Mixed Martial Arts coach Danny Corr also receives a BEM for services to his sport and to community relations in Glengormley.

Six-time North West 200 winner John McGuinness becomes an MBE.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Station Commander Karen McDowell has been appointed MBE for her services to fire and rescue and the LGBTQ community.

With more than 27 years' service - she joined the organisation in 1993 - Ms McDowell worked in a number of posts and recently played an important part in NIFRS response to Covid-19.

Ms McDowell said she was "very surprised and deeply humbled" by the award.

"The last 10 years have been an incredible journey and if I have helped make a difference to anyone facing similar challenges it has been a privilege to have had that opportunity," she said.

Amanda McNamee, Principal of Lagan College, received an award

Another MBE recpient was Amanda McNamee, the principal of Lagan College, for services to education.

"I get most reward from working with children from different parties of the community in integrated education," she said.

"I love to work with children of all different abilities and for them to see the potential that they have within themselves and that there is no limit to what you can do in life if you have drive and ambition."

She added that it was her parents who would "probably be most proud".

The honours system

Commonly awarded ranks:

• Companion of Honour - Limited to 65 people. Recipients wear the initials CH after their name

• Knight or Dame

• CBE - Commander of the Order of the British Empire

• OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire

• MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire

• BEM - British Empire Medal

• Guide to the Honours

Order of the Bath

Derek Alexander Baker, Permanent Secretary, Department of Education, Northern Ireland Executive

Fiona Caroline Gail Chamberlain, lately Crown Solicitor for Northern Ireland

Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order

David Christopher Lindsay, Lord-Lieutenant of County Down

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

William Barry Douglas O.B.E., Concert Pianist

Sean William Holland, Chief Social Work Officer, Department of Health, Northern Ireland Executive

Michael Ashton Kuhn, Northern Ireland Screen

Mark Alexander Larmour, Political Director, Northern Ireland Office

Bernard Francis (Brian) McConville, Owner and Chair, MJM Group

Paul Alexander Terrington, PwC NI

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Geraldine Brereton, Deputy Director, Universal Credit Operations, Department for Communities, Northern Ireland Executive

John Dalzell M.B.E.

John George Lillywhite, Chair, Kainos

Dr Philip Joseph McGarry

Alan John Lindsay Kennedy Moore MBE

Jerome Patrick Mullen, Newry Chamber of Commerce and the Clamry Group

William Patrick Thomas O'Hara

Diljit Singh Rana M.B.E Chairman, Andras House Ltd

Oliver Edward Pattison Shanks

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Alan Henry Black

Anne Blake

Michael David Briggs, East Belfast Community Development Agency

Derek Capper

Hazel Carson

Norman David Carson

Philip Cassidy, Global Executive Vice President, Concentrix.

Charles Wesley Duncan

Sarah Ellen Griffiths

Florence Margaret Hand, Health and Wellbeing Manager, Northern Health and Social Care Trust

Ian Aubrey McDonald Harvey

Christine Hayes, Lately Systems, Analytics and Reward Officer, Ulster University

Claire Henderson, Head of Department, South Eastern Regional College

William Joseph Humphrey, MLA for North Belfast

Catherine Jane Irwin, Volunteer, Girl Guides

John Charles Kenneth McDowel, Director, Kilwaughter Minerals Ltd

Karen McDowell, Station Commander, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service

William Thompson McElhinney Lately Principal, Ashlea Primary School, Londonderry

David Alistair McGowan

Helen Elizabeth McHugh

Amanda McNamee, Principal, Lagan College

Gordon Charles Penrose, Honorary President, Institute of Roofing

Alastair John Rankin

David John Marshall Robinson, Chairman of the Trustees, The Robinson Memorial Hospital

Thomas Daniel Robinson

Lynn Smith, Civilian Secretary, HQ 38 (Irish) Brigade, Northern Ireland Garrison

Sarah Elizabeth Marilyn Warren, Lecturer, Southern Regional College

Stephen Leslie Weir

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

Hugh Kirkpatrick Paul Bell, Chairman, Board of Governors, Aughnacloy College

Michael David Black

Donald John Blair,Volunteer, 1st Greenisland Company, The Boys' Brigade

George Ivan Brown

William Brown

David Terrance Butler, Access Manager, Translink

Margaret Campbell

Joycelyn Carson

Myrtle Joan Clements

Isabella Daisy Collum

Annie Irvine Cook

Daniel Martin Corr

Helen Martha Coulter

Patricia Anne Dallas

Elizabeth Doherty, Receptionist, Belfast Campus, Ulster University

Thomas Edward Donnelly

Brigid Doyle, Head of Childcare, Queen's University Belfast

MartyneGirvan, Higher Officer, Fraud Investigation Service, HM Revenue and Customs

Evelyn Graham

George Kenneth Graham

Karen Joanne Hamilton

Denise Hunt (O'Neill)

Phyllis Brenda Jeffers

Stephen Lenaghan

Alana Lorraine McAllister

Rhys Joshua McClenaghan

Maureen McKeown

Violet McKeown

Jonathan Peter McMillen, Executive Officer, Syrian Refugee Project, Department for Communities

Elizabeth O'Donnell

Peggy Margaret Mary O'Dwyer

Arthur Wilfred David Ovens

Sheila Mary McCafferty Palmer

James Hamilton Porter

Christopher James Preshaw, Chief Technician, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast

William Arthur Simpson

Joan Young Totten, Manager, North Belfast Alternatives

Rodney Watson

Queen's Police Medal (QPM)

Norman James Lewis, Detective Chief Inspector, Police Service of Northern Ireland

Robert McAllen, Constable, Police Service of Northern Ireland

Mark Roberts, Inspector, Police Service of Northern Ireland

Queen's Ambulance Medal (QAM)

Margaret Mary Barclay, Resource Manager, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service