New Year Honours 2022: NI health chief, children's author and sport stars on list

Civil servant Richard Pengelly, Paralympic swimmer Bethany Firth and children's author and artist Oliver Jeffers all received honours

Northern Ireland's health chief is among almost 100 people from Northern Ireland who feature on the New Year Honours list.

Richard Pengelly, permanent secretary at the Department of Health, becomes a companion of the Order of the Bath.

Six-time gold medal-winning Paralympic swimmer Bethany Firth and six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea are appointed OBE.

County Fermanagh victims' campaigner Kenny Donaldson is appointed MBE.

Children's author and artist Oliver Jeffers, who is originally from Northern Ireland and now lives in New York becomes an MBE.

Former Irish senator Ian Marshall, who joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in July, is made an OBE for public and political service.

The former Ulster Farmers' Union president lost his seat in the elections for the Seanad (Irish Senate) in March 2020.

Sean McCarry from the Community Rescue Service, which helps find missing people in difficult conditions, was also on the list, becoming an OBE.

Chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, Colin Neill, was appointed MBE for services to the hospitality industry.

Sean McCarry from the Community Rescue Service becomes an OBE

Northern Ireland's Health Minister Robin Swann congratulated Mr Pengelly and all the health and social care staff on the list.

"I have worked closely with Richard since I became health minister almost two years ago," he said.

"He has worked tirelessly and with great dedication in an extremely challenging role and I am grateful for his resolute commitment during the most testing time for our health service."

Photo taken before the mural was updated - Jonathan Rea has won six straight World Superbike Championships

Sports stars feature prominently on the list, with Bethany Firth becoming an OBE.

She won a gold medal for Ireland in the Paralympic Games in London in 2012 and went on to win a further three in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and two in Tokyo in 2020 for Team GB, as well as a silver medal in Rio and two silvers in Tokyo.

Six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea, was appointed OBE for services to motorcycle racing said: "I am extremely grateful and deeply honoured to receive an OBE in the Queen's New Year Honours list.

"While it has come as a welcome surprise, I am so pleased that my sport has been recognised and I am very proud to represent Northern Ireland and the UK in motorsport around the world."

Both Firth and Rea had already been made MBEs.

Team Ireland sprint star Jason Smyth was appointed MBE for services to Paralympic Athletics and the Sporting Community in Northern Ireland.

Smyth has won six Paralympic gold medals as well as eight World Para Athletics Championship golds.

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

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)

Richard James Pengelly, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Service and Permanent Secretary, Department of Health Northern Ireland

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

John Johnston, Deputy Secretary, Healthcare Policy Group, Department of Health

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Clark Samuel Bailie, for services to Housing and Public Management in Northern Ireland

Evelyn Margaret Cosgrove, lately Principal, St Mary's High School, Newry

Bethany Charlotte Firth, for services to swimming

Grainne Doran, GP, for services to General Practice

Raymond Hutchinson, Managing Director, Gilbert-Ash, for services to the Construction Industry

Marie Alea Mary Greenwood Mallon MBE, Chair, Labour Relations Agency, for services to Industrial and Employment Relations in Northern Ireland

Ian James Marshall, For Public and Political Service

Sean McCarry, Regional Commander, Community Rescue Service, for services to the community in Northern Ireland

Bridget Isabella Mongan, for services to Prison Health Care and Social Work in Northern Ireland

StephenOrr Chief Executive, Catalyst, for services to Innovation

Jonathan Rea MBE, for services to Motorcycle Racing

Hilary Ann Margaret Singleton, for services to the Community Sector

Kevin Francis Sweeney, for Public Service, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic

Julie Christina Bingham Taggart Principal, Nendrum College, Comber, Northern Ireland, for services to Education

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Wendy Jane Anne Anderson, Respiratory Consultant, for services to Healthcare, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic

Roger Colin Armstrong, for services to Storytelling in Northern Ireland

Peter Richard Briggs, for services to Judo

Elizabeth Mary Buchanan, Altnagelvin Hospital, for services to Nursing in Northern Ireland, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic

Simon Peter Darby, Social Worker, for services to Teenagers and Young Adults with Cancer

Ezekiel Graham Dodds, for Public Service to Communities across Northern Ireland

David Robert Martin Donaldson, for services to Charity and to the Community

Kenneth Ross Donaldson, South East Fermanagh Foundation, for services to the community in Northern Ireland.

Maureen Elizabeth Dunn, for services to Drama and the Performing Arts

Monica Mary Fitzpatrick, Deputy Principal, Equality and LGBT Policy Unit, Department for Communities, Northern Ireland Executive, for services to Equality and LGBT Rights and voluntary services to Law and Order

Edith Mary Adelaide Fleck, for services to the Community

Imelda Gavin Compliance Officer, HM Revenue and Customs, for services to the Excise Compliance Strategy

Rev Dr Samuel Gran, for services to the community in Carrickfergus, County Antrim

Allison JosephineGray, for services to St John Ambulance in Northern Ireland

Richard Terence Greer, Police Service of Northern Ireland, for services to Policing and to the community in Northern Ireland

Gareth Robert Armstrong Hetherington, SERC, for services to Further Education

Heather Sara Houston Lecturer, Belfast Metropolitan Collegee, for services to Further Education and Older People

Oliver Brendan Jeffers, Author and Illustrator, for services to the Arts

Paul Mark Johnston, Monkstown Amateur Boxing Club, for services to Sport and to the community in County Antrim

Reynold James Kirk, for services to the North Irish Horse Regimental Association and to the Carrickfergus Community Heritage Project

Trevor William Lockhart, Fane Valley Co-operative Society Ltd, for services to the Agri-Food Industry and the Economy

Mairead Mackle, Tarasis Enterprises, for services to Economic Development

Frederick GeorgeMagee, for services to Association Football in East Belfast

Anne Mairead Maguire, Education Authority Northern Ireland, for services to Education

Janet McAlister, Education Authority Northern Ireland, for services to Education

Margaret Pearl McBride, Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College, Northern Ireland, for services to Education

Jackie McCoy Professor, Ulster University, for services to Higher Education, to Business and to the Arts

Angela Mary Veronica McIntyre DL, for services to the Foyle Hospice and the community in County Londonderry

Norman McKinley, British Red Cros, for services to the Covid-19 Response

William James McLarnin, for services to Scouting and Voluntary Service in County Down

Jacqueline Mai Moore, for services to Girl Guiding in Northern Ireland.

Elizabeth Anne Morrison, Aberdeen Angus Quality Beef Ltd, Northern Ireland, for services to the Promotion of the Aberdeen Angus Breed and to Agriculture

Colin HughNeillChief Executive, Hospitality Ulster. For services to the Hospitality Industry in Northern Ireland

Judith Anne Owens Chief Executive, Titanic Belfast, for services to Tourism

Zaron Perry, Trinity Nursery School, Bangor, for services to Pre-School Education

Thomas Stephen Stirling Reid, Belfast Harbour Police, for services to the Maritime Industry

Robert William Scott Chief Executive, Prison Fellowship, for services to Prisoners and their Families

Edwin John Shanks, for services to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service

Jason Smyth, for services to Paralympic Athletics and the Sporting Community in Northern Ireland

Angela Thompson, for Voluntary Service in Northern Ireland, particularly during Covid-19

Caroline Jane Wells DL, JComms, for services to the Public Relations Industry, to the Economy and to the community in Northern Ireland

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

Samuel Wesley Atchison, Tyrone Constitution and Strabane Weekly New, for services to Journalism and the community in County Tyrone

Margaret Ellen Beattie, for services to the Girls' Brigade in Northern Ireland

Anne Brown, Women's Aid, Belfast, for services to Victims of Domestic Violence.

Ruth Anne Caddell, for services to Education and to the community in Markethill, County Armagh

James Johnston Chapman, Lisburn Health Centre, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, for services to Health and Social Care

Joan Isobel Clements, Police Service of Northern Ireland, for services to Policing and the Community in Northern Ireland

Stephen Crawford Founder, Coaching for Christ, for services to Young People in County Antrim

Claire Louise Curran, for services to Mental Health in Northern Ireland

Lorna Anne Moore Dane, for services to Girlguiding and to the community in Northern Ireland

Maureen Dunseath Driver, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, for Voluntary Service

Mary Gordon-McBride, for services to the community in Enniskillen

Ian CliveHumphreys, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, for services to the Environment.

Frances Rebecca Hunter, for services to the community in Irvinestown, County Fermanagh

William James Edwin Johnston, Omagh, Libraries Northern Ireland, for services to Public Libraries

Kenneth Ian Jones, for services to Sport and Charity

Gladys Kerr, for services to the Boys' Brigade and the community in Craigavon

Ethel Elizabeth Liggett ,for services to the community in County Tyrone and to Nursing

Gerard Lynch, for services to Education and to the community

Mary Lyttle, Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service, for Public and Charitable services

Mary Elizabeth McAuley, Peter Pan Playgroup, for services to Pre-School Education

George Ivor McCandless, for services to Golf in Northern Ireland

BronaghMcDonnell, Bus Driver and Driver Mentor, for services to Public Transport and to Community Engagement in Northern Ireland

William McFarland, for services to Music in County Antrim

James Samuel McIlroy, for services to Athletics in Northern Ireland

Mary Louise McIlwee, for services to Mental and Physical Wellbeing to vulnerable people in County Antrim.

Terence Adams McKeag, for services Agriculture and to Equestrian Sport in Northern Ireland.

Catherine McKee,Senior Playgroup and Family Project Manager, for services to Children and Families in Belfast

Robert John Ivor McMullan, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, for public service during Covid-19

KathleenMoore, Belfast City Hospital, for services to Healthcare during Covid-19

Marjory ElizabethMulligan, for services to Nursing and to Charity in Dungannon and South Tyrone

Joseph Thomas O'Loughlin, for services to World War II History in County Fermanagh

Lynda Elizabeth Ann Orr, For services to Local Government in Northern Ireland during Covid-19

William James Rutherford, for services to the community in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland during Covid-19

Mairead Angela Savage, Forest Service, for services to Forestry

Mary Elizabeth Sinnamon, For services to Education and the community in County Antrim

Thomas Gordon Smyth, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, for Public Service

Ann Elizabeth Margaret Thompson, for services to Music and the community in Fintona, County Tyrone

Alison Wallace, for services to the Community in County Londonderry during Covid-19

William James Crawford Wilson For services to the community in County Antrim.

Queen's Police Medal (QPM)

Daphne Elaine Duffy, Det Supt, Police Service of Northern Ireland

Jason Patrick Murphy, Det Supt, Police Service of Northern Ireland

Raymond Shaw, Insp, Police Service of Northern Ireland