UK celebrates recipents from NI in New Year Honours list
55 people from Northern Ireland who have contributed to their community and country are celebrated in His Majesty The King’s New Years Honours List 2026 today.
Those receiving honours in Northern Ireland include Olympian champion Rhys McClenaghan who receives an MBE for services to gymnastics. The 26-year old won a sensational gold medal on the Pommel Horse at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris for Ireland.
The oldest recipient this year in the region is 82-year-old Florence Victoria Methven for voluntary service to the NSPCC and to the community in Newcastle, County Down. She is being awarded with a BEM. Other receipts include Paula Jennings who is being awarded an MBE for services to Adults with Learning Difficulties, and retired photographer David John Dugal, who is receiving an BEM for services to the community in County Tyrone.
In total, 1157 recipients have been awarded this year for their exceptional achievements, with a particular focus being on those who have championed their communities.
This year’s recipients include dedicated foster carers, role models in women’s sports, committed health workers, champions of the arts, and supporters of young people.
Every part of the UK is represented in the List, from the Western Isles to Liskeard in Cornwall.
Recipients from Northern Ireland make up 4.8% of the total number of recipients receiving honours this year.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“This year’s Honours list celebrates the very best of Britain – people who put the common good ahead of themselves to strengthen communities and change lives.
“Their quiet dedication speaks to the decent, compassionate country we are proud to be. On behalf of the whole nation, thank you – and congratulations to everyone recognised today.”
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, said:
“I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to everyone in Northern Ireland who is receiving a New Year Honour.
“Being recognised in this way is a profound achievement, and is a testament to the extraordinary dedication, resilience and positive impact those individuals have had on their local communities and wider society. They represent the very best of Northern Ireland, and are an inspiration to us all.”
Anyone can nominate someone for an honour. If you know someone who has achieved fantastic things worthy of recognition, go to https://www.gov.uk/honours to find out more about how you can put them forward.
Notable recipients across Northern Ireland include:
- Rhys McClenaghan from County Down receives an MBE for services to gymnastics. He is Ireland’s first ever gymnastics world champion, securing gold on the pommel horse at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool in November 2022 and repeating this success the following year in Antwerp. He won a Pommel Horse gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- Janice Bunting from County Armagh receives an MBE for services to victims and witnesses of crime. She has over 30 years’ experience in the private, public, and voluntary sectors. Her efforts have significantly shaped and enhanced victim policies and services, raising confidence in the criminal justice system.
- Yvonne Carson from Ballymena receives a BEM for services to tackling loneliness. Her initiatives to build connections included a grants scheme during the pandemic, and sourcing supports like Chatty Benches, Cafes, and Carriages, as well as a scheme for pupils to write to residents in nursing and residential homes.
- David John Dugal from County Tyrone receives a BEM for services to the community. Throughout his long career as a photographer, he captured a timeline of Northern Ireland history, covering events such as the conflict, the ceasefire, Royal visits, and both happy and difficult news stories.