1986 in Ireland

Events

*January 2 - The national offices of the Progressive Democrats are officially opened.
*January 4 - Phil Lynott, lead singer with Thin Lizzy, dies aged 35.
*February 11 - Ireland's new soccer team manager, Jack Charlton, arrives in Dublin.
*March 18 - Irish citizenship is conferred on Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Tip O'Neill, for inspiring constitutional nationalists to launch a new initiative for a new Ireland.
*March 31 - President Hillery and Mrs. Hillery start a four-day official visit to Austria. This is the first-ever official visit there by an Irish head of state.
*May 6 - The Divorce Action Group launches its campaign for the forthcoming referendum.
*May 30 - Knock Airport, County Mayo is officially opened.
*June 6 - John Stalker is removed from the 'shoot to kill' inquiry.
*June 12 - Two giant pandas, Ming Ming and Ping Ping, arrive at Dublin zoo.
*June 21 - An anti-divorce rally takes place in Dublin.
*June 27 - Across the country counting begins in the Divorce Referendum. Tallymen predict a strong 'no' vote.
*August 7 - The deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Peter Robinson MP, is arrested and charged with illegal assembly, after a loyalist mob takes over a village in County Monaghan.
*December 25 - Dublin Airport opens for the first time on Christmas Day.
*December 31 - At the United States Embassy in Dublin, visa applications rise by 25%. 30,000 people emigrate during 1986.

Arts and literature

port

Football

*The Republic of Ireland did not qualify for the 1986 world cup

Golf

*Carroll's Irish Open is won by Seve Ballesteros (Spain).

Births

January to June

*23 January - Luke Fitzpatrick, soccer player.
*10 February - Steven Foley-Sheridan, soccer player.
*17 February - Joey O'Brien, soccer player.
*24 February - Claire Hennessy, author.
*4 April - Stephen Quinn, soccer player.
*18 April - Conrad Logan, soccer player.
*30 April - Derek Doyle, soccer player.
*16 May - Andy Keogh, soccer player.
*17 May - Wayne Byrne, soccer player.
*19 May - Paul Byrne, soccer player.
*23 May - Shane McFaul, soccer player.
*10 June - Darren Quigley, soccer player.
*18 June - Lee Roche, soccer player.

July to December

*11 July - Gerard Nash, soccer player.
*17 July - Andrew Hageman, soccer player.
*27 July - Davitt Walsh, soccer player.
*31 July - Gary Dicker, soccer player.
*7 August - Cainneach Lennon, artist.
*22 August - Stephen Ireland, soccer player.
*31 August - Colm Begley, Australian rules footballer.
*10 September - Eoin Morgan, cricketer.
*19 October - Shaun Williams, soccer player.
*25 October - John Brophy, soccer player.
*4 November - Brian Gartland, soccer player.
*20 November - Evan McMillan, soccer player.
*24 November - Sean L'Estrange, soccer player.

Full date unknown

*Shane O'Neill, Cork hurler.
*Michael Shields, Cork Gaelic footballer, Australian rules footballer.

Deaths

January to June

*4 January - Phil Lynott, singer and songwriter (b.1949).
*10 February - James Dillon, former leader of Fine Gael, TD and Minister (b.1902).
*12 February - James Joseph Magennis, awarded Victoria Cross for taking part in Operation Struggle in 1945 (b.1919).
*1 March - Cahir Davitt, lawyer and judge.
*4 March - Edward McLysaght, genealogist and writer (b.1887).
*16 March - Pat Carroll, Offaly hurler (b.1956).
*28 March - Eddie McAteer, Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland) MP (b.1914).
*26 April - Séamus McElwaine, Provisional Irish Republican Army member killed in an ambush near Roslea by the SAS (b.1960).
*13 May - Peadar O'Donnell, Irish Republican socialist, Marxist activist and writer (b.1893).

July to December

*20 July - Dermot V Honan. licensed vintner, member of the Seanad from 1965 to 1973.
*1 August - James Horan, Roman Catholic monsignor, conceived and created Knock Airport (b.1911).
*1 October - Seán Moore, Fianna Fáil TD (b.1913).

Full date unknown

*Eddie Duffy, traditional Irish musician (b.1894).
*Cecil King, painter (b.1921).