1971 in Ireland

Events

*April 3 - the Eurovision Song Contest is held in Dublin. Presented by Bernadette Ní Ghallchóir, it is the first colour broadcast by RTÉ.
*April 11 - The Gaelic Athletic Association votes to lift its ban on members participating in "foreign games" such as soccer, rugby and cricket.
*May 11 - Seán Lemass, Taoiseach from 1959 to 1966, dies in Dublin aged 71. He was active during the 1916 Easter Rising, the War of Independence and the Civil War.
*May 22 - members of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement return to Dublin by train from Belfast bringing contraceptives as a protest against the law banning their importation.
*July 16 - the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) announces that it is withdrawing from Stormont.
*August 9 - Internment without trial is introduced in Northern Ireland. Over 300 republicans are 'lifted' in pre-dawn raids. Some Loyalists are later arrested.
*August 12 - British troops begin clearing operations in Belfast following the worst rioting in years. An Taoiseach Jack Lynch calls for an end to the Stormont administration.
*September 25 - a rally takes place in Dublin in support of a campaign of civil disobedience in Northern Ireland.
*November 10 - the government defeats a motion of no confidence in Jim Gibbons.
*November 17 - Neil Blaney and Paudge Brennan are expelled from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
*November 19 - An Taoiseach Jack Lynch has talks with British Prime Minister Harold Wilson in Dublin.
*December 4 - The McGurk's Bar bombing kills 15 people.

Arts and literature

ports

Births

January to June

*18 January - Stephen O'Brien, soccer player.
*3 March - Stephen J. Martin, writer.
*4 March - Fergal Lawler, drummer with The Cranberries.
*12 March - Conrad Gallagher, chef.
*6 April - Derek Tracey, soccer player.
*18 June - Jason McAteer, Irish international soccer player.
*28 June - Kenny Cunningham, soccer player.

July to December

*16 July - Joe McHugh, Fine Gael TD for Donegal North East, former Senator.
*2 August - Davy FitzGerald, Clare hurler.
*4 August - Paul McCarthy, soccer player.
*6 August - Conor McPherson, playwright and director.
*10 August - Roy Keane, former Manchester United and Glasgow Celtic footballer and current Sunderland manager.
*17 August - Anthony Kearns, tenor
*18 August - Aphex Twin, electronic music artist.
*31 August - Pádraig Harrington, golfer, won the 2007 Open Championship.
*August - Brian Whelahan, Offaly hurler.
*6 September - Dolores O'Riordan, singer and songwriter.
*7 October - Johnny Dooley, Offaly hurler, manager.
*24 October - Dervla Kirwan, actress.
*3 November - Dylan Moran, comedian, actor and writer.
*26 November - James McGarry, Kilkenny hurling goalkeeper.
*November - Brian Lohan, Clare hurler.
*25 December - Noel Hogan, guitarist and songwriter.

Full date unknown

*Amanda Coogan, performance artist.
*John Doyle, musician and songwriter.
*Rónán Mullen, journalist and Senator.
*Jamesie O'Connor, Clare hurler.
*Fiona Pender, missing person.
*Hubert Rigney, Offaly hurler.
*John Troy, Offaly hurler.

Deaths

January to June

*2 January - John Farrell, trade union official, served in Seanad from 1922 to 1950.
*24 January - St John Ervine, playwright and novelist (b.1883).
*28 January - Edward O'Connell, Cork hurler.
*31 March - Michael Browne, Master General of the Dominicans, Cardinal (b.1887).
*1 April - Kathleen Lonsdale, X-ray crystallographer (b.1903).
*4 May - Seamus Elliott, road bicycle racer (b.1934).
*10 May - Archie Heron, trade union organiser.
*11 May - Seán Lemass, Fianna Fáil TD and founder member, Cabinet Minister and Taoiseach (b.1899).
*11 May - Eamon Martin, one of founders of Fianna Éireann, and an Irish Volunteer who fought in the Easter Rising (b.1893).
*13 June - Máiréad Ní Ghráda, poet and playwright.
*14 June - Gerard Dillon, artist and painter (b.1916).

July to December

*14 August - Shane Leslie, diplomat and writer (b.1885).
*15 September - John Desmond Bernal, scientist (b.1901).
*26 September - Conor Maguire, lawyer and judge.
*2 October - Paddy Ahern, Cork hurler (b.1900).
*3 October - Seán Ó Riada, composer and musician (b.1931).
*16 December - Richard Mulcahy, Chief of Staff, TD, Cabinet Minister and former leader of Fine Gael (b.1886).