1966 in Ireland

Events

*February 13 - The Bishop of Clonfert protests over the content of The Late Late Show. The bishop took exception when a woman told the host Gay Byrne that she didn't wear a nightie on her wedding night.
*March 6 - A memorial is to be opened at Kilmichael, County Cork to commemorate the 1920 ambush there.
*March 8 - Nelson's Pillar in O'Connell Street is blown up to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising.
*March 31 - The Tricolour flag flown over the GPO in 1916 is handed back by the British to An Taoiseach Seán Lemass in London.
*April 10 - Celebrations take place to mark the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising. Nine hundred 1916 survivors hear the reading of the Proclamation. President de Valera takes the salute at a military parade.
*April 11 - President de Valera opens the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin's Parnell Square.
*April 17 - In Belfast the Easter Rising is commemorated by large republican parades.
*June 2 - Éamon de Valera is re-elected President of Ireland. He defeats Tom O'Higgins by 10,500, less than 1% of the vote.
*June 25 - President de Valera is inaugurated for a second term.
*July 7 - The Minister for Education, Donagh O'Malley, announces details of his free secondary education scheme.
*July 18 - Exactly fifteen years after being burned down the new Abbey Theatre opens.
*October 21 - An anti-apartheid demonstration takes place outside the National stadium as the South African Amateur Boxing Team visit.
*November 8 - Tributes are paid to Seán Lemass who announces his resignation as Taoiseach.
*November 10 - The new Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, and his ministers receive their seals of office from President de Valera at Áras an Uachtaráin.
*November 25 - The body of Seán T. O'Kelly, Second President of Ireland, lies in state at the Pro-Cathedral.

Full date unknown

* Foundation of Allied Irish Banks Limited (later Allied Irish Banks PLC). AIB acquired three Irish banks The Munster & Leinster Bank Limited, The Provincial Bank of Ireland Limited and The Royal Bank of Ireland Limited.

Arts and literature

Seamus Heaney - Published first book Death of a Naturalist

ports

Births

*8 February - Seán McCarthy, Cork hurler.
*12 April - Jim Duffy, historian and political commentator.
*23 April - Jim Stynes, Australian rules football player.
*15 May - Orla Guerin, television journalist.
*9 June - Beverley Flynn, Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo.
*22 August - Alain Rolland, former rugby player, international referee.
*6 October - Niall Quinn, former International footballer.
*8 October - Mick Galwey, Gaelic footballer, rugby player.
*11 November - Alison Doody, actress.
*7 December - Leo Turley, former Laois Gaelic footballer.
*8 December - Sinéad O'Connor, singer and song writer.
*10 December - Colm Ó Maonlaí, actor and musician.
*16 December - Paul McGinley, golfer.

Full date unknown

*John Commins, Galway hurler.
*Rachel Joynt, sculptor.
*Donal MacIntyre, investigative journalist.
*John Power, former Kilkenny hurler.
*Liam Simpson, former Kilkenny hurler.

Deaths

January to June

*1 March - Joseph McGrath, Sinn Féin and later Cumann na nGaedhael TD, racehorse owner and breeder (b.1887).
*10 March - Frank O'Connor, short story writer and memoirist (b.1903).
*28 March - Patrick McCartan, Sinn Féin MP and TD, member of 1st Dáil, a founder member of Clann na Poblachta (b.1878).
*1 April - Brian O'Nolan, satirist and humorist (b.1911).
*29 April - Tom Hales, Irish Republican Army volunteer, fought in Anglo-Irish War and Irish Civil War (b.1892).
*23 May - Jacko Heaslip, cricketer (b.1899).
*3 June - Finian Lynch, Sinn Féin MP and TD, member of 1st Dáil, Cabinet Minister, Cumann na nGaedhael and Fine Gael TD (b.1889).
*7 June - James Hickey, Labour politician and Lord Mayor of Cork.

July to December

*12 August - Mike McTigue, boxer, light heavyweight champion of the world from 1923-1925 (b.1892).
*23 November - Seán T. O'Kelly, founding member of Fianna Fáil, Cabinet Minister and second President of Ireland (b.1882).
*14 December - Peter Galligan, merchant, member of 1st Dáil representing Cavan West.
*15 December - Conn Ward, Fianna Fáil politician (b.1890).
*25 December - Thomas Harvey, cricketer and rugby player (b.1878).

Full date unknown

*Sydney Sparkes Orr, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tasmania (b.1914).
*Sim Walton, Kilkenny hurler (b.1880).