1991 in Ireland
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| See also: | 1991 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1991 List of years in Ireland | ||||
Events from the year 1991 in Ireland.
Incumbents[edit]
- President: Mary Robinson
- Taoiseach: Charles Haughey (FF)
- Tánaiste: John Wilson (FF)
- Minister for Finance:
- Albert Reynolds (FF) (until 7 November 1991)
- Charles Haughey (FF) (from 7 November 1991 until 14 November 1991)
- Bertie Ahern (FF) (from 14 November 1991)
- Chief Justice: Thomas Finlay
- Dáil: 26th
- Seanad: 19th
Events[edit]
- 1 January – Limerick city celebrated 300 years of the Treaty of Limerick.
- 17 January – There was controversy as the Government allowed United States military aircraft bound for the Gulf War to refuel at Shannon Airport.
- 24 January – The new Government Buildings in the renovated College of Science were officially opened.
- 7 February – The Irish Republican Army (IRA) fired mortar bombs at 10 Downing Street in London.
- 14 March – After being wrongfully jailed for 16 years, the Birmingham Six were freed.
- 15 March – The Sugar Act provided for privatisation of Cómhlucht Siúicre Éireann, Teoranta, the state-owned sugar beet processor, as Greencore.
- 16 March – Dublin was officially inaugurated as the year's European Capital of Culture.
- 22 March – The President, Mary Robinson, against pressure not to do so from the Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, visited the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin where the Dalai Lama opened a Tibetan collection in the library. She was the only head of state in Europe to meet with him during his European trip.[1] The Dalai Lama's first visit to Ireland was in 1973.[2]
- 10 April – An unarmed IRA volunteer was shot dead in Downpatrick by the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
- 16 May – Eyre Square Centre opened in Galway.
- 17 May – First edition of the Liffey Champion, local newspaper for North County Kildare and Lucan.
- 26 June – The wrongful convictions of the Maguire Seven were quashed.
- 6 November – Kildare TD Seán Power proposed a no-confidence motion in Taoiseach Charles Haughey's leadership.
- 7 November – the Minister for Finance, Albert Reynolds, was dismissed from the government over his intention to support the no-confidence motion.
- 13 November – Jim McDaid, the new Defence Minister, resigned following criticism from the Opposition over his attendance at an IRA funeral.
- 21 November – Three crew members of the M.V. Kilkenny were drowned as a result of a collision between the Kilkenny and the M.V. Hassel Werder in Dublin Bay.
- 6 December – Dublin Bus began its 'Nitelink' night bus service, aimed at facilitating revellers returning home from Christmas parties, as well as reducing instances of drink driving.
Arts and literature[edit]
- 25 May – The Irish Museum of Modern Art opened at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
- November – The Dublin Writers Museum opened.
- The Corcadorca Theatre Company was established in Cork.
- Roddy Doyle's novel The Van, last of The Barrytown Trilogy, was published.
- Anne Enright's short story collection The Portable Virgin was published, and won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature.
Sport[edit]
Athletics[edit]
- Frank O'Mara won the world indoor 3,000 metre championship for the second time.
Cycling[edit]
- 19 October – Sean Kelly won the Giro di Lombardia.
Gaelic football[edit]
- The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final finished on a score of Down 1–16 Meath 1–14.
Golf[edit]
- Carroll's Irish Open was won by Nick Faldo (England).
Hurling[edit]
- The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final finished on a score of Tipperary 1–16 Kilkenny 0–15.
Motor racing[edit]
- Eddie Jordan entered his Jordan team in the World Formula One Championship, becoming the first Irish owned constructor in Formula One.
Births[edit]
- 20 February – Sally Rooney, fiction writer.
- 28 February – Sarah Bolger, actress.
- 7 July – Eve Hewson, actress.
- 16 August – Evanna Lynch, actress.
- 14 October – Kevin Downes, hurler (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick).
- 30 October – Nick Sheridan, journalist (d. 2024).
Deaths[edit]
January to June[edit]
- 5 January – Hubert Butler, writer and historian (born 1900)
- 29 January – Joe Stynes, Irish Republican and sportsman (born 1903).
- 19 February – Thekla Beere, civil servant (born 1902).
- 20 April – Seán Ó Faoláin, short story writer (born 1900).
- 22 May – Valentin Iremonger, poet and diplomat (born 1918).
- 25 May – John M. Feehan, author and publisher (born 1916).
- 25 May – Eddie Fullerton, Sinn Féin councillor, killed by the Ulster Defence Association (born 1935).
July to December[edit]
- 18 August – Patrick Joseph Kelly, Bishop of Benin City (born 1894).
- 17 October – J. G. Devlin, actor (born 1907).
- 13 November – Francis Blackwood, 10th Baron Dufferin and Claneboye (born 1916).
- 12 November – Billy Behan, soccer player and Scout (born 1911).
- 14 November – Bryden Thomson, orchestral conductor (born 1928 in Scotland).
- 15 November – George Otto Simms, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and Archbishop of Armagh (born 1910).
- 19 November – Michael Lyons, Fine Gael TD and Senator (born 1910).
- 1 December – Pat O'Callaghan, athlete and Olympic gold-medallist (born 1905).
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Robinson, Mary (2013). Everybody Matters: My Life Giving Voice. New York: Walker Publishing Company. pp. 154–6. ISBN 978-0-8027-7964-9.
- ^ The 14th Dalai Lama His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama – The Pictorial Portrait Project, 2005.