1956 in Ireland

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Events

• 15 February - Senator Owen Sheehy-Skeffington introduces a motion calling for the prohibition of all corporal punishment for girls in Irish national schools.
• 2 April - President Seán T. O'Kelly unveils a bust of Countess Markievicz in St Stephen's Green, Dublin.
• 1 May - The Minister for Education Richard Mulcahy introduces the debate on a separate government department for the Gaeltacht.
• 21 May - President Seán T. O'Kelly opens the first Cork International Film Festival.
• 29 May - T. K. Whitaker is appointed new Secretary at the Department of Finance.
• 12 August - The Gaelic Athletic Association postpones the All-Ireland Hurling and Football Finals due to an outbreak of polio.
• 21 November - Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children is opened in Crumlin, Dublin.
• 30 November - Petrol rationing is due to be introduced from 1 January due to the crisis in the Suez.
• 1 December - At the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, Ronnie Delany wins Ireland's first gold medal for 24 years.

Date unknown

• Robert Briscoe becomes the first Jewish Lord Mayor of Dublin.^[1]

Arts and literature

• Samuel Beckett's novel Malone Dies is published in English.

Sport

Football

• League of Ireland

Winners: St Patrick's Athletic

• FAI Cup

Winners: Shamrock Rovers 3 - 2 Cork Athletic.

Births

January to June

• 1 January - John O'Donohue, poet and philosopher (died 2008).
• 16 January - Denis Moran, former Kerry Gaelic footballer.
• 27 January - Joe Duffy, radio presenter.
• 11 February - Pat Carroll, Offaly hurler (died 1986).
• 13 February - Liam Brady, international soccer player.
• 21 February - Johnny Crowley, Cork hurler.
• 4 March - Ciarán Brennan, singer, songwriter, producer and instrumentalist.
• 13 March - Pat McKeown, Bective Rangers FC ARLB IRFU.
• 13 April - Jim Lynagh, Provisional Irish Republican Army member killed in an ambush by the SAS during an attack on Loughgall RUC station (died 1987).
• 29 April - Kevin Moran, Gaelic footballer and soccer player.
• 30 April - Liam T. Cosgrave, Fine Gael politician, Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann 1996–1997
• 4 May - Steve Barron, film director and producer.
• 5 May - Mary Coughlan, singer.
• 9 May - Brendan Howlin, national teacher, Labour Party Teachta Dála for Wexford and former Cabinet Minister.
• 15 May - Pat Byrne, soccer player and manager.
• 18 May - Pat Fleury, Offaly hurler, manager.
• 21 May - Sean Kelly, cyclist and broadcaster.
• 24 May - Michael Jackson, Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher.
• 28 May - John O'Donoghue, Fianna Fáil TD for Kerry South and Cabinet Minister.
• 1 June - Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan–Monaghan and Minister of State.
• 4 June - Gerry Ryan, RTÉ radio presenter.
• 7 June - Marty Whelan, RTÉ radio and television presenter.

July to December

• 1 July - Liz O'Donnell, Deputy Leader of the Progressive Democrats, former TD and Minister of State.
• 10 July - Frank Stapleton, soccer player and manager.
• 12 July - Cathal Ó Searcaigh, poet.
• August - Denis Mulcahy, Cork hurler.
• 26 August - Dick Hooper, long-distance runner
• 5 September - Willie Mullins, former jockey, racehorse trainer.
• 4 October - Mary Kennedy, television presenter.
• 1 November - Charles Flanagan, Fine Gael TD for Laois–Offaly.
• 19 December - Shane McEntee, Fine Gael TD for Meath East.

Undated

• John Allen, Cork hurler and manager.
• Patrick Cassidy, composer.
• Marita Conlon-McKenna, children's writer.
• Joe Connolly, former Galway hurler.
• Dorothy Cross, sculptor and installation artist.
• Frankie Gavin, fiddle and flute player.
• Joe Hennessy, former Kilkenny hurler.
• Alice Maher, painter and sculptor.
• Tadhg Murphy, former Cork hurler.
• Fran Rooney, businessman.

Deaths

January to June

• 30 January - Sir John Keane, 5th Baronet, barrister, member of Seanad (born 1873).
• 20 February - James Cousins, poet and writer (born 1873).
• 21 February - Louis Meldon, cricketer (born 1886).
• 13 March - Alfred Byrne, Irish Nationalist politician, served both as an MP in the British House of Commons and as a TD in Dáil Éireann (born 1882).
• 18 March - Benjamin Glazer, Academy Award-winning writer, producer and director (born 1887).
• 19 March - Matt Goff, Kildare Gaelic footballer (born 1901).
• 24 March - Bob Lambert, cricketer (born 1874).
• 17 May - John Tudor Gwynn, cricketer (born 1881).

July to December

• 23 July - Ella Young, poet (born 1867).
• 5 August - John Miller Andrews, second Prime Minister of Northern Ireland (born 1871).
• 23 September - Arthur Duff, composer and conductor (born 1899).
• 19 November - Thomas Derrig, Fianna Fáil TD and Cabinet Minister (born 1897).
• 25 November - Robert Bowers, cricketer (born 1897).
• 11 December - Frederic Charles Dreyer, Royal Navy Admiral (born 1878).
• 27 December - Lambert McKenna, Jesuit priest and writer (born 1870).

Undated

• Elizabeth Cronin, traditional singer (born 1879).

References

1. ^ Department of the Taoiseach (2006). "Speech by the Taoiseach on visit to the Jewish Museum, Dublin". The Irish Times. http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/index.asp?locID=462&docID=2139. Retrieved 2008-03-09.