1966 in Ireland

See also: 1965 in Ireland, other events of 1966, 1967 in Ireland and the list of years 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 1 - Author and satirist Brian O'Nolan (Flann O'Brien) dies.
• 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.

Arts and literature

Seamus Heaney - Published first book Death of a Naturalist

Sports

Births

• 12 April - Jim Duffy, historian and political commentator.
• 6 October - Niall Quinn, former International footballer.
• 8 December - Sinéad O'Connor, singer and song writer.
• 16 December - Paul McGinley, golfer.

Deaths

• 1 March - Joseph McGrath, company director, member of 1st Dáil representing Dublin (St James), Minister for Labour (1922) and Minister for Industry and Commerce (1922 to 1927), (Pro Treaty), Founder of Hospital Trust.
• 10 March - Frank O'Connor, short story writer and memoirist (b.1903).
• 1 April - Brian O'Nolan, satirist and humorist (b.1911.
• 3 June - Fionán Lynch, barrister-at-law,member of 1st Dáil representing Kerry South (Pro Treaty), cabinet minister from 1922 to 1932, Cumann na nGaedhael and Fine Gael Teachta Dála.
• 23 November - Seán T. O'Kelly, journalist, member of 1st Dáil, Second President of Ireland and former Tánaiste.
• 14 December - Peter Paul Galligan, merchant, member of 1st Dáil representing Cavan West.

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