1983 in Ireland

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««« 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978	1983 in Ireland	»»» 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988
Decades: 1960s • 1970s • 1980s • 1990s • 2000s Centuries: 18th • 19th • 20th • 21st See also: 1983 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1983 List of years in Ireland

Events

• 19 January - The government confirm that the Gardaí were involved in the bugging of politicians and journalists' telephones.
• 8 February - A motion calling for the resignation of Charles Haughey as leader fails after a 12 hour Fianna Fáil meeting.
• 9 February - The racehorse Shergar is kidnapped from Ballymany Stud, County Kildare.
• 14 April - The inaugural meeting of Aosdána, an affiliation of creative artists, takes place in the Old Parliament Building, Dublin.
• 25 April - 2,000 people demonstrate in Dublin against the proposed Pro-Life Amendment Bill.
• 20 May - The funeral takes place of former Tánaiste Frank Aiken.
• 23 May - The Bushmills Distillery in County Antrim celebrates its 350th anniversary.
• 27 May - A Mexican jet stranded for five weeks at Mallow Racecourse departs.
• 30 May - The inaugural meeting of the New Ireland Forum takes place at Dublin Castle.
• 10 June - Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin is elected the new MP for West Belfast.
• 8 September - The referendum on the constitutional amendment in relation to abortion is carried by a two to one majority.
• 20 September - Leading politicians pay tribute to former Tánaiste George Colley as he is laid to rest.
• 25 September - Maze Prison escape: 38 IRA prisoners with arms escape from HM Prison Maze in County Antrim.^[1]
• 5 October - The first stretch of motorway in the Republic was opened; the 8 km Naas bypass on the N7 national primary route.
• 25 November - Quinnsworth executive Don Tidey is kidnapped outside his home in Dublin.
• 3 December - President Patrick Hillery elected unopposed to last seven-year term in office.
• 16 December - Don Tidey is rescued in County Leitrim.

Arts and literature

• Tom Murphy's The Gigli Concert is performed at the Abbey Theatre.
• Brendan Kennelly's poem sequence Cromwell is published.
• Dorothy Nelson is awarded the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature for her novel In Night's City.^[2]

Sport

Athletics

• Eamonn Coghlan wins the 5000m gold medal at the World Championships in Helsinki.

Gaelic football

• Dublin GAA win the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Golf

• Carroll's Irish Open is won by Seve Ballesteros (Spain).

Hurling

• Kilkenny GAA win the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Soccer

• The Republic of Ireland record their biggest win in a full international by beating Malta 8-0 in a Euro84 qualifier at Dalymount Park.

Births

January to June

• 4 January - Kerry Condon, actress.
• 8 January - Jon Daly, soccer player.
• 15 January - Keith Fahey, soccer player.
• 18 January - Samantha Mumba, singer and actress.
• 9 March - Michael Foley, soccer player.
• 18 March - Setanta Ó hAilpín, Cork hurler and Australian Rules footballer.
• 20 March - Stephen Brennan, soccer player.
• 22 March - Kenny Carroll, cricketer.
• 31 March - Paddy McCarthy, soccer player.
• 8 April - Derek Glynn, soccer player.
• 20 April - Joanne King, actress.
• 18 May - Sean Thornton, soccer player.
• 27 May - Tommy Walsh, Kilkenny hurler.
• 5 June - Glen Lacey, soccer player.
• 20 June - Kevin Mc Ardle, Founder of the BRB Social Society.
• 23 June - Stephen Cooling, soccer player.

July to September

• 7 July - Ciara Newell, singer and songwriter.
• 21 July - Alan Byrne, soccer player.
• 28 July - Stephen Paisley, soccer player.
• 30 July - Sean Dillon, soccer player.
• 7 August - Patrick McWalter, soccer player.
• 13 August - Graham Gartland, soccer player.
• 6 September - Stephen Kelly, soccer player.
• 7 September - Philip Deignan, road racing cyclist.
• 10 September - Brian O Donoghue, Galway Gaelic footballer.
• 16 September - Wayne Henderson, soccer player.

October to December

• 4 October - Éamon Zayed, soccer player.
• 10 October - Daryl McMahon, soccer player.
• 22 October - Tomás O'Leary, rugby player.
• 28 October - Gavin Whelan, soccer player.
• 31 October - Katy French, model and socialite (d.2007).
• 28 November - Peter Hynes, soccer player.
• 13 December - Mark Rooney, soccer player.
• 17 December - Alan Mulcahy, soccer player.

Full date unknown

• Philip Brennan, Dublin hurler.
• Martin Coleman, Jnr, Cork hurler.
• Michael Cussen, Cork hurler.
• Ger Farragher, Galway hurler.
• Mick Flannery, folk music singer and songwriter.
• John Gardiner, Cork hurler.
• Thomas Gernon, winner of the Millennium Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (Ireland).
• Kieran Murphy (Erin's Own), Cork hurler.
• Kieran Murphy (Sarsfield's), Cork hurler.
• James O'Brien, Limerick hurler.
• Cian O'Connor, Cork hurler.
• Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Rose of Tralee in 2005, singer.
• Michael Prout, Cork Gaelic footballer.

Deaths

January to June

• 30 January - Alan Cunningham, soldier noted for victories in the East African Campaign during the Second World War (b.1887).
• 8 February - Reginald N. Webster, businessman in America and Thoroughbred racehorse owner (b.1898).
• 16 March - Francis Connell, cricketer (b.1902).
• 20 March - Sheila Galvin, Fianna Fáil TD (b.1914).
• 25 March - Constantine Fitzgibbon, historian and novelist (b.1919).
• 20 April - Sarah Makem, traditional singer (b.1900).
• 6 May - Micheál Ó Móráin, Fianna Fáil TD and Cabinet Minister (b.1912).
• 18 May - Frank Aiken, Fianna Fáil TD and founding member, Cabinet Minister and Tánaiste (b.1898).

July to December

• 4 July - John Bodkin Adams, general practitioner in Eastbourne cleared of murdering one of his patients (b.1899).
• 21 August - Francis Evans, British diplomat (b.1897).
• 24 August - Johnny Quirke, former Cork hurler (born 1911).
• 17 September - George Colley, Fianna Fáil TD, held six Ministerial posts including Tánaiste (b.1925).
• 24 October - Anthony Barry, businessman, Fine Gael TD, Seanad member and Lord Mayor of Cork (b.1901).
• 28 October - Roderick Gill, cricketer (b.1919).
• 22 November - Leonard Wibberley, author (b.1915).
• 23 December - Colin Middleton, artist (b.1910).

Full date unknown

• Con Lehane, nationalist, member of the IRA Army Council, and Dáil representative (b.1911).
• David Neligan, policeman, "The Spy in the Castle" for Michael Collins (b.1899).
• Jim Ware, Waterford hurler (b.1908).

References