1994 in Ireland

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««« 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989	1994 in Ireland	»»» 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Decades: 1970s • 1980s • 1990s • 2000s • 2010s Centuries: 18th • 19th • 20th • 21st See also: 1994 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1994 List of years in Ireland

Events

• April 14 - The Central Bank issues a new £5 note.
• April 30 - Ireland wins the Eurovision Song Contest (staged at the Point Theatre in Dublin) for the third year in a row with the song Rock 'n' Roll Kids composed by Brendan Graham and performed by Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan. The interval sees the first performance of the stepdance show Riverdance featuring dancers Jean Butler and Michael Flatley (choreographer), the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Celtic choral group Anúna with a score by Bill Whelan.^[1]
• May 26 - Jack Charlton, manager of Republic of Ireland national football team since 1986, is awarded the freedom of Dublin City.
• June 6 - Irish D-Day Normandy landings veterans join Allied leaders at a 50th commemorative ceremony on Omaha Beach.
• June 18 - The Republic of Ireland's football World Cup campaign begins with a 1-0 win over Italy, one of the favourites to win the tournament. Ray Houghton, the Aston Villa winger, scores the winning goal.
• June 24 - The Republic of Ireland's chances of progressing to the last 16 of the World Cup are left hanging in the balance when they lose 2-1 to Mexico, with John Aldridge (striker with Tranmere Rovers) scoring the consolation goal.
• June 28 - The Republic of Ireland qualify for the next stage of the World Cup with a goalless draw against Norway.
• July 4 - The Republic of Ireland are knocked out of the World Cup by Holland when they lose 2-0 in Orlando.
• July 26 - The Minister for Education, Niamh Bhreathnach, pledges the introduction of free third-level education for everyone over the next three years.
• August 31 - The IRA announces a complete cessation of military operations.
• September 1 - Transition Year is introduced mainstream, to secondary schools.
• September 6 - Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, John Hume and Gerry Adams hold an historic meeting at Government Buildings. All three pledge their commitment to the democratic idea.
• September 30 - Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and members of the government wait at Shannon Airport to greet President Boris Yeltsin. He fails to leave the aircraft to meet them.
• October 13 - Loyalist paramilitary groups announce a ceasefire six weeks after the IRA.
• October 28 - The inaugural session of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation takes place in St. Patricks Hall, Dublin Castle.
• November 16 - The Fianna Fáil-Labour coalition collapses.
• November 17 - Albert Reynolds tenders his resignation as Taoiseach. However, the Dáil is not dissolved.
• November 19 - Bertie Ahern is elected leader of Fianna Fáil.
• December 15 - John Bruton, leader of Fine Gael, becomes Taoiseach of the so-called "Rainbow" government in coalition with Labour and the Democratic Left parties

Arts and literature

• October 22 - Boyzone's debut album, Said and Done, is released in Ireland.
• Maeve Binchy's novel The Glass Lake is published.

Sport

Athletics

• Eamonn Coghlan becomes the first person in the world over 40 years of age to run a sub-four minute (indoor) mile.
• 10 December Catherina McKiernan wins Senior Women's gold in the 1994 European Cross Country Championships, the inaugural event of the series

Gaelic football

• Down GAA beat Dublin GAA 1-12 to 0-13 in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final at Croke Park on September 18. It is Down's fifth All-Ireland senior title, and their second in four years.

Golf

• Murphy's Irish Open is won by Bernhard Langer (Germany).

Hurling

• Offaly GAA beat Limerick GAA 3-16 to 2-13 to win the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final at Croke Park for the first time since 1985.

Soccer

• In the World Cup Finals in the United States, the Republic of Ireland the last 16 before losing 2-0 to the Netherlands, but on the way picks up its first World Cup finals win inside 90 minutes, a 1-0 victory over Italy.

Births

• 12 April - Saoirse Ronan, actress.

Deaths

January to June

• 1 January - Raymond Crotty, economist.
• 1 January - Andy McEvoy, soccer player (b.1938).
• 19 February - Micho Russell, tin whistle player and collector of traditional music and folklore (b.1915).
• 23 February - Jackie Power, Limerick hurler and Gaelic footballer (b.1916).
• 6 March - Flann Campbell, educationalist and historian.
• 12 May - Alfred Lane Beit, British politician, art collector and philanthropist, honorary Irish citizen (b.1903).
• 13 May - Duncan Hamilton, motor racing driver (b.1920).
• 21 May - Martin Doherty member Provisional Irish Republican Army
• 27 May - M.J. Molloy, playwright.
• 17 June - Terence de Vere White, lawyer, novelist and biographer (b.1912).
• 27 June - William Conolly-Carew, 6th Baron Carew (b.1905).

July to December

• 18 July - Davoren Hanna, poet.
• 19 July - Éilis Dillon, author (b.1920).
• 5 August - Gerry O'Sullivan, Labour Party (Ireland) TD, Minister of State and Lord Mayor of Cork (b.1936).
• 18 August - Martin Cahill, Dublin criminal, shot and killed (b.1949).
• 23 September - James Brophy, cricketer (b.1912).
• 6 December - Máire de Paor, archaeologist.
• 20 December - Stephen Coughlan, Irish Labour Party TD and Mayor of Limerick (b.1910).

References