1972 in Ireland

← 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1972 in Ireland → 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
See also:	1972 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1972 List of years in Ireland

Events from the year 1972 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President: Éamon de Valera
• Taoiseach: Jack Lynch (FF)

Events

• 1 January – The Central Bank of Ireland became the banker of the Government of Ireland in succession to the Bank of Ireland in accordance with the Central Bank Act 1971, completing its transition from a currency board to a fully operating central bank.
• 22 January – Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Patrick Hillery, signed the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities.
• 29 January – The annual broadcasting Jacob's Awards took place in Dublin.
• 30 January – Bloody Sunday: Thirteen unarmed civilians were shot dead in Derry as British soldiers opened fire on a banned civil rights march.
• 31 January – Taoiseach Jack Lynch announced a national day of mourning following the events in Derry the previous day.
• 1 February – Rioting took place in Dublin. The British Embassy in Merrion Square was burned.
• 9 February – A day of disruption took place in Northern Ireland as people took to the streets in protest.
• 10 February – The IRA announced a ceasefire.
• 12 February – William Craig launched the Ulster Vanguard movement in Lisburn.
• 19 February – The National Anti-EEC Committee organised a march along O'Connell Street.
• 26 February – Crowds turned out to see Pelé and his club, Santos FC, play at Dalymount Park.
• 30 March – UK Prime Minister Edward Heath dissolved the Stormont Parliament and imposed Direct Rule over Northern Ireland.
• 2 April – RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta commenced broadcasting.
• 17 April – The government launched its European Economic Community referendum campaign.
• 5 May – RTC, Carlow became the first Regional Technical College to install a computer. It was to be used for business and engineering courses; it used the Fortran and RPG languages; and it cost £10,000.
• 10 May – In the referendum on Ireland's membership of the EEC the poll was almost five-to-one in favour.
• 13 June – An Garda Síochána celebrated its 50th anniversary.
• 6 July – Dmitri Shostakovich was presented with an honorary D.Mus. degree at a ceremony in Trinity College Dublin.
• 12 July – Over 2,000 refugees from Northern Ireland spent the marching season south of the border.
• 19 July – Muhammad Ali beat Alvin Lewis in a technical knockout during the 11th round of a boxing match at Croke Park.
• 21 July – Bloody Friday: Nine people died and over 100 were injured in a series of IRA explosions in Belfast city centre.
• 31 July
  • Operation Motorman, 4:00 AM: The British Army began to regain control of the "no-go areas" established by Irish republican paramilitaries in Belfast, Derry, and Newry.
  • Claudy bombing ("Bloody Monday"), 10:00 AM: Three car bombs in Claudy, County Londonderry, killed nine. It became public knowledge only in 2010 that a local Catholic priest was an IRA officer believed to be involved in the bombings but his role was covered up by the authorities.
• 20 August – Commemorations were held at Béal na mBláth, County Cork, to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Michael Collins.
• 25 September – The Darlington conference on the future of Northern Ireland opened.
• 13 December – President Éamon de Valera signed documents covering Ireland's entry into the EEC.
• 14 December – Bloody Thursday (17:00 PM: Edward Cullen killed hundreds of people in a big massacre)
• 17 December – Police raided premises used by unlicensed station Radio Milinda in Dublin.

Arts and literature

• Hubert Butler's Ten Thousand Saints: A Study in Irish and European Origins was published.
• Seamus Deane's poetry Gradual Wars was published.
• Robert Dudley Edwards' A New History of Ireland was published.
• Poet Seamus Heaney moved from Belfast to work in Dublin and live in County Wicklow; The Belfast Group of poets dissolved.
• John Montague's long poem The Rough Field was published.
• William Trevor's collection of stories The Ballroom of Romance was published.
• Gilbert O'Sullivan's song "Alone Again (Naturally)" reached number one in the U.S. singles chart.
• Horslips recorded and released their first album Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part.

Sports

• Olympics (Munich): Competing in the pentathlon, Mary Peters from Belfast became the first Irish woman to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.

Births

January to June

• 15 January – Mark Carroll, runner.
• 17 January – John Byrne, cricketer.
• 21 January – Derek McGrath, soccer player.
• 27 January – Keith Wood, former International rugby player.
• 28 January – Peter McDonald, actor.
• February – Fergal Ryan, Cork hurler.
• 27 February – Jason Byrne, comedian.
• 22 March – Robin Banks, television presenter and radio disc jockey.
• 10 April – Ed Byrne, comedian.
• 17 April – Brian Morrisroe, soccer player.
• 30 April – Paul Stokes, soccer player.
• 20 May – Sharon Foley, athlete.
• 31 May – Karl Geary, actor.
• 16 June – Simon Coveney, Fine Gael TD representing Cork South–Central and MEP.
• 24 June – Brendan Courtney, comedian and television presenter.

July to December

• 2 July – Darren Shan, author.
• 11 July – Cormac Battle, radio disc jockey.
• 4 August – Joe Delaney, snooker player.
• 6 August – Jason O'Mara, actor.
• 12 August – Mark Kinsella, soccer player and coach.
• 15 August – Mikey Graham, singer.
• 18 August – Barry Egan, Cork hurler.
• 4 September – Willie Burke, soccer player.
• 8 September – Phil Laak, professional poker player.
• 9 October – John Carthy, shot dead in controversial circumstances by An Garda Síochána after a twenty-five-hour siege at his home (died 2000).
• 12 October - Yvonne McGuinness, visual artist
• 15 October – Gary Murphy, golfer.
• 1 December – David Higgins, golfer.
• 6 December – Seán Sherlock, Labour Party (Ireland) TD for Cork East.
• 14 December – Jason Barry, actor.
• 15 December – Stuart Townsend, actor.
• 30 December – Paul Keegan, soccer player.

Full date unknown

• Duncan Campbell, video artist
• John Carney, film and television writer and director.
• Andy Comerford, Kilkenny hurler, manager.
• Arlene Hunt, novelist.
• Mark Landers, Cork hurler.
• Seánie McMahon, Clare hurler.
• Kevin Murray, Cork hurler.
• Joe Quaid, former Limerick hurler.

Deaths

• 11 January – Padraic Colum, poet, novelist and dramatist (born 1881).
• 18 January – Harry Colley, Fianna Fáil TD, Seanad member (born 1891).
• 22 February – Eva McGown, Official Hostess of Fairbanks and Honorary Hostess of Alaska (born 1883).
• 26 April – Mark Deering, Fine Gael TD (born 1900).
• 22 May – Cecil Day-Lewis, poet and writer, British Poet Laureate from 1967 to 1972, (born 1904).
• 31 May – Alexander McCabe, Sinn Féin MP, member of 1st Dáil, Cumann na nGaedheal TD (born 1886).
• 19 June – John Blowick, co-founder St Columban's Foreign Mission Society.
• 1 September – Patricia Lynch, children's writer (born 1898).
• 29 September – Kathleen Clarke, widow of Tom Clarke, Sinn Féin and later Fianna Fáil TD, Seanad member, first female Lord Mayor of Dublin (born 1878).
• 10 November – Charles Cuffe, cricketer (born 1914).

Full date unknown

• Wattie Dunphy, Kilkenny hurler (b. c1895).