1966 in Ireland

← 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1966 in Ireland → 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s
See also:	1966 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1966 List of years in Ireland

Events from the year 1966 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President: Éamon de Valera
• Taoiseach:
  • Seán Lemass (FF) (until 10 November 1966)
  • Jack Lynch (FF) (from 10 November 1966)
• Tánaiste: Frank Aiken (FF)
• Minister for Finance:
  • Jack Lynch (FF) (until 10 November 1966)
  • Charles Haughey (FF) (from 10 November 1966)
• Chief Justice: Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh
• Dáil: 18th
• Seanad: 11th

Events

• 13 February – the Bishop of Clonfert protests over the content of The Late Late Show, taking exception to a woman telling host Gay Byrne that she didn't wear a nightie on her wedding night.
• 6 March – a memorial is opened at Kilmichael, County Cork, to commemorate the 1920 ambush there.
• 8 March
  • Nelson's Pillar in O'Connell Street, Dublin, is clandestinely blown up, probably by former Irish Republican Army volunteers marking this year's 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising.
  • The Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act changes the name of the national broadcasting authority from Radio Éireann to Radio Telefís Éireann and its radio and television (Telefís Éireann) services both become known as RTÉ.
• 31 March – the tricolour flag flown over the Dublin GPO in 1916 is handed back by the British to Taoiseach Seán Lemass in London.
• 6 April – the re-established Ulster Volunteer Force launches its campaign in Belfast
• 10 April – celebrations take place to mark the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising. Nine hundred 1916 survivors hear the reading of the Proclamation and President of Ireland Éamon de Valera takes the salute at a military parade.
• 11 April – de Valera opens the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin's Parnell Square.
• 15 April – Ballymun starts construction.
• 17 April – in Belfast the Easter Rising is commemorated by large republican parades.
• 2 June – de Valera is re-elected president. He defeats Tom O'Higgins by 10,500, less than 1% of the vote.
• 25 June – de Valera is inaugurated for a second term.
• 7 July – the Minister for Education, Donogh O'Malley, announces details of his free secondary education scheme.
• 21 September – foundation of Allied Irish Banks Limited by amalgamation of the Munster and Leinster Bank, Provincial Bank of Ireland and Royal Bank of Ireland.
• 21 October – an anti-apartheid demonstration takes place outside the National stadium as the South African Amateur Boxing Team visit.
• 8 November – tributes are paid to Seán Lemass who announces his resignation as Taoiseach.
• 10 November – the new Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, and his ministers receive their seals of office from President de Valera at Áras an Uachtaráin.
• 25 November – the body of Seán T. O'Kelly, second President of Ireland, lies in state at St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral.
• December – first Quinnsworth supermarket opened by Pat Quinn at Stillorgan.
• Undated – Ballintubber Abbey nave restored and re-roofed.

Arts and literature

• 28 February – first English-language production of Samuel Beckett's Come and Go at the Peacock Theatre, Dublin. It was first produced on 14 January, in German, in Berlin; it is also first published, in French, this year.
• 18 July – exactly fifteen years after being burned down, the new Abbey Theatre in Dublin opens; the architect is former actor Michael Scott.
• October – first annual Castlebar Song Contest staged in Castlebar, County Mayo
• Seamus Heaney's first poetry collection, Death of a Naturalist
• Aidan Higgins' novel Langrishe, Go Down

Births

• 24 January – Jimeoin, comedian, actor, producer and screenwriter.
• 25 January – Donal MacIntyre, investigative journalist.
• 8 February – Seán McCarthy, Cork hurler.
• 12 April – Jim Duffy, historian and political commentator.
• 23 April – Jim Stynes, Australian rules football player.
• 3 May – Ducksy Walsh, handball player (died 2016).
• 15 May – Orla Guerin, television journalist.
• 22 May – Colm Ó Snodaigh, singer & musician with Kíla and writer.
• 9 June – Beverley Flynn, Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo.
• 2 August – Grainne Leahy, Irish cricketer.
• 22 August – Alain Rolland, rugby player, international referee.
• 6 October – Niall Quinn, International footballer.
• 8 October – Mick Galwey, Gaelic footballer and rugby player.
• November – David Drumm, banker and convicted fraudster.
• 11 November – Alison Doody, actress.
• 21 November – Martin Hanamy, Offaly hurler.
• 30 November – Lenny Abrahamson, film director.
• 7 December – Leo Turley, Laois Gaelic footballer.
• 8 December – Sinéad O'Connor, singer and songwriter.
• 10 December – Colm Ó Maonlaí, actor and musician.
• 12 December – Pat Shortt, actor.
• 16 December – Paul McGinley, golfer.

Full date unknown

• Rachel Joynt, sculptor.
• John Power, Kilkenny hurler.
• Liam Simpson, Kilkenny hurler.

Deaths

• 10 March – Frank O'Connor, short story writer and memoirist (born 1903).
• 26 March – Joseph McGrath, Sinn Féin and later Cumann na nGaedheal TD, racehorse owner and breeder (born 1888).
• 28 March – Patrick McCartan, Sinn Féin MP and TD, member of 1st Dáil, a founder member of Clann na Poblachta (born 1878).
• 1 April – Brian O'Nolan, satirist and humorist (born 1911).
• 29 April – Tom Hales, Irish Republican Army volunteer, fought in Anglo-Irish War and Irish Civil War (born 1892).
• 23 May – Jacko Heaslip, cricketer (born 1899).
• 3 June – Fionán Lynch, Sinn Féin MP and TD, member of 1st Dáil, Cabinet Minister, Cumann na nGaedheal and Fine Gael TD (born 1889).
• 7 June – James Hickey, Labour politician and Lord Mayor of Cork.
• 26 July – Maura Laverty, writer (born 1907).
• 12 August – Mike McTigue, boxer, light heavyweight champion of the world 1923–1925 (born 1892).
• 23 November – Seán T. O'Kelly, founding member of Fianna Fáil, Cabinet Minister and second President of Ireland (born 1882).
• 14 December – Paul Galligan, merchant, member of 1st Dáil representing Cavan West (born 1888).
• 15 December – Conn Ward, Fianna Fáil politician (born 1890).
• 25 December – Thomas Harvey, cricketer and rugby player (born 1878).
• 27 December – Sim Walton, hurler (Tullaroan, Kilkenny) (born 1870).
• 31 December – Danny Ryan, hurler (Moycarkey-Borris, Kilkenny) (born 1880).

Full date unknown

• Sydney Sparkes Orr, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tasmania (born 1914).

See also

• 1966 in Irish television