Events in the year 1972 in Ireland.

Incumbents

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

: Éamon de Valera *

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...

Jack Lynch John Mary Lynch (15 August 1917 – 20 October 1999) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1966 to 1979, Leader of the Opposition from 1973 to 1977, Minister ...

( FF) *

Tánaiste The Tánaiste ( , ) is the deputy head of the government of Ireland and thus holder of its second-most senior office. The Tánaiste is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach. The current office holder is former Taoi ...

: Erskine H. Childers ( FF) *

Minister for Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", ...

George Colley George Colley (18 October 1925 – 17 September 1983) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Tánaiste from 1977 to 1981, Minister for Energy from 1980 to 1981, Minister for Tourism and Transport from 1979 to 1980, Minister for ...

( FF) * Chief Justice:

Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (; 12 February 1911 – 21 March 1978) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, judge and barrister who served as the fifth president of Ireland from December 1974 to October 1976. His birth name was registered in English as ...

* Dáil:

19th 19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number. Mathematics 19 is the eighth prime number, and forms a sexy prime with 13, a twin prime with 17, and a cousin prime with 23. It is the third full re ...

* Seanad:

12th 12 (twelve) is the natural number following 11 and preceding 13. Twelve is a superior highly composite number, divisible by 2, 3, 4, and 6. It is the number of years required for an orbital period of Jupiter. It is central to many systems ...

Events

January

* 1 January – The

Central Bank of Ireland The Central Bank of Ireland ( ga, Banc Ceannais na hÉireann) is Ireland's central bank, and as such part of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). It is the country's financial services regulator for most categories of financial firms ...

became the banker of the

Government of Ireland The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland. The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The governm ...

in succession to the

Bank of Ireland Bank of Ireland Group plc ( ga, Banc na hÉireann) is a commercial bank operation in Ireland and one of the traditional Big Four Irish banks. Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Iris ...

in accordance with th
Central Bank Act 1971
completing its transition from a currency board to a fully operating

central bank A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is an institution that manages the currency and monetary policy of a country or monetary union, and oversees their commercial banking system. In contrast to a commercial bank, a central ba ...

. * 22 January –

, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Patrick Hillery, signed the Treaty of Accession to the

European Communities The European Communities (EC) were three international organizations that were governed by the same set of institutions. These were the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom), and the ...

. * 29 January – The annual broadcasting

Jacob's Award The Jacob's Awards were instituted in December 1962 as the first Irish television awards. Later, they were expanded to include radio. The awards were named after their sponsor, W. & R. Jacob & Co. Ltd., a biscuit manufacturer, and recipients ...

s took place in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

. * 30 January –

Bloody Sunday Bloody Sunday may refer to: Historical events Canada * Bloody Sunday (1923), a day of police violence during a steelworkers' strike for union recognition in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia * Bloody Sunday (1938), police violence agai ...

: Thirteen unarmed civilians were shot dead in

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...

when

British soldiers The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Br ...

shot at civil rights marchers. * 31 January – The Taoiseach announced a national day of mourning following the events in Derry the previous day.

February

* 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

Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief tha ...

(IRA) announced a ceasefire. * 12 February – William Craig launched the

Ulster Vanguard The Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party (VUPP), informally known as Ulster Vanguard, was a unionist political party which existed in Northern Ireland between 1972 and 1978. Led by William Craig, the party emerged from a split in the Ulster Unio ...

movement in

Lisburn Lisburn (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland. It is southwest of Belfast city centre, on the River Lagan, which forms the boundary between County Antrim and County Down. First laid out in the 17th century by English and Welsh settlers, with ...

. * 19 February – The National Anti-

European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organization created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lisb ...

(EEC) Committee organised a march along

O'Connell Street O'Connell Street () is a street in the centre of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, running north from the River Liffey. It connects the O'Connell Bridge to the south with Parnell Street to the north and is roughly split into two sections ...

in Dublin. * 26 February – Crowds turned out to see the footballer

Pelé Edson Arantes do Nascimento (; born 23 October 1940), known as Pelé (), is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a forward. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and labelled "the greatest" by FIFA, ...

and his Brazilian club,

Santos FC Santos Futebol Clube (), commonly known simply as Santos or Santos FC and nicknamed the ''Peixe'' (; "fish"), is a Brazilian sports club based in Vila Belmiro, a '' bairro'' in the city of Santos. It is also the team with the most goals i ...

, play at

Dalymount Park Dalymount Park (Irish: ''Páirc Cnocán Uí Dhálaigh'') is a football stadium in Phibsborough on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. It is the home of Bohemian F.C., who have played there since the early 20th century. Affectionately known as D ...

in Dublin.

March

* 30 March – UK Prime Minister Edward Heath dissolved the Parliament of Northern Ireland and imposed Direct Rule over Northern Ireland.

April

* 2 April – The Irish-language radio channel

RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta (; "Radio of the Gaeltacht"), abbreviated RnaG, is an Irish language radio station owned and operated by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). The station is available on FM in Ireland and via satellite and on the Intern ...

commenced broadcasting. * 17 April – The government launched its European Economic Community referendum campaign to persuade citizens to join the EEC.

May

* 5 May – The

Regional Technical College, Carlow The Institute of Technology, Carlow (IT Carlow; ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Cheatharlach) was an institute of technology, located in Carlow, Ireland. The institute had campuses in Carlow, Wexford, and Wicklow, as well as a part-time pro ...

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 RPG may refer to: Military * Rocket-propelled grenade, a shoulder-launched anti-tank weapon **''Ruchnoi Protivotankoviy Granatomyot'' (Russian: ''Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт''), hand-held anti-tank grenade laun ...

languages and cost

IR£ The pound (Irish: ) was the currency of the Republic of Ireland until 2002. Its ISO 4217 code was IEP, and the symbol was £ (or IR£ for distinction). The Irish pound was replaced by the euro on 1 January 1999. Euro currency did not begin cir ...

10,000. * 10 May – In the referendum on Ireland's membership of the EEC the poll was almost five-to-one in favour.

June

* 13 June – The

Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gover ...

(police force) celebrated its 50th anniversary.

July

* July 5 – The Russian composer

Dmitri Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich), First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throug ...

, his third wife Irina Antonovna Supinskaya, and a Soviet security minder, Taval Filatov, began a four-day visit to Dublin by attending a concert in Saint Patrick's Cathedral. The

New Irish Chamber Orchestra New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz Albums and EPs * New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartn ...

performed works by

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

, and by Shostakovich himself. * July 6 – Shostakovich accepted an honorary doctorate in Music at Trinity College Dublin. * July 7 ** Shostakovich and his party visited President Éamon de Valera at Áras an Uachtaráin. ** A Provisional IRA delegation led by Seán Mac Stíofáin met secretly regarding

The Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...

with members of the British government, led by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland William Whitelaw, in London, but without an outcome. * July 8 – Dmitri Shostakovich and his party visited the family home of Professor

Brian Boydell Brian Patrick Boydell (17 March 1917 – 8 November 2000) was an Irish composer whose works include orchestral pieces, chamber music, and songs. He was Professor of Music at Trinity College Dublin for 20 years, founder of the Dowland Consort, con ...

at Bailey in

Howth Howth ( ; ; non, Hǫfuð) is an affluent peninsular village and outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and includes ...

for conversation, fresh local fish, and croquet. Boydell, who first initiated Shostakovich's visit, was himself a composer and professor of music at Trinity College. The two-hour private conversation between the composers (the minder Filatov being distracted by Boydell's family) ranged from music itself to the position of composers under Soviet political conditions. The Russians presented parting gifts including an autographed score and recording of Shostakovich's '' Symphony no. 13.'' * 12 July – Over 2,000 refugees from Northern Ireland spent the

marching season Parades are an important part of the culture of Northern Ireland. Although the majority of parades are held by Ulster Protestant, unionist or Ulster loyalist groups; Irish nationalist, republican and non-political groups also parade. The Parades ...

south of the

Irish border Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

. * 19 July –

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...

beat Alvin Lewis in a

technical knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...

during the 11th round of a boxing match at

Croke Park Croke Park ( ga, Páirc an Chrócaigh, ) is a Gaelic games stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, it is referred to as Croker by GAA fans and locals. It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and he ...

in Dublin. * 21 July – Bloody Friday: Nine people died and over 100 were injured in a series of IRA explosions in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

city centre. * 31 July ** Operation Motorman, 4 am: The

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

began to regain control of the " no-go areas" established by

Irish republican Irish republicanism ( ga, poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate. The develop ...

paramilitaries A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...

in Belfast,

(so-called " Free Derry") and Newry.CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict – 1972
/ref> ** Claudy bombing ("Bloody Monday"), 10 am: Three car bombs in Claudy,

County Londonderry County Londonderry ( Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry ( ga, Contae Dhoire), is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty two counties of Ireland and one of the nine counties of Ulster. B ...

, killed nine people. It became public knowledge only in 2010 that a local Catholic priest was an IRA member believed to be involved in the bombings but his role was covered up by the authorities.

August

* 20 August – Commemorations were held at

Béal na Bláth Béal na Bláth or Béal na Blá (anglicised Bealnablath or Bealnabla)"Béal na Blá/Bealnablath"

, County Cork, to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of

Michael Collins Michael Collins or Mike Collins most commonly refers to: * Michael Collins (Irish leader) (1890–1922), Irish revolutionary leader, soldier, and politician * Michael Collins (astronaut) (1930–2021), American astronaut, member of Apollo 11 and Ge ...

September

* 25 September – The

Darlington Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town. In the 19th century, Darlington underwen ...

conference on the future of Northern Ireland opened.

November

* 19 November – Seán Mac Stíofáin, chief of staff of the Provisional IRA, was arrested in Dublin after giving an interview on

RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...

's '' This Week'' radio programme. On 25 November he was sentenced to 6 months' imprisonment by the Republic's Special Criminal Court (during which he staged a hunger strike).

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christian- ...

Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Gerry Collins dismissed the entire RTÉ authority for permitting the broadcast.

December

* 1 December – Two bombs planted near

in Dublin by

Ulster loyalists Ulster loyalism is a strand of Ulster unionism associated with working class Ulster Protestants in Northern Ireland. Like other unionists, loyalists support the continued existence of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom, and oppose a u ...

killed two men, George Bradshaw (30), a bus driver and Thomas Duffy (23), a bus conductor. This intervention averted the threatened political overthrow that night of

Liam Cosgrave Liam Cosgrave (13 April 1920 – 4 October 2017) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 1973 to 1977, Leader of Fine Gael from 1965 to 1977, Leader of the Opposition from 1965 to 1973, Minister for External Affairs from ...

as leader of the

Fine Gael Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil � ...

party. * 13 December – President de Valera signed documents covering Ireland's entry into the EEC. * 17 December – Police raided premises used by unlicensed station

Radio Milinda Radio Milinda was the first pirate radio station in Ireland to be raided by Gardaí and prosecuted. On Sunday, 17 December 1972 almost 100 Gardaí raided the station at 5 North Gloucester Place, Dublin (better known as The Diamond). Seven peopl ...

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 Robert Walter Dudley Edwards (4 June 1909 – 5 June 1988) was an Irish historian. Biography Robert Walter Dudley Edwards, known to his friends as Robin and his students as 'Dudley'"Dr Robin Dudley Edwards dies in Dublin", ''Irish Times'', 6 Jun ...

' ''A New History of Ireland'' was published. * Poet

Seamus Heaney Seamus Justin Heaney (; 13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature.

moved from Belfast to work in Dublin and to live in

County Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ga, Contae Chill Mhantáin ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is bordered by t ...

;

The Belfast Group The Belfast Group was a poets' workshop which was organized by Philip Hobsbaum when he moved to Belfast in October 1963 to lecture in English at Queen's University. As with Hobsbaum's earlier discussion group in London, known as The Group, the ...

of poets dissolved. *

Tom MacIntyre Tom MacIntyre (10 December 1931– 31 October 2019) was an Irish poet, playwright and writer. Born in Cavan, he grew up in Bailieborough with his four siblings, and briefly worked as a pharmaceutical chemist, before deciding to write. MacIntyre ...

's play ''Eye Winker-Tom Tinker'' premièred at the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...

in Dublin, directed by

Lelia Doolan Lelia Doolan (born 1934) is an Irish television producer. Doolan was born in Cork in 1934. She studied French and German at University College Dublin, where she won a scholarship to study at the Brecht Theatre in Germany. She presented and acte ...

. * 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 ''Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part'' is the debut album by Irish folk rock music, rock band Horslips. It was first released in Republic of Ireland, Ireland in December 1972 as their début album, on their own Oats label (Oats MOO 3). Before this, ...

''.

Sports

Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

(

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

): Competing in the

pentathlon A pentathlon is a contest featuring five events. The name is derived from Greek: combining the words ''pente'' (five) and -''athlon'' (competition) ( gr, πένταθλον). The first pentathlon was documented in Ancient Greece and was part of t ...

, Mary Peters from Belfast became the first Irish woman to win a gold medal at the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

Births

* 15 January – Mark Carroll, runner. * 17 January – John Byrne, cricketer. * 21 January – Derek McGrath, association football player. * 27 January – Keith Wood, former international rugby player. * 28 January – Peter McDonald, actor. * 4 February **

Paul Anthony McDermott Paul Anthony McDermott, SC (4 February 1972 – 10 December 2019) was an English-born Irish lawyer and academic. He was a prominent criminal barrister who often prosecuted cases in the Irish superior courts. He was also known as a lecturer in ...

, English-born lawyer and academic (d.

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

) ** Dara Ó Briain, comedian and television presenter. * 17 February –

Fergal Ryan Fergal Ryan (born 17 February 1972) is an Irish retired hurler who played as a right corner-back for the Cork senior team. Born in Blackrock, Cork, Ryan first played competitive hurling whilst at school at Coláiste Chríost Rí. He arrived on ...

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

hurler. * 21 February –

Turtle Bunbury James Bunbury (born 21 February 1972), known as Turtle Bunbury, is an Irish author, historian, and television presenter. He has published a number of books such as the ''Vanishing Ireland'' series, ''Easter Dawn -The 1916 Rising'', ''The Glori ...

, historian and author. * 27 February – Jason Byrne, comedian. * 22 March –

Robin Banks Robin Banks is a TV presenter, narrator and radio DJ originally from Kilkenny, Ireland. Career He was the narrator of the British/European version of the popular Discovery Channel show ''MythBusters'', from season 2 to the present day. He has ...

, television presenter and radio disc jockey. * 10 April – Ed Byrne, comedian. * 17 April – Brian Morrisroe, association football player. * 20 May –

Sharon Foley Sharon Gallen ( ; ; born 20 May 1972) is an Irish former track and field athlete who specialised in the high jump. She also competed in the triple jump, pentathlon and heptathlon. A winner of 22 Irish national titles, she competed in the high ju ...

, athlete. * 31 May –

Karl Geary Karl John Geary (born 31 May 1972) is an Irish-born American actor and author. Early life Geary was born in Dublin. In 1987, at the age of 15, he moved to the United States; he later obtained a green card in a visa lottery for undocumented Iri ...

, actor. * 16 June –

Simon Coveney Simon Coveney (born 16 June 1972) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment since December 2022 and Deputy Leader of Fine Gael since 2017. He previously served as Minister for Foreign Affai ...

party

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( , ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament). It is the equivalent of terms such as ''Member of Parli ...

(TD) representing Cork South-Central and

Member of the European Parliament A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...

. * 24 June –

Brendan Courtney Brendan Courtney (born 24 June 1971 in Dublin) is an Irish TV presenter and fashion designer. He was the first openly gay presenter in Ireland. He has hosted ''Wanderlust'' on RTÉ Two, ''The Brendan Courtney Show'' on TV3. Career Courtney began ...

, comedian and television presenter. * 2 July – Darren Shan, author. * 11 July –

Cormac Battle Cormac Battle (born 11 July 1972) is an Irish musician and radio presenter/producer. He is the vocalist and lead guitarist for the bands Kerbdog, Wilt, Jonny's Boys, and On the turn. He is also the current presenter of RTÉ 2fm's alternative musi ...

, radio disc jockey. * 4 August –

Joe Delaney Joe Alton Delaney (; October 30, 1958 – June 29, 1983) was an American football running back who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL). In his two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Delaney set four franchise records ...

, snooker player. * 6 August –

Jason O'Mara Jason O'Mara (born 6 August 1972) is an Irish actor. He has starred in the American television network dramas ''In Justice ''In Justice'' is an American police procedural television series created by Michelle King and Robert King. The series ...

, actor. * 12 August –

Mark Kinsella Mark Anthony Kinsella (born 12 August 1972) is an Irish football manager and former player, currently a coach at Drogheda United after previously being both the manager and assistant manager. He played as a central midfielder for most of his ca ...

, association football player and coach. * 15 August – Mikey Graham, singer. * 18 August – Barry Egan, Cork hurler. * 4 September – Willie Burke, association football player. * 8 September –

Phil Laak Philip Courtney Laak (born September 8, 1972) is an Irish–American professional poker player and a poker commentator, now residing in Los Angeles, California. Laak holds a World Poker Tour (WPT) title, a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet, a ...

, professional poker player. * 25 September – Emma Hannigan, author (d.

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

) * 9 October – John Carthy, shot dead in controversial circumstances in 2000 by the Garda Síochána after a 25-hour siege at his home. * 12 October –

Yvonne McGuinness Yvonne McGuinness (born 12 October 1972) is an Irish visual artist who works in a variety of contexts, including video installation and print. Born in Kilkenny, Ireland, and now based in Monkstown, County Dublin, her works have been shown in I ...

, visual artist * 15 October –

Gary Murphy Gary Murphy (born 15 October 1972) is an Irish professional golfer. Career Murphy was born in Kilkenny and began playing golf aged 11, after caddying for his father, Jim, who has played an instrumental role in the development of young golf ...

, golfer. * 1 December – David Higgins, golfer. * 6 December –

Seán Sherlock Seán Sherlock (born 6 December 1972) is an Irish Labour Party politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork East constituency since the 2007 general election. He served as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2016. Early life Sherlo ...

, Labour Party TD for Cork East. * 14 December –

Jason Barry Jason Barry (born 14 December 1972) is an Irish actor best known for his portrayal of Tommy Ryan in the 1997 film ''Titanic''. He also starred in '' The Still Life'' for which he won numerous awards. Early life Jason Barry was born in Artane, ...

, actor. * 15 December – Stuart Townsend, actor. * 30 December – Paul Keegan, association football player. ;Full date unknown :* Duncan Campbell, video artist :* John Carney, film and television writer and director. :*

Andy Comerford Andrew James Comerford (born 10 October 1972) is an Irish retired hurling manager and former player who played for Kilkenny Senior Championship club O'Loughlin Gaels. He played for the London and Kilkenny senior hurling teams for nearly a dec ...

Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...

hurler, manager. :*

Arlene Hunt Arlene Hunt (born 1972 in Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by ...

, novelist. :*

Mark Landers Mark Landers (born 13 July 1972) is an Irish hurling coach and former hurling, hurler. He is the coach of Cork Senior Hurling Championship, Cork Senior Championship club Bride Rovers GAA, Bride Rovers. Landers played for East Cork club Killeagh G ...

, Cork hurler. :* Kevin Murray, Cork hurler. :*

Jamesie O'Connor Jamesie O'Connor (born 28 July 1972) is an Irish former hurler who played as a midfielder for the Clare senior hurling team. O'Connor made his first appearance for the team during the 1992–93 National League and became a regular member of ...

Clare Clare may refer to: Places Antarctica * Clare Range, a mountain range in Victoria Land Australia * Clare, South Australia, a town in the Clare Valley * Clare Valley, South Australia Canada * Clare (electoral district), an electoral district * Cl ...

hurler. :*

Joe Quaid Joseph M. Quaid (born 10 April 1972) is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He was the manager of the Westmeath senior team in 2019. Born in Feohanagh, County Limerick, Quaid was introduced to hurling by his father, an All-Ireland meda ...

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

hurler.

Deaths

* 11 January –

Padraic Colum Padraic Colum (8 December 1881 – 11 January 1972) was an Irish poet, novelist, dramatist, biographer, playwright, children's author and collector of folklore. He was one of the leading figures of the Irish Literary Revival. Early life Col ...

, poet, novelist, and dramatist (born 1881). * 18 January –

Harry Colley Henry Edward Colley (21 February 1891 – 18 January 1972) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin North-East constituency from 1944 to 1957. He was also a Senator for the Labour Panel from 1957 to ...

, Fianna Fáil TD, Seanad (Senate) member (born 1891). * 22 February –

Eva McGown Eva McGown (née Montgomery) (1883–1972), the "hostess of Fairbanks," was best known for her three decades helping newcomers, military wives, construction workers, students, and visitors to find shelter in Fairbanks, Alaska during periods of ti ...

, Official Hostess of

Fairbanks Fairbanks is a home rule city and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska and the second largest in the state. The 2020 Census put the po ...

and Honorary Hostess of

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

(born 1883). * 26 April – Mark Deering, Fine Gael TD (born 1900). * 22 May –

Cecil Day-Lewis Cecil Day-Lewis (or Day Lewis; 27 April 1904 – 22 May 1972), often written as C. Day-Lewis, was an Irish-born British poet and Poet Laureate from 1968 until his death in 1972. He also wrote mystery stories under the pseudonym of Nicholas Bla ...

, poet and writer, British

Poet Laureate A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ...

from 1967 to 1972, (born 1904). * 31 May –

Alexander McCabe Alexander McCabe ( ga, Alasdar Mac Cába; 5 June 1886 – 31 May 1972) was an Irish Sinn Féin (later Cumann na nGaedheal) politician. Early life He was born in Keash, County Sligo in 1886. He was educated at Summerhill College, Sligo. He won a ...

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...

party

member of parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

, member of First Dáil,

Cumann na nGaedheal Cumann na nGaedheal (; "Society of the Gaels") was a political party in the Irish Free State, which formed the government from 1923 to 1932. In 1933 it merged with smaller groups to form the Fine Gael party. Origins In 1922 the pro-Treaty G ...

party TD (born 1886). * c. June –

Winifred Mary Letts Winifred Mary Letts (1882–1972) was an English-born writer who spent most of her life in Ireland. She was known for her novels, plays and poetry. Biography She was born on 10 February 1882 in Broughton, Salford, in what was then the County of ...

, writer (born 1882 in England). * 19 June –

John Blowick Rev John Blowick (1888–1972) was an Irish missionary priest and theologian. He was one of the founders of the Maynooth Mission to China which was later known as the Missionary Society of St. Columban. Life John Blowick was born 26 October 1888 ...

, co-founder St Columban's Foreign Mission Society (born 1888). * 1 September –

Patricia Lynch Patricia Lynch (4 June 1894– 1 September 1972) was an Irish children's writer and a journalist. She was the author of some 48 novels and 200 short stories. She is best known for blending Irish rural life and fantasy fiction as in ''The Turf-Cu ...

, children's writer (born c.1894). * 29 September –

Kathleen Clarke Kathleen Clarke (; ga, Caitlín Bean Uí Chléirigh; 11 April 1878 – 29 September 1972) was a founder member of Cumann na mBan, a women's paramilitary organisation formed in Ireland in 1914, and one of very few privy to the plans of the East ...

, widow of Republican leader Tom Clarke, Sinn Féin party member and later a Fianna Fáil TD, Seanad member, first female Lord Mayor of Dublin (born 1878). * 11 October –

Wattie Dunphy Walter 'Wattie' Dunphy (12 March 1896 – 11 October 1973) was an Irish hurler who played as a centre-back for the Kilkenny senior team. Dunphy made his first appearance for the team during the 1922 championship and became a regular player ov ...

, Kilkenny hurler (b. c1895). * 10 November – Charles Cuffe, cricketer (born 1914).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1972 in Ireland 1970s in Ireland

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Years of the 20th century in Ireland