1891 in Ireland

Events

• March – Anti-Parnellites form the Irish National Federation and win seats in Sligo and Carlow.
• June – Charles Stewart Parnell marries Kitty O'Shea in Sussex.
• 6 October – Charles Stewart Parnell dies. Up to 200,000 people attend the funeral of the 'Uncrowned King of Ireland.'
• The Balfour Land Act makes more funds available for land purchase and sets up the Congested Districts Board for Ireland.
• The Irish Daily Independent newspaper is founded. It becomes the Irish Independent in 1905.
• James Stephens, founder of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, returns home to Ireland after 25 years in exile.
• Michael Davitt, standing as an anti-Parnellite candidate, is defeated by John Redmond in a Waterford by-election.

  Arts and literature

• April – Oscar Wilde publishes The Picture of Dorian Gray in book form.
• October – 9-year-old James Joyce writes a poem in memory of Parnell later entitled Et tu, Healy which his father has printed as a broadside.
• Standish James O'Grady publishes Finn and his Companions.

  Sport

Football

• International
• :7 February Ireland 7–2 Wales
• :7 March England 6–1 Ireland
• :March Scotland 2–1 Ireland
• ;Irish League
• :Winners: Linfield
• ;Irish Cup
• :Winners: Linfield 4–2 Ulster
• Belfast Celtic F.C. is founded.
• Derry Olympic is founded. It joins the Irish Football League the next year, but only lasts one season.

  Gaelic games

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final
• *Kerry 2–3 : 1–5 Wexford
• All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
• *Dublin 2–1 : 1–9 Cork

  Golf

• 13 November – Golfing Union of Ireland established at a meeting in Belfast.
• Fortwilliam Golf Club in Belfast and Limerick Golf Club are founded.

  Births

• 18 February – John M. O'Sullivan, Cumann na nGaedheal TD and cabinet Minister.
• 21 February – Harry Colley, Fianna Fáil TD, Seanad member.
• 21 February – Seán Heuston, Fianna Éireann member, participant in Easter Rising.
• 25 February – Edward Daly, participant in Easter Rising.
• 17 March – Emily Anderson, British Foreign Office cryptanalyst, scholar of German and musicologist.
• 10 April – Kaye Don, racing driver.
• 11 April – Vincent McNamara, Ireland rugby union player.
• 16 April – Richard Saul, British Royal Air Force air vice marshal.
• 13 May – Patrick Hogan, Sinn Féin and Cumann na nGaedheal TD.
• 20 June – John A. Costello, barrister, Attorney-General, Fine Gael TD and twice Taoiseach.
• 3 July
• * Arthur Blair-White, cricketer.
• *Bridget Dowling, Adolf Hitler's sister-in-law via her marriage to Alois Hitler, Jr..
• 6 August – Billy Gillespie, soccer player.
• 23 October – John Caffrey, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1915 near La Brique, France.
• 1 November – Peter J. Ward, Sinn Féin TD, member 1st Dáil.
• 15 November – Willie Pearse, participant in Easter Rising, brother of Patrick Pearse.
• 6 December – James Ryan, Fianna Fáil TD Member of 1st Dáil and Cabinet Minister.
• 24 December – Joseph O'Doherty, Sinn Féin MP, Fianna Fáil TD and Seanad member.

  Deaths

• 5 May – William Connor Magee, Anglican clergyman, Archbishop of York.
• 18 May – Thomas Grady, soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry at the siege of Sevastopoll in the Crimean War .
• 15 June – James Patrick Mahon, Irish nationalist politician and international mercenary.
• 6 October – Charles Stewart Parnell, political leader.
• 28 November – William James Lendrim, soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry at the siege of Sevastopoll in the Crimean War .
• 12 December – Alexander Workman, politician in Canada and mayor of Ottawa.
• 13 December – William Gorman Wills, dramatist and painter.
• Full date unknown – Augustus Nicholas Burke, artist.