1991 in Ireland

Events from the year 1991 in Ireland.

Incumbents

Events

1 January – Limerick city celebrated 300 years of the Treaty of Limerick.
17 January – There was controversy as the Government allowed United States military aircraft bound for the Gulf War to refuel at Shannon Airport.
24 January – The new Government Buildings in the renovated College of Science were officially opened.
7 February – The Irish Republican Army fired mortar bombs at 10 Downing Street in London.
14 March – After being wrongfully jailed for 16 years, the Birmingham Six were freed.
15 March – The provided for privatisation of Cómhlucht Siúicre Éireann, Teoranta, the state-owned sugar beet processor, as Greencore.
16 March – Dublin was officially inaugurated as the year's European Capital of Culture.
22 March – The President, Mary Robinson, against pressure not to do so from the Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, visited the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin where the Dalai Lama opened a Tibetan collection in the library. She was the only head of state in Europe to meet with him during his European trip. The Dalai Lama's first visit to Ireland was in 1973.
10 April – An unarmed IRA volunteer was shot dead in Downpatrick by the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
16 May – Eyre Square Centre opened in Galway.
17 May – First edition of the Liffey Champion, local newspaper for North County Kildare and Lucan.
26 June – The wrongful convictions of the Maguire Seven were quashed.
6 November – Kildare TD Seán Power proposed a no-confidence motion in Taoiseach Charles Haughey's leadership.
7 November – the Minister for Finance, Albert Reynolds, was dismissed from the government over his intention to support the no-confidence motion.
13 November – Jim McDaid, the new Defence Minister, resigned following criticism from the Opposition over his attendance at an IRA funeral.
21 November – Three crew members of the M.V. Kilkenny were drowned as a result of a collision between the Kilkenny and the M.V. Hassel Werder in Dublin Bay.
6 December – Dublin Bus began its 'Nitelink' night bus service, aimed at facilitating revellers returning home from Christmas parties, as well as reducing instances of drink driving.

Arts and literature

25 May – The Irish Museum of Modern Art opened at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
November – The Dublin Writers Museum opened.
The Corcadorca Theatre Company was established in Cork.
Roddy Doyle's novel The Van, last of The Barrytown Trilogy, was published.
Anne Enright's short story collection The Portable Virgin was published, and won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature.

Sport

Athletics

Frank O'Mara won the world indoor 3,000 metre championship for the second time.

Cycling

19 October – Sean Kelly won the Giro di Lombardia.

Gaelic football

The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final finished on a score of Down 1–16 Meath 1–14.

Golf

Carroll's Irish Open was won by Nick Faldo.

Hurling

The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final finished on a score of Tipperary 1–16 Kilkenny 0–15.

Motor racing

Eddie Jordan entered his Jordan team in the World Formula One Championship, becoming the first Irish owned constructor in Formula One.

Births

20 February – Sally Rooney, fiction writer.
28 February – Sarah Bolger, actress.
7 July – Eve Hewson, actress.
16 August – Evanna Lynch, actress.
14 October – Kevin Downes, hurler.
16 October – Jedward, musical duo twins
30 October – Nick Sheridan, journalist.

Deaths

January to June

5 January – Hubert Butler, writer and historian
29 January – Joe Stynes, Irish Republican and sportsman.
19 February – Thekla Beere, civil servant.
20 April – Seán Ó Faoláin, short story writer.
22 May – Valentin Iremonger, poet and diplomat.
25 May – John M. Feehan, author and publisher.
25 May – Eddie Fullerton, Sinn Féin councillor, killed by the Ulster Defence Association.

July to December

18 August – Patrick Joseph Kelly, Bishop of Benin City.
17 October – J. G. Devlin, actor.
13 November – Francis Blackwood, 10th Baron Dufferin and Claneboye.
12 November – Billy Behan, soccer player and Scout.
14 November – Bryden Thomson, orchestral conductor.
15 November – George Otto Simms, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and Archbishop of Armagh.
19 November – Michael Lyons, Fine Gael TD and Senator.
1 December – Pat O'Callaghan, athlete and Olympic gold-medallist.