1872 in Ireland

Events

• Party Processions Acts repealed.
• Summer – about 30,000 Nationalists hold a demonstration at Hannahstown near Belfast, campaigning for the release of Fenian prisoners, but leading to another series of riots between Catholics and Protestants in the city.
• 23 November – 1872 [Londonderry City by-election], the first Irish election to the Parliament of the UK held by secret ballot. The seat is won from the Liberal Party by the Irish Conservative Party's Charles Lewis, 1st Baronet|Charles Lewis].
• Ulster Hospital for Women and Sick Children is opened in Chichester Street, Belfast.

  Arts and literature

• Samuel Ferguson publishes his long poem Congal.
• Sheridan Le Fanu publishes his short-story collection In a Glass Darkly including the vampire novella Carmilla.
• Charles Lever publishes his last novel Lord Kilgobbin, "a tale of Ireland in our own time".

  Births

• 14 February – Tom Ross, cricketer.
• 31 March – Arthur Griffith, founder and third leader of Sinn Féin, served as President of Dáil Éireann.
• 26 April – William Cunningham Deane-Tanner, later William Desmond Taylor, film director in United States.
• 13 June – Blayney Hamilton, cricketer.
• 4/7 July – John J. O'Kelly, politician, author and publisher, president of the Gaelic League and Sinn Féin.
• 16 July – George Henry Morris, soldier, first commanding officer to lead an Irish Guards battalion into battle.
• 23 July – John J. McGrath, Democrat U.S. Representative from California.
• 13 August – Robert Johnston, soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1899 at the Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa.
• 4 September – James Magee, cricketer.
• 23 September – Dan Comyn, cricketer.
• 20 October – Seán O'Mahony, Sinn Féin MP.
• 24 October – Peter O'Connor, athlete
• 13 November – John M. Lyle, architect in Canada.
• 28 November – Ethel Hobday, pianist.
• Undated – Patrick R. Chalmers, writer.

  Deaths

• 22 January – Valentine McMaster, Scottish military surgeon, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1857 at the Siege of Lucknow, India.
• 8 February – Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo, statesman, three times Chief Secretary for Ireland, Viceroy of India, assassinated.
• 1 June – Charles Lever, novelist.
• 18 October – Michael O'Connor, first Catholic Bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, first Catholic Roman [Catholic Diocese of Erie|Bishop of Erie], Jesuit.
• 23 November – Joseph Ward, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1858 at Gwalior, India.
• 6 December – James Byrne, recipient of the Victoria Cross.
• ;Full date unknown
• :*Anne Elizabeth Ball, phycologist.
• :*Robert Patterson, businessman and naturalist.