1897 in Ireland

Events

• October – Scottish evangelist William Irvine begins preaching independently, origin of the "Two by Twos" Christian movement.
• St Kevin's Pauper Lunatic Asylum opens in Cork.
• The Irish Motor Car and Cycle Company is established.

  Arts and literature

• 26 May – Bram Stoker's novel Dracula is first published, in London.
• 13 December – The third Theatre Royal opens in Dublin.
• The first Feis Ceoil musical and cultural festival is organised in Dublin by Dr. Annie Patterson, Edward Martyn and Dr. George Sigerson.
• George Sigerson's translated anthology Bards of the Gael and Gall and his daughter Dora Sigerson Shorter's The Fairy Changeling, and Other Poems are published.
• Amanda McKittrick Ros publishes Irene Iddesleigh.

Sport

Football

• ;International
• :20 February England 6–0 Ireland
• :6 March Ireland 4–3 Wales
• :27 March Scotland 5–1 Ireland
• ;Irish League
• :Winners: Glentoran
• ;Irish Cup
• :Winners: Cliftonville 3–1 Sherwood Foresters

  Births

• 1 February – Eddie Doyle, Kilkenny hurler.
• 15 January – Mark Killilea Snr, Fianna Fáil TD, member of the Seanad.
• 1 March – Robert Bruce Bowers, cricketer.
• 23 March – John Lighton Synge, mathematician and physicist.
• 4 April – Francis Evans, British diplomat.
• 29 April – Mainie Jellett, abstract painter.
• 26 May – Ernie O'Malley, prominent officer in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence and on anti-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War and a writer.
• 10 June – Moss Twomey, chief of staff of the Irish Republican Army.
• 1 July – Tom Barry, guerrilla leader in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence.
• 18 August – Enid Starkie, literary critic and biographer.
• 1 September – Andy Kennedy, footballer.
• 17 September – Bob Fullam, soccer player.
• 26 November – Thomas Derrig, Fianna Fáil TD and Cabinet Minister.
• 3 December – Kate O'Brien, novelist.
• Full date unknown – Ed Reavy, fiddle player and songwriter.

  Deaths

• 21 January – Anthony O'Grady Lefroy, government official in Western Australia.
• 24 January – Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, novelist.
• 3 March – Garrett Byrne, Irish nationalist and MP.
• 19 March – Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie, geographer.
• 1 April – William Plunket, 4th Baron Plunket, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin.
• 9 August – William R. Roberts, diplomat, Fenian Society member and United States Representative from New York.
• 11 October – Charles W. Jones, lawyer and United States Senator in Florida.
• 31 October – Samuel Haughton, scientific writer.
• 25 November – John Coleman, United States Marine, recipient of Medal of Honor for his actions in 1871 during the Korean Expedition.
• 8 December – Mary O'Connell, nurse during the American Civil War.