1901 in Ireland

Events

• 1 January – The centenary of the Act of Union was celebrated by British forces in Ireland.
• 3 January – Despite some opposition Drogheda Corporation voted to confer the freedom of the town on President Kruger of the Boers.
• 22 January – Queen Victoria died in London. In Dublin theatres were closed and the blinds were drawn at the General Post Office.
• 24 January – Edward VII was proclaimed King in Ireland in a state ceremony at Dublin Castle.
• 2 February – Banks, public offices, theatres and music halls were closed in Dublin for the funeral of Queen Victoria.
• 19 February – Thomas O'Donnell, a Nationalist Member of Parliament, was stopped by the Speaker from addressing the British House of Commons in Irish.
• 31 March – The Irish population census was taken. The population of the entire island was 4.5 million people. Roman Catholics outnumbered Anglicans and Presbyterians by almost three to one.
• 16 June – The Catholic Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba opened in Letterkenny.
• 11 July – The was launched at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. She was the largest ship in the world and would sail between Liverpool and New York.
• The Jammet Hotel and Restaurant opened in Dublin.
• The Barry's Tea company was founded in Cork.
• The first Roches Stores shop opened.

  Arts and literature

• 21 October – Douglas Hyde's play Casadh an tSúgáin was premièred by Conradh na Gaeilge's Amateur Dramatic Society for the Irish Literary Theatre at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, featuring the author and Máire Ní Chinnéide and directed by William Fay and George Moore.
• Patrick S. Dinneen's Cormac Ó Conaill became the first novel in Irish published complete in book form.
• George Moore's novel Sister Theresa was published.

  Sport

Association football

• ; International
• : 23 February – Scotland 11–0 Ireland
• : 9 March – England 3–0 Ireland
• : 23 March – Ireland 0–1 Wales
• ; Irish League
• : Winners: Distillery
• ; Irish Cup
• : Winners: Cliftonville 1–0 Freebooters
• St Columb's Court, a team from Derry, joined the Irish Football League, but only lasted one season.

  Athletics

• 5 August – Peter O'Connor set the first International Association of Athletics Federations recognised long jump world record, of 24 ft 11¾ in., in Dublin. It remained unbeaten for 20 years and an Irish record for 89.

  Births

• 11 February – Roddy Connolly, Labour Party Teachta Dála, Seanad member, son of James Connolly.
• 15 February – Brendan Bracken, businessman and British cabinet minister.
• 10 May – John Desmond Bernal, scientist.
• 5 June – Wilfred Hutton, cricketer.
• 7 June – Anthony Barry, businessman, Fine Gael party TD, Seanad member and Lord Mayor of Cork.
• 8 June – John O'Sullivan, Fine Gael party TD, and Senator.
• 12 June – Jimmy Elwood, footballer.
• 18 June – Denis Johnston, dramatist.
• 5 July – Matt Goff, Kildare Gaelic footballer.
• 7 July – Seán Clancy, oldest Irish War of Independence veteran
• 17 July – Patrick Smith, TD and Cabinet minister.
• 6 October – Todd Andrews, Irish revolutionary and public servant.
• 7 November – Norah McGuinness, artist.
• 21 November – Finlay Jackson, cricketer and rugby player.
• 23 December – Seán Clancy, veteran of the Irish War of Independence
• 26 December – Gustavus Kelly, cricketer.

  Deaths

• 8 January – John Barry, soldier, posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1901 at Monument Hill, South Africa.
• 22 January – Queen Victoria, monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
• 14 March – Arthur Gore, 5th Earl of Arran, Anglo-Irish peer and diplomat.
• 8 April – Edward Ernest Bowen, schoolmaster.
• 28 April – James Stephens, founding member of the Fenian Brotherhood movement.
• 1 July – James Bell, United States Army soldier, awarded the Medal of Honor in 1876 during the Indian Wars.
• 20 August – James Owens, soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1854 at the Siege of Sebastopol in the Crimean War.
• 8 September – Michael Morris, 1st Baron Killanin, jurist, politician, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.
• 16 November – William George Nicholas Manley, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1864 near Tauranga, New Zealand.
• 4 December – William MacCormac, surgeon.