1902 in Ireland
Events in the year 1902 in Ireland.
Events
- 2 January – The South Irish Horse cavalry was formed as the South of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry.
- 7 January – Waterford Corporation passed a motion to confer the freedom of the city on John Redmond.
- 8 January – The Great National Convention took place in the Round Room of the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. Motions were passed regarding coercion, the Irish language and evicted tenants.
- 2 April – John Redmond was awarded the freedom of the City of Dublin.
- Spring to autumn – The Cork International Exhibition was held.
- 22 May – The White Star Liner SS Ionic was launched by Harland and Wolff in Belfast.
- 2 June – The centenary of the Congregation of Christian Brothers was celebrated with High Mass in the Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago.
- 22 July – Thomas Croke died at the age of 78 in Thurles. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashel since 1875, he was the first patron of the Gaelic Athletic Association and a supporter of the Gaelic League and the Land League.
- August – The first part of the cliff path at The Gobbins, Islandmagee, was opened.
- 26 November – Ireland's Own magazine was launched.
- The Dunraven land conference started.
- The Roman Catholic St Brendan's Cathedral, Loughrea, was completed.
Arts and literature
- 2 April – W. B. Yeats's play Cathleen Ní Houlihan was first performed in Dublin.
- Michael McCarthy's Priests and People in Ireland was published.
- The Irish Literary Theatre project ended.
- Padraic Colum's anti-enlistment play, The Saxon Shillin' , was awarded a prize by Cumann na nGaedheal.
- Percy French wrote the comic song Are Ye Right There Michael?
- Augusta, Lady Gregory, published Cuchulain of Muirthemne, a retelling of Irish mythology in English.
- Walter Osborne painted his last work, Tea in the Garden, in Dublin.
Sport
Association football
- ; International
- : 22 February – Wales 0–3 Ireland
- : 1 March – Ireland 1–5 Scotland
- : 22 – March Ireland 0–1 England
- ; Irish League
- : Winners: Linfield F.C.
- ; Irish Cup
- : Winners: Linfield F.C. 5–0 Distillery F.C.
Births
- 2 January – Dan Keating, Ireland's oldest man and last surviving veteran of the Irish War of Independence
- 13 January – Francis Connell, cricketer.
- 20 January – Kevin Barry, Irish Republican Army member.
- 26 February – Jim Hurley, veteran of the Irish War of Independence, Cork Gaelic footballer and hurler.
- 25 April – Cormac Breslin, Fianna Fáil party Teachta Dála and Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann.
- 29 April – Francis Stuart, writer.
- 20 July – Jimmy Kennedy, songwriter.
- 21 July – William Bernard Barry, politician in the United States.
- 16 August – Arthur Douglas, cricketer and rugby player.
- 4 September – Patrick Lenihan, Fianna Fáil party TD.
- 11 September – Frank Ryan, member of the Irish Republican Army, editor of An Phoblacht, leftist activist and leader of Irish volunteers on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War.
- 16 September – James Dillon, former leader of the Fine Gael party, TD and government minister.
- 2 October – Alexander Montagu, 10th Duke of Manchester, born Viscount Mandeville, British Royal Navy officer and hereditary peer.
- 16 December – Billy King, cricketer.
- 29 December – Edward Pakenham, 6th Earl of Longford, politician, dramatist, and poet.
- December – Maurice Gerard Moynihan, civil servant and writer.
- ; Full date unknown
- * Thekla Beere, civil servant.
- * Frank Carney, playwright and civil servant.
- * Maurice Gorham, journalist and broadcasting executive.
- * Patrick MacDonogh, poet.
Deaths
- 20 January – Aubrey Thomas de Vere, poet and critic.
- 12 February – Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, politician, diplomat, and traveller.
- 10 March – C. Y. O'Connor, engineer in Australia.
- 21 April – Ethna Carbery, writer and poet.
- 29 May – Edward Harrington, Member of Parliament for West Kerry 1885–1892
- 20 July – John William Mackay, businessman in the United States.
- 22 July – Thomas Croke, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, founder patron of the Gaelic Athletic Association.
- 23 December – Lucius Gwynn, cricketer.
- ; Full date unknown
- * John O'Hart, genealogist.