1908 in Ireland

Events

• February – Republican leader Tom Clarke opened a tobacconist shop in Dublin under the name of T. S. Ó'Cléirigh which became a centre for Irish Republican Brotherhood activity.
• 17 February – A statue of Queen Victoria was unveiled at Leinster House in Dublin.
• 19 April – The Guildhall in Derry was largely destroyed by fire.
• 19 May – Work began on a monument to Charles Stewart Parnell in Upper Sackville Street, Dublin.
• 31 July – The Irish Universities Act 1908 received royal assent in the Parliament of the UK. This led to the establishment of the National University of Ireland and Queen's University of Belfast.
• 8 September – Patrick Pearse opened St. Enda's School to offer a bilingual secondary education for boys at Cullenswood House in Ranelagh. It later moved to the Hermitage, Rathfarnham.
• 11 November – The Irish Women's Franchise League was formed, with Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington as secretary.
• 29 December – The Irish Transport Workers' Union was formed, with James Larkin as general secretary.

  Arts and literature

• January – Hugh Lane founded the Dublin City Gallery in Harcourt Street, the world's first to display only modern art.
• 1 December – Cuala Press produced its first publication, Poetry and Ireland: essays by W. B. Yeats and Lionel Johnson.
• Terence MacSwiney, T. C. Murray, Con O'Leary and Daniel Corkery founded the Cork Dramatic Society.
• John Millington Synge's only comedic play, The Tinker's Wedding, was published.
• Filson Young's novel When the Tides Turn was published.

  Sport

• 1908 Summer Olympics : Ireland competed as a separate country in field hockey and polo, and won silver medals in both.

  Association football

• ; International
• * 15 February – Ireland 1–3 England
• * 14 March – Ireland 0–5 Scotland
• * 11 April – Wales 0–1 Ireland
• ; Irish League
• : Winners: Linfield F.C.
• ; Irish Cup
• : Winners: Bohemian F.C. 1–1 draw; replay result 3–1 Shelbourne F.C.

  Golf

• The golf course at Royal County Down Golf Club was modified by Harry Vardon, and Edward VII bestowed royal patronage on the club.

  Births

• 20 February – Florence Wycherley, independent Teachta Dála .
• 23 February – Jim Ware, Waterford hurler.
• 10 March – Patrick Shanahan, Fianna Fáil party TD.
• 27 April – Patrick Shea, Permanent Secretary in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
• 5 May – Mary Elmes, humanitarian.
• 10 June – Gerard Sweetman, Fine Gael party TD and Cabinet minister.
• 20 July – Mad Dog Coll, born Uinseann Ó Colla, mob hitman in New York.
• 24 July – Roger McHugh, professor, author, and playwright.
• 18 August – Sam English, association football player.
• 26 September – Hugh Delargy, British Labour Party Member of Parliament .
• 6 December – Con Cremin, diplomat.
• ;Full date unknown
• :*Frances Kelly, painter.
• :*Niall Ó Dónaill, Irish language lexicographer and writer.
• :*Mervyn Wall, novelist and dramatist.

  Deaths

• 17 January – Eyre Massey Shaw, Superintendent of the London Metropolitan Fire Brigade.
• 3 February – Thomas Mellon, entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge, founder of Mellon Bank.
• 23 March – Frederick Falkiner, lawyer, judge and author.
• 10 June – John F. Finerty, U.S. Representative from Illinois.
• 6 July – Thomas William Moffett, scholar, educationalist, and President of Queen's College Galway.
• 5 August – Caesar Litton Falkiner, Irish Unionist Party politician, barrister, writer, and historian.
• 30 August – Lawrence Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse, 18th Chancellor of the University of Dublin.
• 4 November – John Pinkerton, Irish Parliamentary Party MP.
• 15 December – Hugh Annesley, 5th Earl Annesley, British military officer and MP.
• 19 December – Thomas Cleeve, founder of Condensed Milk Company of Ireland, High Sheriff of Limerick.