1974 in Ireland

Events in the year 1974 in Ireland.

Incumbents

Events

January

2 January – The Northern Ireland Executive began its first day in office.

February

15 February – A 600-pound terrorist bomb exploded in Dungannon in Northern Ireland.

April

24 April – The Electricity Supply Board announced that Carnsore Point on the County Wexford coast would be the site of its planned nuclear power station.
26 April – Nineteen Old Master paintings from the Beit collection were stolen from Russborough House by a Provisional Irish Republican Army gang that included English heiress Rose Dugdale.
Exact date unknown – Fianna Fáil politician Charles Haughey purchased Inishvickillaun island off the coast of County Kerry. Questions were raised concerning Haughey's personal wealth.

May

8 May – The great hall of University College Dublin was to become a 900-seat concert hall and home of the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra.
14 May – Northern Ireland ground to a halt as the Ulster Workers' Council called a strike following the defeat of an anti-Sunningdale Agreement motion.
17 May – Dublin and Monaghan bombings: Thirty-three civilians were killed and almost 300 wounded in four terrorist car-bomb explosions in Dublin and Monaghan by the Ulster Volunteer Force, the highest number of casualties in any one day during The Troubles.
21 May – The Ulster Workers' Council Strike in Northern Ireland came to an end.
28 May – The five-month-old Northern Ireland Executive collapsed.
Late May – President Erskine Childers paid the first state visit by an Irish head of state to Europe when he visited Belgium with his wife, Rita. This reciprocated the three-day state visit to Ireland by King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium in May 1968.

June

14 June – Anatoli Kaplin, the first Soviet Ambassador to Ireland, visited President Childers at Áras an Uachtaráin, the President's residence.

July

9 July – The longest bus strike in Dublin's history came to an end after 65 days. The government agreed to a 20 percent fare increase to persuade CIÉ bus workers to return. City retailers suffered painful revenue losses for the duration and army lorries provided free passenger transport.
17 July – The coalition government's Control of Importation, Sale and Manufacture of Contraceptives Bill 1974 was defeated in a vote in Dáil Éireann. The Taoiseach, Liam Cosgrave, was one of seven Fine Gael party TDs who voted against the government's own bill.
18 July – The Ladies' Gaelic Football Association was founded in Thurles.
20 July – About ten women, styled as the "Dublin City Women's Invasion Force", including journalist Nell McCafferty, politician and activist Nuala Fennell, and poet Mary D'Arcy, entered the Forty Foot bathing place in Sandycove in Dublin, historically a men-only nude bathing area. The women were claiming their right to swim there. From that time forward, women swam at the Forty Foot.

September

1 September – Transition Year was introduced on a pilot basis in three schools.
21 September – Leader of the Opposition Jack Lynch said that the Fianna Fáil party would not support any proposal to repeal Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution.

November

4 November – Powerscourt House in Enniskerry, County Wicklow was destroyed by fire.
17 November – President Erskine Childers died suddenly, aged 69, having served less than 17 months of his seven-year term.

December

10 December – Seán MacBride was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo "for his efforts to secure and develop human rights throughout the world". The prize was shared with Eisaku Satō, the former prime minister of Japan.
19 December – Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh was sworn in as the fifth President of Ireland.
The first Michelin Guide to cover Ireland was published. The first restaurants awarded stars were The Russell Hotel on St Stephen's Green in Dublin and Arbutus Lodge in Cork.
December - The Guaranteed Irish symbol was introduced, beginning as a campaign run by the Irish Goods Council.

Arts and literature

25 August – The first Kilkenny Arts Festival opened.
November – The O'Brien Press published its first book.
19 December – Tom Murphy's adaptation of The Vicar of Wakefield opened at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin.
Jennifer Johnston's novel How Many Miles to Babylon? was published.

Births

1 January – Eva Birthistle, actress.
12 January – Thomas FitzGerald, Earl of Offaly.
29 January – Niall Blaney, Teachta Dála representing Donegal North-East.
31 March – Victoria Smurfit, actress.
4 April – Kieran Collins, "The Golden Drifter", Gaelic footballer.
23 May – Maria McCool, singer.
17 May – Brídín Brennan, singer.
17 May – Andrea Corr, lead vocalist with The Corrs.
1 July
* John Davy, cricketer.
* Peter Davy, cricketer.
* Olwyn Enright, Fine Gael TD representing Laois–Offaly.
9 July – Gary Kelly, international association football player.
10 July – Imelda May, musician.
19 July – Malcolm O'Kelly, international rugby player.
10 August – Gus Joyce, cricketer.
11 September – Karl Gannon, association football player.
16 September – John McAdorey, relay sprinter.
September – Liam Donoghue, Galway hurler.
1 October – Keith Duffy, singer and actor.
15 October – Barry McCrea, novelist.
21 October – Tony Sheridan, association football player.
5 November – Gráinne Seoige, television broadcaster.
12 November – T. J. Ryan, Limerick hurler.
18 November – Graham Coughlan, association football player.
22 November – Finian Maynard, four-time speed windsurfing world champion, winner of a world speed record for sailing.
24 November – Peter Barry, Kilkenny hurler.
27 November – Roy O'Brien, association football player.
3 December – Andrew Maxwell, comedian.
4 December – Jason Molins, cricketer.
7 December – Brendan Kennedy, association football player.
8 December – Ian Malone, member of British Army's Irish Guards.
30 December – Camille O'Sullivan, singer.

;Full date unknown

Deaths

1 January – Bob Fullam, association football player.
4 January – Phelim Calleary, Fianna Fáil TD.
24 January – Cornelius O'Callaghan, Fianna Fáil senator 1970–1974.
15 February – Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander, cryptanalyst, chess player, and chess writer.
9 March – Daniel O'Neill, painter.
19 March – Austin Clarke, poet, playwright and writer.
10 April – Patricia Collinge, actress and writer.
28 May – Richard Belton, medical doctor, member of the 12th Seanad.
3 June – Michael Gaughan, Provisional Irish Republican Army hunger striker.
10 June – Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, member of the British royal family, last surviving knight of the Order of St Patrick.
30 June – Frank McKelvey, painter.
5 July – James Young, comedian.
13 August – Kate O'Brien, novelist.
9 October – Padraic Fallon, poet.
17 November – Erskine Childers, Fianna Fáil TD, cabinet minister, and fourth Irish President.
23 November – Cornelius Ryan, journalist and author.
1 December – Dick Grace, Kilkenny hurler.
24 December – Michael F. Kitt, Fianna Fáil TD.
25 December – Harry Kernoff, painter.
27 December – Denis Farrelly, Fine Gael TD and senator.

;Full date unknown