1883 in Ireland explained

Events from the year 1883 in Ireland.

Events

• April – the narrow gauge Castlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway opens in County Tyrone.^[1]
• May – The four winged statues at the base of the O'Connell Monument are finally installed at the monument. The monument had been officially unveiled to the public without them a year earlier.^[2]
• 23 October – the Society of Jesus takes over University College Dublin.
• 30 October – two Clan na Gael dynamite bombs explode in the London Underground, injuring several people. Next day the British Home Secretary, William Vernon Harcourt, introduces the Explosives Bill.
• 1 November – Mater Infirmorum Hospital in Belfast admits its first patients.^[3]

Arts and literature

• George Moore's first novel, the realist A Modern Lover, is published.

Sport

Rugby union

• Ireland take part in the inaugural Home Nations Championship
• Ireland's first home championship game played at Ormeau Road in Belfast.

Soccer

International

24 February England 7–0 Ireland (in Liverpool)^[4]

17 March Ireland 1–1 Wales (in Belfast)^[4]

Irish Cup

Winners: Cliftonville 5–0 Ulster

Births

• 7 January – Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, British admiral of the Second World War and First Sea Lord (died 1963 in London).
• 14 January – Bulmer Hobson, nationalist, an early leader of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (died 1969).
• 15 January – Helena Molony, fights in the 1916 Easter Rising and first woman president of the Irish Trades Union Congress (died 1967).
• 24 January – Denis McCullough, Irish Volunteers, elected to the 4th Dáil Éireann (died 1968).
• 29 January – Billy McCracken, footballer and football manager (died 1979).
• 28 February – Seán Mac Diarmada, nationalist, rebel and Easter Rising leader (executed 1916).
• 1 May – Thomas J. Moore, actor (died 1955).
• 8 May – Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh, born Mary Walker, actress and Republican activist (died 1958).
• 13 May – Jimmy Archer, Major League baseball player (died 1958 in the United States).
• 23 June – Eva McGown, Official Hostess of Fairbanks and Honorary Hostess of Alaska (died 1972 in the United States).
• 15 July – Denny Barry, Irish Republican (died on hunger strike 1923).
• 2 August – Sam Irving, footballer and football manager (died 1968).
• 2 September – Alexander Haslett, independent TD (died 1951).
• 12 December – Peadar Kearney, Irish Republican and songwriter, co-author of "The Soldier's Song" (died 1942).
• 28 November – Rory O'Connor, Irish republican activist captured at the fall of the Four Courts (executed 1922).
• 28 December – St. John Greer Ervine, author and dramatist (died 1971 in London).

Full date unknown

• Lorcán Ó Muireadais, priest and Irish language promoter (died 1941).

• Louisa Watson Peat, writer and lecturer (died 1953 in the United States)

Deaths

• 9 February – Henry John Stephen Smith, mathematician (died 1826).
• 26 May – Edward Sabine, astronomer, scientist, ornithologist and explorer (born 1788).
• 25 July – Frederick Edward Maning, writer and judge in New Zealand (born 1812).
• 22 October – Thomas Mayne Reid, novelist (born 1818).
• 24 November – William Fitzgerald, Church of Ireland Bishop of Killaloe (born 1814).
• 17 December – James Carey, Fenian and informer, executed in London (born 1845).

Full date unknown

• Robert Dwyer Joyce, music collector and writer (born 1830).

See also

• 1883 in Scotland
• 1883 in Wales

Notes and References

1. Book: Ferris, T.. The Irish Narrow Gauge (Volume 2, The Ulster Lines). Midland Publishing. 1993. 1-85780-017-6.
2. News: 27 Dec 1969 . Foley's Theme: A People's Thanks . . 9.
3. Web site: History of the Mater Hospital. . 2008-05-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070103054941/http://www.mater.n-i.nhs.uk/trust/History_of_the_Mater.html#P-5_0 . 2007-01-03 . dead .
4. Book: Hayes, Dean. 2006 . Northern Ireland International Football Facts . Appletree Press . Belfast. 0-86281-874-5 . 149.