1968 in Ireland explained

Events in the year 1968 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President: Éamon de Valera
• Taoiseach: Jack Lynch (FF)
• Tánaiste: Frank Aiken (FF)
• Minister for Finance: Charles Haughey (FF)
  • Chief Justice: Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh Dáil: 18th
• Seanad: 11th

Events

• 8 January – Taoiseach Jack Lynch and Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O'Neill met for talks in Dublin.^[1]
• 10 March – Minister for Education Donogh O'Malley died while campaigning in County Clare.
• 17 March – A seat to commemorate the poet Patrick Kavanagh was unveiled beside the Grand Canal in Dublin.
• 24 March – The Aer Lingus aircraft, St Phelim, plunged into the Irish Sea near the Tuskar Rock lighthouse killing all 57 passengers.
• 14 May – King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium began a state visit to Ireland.^[2] A state dinner was held in their honour at Áras an Uachtaráin this evening.^[3]
• 15 May – The King and Queen of Belgium visited Trinity College Dublin,^[4] University College Dublin,^[5] and the National Museum.^[6] They also visited the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Frank Cluskey, at the Mansion House,^[7] and attended a state banquet at Dublin Castle in the evening.^[8]
• 16 May – The King and Queen of Belgium attended a party at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.^[9]
• 17 May – The King and Queen of Belgium paid a second visit to Áras an Uachtaráin where Baudouin played hurling with President Éamon de Valera and Taoiseach Jack Lynch.^{[10] [11] [12]} The royal couple each planted a tree in the garden of the residence.^{[13] [14]} The President, the Taoiseach, and Minister for External Affairs, Frank Aiken later accompanied the king and queen to a farewell ceremony at Dublin Airport.^{[15] [16]}
• 29 May – President de Valera opened the John F. Kennedy Arboretum and Memorial Park in New Ross, County Wexford.
• 6 June – Ireland mourned the loss of assassinated United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Dáil Éireann paid tribute and a book of condolence was opened.
• 5 October – Police in Derry baton-charged a Northern Ireland civil rights march.
• 8 October – Twenty new traffic wardens were introduced on Dublin's streets.
• 16 October – The 1968 Irish constitutional referendum was held proposing changes to the electoral system. The proposals were rejected.
• 25 October – The New University of Ulster opened in Coleraine, County Londonderry.
• 27 October – The Standard Time Act 1968^[17] stipulated that Irish Standard Time is UTC+1 (Central European Time) and clocks were not to be turned back one hour during winter.
• 13 December – According to the Economic and Social Research Institute 60 percent of undergraduates in Ireland would emigrate upon graduation.
• County Hall, Cork was opened; at the time it was the tallest storeyed building in Ireland.

Arts and literature

• 28 February – The first English-language production of Samuel Beckett's Come and Go was performed at the Peacock Theatre in Dublin.^[18]
• Tom Murphy's plays Famine (21 March) and The Orphans (7 October) were first produced in Dublin (at the Abbey and Gate Theatres respectively).^[18]

Sports

• 29 May – Tony Dunne and George Best became the first Irish footballers to collect European Cup winner's medals as Manchester United F.C. defeated Benfica in the final at Wembley Stadium.
• 1 September – Wexford beat Tipperary 5–8 to 3–12 in the All Ireland Senior Hurling Final at Croke Park, Dublin.
• 18 September – George Best was the star attraction as Manchester United beat Waterford City 3–1 at the Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin.
• 22 September – Down defeated Kerry 2–12 to 1–13 in the All Ireland Senior Football Final.

Births

• 12 January – Michael Moynihan, Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for Cork North-West.
• 15 January – Tom Murphy, actor (died 2007).
• 19 January – Fiona O'Malley, Progressive Democrats TD, Senator.
• 20 January
  • TS O'Rourke, writer.
  • Charlie Swan, jockey and trainer.
• 23 January – Simon Cumbers, journalist (murdered 2004 in Saudi Arabia).
• 21 February – Michael Duignan, Offaly hurler and Gaelic footballer, manager.
• 24 March – Conor Hoey, cricketer.
• 26 March – Nick Sweeney, discus thrower.
• 24 April – Aidan Gillen, born Murphy, actor.
• May – Linda Doyle, electrical engineer, provost of Trinity College Dublin.
• 22 May – Graham Linehan, television writer and director.
• 31 May – John Connolly, novelist.
• 7 June – Robbie Horgan, association football player.
• 28 July – Eoin Collins, tennis player.
• 11 August – Alan Kelly, Jr., English-born Irish international footballer.
• 24 August – Keelin Shanley, television news presenter (died 2020).
• 10 September – Mark Little, journalist and television presenter.
• 15 September – James O'Higgins Norman, academic and author.
• 23 October – Eddie Gormley, association football player and manager.
• 24 October – Tom McEllistrim, Fianna Fáil party TD for Kerry North.
• 12 November – Sharon Shannon, accordion player and musician.
• 20 December – Paul Gogarty, Green Party TD.
• 16 November – Panti (Rory O'Neill), drag queen.
• 27 November – Cecilia Keaveney, Fianna Fáil party TD, Senator.

Full date unknown

• Patrick Chapman, poet and screenwriter.

• Fergus Feehily, artist.

• Justin Quinn, poet and literary critic.

• Colin Teevan, playwright, radio dramatist, translator and academic.

Deaths

• 1 January – Donagh MacDonagh, writer and judge (born 1912).
• 19 January – Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, mining magnate and benefactor (born 1875).
• February – Joan de Sales La Terriere, socialite, equestrienne and divorcée (born 1889).
• 8 February – Louise McIlroy, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the London School of Medicine for Women (born 1874).
• 10 March – Donogh O'Malley, Fianna Fáil TD and Cabinet minister (born 1921).
• 24 March – Gladys Wynne, artist (born 1876).
• 16 July – William John Leech, painter (born 1881).
• 11 September – Denis McCullough, member of the Irish Volunteers elected to the fourth Dáil (born 1883).
• 31 October – William O'Brien, politician and trade unionist (born 1881).
• 2 November
  • Don Davern, Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary South from 1965 until his death (born 1935).
  • Estella Solomons, painter (born 1882).
• 7 November – Margaret Mary Pearse, Fianna Fáil TD and Seanad Éireann member, sister of Patrick Pearse (born 1878).
• 24 December – Eamon Bulfin, Irish republican (born 1892).

Full date unknown

• William Conor, artist (born 1881).

• Harry Duggan, soccer player (born 1903).

See also

• 1968 in Irish television

Notes and References

1. Web site: A Chronology of the Conflict – 1968. Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). 2009-07-11.
2. Web site: King Badouin and Queen Fabiola arrived at Dublin Airport. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-14.
3. Web site: Belgian Royals at Áras. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-14.
4. Web site: King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola at Trinity College Dublin. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-15.
5. Web site: King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium visit University College Dublin. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-15.
6. Web site: King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium visit the National Museum. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-15.
7. Web site: Belgian Royals King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola visit the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Frank Cluskey. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-15.
8. Web site: Jack Lynch welcomes King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium to Dublin Castle for a State Banquet. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-15.
9. Web site: King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola attend a party at the Abbey Theatre. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-16.
10. Web site: King of Belgium Plays Hurling. RTÉ Archives. 1968-05-17.
11. Web site: King Baudouin takes a puck at the sliotar in the grounds of the Aras. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-17.
12. Web site: Having had a few lessons from All-Ireland winner Jack Lynch, King Baudouin takes a puck at the sliotar in the grounds of the Aras. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-17.
13. Web site: King Baudouin plants a tree in the grounds of Aras an Uachtarain. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-17.
14. Web site: Queen Fabiola plants a tree in the grounds of Aras an Uachtarain. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-17.
15. Web site: King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola depart from Dublin Airport after their three-day state visit to Ireland. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-17.
16. Web site: King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola depart from Dublin Airport. Irish Photo Archive. 1968-05-17.
17. Web site: Irish Standard Time Act, 1968.
18. Web site: Playography Ireland. Irish Theatre Institute. Dublin. 2015-04-08.