2009 in Ireland
Encyclopedia
2009 in Ireland has seen the nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank
, the loss of thousands of jobs at the Dell
plant in Limerick
and the Waterford Crystal
plant in Waterford
as unemployment breaks state records and extreme weather conditions disrupt schools, air and road traffic but not students who protested on the streets of Dublin in numbers of around 15,000 or workers who followed them in numbers of 120,000.
Taoiseach
Brian Cowen
described 2009 as his most challenging of his career in politics.
^ Football Association of Ireland made an official complaint claiming it was a handball, which it clearly was.
Anglo Irish Bank hidden loans controversy
The Anglo Irish Bank hidden loans controversy began in the Republic of Ireland in December 2008 when the chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, Ireland's third largest bank, admitted he had hidden a total of €87 million in loans from the bank, triggering a series of incidents which led to the eventual...
, the loss of thousands of jobs at the Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
plant in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and the Waterford Crystal
Waterford Crystal
Waterford Crystal is a trademark brand of crystal glassware, previously produced in Waterford, Ireland, though the factory there was shut down after the receivership of Waterford Wedgwood plc in early 2009...
plant in Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
as unemployment breaks state records and extreme weather conditions disrupt schools, air and road traffic but not students who protested on the streets of Dublin in numbers of around 15,000 or workers who followed them in numbers of 120,000.
Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
described 2009 as his most challenging of his career in politics.
Incumbents
- PresidentPresident of IrelandThe President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
– Mary McAleeseMary McAleeseMary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in... - TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
– Brian CowenBrian CowenBrian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May... - TánaisteTánaisteThe Tánaiste is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current Tánaiste is Eamon Gilmore, TD who was appointed on 9 March 2011.- Origins and etymology :...
– Mary Coughlan - First MinisterFirst Minister and deputy First MinisterThe First Minister and the Deputy First Minister , sometimes abbreviated to FM/DFM, are positions in the Northern Ireland...
– Peter RobinsonPeter Robinson (politician)Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party... - Deputy First MinisterFirst Minister and deputy First MinisterThe First Minister and the Deputy First Minister , sometimes abbreviated to FM/DFM, are positions in the Northern Ireland...
– Martin McGuinnessMartin McGuinnessJames Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
January
- 1 January – Phase-out of incandescent light bulbs commences in Ireland.
- 6 January – Father Michael Mernagh completes his nine-day 272 km atonement pilgrimage from CobhCobhCobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
to Dublin's Pro-CathedralSt Mary's Pro-CathedralSt Mary's Church , known also as St Mary's Pro-Cathedral or simply the Pro-Cathedral, is a pro-cathedral and is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland.-Status as "pro-cathedral":...
in repentance of the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
's response to clerical child sex abuse. - 8 January – DellDellDell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
announces the axing of almost 2,000 jobs at their LimerickLimerickLimerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
manufacturing facility, with the total job loss predicted to rise to 10,000 in the region. - 9 January – Confidential documents from Letterkenny General HospitalLetterkenny General HospitalLetterkenny General Hospital is an acute hospital serving 147,000 inhabitants of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. The hospital currently employs over 1700 people, with more than 565 of these being nursing staff . It contains around 360 beds at present.- History :The General Hospital...
are revealed to have been discovered in a public area of DerryDerryDerry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. - 11 January – A woman dies in childbirth at Kerry General Hospital in Tralee, County KerryCounty KerryKerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
. - 17 January – A County DownCounty Down-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
woman is killed in extreme weather conditions when her car is struck by a tree. - 21 January – Anglo Irish BankAnglo Irish BankAnglo Irish Bank was a bank based in Ireland with its headquarters in Dublin from 1964 to 2011. It went into wind-down mode after nationalisation in 2009....
is nationalisedAnglo Irish Bank hidden loans controversyThe Anglo Irish Bank hidden loans controversy began in the Republic of Ireland in December 2008 when the chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, Ireland's third largest bank, admitted he had hidden a total of €87 million in loans from the bank, triggering a series of incidents which led to the eventual...
when the PresidentPresident of IrelandThe President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, Mary McAleeseMary McAleeseMary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
signs the Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Bill 2009Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Bill 2009The Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Act 2009 is a piece of emergency legislation composed by the Irish government in January 2009. The Act provides for the emergency nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank which had been subject to a controversy regarding hidden loans in December 2008...
. - 22 January – A County RoscommonCounty RoscommonCounty Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
woman is jailed for seven years after being convicted of incestIncestIncest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
, sexual abuse and neglect of her childrenChild neglectChild neglect is defined as:# "the failure of a person responsible for a child’s care and upbringing to safeguard the child’s emotional and physical health and general well-being"...
. - 23 January – A suspicious fire in MoateMoateMoate is a town in County Westmeath, Ireland.The name An Móta is derived from the term motte-and-bailey as the Normans built an example of this type of fortification here. The earthwork is still visible behind the buildings on the main street....
, County WestmeathCounty Westmeath-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
leads to the evacuation of an elderly man and his son when the roof of their adjacent house catches fire. - 30 January – After an announcement that the Waterford CrystalWaterford CrystalWaterford Crystal is a trademark brand of crystal glassware, previously produced in Waterford, Ireland, though the factory there was shut down after the receivership of Waterford Wedgwood plc in early 2009...
plant in KilbarryKilbarry railway stationKilbarry Station is a planned Irish railway station. When it is built, it will be in the northern suburbs of Cork City on the main Cork-Dublin line and is part of the extended Cork Suburban Rail network due to open in 2010...
is to shut down, its employees begin an unofficial sit-in2008–2009 Irish financial crisisThe 2008–2011 Irish financial crisis, which had stemmed from the financial crisis of 2008, is a major political and economic crisis in Ireland that is partly responsible for the country falling into recession for the first time since the 1980s...
which leads to some scuffles that damage the main door to the visitors' centre. The sit-in continues until 22 March.
February
- 2 February – Extreme weather conditionsFebruary 2009 Great Britain and Ireland snowfallThe snowfall across the British Isles in February 2009 was a prolonged period of snowfall that began on 1 February 2009. Some areas experienced their largest snowfall levels in 18 years. Snow fell over much of Western Europe. The United Kingdom's Met Office and Ireland's Met Éireann issued severe...
across the country causes disruption to transport services, including Aer LingusAer LingusAer Lingus Group Plc is the flag carrier of Ireland. It operates a fleet of Airbus aircraft serving Europe and North America. It is Ireland's oldest extant airline, and its second largest after low-cost rival Ryanair...
and RyanairRyanairRyanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
flights and Bus ÉireannBus ÉireannBus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
routes. - 2 February – Former TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Bertie AhernBertie AhernPatrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
is blockaded and jostled out of NUI GalwayNational University of Ireland, GalwayThe National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
by angry students protesting over the reintroduction of fees as he attempts to lecture the Literary and Debating Society. - 4 February – Unemployment reaches 9.2% with record figures of 326,100 signing onto the live register. It is the highest monthly increase in 40 years with an average 1,500 people being laid offLayoffLayoff , also called redundancy in the UK, is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or a group of employees for business reasons, such as when certain positions are no longer necessary or when a business slow-down occurs...
daily. - 4 February – An estimated 15,000 students protest in Dublin at the threatened reintroduction of university feesFree Education for EveryoneFree Education for Everyone is an Irish student campaign group which was set up in September 2008 in University College Dublin to fight the proposed re-introduction of university fees...
, blockading government buildings for a time in the process. - 12 February – A man is arrested after threatening to set fire to himselfSelf-immolationSelf-immolation refers to setting oneself on fire, often as a form of protest or for the purposes of martyrdom or suicide. It has centuries-long traditions in some cultures, while in modern times it has become a type of radical political protest...
outside Government BuildingsGovernment BuildingsGovernment Buildings is a large Edwardian building enclosing a quadrangle on Merrion Street in Dublin, Ireland, in which several key offices of the government of Ireland are located...
in Dublin. - 17 February – Irish NationwideIrish NationwideIrish Nationwide Building Society was a financial institution in Ireland from 1873 to 2011. One of the country's oldest financial institutions, it was originally called the Irish Industrial Building Society; it changed its name in 1975 when it had just five staff...
Chairman Michael Walsh resigns over his involvement in the Anglo Irish Bank hidden loans controversyAnglo Irish Bank hidden loans controversyThe Anglo Irish Bank hidden loans controversy began in the Republic of Ireland in December 2008 when the chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, Ireland's third largest bank, admitted he had hidden a total of €87 million in loans from the bank, triggering a series of incidents which led to the eventual...
. - 21 February – Up to 120,000 people march in Dublin in protest at how the Government is handling the economic crisis.
- 24 February – GardaíGarda Síochána, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
raid the headquarters of Anglo Irish BankAnglo Irish BankAnglo Irish Bank was a bank based in Ireland with its headquarters in Dublin from 1964 to 2011. It went into wind-down mode after nationalisation in 2009....
in St Stephen's Green, Dublin. - 25 February – 2,000 members of the Garda SíochánaGarda Síochána, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
march through the streets of Dublin. - 25 February – The Irish TimesThe Irish TimesThe Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
suspends supply of its newspapers to the retailer Dunnes. - 27 February – Bank of Ireland robbery
March
- 2 March – The left door of the helicopter carrying politician Martin CullenMartin CullenMartin Cullen is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Waterford constituency. Cullen was a member of Seanad Éireann and served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government , Minister for Transport and Minister for Social and Family Affairs and...
fell off at a height of 150 metres. No one was injured - 5 March – A number of items belonging to the Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
go on view in County KildareCounty KildareCounty Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
. - 6 March – The Court of Criminal AppealCourt of Criminal Appeal (Ireland)The Court of Criminal Appeal of Ireland hears appeals of indictable offences tried in the Circuit Court, the Central Criminal Court and the Special Criminal Court....
dismisses an appeal by Joe O'Reilly against his conviction for the murder of his wife, Rachel Callely, in October 2004. - 7 March – Two gunmen open fire2009 Massereene Barracks shootingThe 2009 Massereene Barracks shooting occurred on 7 March 2009, when two off-duty soldiers of the 38 Engineer Regiment were shot dead outside Massereene Barracks in Antrim town, Northern Ireland. Two other soldiers and two civilian delivery men, one Polish and one Northern Irish, were also shot and...
on soldiers in County AntrimCounty AntrimCounty Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
. Two are killed and two injured while two civilian pizza delivery men, one Polish, are seriously injured. The Real IRAReal Irish Republican ArmyThe Real Irish Republican Army, otherwise known as the Real IRA , and styling itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann , is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation which aims to bring about a united Ireland...
later claim responsibility. - 13 March – Five people are hospitalised after a freak gas explosionGas explosionA gas explosion is an explosion resulting from a gas leak in the presence of an ignition source. The principal explosive gases are natural gas, methane, propane and butane, because they are widely used for heating purposes. However, many other gases like hydrogen, are combustible and have caused...
destroys a house and closes Saint Anne's Square in the Temple Road area of Dublin.
April
- 8 April – The Supplementary BudgetIrish emergency budget, 2009The 2009 Irish emergency budget refers to the delivery of an emergency government budget by the Government of Ireland on 7 April 2009, its second in six months. It was also the second overall budget to be delivered by the ruling Fianna Fáil party's Brian Lenihan as the country's Minister for Finance...
is announced by Minister for FinanceMinister for Finance (Ireland)The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...
Brian LenihanBrian Lenihan, JnrBrian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
. - 25 April – The Red C opinion poll shows a big drop in support for the governing Fianna FáilFianna FáilFianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
in the wake of early April's Supplementary Budget. Support for the party is down five points to 23%. Fine GaelFine GaelFine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
, in Opposition, is ten points clear at 33%, an increase of two while LabourLabour Party (Ireland)The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
, also in Opposition, is also up two to 19%. - 27 April – Four people are tested after swine flu breaks out from MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. - 28 April – Tests on all four Irish people with suspected cases of swine flu at this time prove negative.
- 29 April – Figures from the Central Statistics Office show a record 388,600 people on the Live Register; the figure has almost doubled in one year rising by 96%.
- 30 April – The Department of Health and ChildrenDepartment of Health and Children (Ireland)The Department of Health is a department of the Government of Ireland. The Department's mission is to "support, protect and empower individuals, families and their communities to achieve their full health potential by putting health at the centre of public policy and by leading the development of...
's Chief Medical OfficerChief Medical Officer (Ireland)The Chief Medical Officer for the Republic of Ireland is the head of medical services. It is a government post.-List of post holders:*Dr. Tony Holohan 2008 - current*Dr Jim Kiely 1997 - 2008...
Doctor Tony Holohan confirms the first probable case of swine flu at a news briefing in Dublin.
May
- 4 May – A UCDUniversity College DublinUniversity College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
meteorologyMeteorologyMeteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
professor incorrectly predicts that the 2009 Irish summer would be "not only better than last year, but even better than the average Irish summer". - 6 May – RTÉRaidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
's chief economics editor George Lee is named as the Fine GaelFine GaelFine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
nomination for the Dublin South by-election. - 11 May – Ryan TubridyRyan TubridyRyan Tubridy , affectionately known as "Tubs", is an Irish broadcaster and writer, a presenter of live shows on radio and television in Ireland. He has been described as "one of Ireland's most gifted broadcasters"...
is named as the new presenter of The Late Late ShowThe Late Late ShowThe Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
, replacing Pat KennyPat KennyPatrick "Pat" Kenny is an Irish broadcaster and former disc jockey and continuity announcer. He is employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is their highest paid presenter. He presents Today with Pat Kenny on RTÉ Radio 1 each weekday morning between 10:00 and midday...
. His first show as presenter was in September 2009. - 14 May – Ireland fail to progress to the final of the 2009 Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song Contest 2009The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
. Sinéad MulveySinéad MulveySinéad Mulvey is an Irishprofessional singer & air hostess who, alongside Black Daisy, represented her country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the pop-rock song "Et Cetera"...
and Black DaisyBlack DaisyBlack Daisy was an Irish band that, along with Sinéad Mulvey represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the song Et Cetera.- Biography :...
's song "Et CeteraEt Cetera (song)"Et Cetera" is a song by Irish singer Sinéad Mulvey and rock band Black Daisy that represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia...
" was not one of the 10 selected from the second semi-final in MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. - 15 May – A 27-year-old man is shot dead and another man was wounded during an exchange of fire with gardaí during an attempted raid on a cash-in-transit van in Lucan in west Dublin.
- 20 May – The Commission to Inquire into Child AbuseCommission to Inquire into Child AbuseThe Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission , after its chair, Justice Seán Ryan...
report is published, the long-delayed investigation into Ireland's Roman Catholic-run institutions says priests and nuns terrorized thousands of boys and girls in workhouse-style schools for decades. - 25 May – A new stretch of motorway between FermoyFermoyFermoy is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It is situated on the River Blackwater in the south of Ireland. Its population is some 5,800 inhabitants, environs included ....
and MitchelstownMitchelstownMitchelstown is a town in County Cork, Ireland with a population of approximately 3300. Mitchelstown is situated in the valley to the south of the Galtee Mountains close to the Mitchelstown Caves and is 28 km from Cahir, 50 km from Cork and 59 km from Limerick...
in north Cork opens to traffic nine months ahead of schedule. - 26 May – Former Government press secretaryPress secretaryA press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
Frank DunlopFrank DunlopFrank Dunlop is an Irish lobbyist and former broadcast journalist with Raidió Teilifís Éireann . Originally from County Kilkenny, he is a key witness to the Mahon Tribunal which is investigating improper payments by property developers to Irish politicians and will be a key witness in pending...
is sentenced to two years incarceration for corruption, with the final six months suspended. He pleads guilty to five charges of corruption. - 29 May – Ireland's oldest brewery on South Main Street in CorkCork (city)Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
since at least 1650 and home to Beamish and CrawfordBeamish and CrawfordBeamish and Crawford is the longest-established brewery in Cork, Ireland. Established in 1792 by William Beamish and William Crawford on the site of an existing porter brewery, it has had a number of owners over the centuries...
since 1792, ceases operations.
June
- 3 June – 2009's Leaving CertificateLeaving CertificateThe Leaving Certificate Examinations , commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert is the final examination in the Irish secondary school system. It takes a minimum of two years preparation, but an optional Transition Year means that for those students it takes place three years after the Junior...
English Paper 2 is postponed for two days after it emerges that students in one County LouthCounty LouthCounty Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
centre had already seen the paper. - 5 June – The local electionsIrish local elections, 2009The 2009 Irish local elections were held in all the counties, cities and towns of Ireland on Friday, 5 June 2009, on the same day as the European Parliament election and two by-elections .-Overview:...
take place along with the European Parliament electionsEuropean Parliament election, 2009 (Ireland)The 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 5 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections...
. - 15 June – Mayoral elections are held in several towns and cities across Ireland.
July
- 1 July – A woman dies after falling 20 metres off MweelreaMweelreaMweelrea is a mountain in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. With a height of 814 metres , it is the highest point in County Mayo, the highest point in the province of Connacht and the 34th highest in Ireland...
mountains in County MayoCounty MayoCounty Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
. - 3 July – GOAL aid workers Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki are abducted from their compound in DarfurDarfurDarfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
. - 3 July – A child in Roxboro National School, County RoscommonCounty RoscommonCounty Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
is found to have a case of swine influenza. - 5 July – A man drowns after falling into the sea at Rosmoney, County MayoCounty MayoCounty Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
. - 6 July – The Lisbon TreatyTreaty of LisbonThe Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
Bill is published. - 7 July – A 61-year-old woman is stabbed to death in CastlebarCastlebarCastlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
, County MayoCounty MayoCounty Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
. Her son is charged with her murder the following day. - 10 July – Ronnie Dunbar is sentenced to life imprisonmentLife imprisonmentLife imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
for the manslaughter of Melissa Mahon. - 10 July – An Irishman dies on a building site in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USAUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. - 16 July – The report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, also called An Bord Snip Nua, is published by UCDUniversity College DublinUniversity College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
economist Colm McCarthy. It recommends €5.3 billion in potential savings, including 17,300 public serviceCivil service of the Republic of IrelandThe Civil Service of Ireland is the collective term for the permanent staff of the Departments of State and certain State Agencies who advise and work for the Government of Ireland. It consists of two broad components, the Civil Service of the Government and the Civil Service of the State...
job cuts and a 5% drop in social welfareWelfareWelfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
. - 23 July – The Defamation and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bills become law, after being signedCouncil of State (Ireland)The Council of State is a body established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of his or her discretionary, reserve powers...
by PresidentPresident of IrelandThe President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
Mary McAleeseMary McAleeseMary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
. - 30 July – Draft legislation to establish the National Asset Management AgencyNational Asset Management AgencyThe National Asset Management Agency is a body created by the Government of Ireland in late 2009. It is in response to the Irish financial crisis and the deflation of the Irish property bubble....
is published. The Bill proposes to give NAMA extensive powers to take over land and development loans from banks in an effort to get them lending again and supporting economic recovery.
August
- 5 August – A murder investigation is launched after a woman's body is discovered under a tree in Phoenix ParkPhoenix ParkPhoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
. The woman is later found to be 50-year-old Eugenia Bratis from TimişoaraTimisoaraTimișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
in RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, who had been in Ireland for several months. Her torso is stabbed several times. Photos of her corpse are released to the media in order that she may be identified. - 12 August – Former President of IrelandPresident of IrelandThe President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
Mary RobinsonMary RobinsonMary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
is one of sixteen recipients of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Presidential Medal of FreedomPresidential Medal of FreedomThe Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...
from Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
at a ceremony in the White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, with Obama declaring her to have "not only shown a light on human suffering, but illuminated a better future for our world". - 21 August – A section of the main Dublin to Belfast railway line collapses in MalahideMalahideMalahide is a coastal suburban town, near Dublin city, located in the administrative county of Fingal, within the traditional County Dublin, Ireland. It has a village-like centre and extensive residential areas to the south, west and northwest.-Name:...
in north Dublin. A 20 metre section of viaduct on the Broadmeadow estuaryBroadmeadow viaductThe Broadmeadow viaduct, in Ireland, carries the main Dublin to Belfast railway across the Broadmeadow Estuary, about 13 kilometres north of Dublin, just north of Malahide. It is approximately 180 metres long and it is a section of a longer crossing constructed as an embankment...
, between Malahide and Donabate gave way. A preliminary assessment carried out on 24 August identifies significant erosion of the seabed as a possible reason for the collapse. The viaduct reopens to traffic on 16 November 2009.
September
- 1 September – At a civic reception Muhammad AliMuhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
is made the first Honorary Freeman of EnnisEnnisEnnis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
. Ali visits the birthplace of his great grandfather, Abe Grady, who left the town in the 1860s. Ali later sends a letter of thanks to the people of Ennis. - 5 September – Apprentice jockey Jamie KyneJamie KyneJamie Kyne was an Irish Jockey.Kyne was the winner of an All Ireland title in youth boxing, but had told his father immediately afterwards that he wanted to be a jockey....
from ClaregalwayClaregalwayClaregalway is a village situated about 10 km from the city of Galway in County Galway, Ireland. Claregalway was founded on the banks of the River Clare, hence the derivation of its name: Baile Chláir na Gaillimhe meaning "town on the Clare, in Galway"...
, County GalwayCounty GalwayCounty Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
is killed in a fire at his flat in YorkshireYorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. - 6 September – DerryDerryDerry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
businessman Paul Houston is beaten to death whilst on holiday in Alvor, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. - 9 September – The body of Shane O'Halloran, a 24-year-old Irishman who went missing after falling off a cruise ship in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, is recovered from the Brisbane RiverBrisbane RiverThe Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
. - 13 September – The Dublin Bikes Scheme is launched.
- 14 September – Ireland's 2008 Olympic bronze medalistBoxing at the 2008 Summer OlympicsThe boxing program of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China was held at the Workers Indoor Arena.Medals were awarded in eleven events, with each event corresponding to a recognized weight division of male boxers...
boxerBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Darren SutherlandDarren SutherlandDarren John Sutherland was an Irish professional boxer from County Meath, Ireland. His amateur career was crowned by a bronze medal for Ireland in the middleweight division at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China....
is found dead in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at the age of 27. Hundreds of people attend his funeral one week later in NavanNavan-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
, County MeathCounty MeathCounty Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
. - 16 September – 21 people are injured, three seriously, after a collision involving a LuasLuasLuas , also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, is a tram or light rail system serving Dublin, the first such system in the decades since the closure of the last of the Dublin tramways. In 2007, the system carried 28.4 million passengers, a growth of 10% since...
tram and a double-decker bus on Dublin's O'Connell StreetO'Connell StreetO'Connell Street is Dublin's main thoroughfare. It measures 49 m in width at its southern end, 46 m at the north, and is 500 m in length...
, the worst accident to date involving the Luas service. - 17 September – A fisherman dies after falling overboard whilst fishing for crabs and lobsters and becoming entangled in some ropes off WexfordWexfordWexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
. - 18 September – A man's corpse is found in a waste recycling facility near Listowel, County KerryCounty KerryKerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
. - 18–20 September – The three-day Global Irish Economic ForumGlobal Irish Economic ForumThe Global Irish Economic Forum is a biennial conference held in Dublin, Ireland. Inspired by the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, international figures from the worlds of business and culture attend the event. The first Forum was held at Farmleigh in Dublin's Phoenix Park from 18–20...
is held in Farmleigh HouseFarmleighFarmleigh is the official Irish State guest house. It was formerly one of the Dublin residences of the Guinness family. It is situated on an elevated position above the River Liffey to the north-west of the Phoenix Park...
. - 20 September – The Government announces that a national postal codePostal codeA postal code is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a postal address for the purpose of sorting mail. Once postal codes were introduced, other applications became possible.In February 2005, 117 of the 190 member countries of the Universal Postal Union had postal code systems...
is to be introduced in 2011. - 20 September – A female tourist dies with serious head injuries after falling off Skellig MichaelSkellig MichaelSkellig Michael , also known as Great Skellig, is a steep rocky island in the Atlantic Ocean about 9 miles from the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. It is the larger of the two Skellig Islands...
. - 21 September – Lisa Cummins and 16-year-old Owen O'Keefe set new records for swimming the English ChannelEnglish ChannelThe English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. - 22 September – PresidentPresident of IrelandThe President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
Mary McAleeseMary McAleeseMary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
opens the National Ploughing ChampionshipsNational Ploughing ChampionshipsThe Irish National Ploughing Championships take place each year in the month of September. The 2012 Championships will be held at Heathpark, New Ross, Co. Wexford. The first inter- county ploughing contest took place in 1931 as a result of an argument between two lifelong friends, Denis Allen of...
in AthyAthyThe town developed from a 12th century Anglo-Norman settlement to an important British military outpost on the border of the Pale.The first town charter dates from the 16th century and the town hall was constructed in the early 18th century...
, County KildareCounty KildareCounty Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
. - 27 September – The presence of swine influenza in Irish pigs is confirmed for the first time.
- 30 September – Thousands of people protest in Dublin in relation to Colm McCarthy's An Bord Snip Nua proposals.
October
- 1 October
- FÁSForas Áiseanna SaothairAn Foras Áiseanna Saothair , referred to in English as the Training and Employment Authority and commonly known as FÁS , is a state agency in Ireland with responsibility for assisting those seeking employment...
Chairman Peter McLoone reigns. - A herd of llamaLlamaThe llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
s and two goatGoatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s escape from a circusCircusA circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
and disrupt traffic at the Red Cow interchange on the M50 motorwayM50 motorway (Ireland)The M50 motorway is a motorway in Ireland running in a C-shaped ring around the north-eastern, northern, western and southern sides of the capital city, Dublin. The northern end of the route is located at the entrance to the Dublin Port Tunnel. Anti-clockwise it heads northwest through the tunnel...
. The animals are later stolen from a compound in SummerhillSummerhill, County MeathSummerhill is a village in County Meath, Ireland. It is located at the intersection of the R156 and R158 regional roads. The Irish version of the town's name means "Lynch's Hill", and it was the ancestral home of the Norman-Irish Lynch family, whence came the Galway merchant family of the same...
, County MeathCounty MeathCounty Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
- FÁS
- 2 October – The second referendum on the Treaty of LisbonTreaty of LisbonThe Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
takes place. The treaty is passed with a 67% Yes vote. DonegalCounty DonegalCounty Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
votes No.
- 10 October – Singer Stephen GatelyStephen GatelyStephen Patrick David Gately was an Irish pop singer–songwriter, actor, dancer, musician and author, who, with Ronan Keating, was one of two lead singers of the pop group Boyzone. All of Boyzone's studio albums hit number one in the United Kingdom, their third being their most successful...
dies in the Majorca apartment he shared with husband Andrew Cowles. Thousands of people attend the funeral in Dublin one week later, including fans from South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. His death attracts many tributes and much comment in the media.
- 11 October – Father Michael Sinnott from BarntownBarntownBarntown is a townland in County Wexford.The remains of a Norman castle exist near the village of Barntown. This was built by the Roche Family and was used as a watchtower and storehouse for Ferrycarrig Castle....
, County WexfordCounty WexfordCounty Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
is abducted in the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He is held until 11 November. He arrives in Ireland to spend ChristmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
in County Wexford on 3 December.
- 12 October
- Two Air CorpsIrish Air CorpsThe Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces of Ireland providing support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as search and rescue and the Ministerial Air Transport Service...
pilots, 32-year-old Captain Derek Furniss from RathfarnhamRathfarnhamRathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
, Dublin and 22-year-old Cadet David Jevens from Glynn, County WexfordCounty WexfordCounty Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, are killed when their plane crashes during a training flight in ConnemaraConnemaraConnemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
. Both are given military funerals. A report locates no technical defects to blame for the incident. - Aisling SymesDisappearance of Aisling SymesThe disappearance of Aisling Celine Symes, a two-year-old girl of Irish and New Zealand descent, occurred on 5 October 2009 in New Zealand. It was initially thought the girl had been abducted, but on 12 October 2009 it was confirmed that a body had been located in a storm water drain on a property...
, the daughter of an Irishman, disappears in New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, prompting a week of searching until her body is found in a drain.
- Two Air Corps
- 13 October – Séamus KirkSéamus KirkSéamus Kirk is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He is a former Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, serving from October 2009 to March 2011. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Louth constituency since 1982.-Background:...
is elected Ceann ComhairleCeann ComhairleThe Ceann Comhairle is the chairman of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election...
following the resignation of John O'DonoghueJohn O'Donoghue (politician)John O'Donoghue is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Kerry South constituency from 1987 to 2011. He is a former Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas. He resigned as Ceann Comhairle on 13 October 2009 due to controversy about his...
over an expenses controversyJohn O'Donoghue expenses controversyThe John O'Donoghue expenses controversy refers to a 2009 political controversy in Ireland surrounding former Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue. He was pursued by various allegations over his expenses claims in Ireland's Sunday newspapers over several months. He spent €250,000 in his time as Ceann...
.
- 18 October – GOAL aid workers Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki are released after more than one hundred days in captivity in DarfurDarfurDarfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
.
- 19 October – River Suir BridgeRiver Suir BridgeThe River Suir Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge over the River Suir in Ireland. It was built as part of the N25 Waterford Bypass, and opened to traffic on the 19 October 2009, some ten months ahead of schedule...
opens to traffic as part of the N25 Waterford Bypass. The 230 metre main span is the longest single bridge span in the Republic.
- 22 October – BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian woman Joselita Silva is stabbed to death at her apartment in TullamoreTullamoreTullamore is a town in County Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland. It is Offaly's county town and the centre of the district.Tullamore is an important commercial and industrial centre in the region. Major international employers in the town include 'Tyco Healthcare' and 'Boston Scientific'. In...
, County OffalyCounty OffalyCounty Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
.
- 27 October – A tenth person is confirmed to have died from swine influenza in Ireland.
- 29 October – Irishman Gearóid Walsh dies after an incident in SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
- 30 October – Youths attack drivers on the M50 motorwayM50 motorway (Ireland)The M50 motorway is a motorway in Ireland running in a C-shaped ring around the north-eastern, northern, western and southern sides of the capital city, Dublin. The northern end of the route is located at the entrance to the Dublin Port Tunnel. Anti-clockwise it heads northwest through the tunnel...
by throwing bottles, stones, shoes and other items at cars in order to rob them of tyres for a HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
bonfire.
November
- Ongoing: Mass Floods across Ireland, the most affected are the south coastal counties and cities such as Cork City, the worst hit, this flooding is still ongoing.
- 1 November – The Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic AssociationThe Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
celebrates its 125th anniversaryGAA 125GAA 125 refers to several events which took place during the 125th year of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2009. The organisation was founded at Hayes Hotel in Thurles, County Tipperary on 1 November 1884....
. - 6 November – Tens of thousands of people march across eight Irish cities in protest at government cutbacks.
- 7 November – A street in BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
disappears into a large hole. - 7 November – A body is found belonging to Michael O'Brien from TempleogueTempleogueTempleogue is a suburb of southwest Dublin, Ireland. The original Irish name Teach Mealóg refers to a chapel named after Saint Mel that was built there in about 1273....
in Dublin, who disappeared on 3 November whilst surfing around Ko Pha NganKo Pha NganKo Pha Ngan is an island in the Gulf of Thailand in South East Thailand. It is famous for its full moon party at Haad Rin Beach and as a backpackers destination. Ko Pha Ngan has two sister islands: the larger Ko Samui to the south and the smaller Ko Tao to the north.* Area: about 168 km²*...
island in ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. - 9 November – SligoSligoSligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
is heavily flooded. - 10 November – A boy, aged three, is injured and killed at the port in DroghedaDroghedaDrogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
. - 12 November – Passage WestPassage WestPassage West is a port town in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the west bank of Cork Harbour. It is some 10 km from Cork city, separated by the green belt from the urban sprawl of Douglas and Rochestown. The town has many services, amenities and social outlets...
in County CorkCounty CorkCounty Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
is heavily flooded. - 13 November – John McFarlane is sentenced to at least twenty years in prison at the Old BaileyOld BaileyThe Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for the murder of Dublin mother Mary Griffiths at her SuffolkSuffolkSuffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
home. - 14 November – The PapalPopeThe Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
ban on discussionCatholic Church doctrine on the ordination of womenThe Roman Catholic Church doctrine on the ordination of women, as expressed in the current canon law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is that: "Only a baptized man validly receives sacred ordination." Insofar as priestly and episcopal ordination are concerned, the Church teaches that this...
of the ordination of womenOrdination of womenOrdination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
priests is challenged by Willie WalshWillie Walsh (bishop)William Walsh is an Irish Catholic prelate who is the bishop emeritus of Killaloe. He served as ordinary from 1995 until his retirement in 2010.-Career:...
, Bishop of KillaloeRoman Catholic Diocese of KillaloeThe Diocese of Killaloe is a Roman Catholic diocese in mid-western Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Cashel and is subject to the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. The diocese is in the secular province of the same name - Munster...
, during his address to the Association of European JournalistsAssociation of European JournalistsThe Association of European Journalists is an organisation promoting interests of journalists involved in European affairs. It is an NGO in operational relations with UNESCO and enjoys consultative status in the Council of Europe....
in Dublin. - 14 November – Scoil Mhuire Community School in ClaneClaneClane is a town on the River Liffey and in the barony of Clane in County Kildare, Ireland, from Dublin.Its population of 4,968 makes it the eighth largest town in Kildare and the 78th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
, County KildareCounty KildareCounty Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
removes security cameras from student toilets following a two-day protest by parents and students. - 17 November – Brian Hennessy, a 23-year-old postal worker, is sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of Sharon Whelan and her two daughters, Zara and Nadia, in Roscon, County KilkennyCounty KilkennyCounty Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
in the early hours of Christmas Day of 2008. - 19 November – The FAIFootball Association of IrelandThe Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
makes an official complaint to FIFAFIFAThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
and requests a replay, after FranceFrance national football teamThe France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
in South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
the previous night with a goal resulting from a double handball by their striker and team captain Thierry HenryThierry HenryThierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
. FIFA and the French Football FederationFrench Football FederationThe French Football Federation is the governing body of association football in France, as well as the overseas departments and territories . It was formed in 1919 and is based in the capital Paris...
refuse. The incident attracts comment globally. Fans protest outside the French embassy in Dublin. The match had been watched by Ireland's highest television audience of 2009 and the highest audience for any sporting event in the country since 1995. - 20 November – The Progressive DemocratsProgressive DemocratsThe Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
political party is officially dissolved. - 25 November – Budget Travel, Ireland's largest tour operator, ceases trading.
- 25 November – Shopkeeper John Deasy is stabbed to death during a robbery in ArklowArklowArklow , also known as Inbhear Dé from the Avonmore river's older name Abhainn Dé, is a historic town located in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. Founded by the Vikings in the ninth century, Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion...
. - 26 November – The Murphy ReportMurphy ReportThe Murphy Report is the brief name of the report of an investigation conducted by government of Ireland into the Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin...
of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin is published. - 26 November – An outbreak of measlesMeaslesMeasles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
occurs in GalwayGalwayGalway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
. - 27 November – It is announced that Máire Geoghegan-QuinnMáire Geoghegan-QuinnMáire Geoghegan-Quinn is an Irish politician, and is the current European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science. She previously served as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency from 1975 to 1997...
has been allocated Research and Innovation in the European CommissionEuropean CommissionThe European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
. - 30 November – The Health Service ExecutiveHealth Service ExecutiveThe Health Service Executive is responsible for the provision of healthcare providing health and personal social services for everyone living in Ireland, with public funds. The Executive was established by the Health Act, 2004 and came into official operation on January 1, 2005...
begins an expected two-month swine influenza vaccination programme in the nation's primary and secondary schools designed to combat the 2009 flu pandemic2009 flu pandemicThe 2009 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the second of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus , albeit in a new version...
. - 30 November – It is announced that MonaghanMonaghanMonaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...
's former army barracks is to be converted into an educational campus in a €20 million project intended to accommodate a primary and secondary GaelscoilGaelscoilA gaelscoil is an Irish-medium primary school in Ireland, of a sort found outside the traditionally Irish-speaking regions, especially in urban areas....
eanna as well as a higher education institute.
December
- 1 December – St. James's HospitalSt. James's HospitalSt. James's Hospital , also known as SJH, is the largest university teaching hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Its academic partner is the University of Dublin...
in Dublin reports a 20% increase in newly-diagnosed HIVHIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
patients for 2009, the highest annual increase ever. - 1 December – A woman's body is recovered from the sea off the coast of County WexfordCounty WexfordCounty Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, having fallen overboard from a Stena LineStena LineStena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
ferry the previous night. - 2 December – Whitechurch, County Cork's Father Tadhg O'Donovan apologises for branding the Office of the Revenue CommissionersOffice of the Revenue CommissionersThe Office of the Revenue Commissioners , - now called simply Revenue - is the Irish Government agency responsible for customs, excise, taxation and related matters...
"the biggest shower of bastards on the planet" in an article published in Irish Daily StarIrish Daily StarThe Irish Daily Star is a tabloid newspaper published in Ireland by the Independent Star Limited. Independent Star Limited is a joint venture between Richard Desmond's UK based Express Newspapers Limited, which owns the British Daily Star, and Irish news magnate Denis O'Brien's Independent News &...
. The remarks earn him a meeting with his archbishop. He is ordered to cease all commercial activity and embark on "a period of prayer and personal reflection". - 2 December – More than 1,200 students at NUI MaynoothNational University of Ireland, MaynoothThe National University of Ireland, Maynooth , was founded by the Universities Act, 1997 as a constituent university of the National University of Ireland. It is Ireland's second oldest university, having been formed from St Patrick's College, Maynooth, itself founded in 1795.The university is...
sign a petition to university management objecting to the appointment of former TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Bertie AhernBertie AhernPatrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
to the position of Honorary Adjunct Professor to the university's School of Business and Law. It follows a letter of protest signed by 36 members of academic staff the previous week. - 2 December – Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
Vice President Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald is an Irish politician, the current Vice President of Sinn Féin and a Teachta Dála for Dublin Central...
is "a bit taken aback" to find her Nissan MicraNissan MarchThe Nissan Micra, known in Latin America and in most of Asia as the Nissan and in North America as the Nissan Versa , is a supermini produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 1982.-Micra K10:...
has been set on fire in Seville Place, Dublin city. - 3 December – A speech by Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
in BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
attracts the ire of Irish Farmers' AssociationIrish Farmers' AssociationThe Irish Farmers' Association is a national organisation to represent the interests of all sectors of farming in the Republic of Ireland...
President Padraig Walshe, who accuses the ex-BeatleThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
of "leading a flawed campaign against meat that is contradictory on climate change". MEPMember of the European ParliamentA Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the East constituency Mairead McGuinnessMairead McGuinnessMairead McGuinness is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament for the East constituency. She is a member of Fine Gael, part of the European People's Party.-Education and media career:...
had earlier described the event as "a media circus without the animals". - 3 December – The Sisters of MercySisters of MercyThe Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
announce they are to contribute property and money worth €128 million following the publication of the Ryan ReportCommission to Inquire into Child AbuseThe Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission , after its chair, Justice Seán Ryan...
in May. - 6 December – The body of 31-year-old Noel Gill from County MayoCounty MayoCounty Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
is recovered from a river in RotterdamRotterdamRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, having last been seen returning home from watching the France vs Republic of Ireland 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification Play-Off. - 6 December – The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food confirms the slaughter at an undisclosed location of approximately 25–30 horses, some of whom are healthy, despite attempts by Irish Horse Welfare Trust to save as many as possible. The horses had been taken from a County KilkennyCounty KilkennyCounty Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
farm. - 7 December – BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Dermot O'MahonyDermot O'MahonyDermot O'Mahony was an Irish politician and farmer. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála for the Wicklow constituency at the June 1927 general election. He was re-elected at the September 1927, 1932 and 1933 general elections. He was re-elected at the 1937...
resigns as patron of The Irish Pilgrimage Trust after his response to child sexual abuseSexual abuseSexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
was described as "worse than that of any other living auxiliary bishop of Dublin". - 7 December – Former prison officer Dillon O'Brien is imprisoned for four years on charges of smuggling alcohol, drugs and mobile phones into Mountjoy PrisonMountjoy PrisonMountjoy Prison , founded as Mountjoy Gaol, nicknamed The Joy, is a medium security prison located in Phibsboro in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. It has the largest prison population in Ireland.The current prison governor is Mr...
, with Judge Katherine Delahunt saying his crime was "at the very high end of the scale". - 7 December – The funeral of Liam ClancyLiam ClancyWilliam "Liam" Clancy was an Irish folk singer and actor from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. He was the youngest and last surviving member of performing group The Clancy Brothers. The group were regarded as Ireland's first pop stars...
, the last of Ireland's first pop starsThe Clancy BrothersThe Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk music singing group, most popular in the 1960s, they were famed for their woolly Aran jumpers and are widely credited with popularizing Irish traditional music in the United States. The brothers were Patrick "Paddy" Clancy, Tom Clancy, Bobby Clancy...
, at St Mary's Church in DungarvanDungarvanDungarvan is a town and harbour on the south coast of Ireland in the province of Munster. Dungarvan is the county town and administrative centre of County Waterford. The town's Irish name means "Garbhan's fort", referring to Saint Garbhan who founded a church there in the seventh century...
is attended by hundreds of mourners, including both aides-de-camp of the TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
and President of IrelandPresident of IrelandThe President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, Minister for Arts, Sport and TourismMinister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Ireland)The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is the senior minister at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in the Government of Ireland.The current minister is Jimmy Deenihan, TD. He is assisted by:...
Martin CullenMartin CullenMartin Cullen is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Waterford constituency. Cullen was a member of Seanad Éireann and served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government , Minister for Transport and Minister for Social and Family Affairs and...
and various musicians and artists. - 8 December – Four new LuasLuasLuas , also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, is a tram or light rail system serving Dublin, the first such system in the decades since the closure of the last of the Dublin tramways. In 2007, the system carried 28.4 million passengers, a growth of 10% since...
stations are opened in Dublin by Minister for TransportMinister for Transport (Ireland)The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is the senior minister at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is Leo Varadkar, TD...
Noel DempseyNoel DempseyNoel Dempsey is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Meath and Meath West constituencies from 1987 to 2011...
as the Red Line is expanded to Dublin DocklandsDublin DocklandsDublin Docklands is the area of the city of Dublin, Ireland, on both sides of the River Liffey, roughly from Talbot Memorial Bridge eastwards to the Point Depot.It is currently undergoing a large amount of development.-Projects:...
. - 9 December – Minister for FinanceMinister for Finance (Ireland)The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...
Brian LenihanBrian Lenihan, JnrBrian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
delivers the nation's Budget for 2010Irish budget, 2010The 2010 Irish Budget refers to the delivery of a government budget by the Government of Ireland on 9 December 2009, its third in fourteen months...
. - 9 December – The Irish Bishops ConferenceIrish Bishops ConferenceThe Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference is the episcopal conference of the Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland. Their meetings generally take place a number of times a year in Maynooth, County Kildare, the location of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Ireland's national Catholic seminary...
apologises for the sexual abuseSexual abuseSexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
suffered by its children after spending the first day of its winter conference in MaynoothMaynoothMaynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
examining the Murphy ReportMurphy ReportThe Murphy Report is the brief name of the report of an investigation conducted by government of Ireland into the Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin...
. - 10 December – In what is described as a landmark case, the Supreme Court of Ireland rules that a gayHomosexualityHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
man, identified as "A", who donated his spermSpermThe term sperm is derived from the Greek word sperma and refers to the male reproductive cells. In the types of sexual reproduction known as anisogamy and oogamy, there is a marked difference in the size of the gametes with the smaller one being termed the "male" or sperm cell...
to a lesbianLesbianLesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
couple shall have access to the resulting boy child, overturning the original High Court decision. GLENGay and Lesbian Equality NetworkThe Gay and Lesbian Equality Network is an Irish non-governmental gay rights group, based in Dublin, Ireland. The organisation was founded in 1988 and focuses mainly on achieving change in legislation and social policy that will achieve full equality and inclusion for lesbian, gay and bisexual ...
expresses concern at the Supreme Court's rejection of the lesbian couple as a "de facto family". - 11 December – KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n police launch a murder investigation after 68-year-old LimerickLimerickLimerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
priest Jeremiah Roche is killed during an overnight attack in KerichoKerichoKericho is a Kenyan County located to the South West of the country and lies within the highlands west of The Great Rift Valley. The capital of the district is Kericho town. The district home to the best of Kenyan Tea which is world famous for its brightness, attractive color, brisk flavor and...
. - 11 December – Backbench Green PartyGreen Party (Ireland)The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
TDTeachta DálaA Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
Paul GogartyPaul GogartyPaul Nicholas Gogarty is a former Irish Green Party politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Mid West constituency from 2002 to 2011. He currently works as a media commentator and journalist.-Early and private life:...
is condemned and forced to apologise for his use of unparliamentary languageUnparliamentary languageIn a Westminster system, unparliamentary language is words or phrases that are deemed to be inappropriate for use in the House whilst it is in session. This includes, but is not limited to the suggestion of dishonesty or profanity. The most prohibited case is any suggestion that another member is...
after he yells "Fuck you, Deputy Stagg, fuck you" at veteran Labour PartyLabour Party (Ireland)The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
TD Emmet StaggEmmet StaggEmmet Stagg is an Irish Labour Party politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Kildare North constituency and Labour Party Chief Whip.-Early life:...
during the Budget 2010Irish budget, 2010The 2010 Irish Budget refers to the delivery of a government budget by the Government of Ireland on 9 December 2009, its third in fourteen months...
debate on the Social Welfare Bill. - 13 December – Two gardaí are injured in a traffic collision in County DonegalCounty DonegalCounty Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
. 24-year-old Garda Gary McLoughlin dies the following day. TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Brian CowenBrian CowenBrian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
pays tribute and politicians attend his funeral in County LeitrimCounty LeitrimCounty Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
on 16 December. - 15 December – The Supreme Court of Ireland dismisses the appeal of 43-year-old mother of two Mary Roche seeking to have three frozen embryos belonging to her estranged husband Thomas Roche released to her for implantation in her womb, a case which highlights the lack of legislation concerning in vitro fertilisationIn vitro fertilisationIn vitro fertilisation is a process by which egg cells are fertilised by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed...
. The court also rules that embryos are not recognised or protected as "unborn" under the Constitution of IrelandConstitution of IrelandThe Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
. - 15 December – The funeral of renowned broadcaster and music collector Ciarán Mac Mathúna is attended by hundreds of mourners, including both aides-de-camp of the TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
and President of IrelandPresident of IrelandThe President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, Director-General of RTÉDirector-General of RTÉThe Director-General of Raidió Teilifís Éireann is chief executive and editor in chief of RTÉ. The current Director-General is Noel Curran, and is the most senior person in the Public Service Broadcaster, Noel Curran replaced Cathal Goan in the role in February 2011.The RTÉ Board appoints the...
Cathal GoanCathal GoanCathal Goan is a radio and television producer. He played a main role in the launch of TG4. He was appointed Director-General of RTÉ in 2003, announcing his departure in 2010....
, poet Séamus HeaneySeamus HeaneySeamus Heaney is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer. He lives in Dublin. Heaney has received the Nobel Prize in Literature , the Golden Wreath of Poetry , T. S. Eliot Prize and two Whitbread prizes...
and various musicians and colleagues. - 16 December – 78-year-old priest Thomas NaughtonThomas NaughtonFr Thomas Naughton is a priest of St Patrick's Missionary Order, Kiltegan, County Wicklow, who was found guilty of the indecent assault of minors. He was one of 46 priests mentioned in the Murphy Report.-Early career and sex offences:...
is given a three-year prison sentence for his sexual abuse of an altar boyAltar serverAn altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on....
while he served in BlessingtonBlessingtonBlessington, historically known as Ballycomeen , is a town in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on the N81 road, which connects Dublin to Tullow.- History :...
, County WicklowCounty WicklowCounty Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
. - 17 December – Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVIBenedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
accepts the resignation of Bishop of LimerickBishop of LimerickThe Bishop of Limerick is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Limerick in the Province of Munster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it still continues as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of...
Donal MurrayDonal MurrayDonal Brendan Murray was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Limerick from 1996 to 2009. He had previously served as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Dublin diocese-Early life and ordination:...
who was criticised by the Murphy ReportMurphy ReportThe Murphy Report is the brief name of the report of an investigation conducted by government of Ireland into the Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin...
for his behaviour concerning child sexual abuse. - 18 December – Father Seán SheehySean SheehySean Sheehy was an Irish soccer player during the 1970s.He played for Dundalk before transferring to Preston North End F.C...
withdraws from work in his parish of CastlegregoryCastlegregoryCastlegregory is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. It is situated on the north side of the Dingle Peninsula, halfway between Tralee and Dingle. Castlegregory has a population of 205 ....
after shaking the hand of a convicted sex offender in a Listowel court days earlier. Bishop of KerryBishop of KerryThe Bishop of Kerry is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kerry, one of the suffragan dioceses of the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly in Ireland.. Their present see is at St...
William MurphyWilliam Murphy (Bishop of Kerry)William Murphy , ordained as a priest in 1961, is since 1995 the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kerry.-Life:Murphy was born in Annaghmore, County Kerry, Ireland. He received his education at Ratheen National School and St Brendan’s College, Killarney...
disassociates himself from Sheehy and his actions. - 18 December – Ireland's first motorway to link two cities is opened several months ahead of schedule between Dublin in the east and GalwayGalwayGalway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
in the west. - 23 December – Bishop of Kildare and LeighlinBishop of Kildare and LeighlinThe Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, one of the suffragan dioceses of the Archdiocese of Dublin. The episcopal title takes its name from the towns of Kildare and Old Leighlin in the province of Leinster, Ireland.The see is...
Jim Moriarty resigns, the second bishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
to do so following the publication of the Murphy ReportMurphy ReportThe Murphy Report is the brief name of the report of an investigation conducted by government of Ireland into the Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin...
. He is followed within 36 hours by Dublin's two remaining serving auxiliary bishops, Eamonn Walsh and Raymond Field. - 25 December – St Mel's Cathedral, LongfordSt Mel's Cathedral, LongfordThe Cathedral Church of St. Mel is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, located in the town of Longford in Ireland. Built between 1840 and 1856, with the belfry and portico as later additions, it has been considered the "flagship cathedral" of the Irish midlands region,...
is destroyed when a fire sweeps through the building.
Literature
- 5 January—Sebastian BarrySebastian BarrySebastian Barry is an Irish playwright, novelist, and poet. He has been shortlisted twice for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and has won the 2008 Costa Book of the Year....
wins the Costa Prize for Fiction for his novel The Secret ScriptureThe Secret ScriptureThe Secret Scripture is a 2008 novel written by Irish playwright Sebastian Barry.-Plot summary:The main character is a one-hundred year old woman, Roseanne McNulty, who now resides in the Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital. Having been a patient for some fifty years or more, Roseanne decides to...
at the 2008 Costa Book Awards2008 Costa Book AwardsThe shortlists were announced on 18 November 2008. The winners in each category were announced on 5 January 2009, and the overall winner for Book of the Year was announced on 27 January 2009.-First Novel:Winner:*Sadie Jones, The OutcastShortlist:...
. - 19 March—The poet Seamus HeaneySeamus HeaneySeamus Heaney is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer. He lives in Dublin. Heaney has received the Nobel Prize in Literature , the Golden Wreath of Poetry , T. S. Eliot Prize and two Whitbread prizes...
is awarded the David Cohen Prize for Literature, honouring him for his lifetime's work. - 17 April—Seamus HeaneySeamus HeaneySeamus Heaney is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer. He lives in Dublin. Heaney has received the Nobel Prize in Literature , the Golden Wreath of Poetry , T. S. Eliot Prize and two Whitbread prizes...
's 70th birthday. Commemorative audio recording, Seamus Heaney Collected PoemsSeamus Heaney Collected PoemsCollected Poems is a spoken-word recording of the Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney reading his own work. It was released by RTÉ to mark his 70th birthday, which occurred on April 17th, 2009. The fifteen CD boxed set spans 556 tracks in over twelve hours of oral performance by the poet...
, released of Heaney reading his collected work to date. - 11 June—Man Gone DownMan Gone DownMan Gone Down is the debut novel of U.S. author Michael Thomas. It won the 2009 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, with Thomas receiving a prize of €100,000...
, the debut novel of American Michael ThomasMichael Thomas (author)Michael Thomas is an American author. He won the 2009 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for his debut novel Man Gone Down, receiving a prize of €100,000. Man Gone Down is also recommended by The New York Times.-Early and personal life:...
, wins the 2009 International IMPAC Dublin Literary AwardInternational IMPAC Dublin Literary AwardThe International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is an international literary award for a work of fiction, jointly sponsored by the city of Dublin, Ireland and the company IMPAC. At €100,000 it is one of the richest literary prizes in the world...
. - 24 November—Colm TóibínColm TóibínColm Tóibín is a multi-award-winning Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright, journalist, critic, and, most recently, poet.Tóibín is Leonard Milberg Lecturer in Irish Letters at Princeton University in New Jersey and succeeded Martin Amis as professor of creative writing at the...
(BrooklynBrooklyn (novel)-Plot summary:Eilis Lacey is a young woman who is unable to find work in 1950s Ireland. Her older sister Rose organizes a meeting with Father Flood visiting from New York. He tells Eilis of the wonderful opportunities awaiting her with very good employment prospects. Because of this she emigrates...
) and Peter Murphy (John the Revelator) are included on the shortlist for the 2009 Costa Book Awards2009 Costa Book AwardsThe shortlists were announced on 25 November 2009. The winners in each category were announced on4 January 2009 on the Front Row programme.-Children's Book:Winner:*Patrick Ness, The Ask and the AnswerShortlist:*Siobhan Dowd, Solace of the Road...
.
Boxing
- Bernard DunneBernard DunneBernard Dunne is a retired Irish professional boxer and a former WBA, and European super bantamweight champion.On Saturday 21 March 2009, Dunne waged the war that he would be best remembered for and defeated Ricardo Cordoba in the 11th round to become the WBA super bantamweight champion in a fight...
- On 21 March, Bernard DunneBernard DunneBernard Dunne is a retired Irish professional boxer and a former WBA, and European super bantamweight champion.On Saturday 21 March 2009, Dunne waged the war that he would be best remembered for and defeated Ricardo Cordoba in the 11th round to become the WBA super bantamweight champion in a fight...
became the WBA Super BantamweightSuper BantamweightSuper bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms....
World Champion at the O2The O2, DublinThe O2 is a 14,000-seat amphitheatre located at North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands in Dublin, Ireland, which opened on 16 December 2008. The venue is jointly owned by Live Nation and Harry Crosbie with Live Nation in charge of programme booking and operating the venue...
in Dublin. - On 26 September, he lost to Poonsawat KratingdaenggymPoonsawat KratingdaenggymChalermwong Udomna , who boxes as Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym, is a professional boxer from Thailand who fights in the super bantamweight division...
in the same venue after two minutes and 57 seconds of the third round.
- On 21 March, Bernard Dunne
GAA
- 2009 All-Ireland Hurling season
- Semi-finals:
- KilkennyKilkenny GAAThe Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
2–23 WaterfordWaterford GAAThe Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
3–15 - TipperaryTipperary GAAThe Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
6–19 LimerickLimerick GAAThe Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
2–7
- Kilkenny
- Final:
- Kilkenny
2–22 Tipperary 0–23, Croke Park, 6 September 2009, 3:30 pm GMT
- Kilkenny
- Semi-finals:
- 2009 All-Ireland Football season
- Semi-finals:
- Cork 1–13 TyroneTyrone GAAThe Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
0–11 - MeathMeath GAAThe Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
1–7 KerryKerry GAAThe Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
2–8
- Cork 1–13 Tyrone
- Final:
-
Cork 1-09 versus Kerry 0–19, Croke Park, Sunday 20 September 2009, 3:30 pm GMT
-
- Semi-finals:
Golf
- 17 May – Offaly man Shane LowryShane Lowry (golfer)Shane Lowry is an Irish professional golfer.-Amateur career:Lowry was born in Clara, County Offaly, the son of Offaly 1982 All-Ireland winning footballer Brendan Lowry. He attended Athlone Institute of Technology as a scholarship student on the Higher Certificate in Sport and Recreation...
became just the third amateur to win a European Tour event by clinching the Irish OpenIrish Open (golf)The Irish Open is a professional golf tournament on the European Tour, currently played at the end of July or early August each year. The event has been played in many locations on the island; its current home is the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club in County Kerry in southwestern Ireland...
in a playoff. - 28 November – Ireland finish second to ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in the 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup2009 Omega Mission Hills World CupThe 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 26 to November 29 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 55th World Cup. 28 countries competed as two player teams...
.
Soccer
- Hosting
- 29 January – UEFAUEFAThe Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
announces that the new Lansdowne RoadLansdowne RoadLansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
would host the 2011 Europa League Final, the new title for the UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
.
- League of Ireland
- Premier Division Winner; Bohemians
- First Division Winner; UCD
- A Division Winner; Salthill Devon
- Promoted to Premier Division; Sporting Fingal
- Relegated to First Division; Bray Wanderers, Derry City^
- FAI Ford Cup; Sporting Fingal
- FAI EA Sports Cup: Bohemians
- ^Derry where removed on 7 November for braking FAI rules and regulations, they're future in even the first division is yet to be decided, recently promoted sporting fingal are in danger too.
- Internationals
- 29 May – Republic of Ireland 1–1 NigeriaNigeria national football teamThe Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
(LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, UK)
- 6 June – Republic of Ireland 1–1 BulgariaBulgaria national football teamThe FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
(SofiaSofiaSofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
)
- 12 August – Republic of Ireland 0–3 Australia (Thomond ParkThomond ParkThomond Park is a stadium located in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and count Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. The capacity of the stadium is 26,500 following its large scale redevelopment in...
, LimerickLimerickLimerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
) - 8 September – Republic of Ireland 1–0 South AfricaSouth Africa national football teamThe South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
(Thomond Park, Limerick)- First ever Irish-based senior international matches to be played in the Mid-West and the first to be played outside Dublin in twenty-four years. Training in County TipperaryCounty TipperaryCounty Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
.
- First ever Irish-based senior international matches to be played in the Mid-West and the first to be played outside Dublin in twenty-four years. Training in County Tipperary
-
- World Cup 2010 Qualifiers
^ Football Association of Ireland made an official complaint claiming it was a handball, which it clearly was.
Rallying
- 30 January – 1 February Rally Ireland2009 Rally IrelandThe 2009 Rally Ireland, officially 2nd Rally Ireland, was the first round of the 2009 World Rally Championship season and was held between January 30 and February 1, 2009, it's also the opening round of the Junior World Rally Championship this season...
was held . The rally was won by Sébastien Loeb.
Rugby union
- 2009 Six Nations Championship2009 Six Nations ChampionshipThe 2009 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2009 RBS 6 Nations because of the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the tenth Six Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition contested by the six major Northern Hemisphere rugby union national teams...
- 7 February – IrelandIreland national rugby union teamThe Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
30 – 21 FranceFrance national rugby union teamThe France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams... - 15 February – ItalyItaly national rugby union teamThe Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
9 – 38 Ireland - 28 February – Ireland 14–13 EnglandEngland national rugby union teamThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
- 14 March – ScotlandScotland national rugby union teamThe Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
15 – 22 Ireland - 21 March – WalesWales national rugby union teamThe Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
15–17 Ireland
- 21 March – Ireland win the 2009 Six Nations Championship2009 Six Nations ChampionshipThe 2009 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2009 RBS 6 Nations because of the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the tenth Six Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition contested by the six major Northern Hemisphere rugby union national teams...
and Triple CrownTriple Crown (Rugby Union)In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
as well as the Grand SlamGrand Slam (Rugby Union)In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
for first time in 61 years. - 21 April – Paul O'ConnellPaul O'ConnellPaul O'Connell is an Irish rugby union player who plays lock for Munster and Ireland. He also captained the British and Irish Lions on their 2009 tour to South Africa.-Early life:...
named as the captain of the British and Irish LionsBritish and Irish LionsThe British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
squad to tour2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South AfricaThe 2009 British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009....
South Africa this summer along with 13 other Irish players. - 28 November – Declan KidneyDeclan KidneyDeclan Kidney is an Irish rugby union coach.-Early life:Kidney played rugby for UCC and later for Dolphin RFC....
is named IRB International Coach of the YearIRB International Coach of the YearThe IRB International Coach of the Year is awarded by the International Rugby Board in the autumn each year.-List of winners:* 2001: Rod Macqueen * 2002: Bernard Laporte * 2003: Clive Woodward * 2004: Jake White * 2005: Graham Henry...
, the first Irishman to achieve this, and Ireland are named IRB International Team of the YearIRB International Team of the YearThe IRB International Team of the Year is awarded by the International Rugby Board in the autumn each year.-List of winners:* 2001: * 2002: * 2003: * 2004: * 2005: * 2006: * 2007: * 2008: * 2009: * 2010: * 2011: -List of other IRB Awards:...
on the same day they defeat World2007 Rugby World CupThe 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
and Tri Nations2009 Tri Nations SeriesThe 2009 Tri Nations Series was the fourteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks...
champions South AfricaSouth Africa national rugby union teamThe South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
at Croke Park to end the year undefeated. - 9 December – Declan Kidney is awarded Philips Sports Manager of the YearPhilips Sports Manager of the YearThe Philips Sports Manager of the Year is an award for the person considered the most outstanding Irish sports manager or coach of a particular year....
for the third time in four years, beating Brian CodyBrian CodyBrian Cody is an Irish hurling manager and former player, currently managing the Kilkenny senior inter-county team, where he has been in charge since 1998...
, John OxxJohn OxxJohn M. Oxx is a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses. His stables are located on "The Curragh" of Kildare, the stables are named Currabeg Stables. His father, John Oxx Sr., was also a very successful trainer who won eight Irish classics and it was the younger Oxx's ambition to follow in his...
and Giovanni TrapattoniGiovanni TrapattoniGiovanni Trapattoni , sometimes known as "Trap" or "Il Trap", is an Italian football coach and former player, considered the most successful club coach in the history of Serie A. As a player he was part of Italy's squad at the 1962 FIFA World Cup....
to the title.
- 2008-09 Heineken Cup2008-09 Heineken CupThe 2008–09 Heineken Cup was the fourteenth edition of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. It started in October 2008 and ended on 23 May 2009 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh...
- 12 April – MusterMunster RugbyMunster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
and LeinsterLeinster RugbyLeinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
reach the semi finals. - 2 May – Leinster beat Munster 25–6 in the Heineken Cup semi-final at Croke ParkCroke ParkCroke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
in front of a world-record 82,208 attendance for a club match. - 23 May – Leinster beat Leicster in the Heinken cup final, the 4th time an Irish province has done so.
- 2009-10 Heineken Cup
- 10 October – MunsterMunster RugbyMunster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
and LeinsterLeinster RugbyLeinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
begin their Heineken Cup season, with Leinster defending a tittle and Munster looking to win back the crown.
Deaths
- 2 January – Tony GregoryTony GregoryTony Gregory was an Irish Independent politician and a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Central constituency from 1982 to 2009.-Early life:...
, 61, IndependentIndependent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
TDTeachta DálaA Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
sittingMembers of the 30th DáilThis is a list of the members who were elected to the 30th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 2007 general election on 24 May 2007 and met on 14 June 2007. The 30th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the...
in Dáil ÉireannDáil ÉireannDáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
. - 27 January – Connie BuckleyConnie BuckleyConnie 'Sonny' Buckley was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1936 until 1941. Buckley captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1941.-Biography:Connie ‘Sonny’ Buckley was born in Roman Street, Cork...
, 93, former Cork hurlerHurlingHurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
and oldest surviving All-IrelandAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
-winning captain. - 7 February – Joe HavertyJoe HavertyJoe Haverty was an Irish football player.Haverty played for Home Farm and St Patrick's Athletic, before signing for Arsenal in July 1954...
, 72, former IrishRepublic of Ireland national football teamThe Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
soccer player. - 12 February – Hugh LeonardHugh LeonardHugh Leonard was an Irish dramatist, television writer and essayist. In a career that spanned 50 years, Leonard wrote more than 18 plays, two volumes of essays and two autobiographies, one novel and numerous screenplays and teleplays, as well as writing a regular newspaper column.-Life and...
, 82, playwright. - 15 February – John Rackard, 80, member of the famous Rackard hurlingHurlingHurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
brothers from WexfordWexford GAAThe Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
. - 18 February – Nell McCarthyNell McCarthyEllen ‘Nell’ McCarthy was the 15th president of the Camogie Association and the most successful camogie coach of all time, training Dublin camogie teams at a time they won 18 All Irelands in a 19-year-period. She was born in Carrigtwohill in Cork...
, retired camogieCamogieCamogie is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women; it is almost identical to the game of hurling played by men. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and world wide, largely among Irish communities....
player, manager and former president of the Camogie Association of Ireland. - 27 February – Joe Bruton, 99, prominent farmers' rights campaigner, journalist and father of Fine GaelFine GaelFine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
politicians JohnJohn BrutonJohn Gerard Bruton is an Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 1994 to 1997. A minister under two taoisigh, Liam Cosgrave and Garret FitzGerald, Bruton held a number of the top posts in Irish government, including Minister for Finance , and Minister for Industry, Trade,...
and Richard BrutonRichard BrutonRichard Bruton is an Irish Fine Gael politician and has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin North Central constituency since 1982. He was appointed as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on 9 March 2011...
. - 8 March – Anna ManahanAnna ManahanAnna Maria Manahan was an Irish stage, film and television actress. She interpreted the works of, among others, Sean O'Casey, John B Keane, J. M. Synge, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Martin McDonagh, Christy Brown, and Brian Friel....
, 84, Tony AwardTony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
-winning actress of stage and screen. - 5 March – Patrick Cummins, 88, former Fianna FáilFianna FáilFianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
TDTeachta DálaA Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal... - 9 March – Frank StockwellFrank StockwellFrank Stockwell was an Irish sportsman who played Gaelic football with his local club Tuam Stars and was a member of the Galway, Louth and London inter-county teams at various periods from 1949 until 1960. Stockwell is regarded as Galway’s greatest-ever full forward.Stockwell began his...
, 80, former GalwayGalway GAAThe Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
Gaelic footballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er. - 23 March – Billy RackardBilly RackardBilly Rackard was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Rathnure and was a member of the Wexford senior inter-county team from 1950 until 1964.-Early life:...
, 79, former WexfordWexford GAAThe Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
hurlerHurlingHurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
. - 7 April – Paddy O'HanlonPaddy O'HanlonPatrick Michael O'Hanlon , known as Paddy O'Hanlon, was a barrister and former nationalist politician in Ireland....
, barrister and SDLPSocial Democratic and Labour PartyThe Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
politician (b.1944) - 17 April – Kevin McConnell, 84, former MeathMeath GAAThe Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
Gaelic footballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er. - 19 April – Tony KettTony KettTony Kett was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and member of Seanad Éireann. In 1997, he was elected to the 21st Seanad by the Administrative Panel. He was elected again in 2002 and in 2007....
, 57, Fianna FáilFianna FáilFianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
Senator. - 27 April – Karl MullenKarl MullenDr Karl Daniel Mullen was an Irish Rugby Union player and Consultant Gynaecologist who captained the Irish rugby team and captained the British Lions on their 1950 tour to Australia and New Zealand....
, 82, former Rugby UnionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player and Grand SlamGrand Slam (Rugby Union)In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
-winning captain of 1948. - 28 April – Pearse WysePearse WysePearse Wyse was an Irish Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats politician.Pearse Wyse was born in Cork in 1928. He first held political office in 1960 when he was elected to Cork City Council...
, 81, Former Progressive DemocratsProgressive DemocratsThe Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
founding member and former Lord Mayor of CorkLord Mayor of CorkThe Lord Mayor of Cork is the honorific title of the Chairman of Cork City Council which is the local government body for the city of Cork in Ireland. The incumbent is Terry Shannon of Fianna Fáil. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the Council.-History of office:In 1199 there...
. - 5 May – Philomena GarveyPhilomena GarveyPhilomena Garvey was an Irish amateur golfer, the daughter of James and Kathleen Garvey . She was born in the village of Baltray, which is on the north shore of the Boyne estuary approximately four miles from the historic town of Drogheda.-Career:In 1946, at age 20, Philomena Garvey won the first...
, 83, former golfer. - 9 May – David MarcusDavid MarcusDavid Marcus was an Irish Jewish editor and writer who was a lifelong advocate and editor of Irish fiction.- Life and times :...
, 85, literary editorLiterary editorA literary editor is an editor in a newspaper, magazine or similar publication who deals with aspects concerning literature and books, especially reviews. A literary editor may also help with editing books themselves, by providing services such as proof reading, copy-editing, and literary...
. - 12 May – Roger RyanRoger RyanRoger Ryan was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local clubs Toomevara and Roscrea and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1970 until 1977. Ryan won a set of All-Ireland and Munster winners' medals with Tipperary in 1971. He died on the 12 May...
, former TipperaryTipperary GAAThe Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
hurlerHurlingHurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
. - 20 May – Alan Kelly, Sr.Alan Kelly, Sr.Alan Kelly was an Irish international football goalkeeper who played for Bray Wanderers and Drumcondra in his home country, and most notably for Preston North End in England...
, 72, former IrelandRepublic of Ireland national football teamThe Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
international goalkeeper. - 27 May – E. D. "Ned" Doyle, 90, military figure and analyst.
- 31 May – Danny La RueDanny La RueDanny La Rue, OBE was an Irish-born British entertainer known for his singing and drag impersonations.-Early life:...
, 81, entertainer known for his singing and dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
impersonationsImpersonatorAn impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for someone to be an impersonator, some common ones being as follows:...
. - 1 June – Vincent O'BrienVincent O'BrienDr. Michael Vincent O'Brien was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history, according to a worldwide vote hosted by the Racing Post newspaper...
, 92, race horseHorse racingHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
trainerHorse trainerIn horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
. - 13 June – Michael CollinsMichael Collins (hurler)Michael Collins was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Enniscorthy Shamrocks and was a member of the Wexford senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.-References:-Teams:...
, former WexfordWexford GAAThe Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
hurlerHurlingHurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
. - 28 June – Rita KeaneRita KeaneRita Keane was an Irish traditional singer and accordionist. She was a member a well-known Irish musical family, and had a lifelong musical partnership with her older sister, Sarah...
, 86, traditional singerTraditional singerA Traditional singer is someone who has learned folk songs in their original context - for example while sailing a ship or working on a farm. Until modern inventions such as the phonograph radio and cinema became common, this was the only way for ordinary people to learn songs.By the time of the...
. - 29 June – Sheila Cloney, 83, leader of the Ne Temere decree incident or "Fethard Boycott".
- 11 August – Nuala FennellNuala FennellNuala Fennell was an Irish economist and Fine Gael politician.She was a leading Women's Rights campaigner in 1970s and was involved in setting up the first refuge for "battered women" in Dublin. She was elected at the 1981 general election to the 22nd Dáil, as TD for Dublin South...
, 73, Fine GaelFine GaelFine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
politician. - 16 August – Paul HealionPaul HealionPaul Healion was an Irish racing cyclist from Dunboyne, Co. Meath.In 2000 and 2008 he was the National Time Trial Champion. In 2001 he won his first National Criterium Championships...
, 31, cyclistCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
. - 5 September – Jamie KyneJamie KyneJamie Kyne was an Irish Jockey.Kyne was the winner of an All Ireland title in youth boxing, but had told his father immediately afterwards that he wanted to be a jockey....
, 18, jockeyJockeyA jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
. - 8 September – Stephen WhiteStephen White (footballer)Stephen White was an Irish Gaelic footballer. He was part of Louth's last All-Ireland winning senior football team in 1957 and won the Leinster Senior Football Championship four times between 1948 and 1957. He was included in the 1984 Team of the Century. His son is Stefan White.- References :...
, LouthLouth GAAThe Louth County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Louth GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Louth. The county board is also responsible for the Louth inter-county teams....
Gaelic footballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er included in the Team of the CenturyTeam of the CenturyTeam of the Century and Team of the Decade are terms used in team sport to name a hypothetical best team over a given time period.For the century team, it can be either 100 years, or for a century...
in 1984. - 14 September – Darren SutherlandDarren SutherlandDarren John Sutherland was an Irish professional boxer from County Meath, Ireland. His amateur career was crowned by a bronze medal for Ireland in the middleweight division at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China....
, 27, boxerBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, 2008 Olympic bronze medalistBoxing at the 2008 Summer OlympicsThe boxing program of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China was held at the Workers Indoor Arena.Medals were awarded in eleven events, with each event corresponding to a recognized weight division of male boxers...
. - 17 September – Frank DeasyFrank DeasyFrank Deasy was an Irish screenwriter. He won an Emmy Award for the television series Prime Suspect and was also nominated for his works, Looking After Jo Jo and The Grass Arena...
, 49, Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning screenwriterScreenwriterScreenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
. - 22 September – Edward DelaneyEdward DelaneyEdward Delaney was an Irish sculptor born in Claremorris in County Mayo in 1930. His best known works include the 1967 statue of Wolfe Tone and famine memorial at the northeastern corner of St Stephen's Green in Dublin and the statue of Thomas Davis in College Green, opposite Trinity College Dublin...
, 79, sculptorSculptureSculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
—Thomas Davis and Wolfe Tone memorials in Dublin. - 6 October – Aengus FinucaneAengus FinucaneAengus Finucane was a Roman Catholic missionary of the Spiritan Fathers order, who organized food shipments from Portugal to the Igbo people during the Nigerian Civil War.-Early life:...
, 77, priestPriestA priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, Chief Executive of Concern WorldwideConcern WorldwideConcern Worldwide is Ireland's largest aid and humanitarian agency. Since its foundation over 40 years ago it has worked in 50 countries and currently employs 3,200 staff in 25 countries around the world. Concern works to help those living in the world's poorest countries to achieve real and...
(1981–1997). - 10 October – Stephen GatelyStephen GatelyStephen Patrick David Gately was an Irish pop singer–songwriter, actor, dancer, musician and author, who, with Ronan Keating, was one of two lead singers of the pop group Boyzone. All of Boyzone's studio albums hit number one in the United Kingdom, their third being their most successful...
, 33, BoyzoneBoyzoneBoyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
singer. - 11 October – Peter CallananPeter CallananPeter Callanan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and served as a member of Seanad Éireann from 1997 until his death in 2009.Born in Clonakilty, County Cork, Callanan was educated in Mount Melleray College, County Waterford...
, 74, politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, member of the SeanadSeanad ÉireannSeanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
(since 1997). - 27 October – Frank Brady, Jr., association footballer.
- 1 November – Seán Mac Fionnghaile, 57, actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, cancerCancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. - 2 November – Beverley O'SullivanBeverley O'SullivanBeverley O'Sullivan was an Irish singer and actress from Dublin, Ireland. She was killed in a traffic collision in India in 2009....
, 28, singerSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and actress. - 17 November – Paul "Skinny" Kelly, 43, musician—Paranoid VisionsParanoid VisionsParanoid Visions are an infamous punk band from Dublin, Ireland who formed in 1982. They broke up in 1992, had reunion shows and eventually decided to reunite....
. - 23 November – Pat QuinnPat Quinn (businessman)Pat Quinn was an Irish publican, hotelier, music promoter, storyteller, former millionaire and founder of the Quinnsworth supermarket chain, which was Ireland's first supermarket chain. He invented the term "yellow pack"...
, 74, founder of QuinnsworthQuinnsworthQuinnsworth was a supermarket company in the Republic of Ireland, that was founded by the entrepreneur Pat Quinn.-History:Quinnsworth was founded by Pat Quinn in 1966 and was sold to Powers Supermarkets Limited in the 1970s. During the 1970s, the slogan used was "Let's get it all together at...
and the first person to bring The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
to North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. - 4 December – Liam ClancyLiam ClancyWilliam "Liam" Clancy was an Irish folk singer and actor from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. He was the youngest and last surviving member of performing group The Clancy Brothers. The group were regarded as Ireland's first pop stars...
, 74, folkFolk music of IrelandThe folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
singer. - 6 December – Pat Carolan, former MeathMeath GAAThe Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
Gaelic footballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er. - 11 December – Ciarán Mac Mathúna, broadcaster and music collector.
- 14 December – Snip NuaSnip NuaSnip Nua was a racing greyhound who featured in the BBC television show Three Men go to Ireland.-Biography:Born in the spring of 2008, Snip Nua was a racing greyhound who became famous because she featured in the BBC television show Three men go to Ireland, which was broadcast over the Christmas...
, 1 (b.2008). - 20 December – Joan Brosnan WalshJoan Brosnan WalshJoan Brosnan Walsh was a veteran Irish actress, best-known for her long-running role as the character on the Irish soap opera Fair City, a role she had played for almost twenty years, from 18 September 1989 until her final screen appearance broadcast on 11 January 2009.Brosnan Walsh appeared in a...
, actress (Fair CityFair CityFair City is an award-winning Irish television soap opera on RTÉ One. Produced by Radio Telefís Éireann, it was first broadcast on Monday, September 18, 1989...
), motor neurone diseaseMotor neurone diseaseThe motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
. - 30 December – Dermot Nally, 82, civil servantCivil serviceThe term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
, sudden death. - 31 December – Cahal Daly, 92, Catholic priest (Primate of All Ireland 1990–1996).
- 31 December – Justin KeatingJustin KeatingJustin Keating was an Irish Labour Party politician, broadcaster, journalist, lecturer and veterinary surgeon. In later life he was President of the Humanist Association of Ireland....
, 79, humanistHumanismHumanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
and Labour PartyLabour Party (Ireland)The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
politician (Minister for Industry and CommerceMinister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland)The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is the senior minister at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is Richard Bruton, TD...
, 1973–1977).
External links
- "The Month In Pictures: January 2009" – Irish sport