1977 in Ireland

← 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1977 in Ireland → 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
See also:	1977 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1977 List of years in Ireland

Events from the year 1977 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President: Patrick Hillery
• Taoiseach: Liam Cosgrave (FG) (until July 5, 1977); Jack Lynch (FF) (starting July 5, 1977)

Events

• 29 January - Seven Irish Republican Army bombs explode in the West End of London, but there are no fatalities or serious injuries.
• 4 February - British police discover an IRA bomb factory in Liverpool.
• 10 February - The three IRA terrorists involved in the 1975 Balcombe Street Siege in London are sentenced to life imprisonment on six charges of murder.
• 21 February - A crater on the planet Mercury is named after the Irish poet W.B. Yeats.
• 29 May - A massive peace rally takes place in Belfast organized by Betty Williams, Mairéad Corrigan and Ciarán McKeown.
• 15 June - Fianna Fáil wins the 1977 general election with over 50% of the votes and a 20-seat majority
• 5 July - The 21st Dáil elects Jack Lynch as Taoiseach.^[1]
• 14 July - The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is granted recognition as a recognised college of the National University of Ireland.
• 10 August - Elizabeth II visits Northern Ireland as part of her Silver Jubilee celebrations under tight security.
• 10 September - Irish horses are prevented from entering the United States because of an outbreak of venereal disease in Irish, British and French horses.^{[2] [3]}
• 18 September - In Ennis, County Clare, the Christian Brothers celebrate their 150th anniversary.
• 3 October - Dunsink Observatory near Finglas was badly damaged by fire. Rubble removed to the nearby municipal dump included valuable Apollo 11 moon rock fragments donated to Ireland by the American government.^[4][5]
• 10 October - The Peace Movement founders, Mairéad Corrigan and Betty Williams win the Nobel Prize for Peace.
• 18 November - The National Council for Educational Awards is given degree awarding status.

Arts and literature

• Irish poet Paul Muldoon's book Mules is published.
• August - The Boomtown Rats' debut single "Lookin' After No. 1", written by Bob Geldof, is released in the United Kingdom.
• The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature is awarded to Desmond Hogan.^[6][7][8]
• Publication of Niall Ó Dónaill's Irish-English dictionary Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla.

Sport

• Carroll's Irish Open is won by Hubert Green (USA).
• The Republic of Ireland national football team fail to qualify for the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina.
• In September Cork Hurlers complete the '3 in a row' by beating Wexford in the All-Ireland senior hurling final).
• Kerry footballers start on their road to '4 in a row' by beating Dublin in the All-Ireland senior football final).

Births

January to March

• 6 January - David Flynn, composer and musician.
• 6 January - Genevieve O'Reilly, actress.
• 7 January - Tomm Moore, twice Oscar nominated animator and film maker.
• 7 February - Francis Barrett, boxer.
• 15 February - Damien Faulkner, motor racing driver.
• 16 February - Ian Clarke, software developer.
• 3 March - Ronan Keating, singer.
• 7 March - Ronan O'Gara, International rugby player.
• 16 March - Donal Óg Cusack, Cork hurling goalkeeper.
• 31 March - Finghin Collins, pianist.

April to June

• 1 April - Pádraic Joyce, Galway Gaelic footballer
• 14 April - Stephen Grant, soccer player
• 14 April - Trevor Malloy, soccer player
• 7 May - Lisa Kelly, singer
• 8 May - Joe Doyle, bass player.
• 12 May - Barry Foley, Limerick hurler
• 12 May - Laura Woods, television presenter and former radio continuity announcer
• 16 May - Robbie Ryan, soccer player
• 22 May - Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Cork hurling and Gaelic football player
• 1 June - Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fáil TD for Meath East
• 1 June - Jamie Costin, race walker
• 15 June - P. J. Ryan, Kilkenny hurler
• 21 June - Barry Archer, cricketer
• 21 June - Michael Gomez, boxer

July to December

• 6 July - Ciara Durkin, member of the Massachusetts National Guard who died under mysterious circumstances while deployed in Afghanistan (died 2007).
• 6 July - Pearse Doherty, Sinn Féin Senator.
• 27 July - Jonathan Rhys Meyers, actor.
• 17 August - Colin Hawkins, soccer player.
• 18 August - Elaine Crowley, journalist, newsreader and television presenter
• 21 August - Anthony Lynch, Cork Gaelic footballer.
• 25 August - Dessie Baker, soccer player.
• 29 August - Aidan Lynch, soccer player.
• 31 August - Ian Harte, international soccer player.
• 7 September - Marcus Horan, international rugby player.
• 7 September - Timmy McCarthy, Cork hurling player.
• 15 September - Gavin Smith, motor racing driver.
• 15 November - Joe Deane, Cork hurling player.
• 11 December - Emma Ledden, television presenter.
• 13 December - Peter Stringer, rugby union player for Munster and Ireland.
• 27 December - Sinead Keenan, actress

Full date unknown

• John Browne, Cork hurler.
• Stephen Byrne, Offaly hurler.
• Tom Mulligan, Dublin Gaelic footballer (died 2007).
• Ste V Roc, hip-hop artist and MC.
• Anthony Ruby, artist.
• Donie Ryan, Limerick hurler.

Deaths

• 5 January - Patrick Cogan, Independent TD (born 1903).
• 17 April - William Conway, Cardinal Archbishop of Armagh (born 1913).
• 24 April - Geoffrey Bing, lawyer and Labour politician in UK (born 1909).
• 1 August - Bill Loughery, cricketer (born 1907).

Full date unknown

• Seán Keating, painter (born 1889).
• Jimmy Walsh (Kilkenny hurler) (born 1911).

References

1. "Dáil Éireann". Parliamentary Debates 300. 5 July 1977. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
2. Swerczek, T. W. (1979). "Contagious equine metritis--outbreak of the disease in Kentucky and laboratory methods for diagnosing the disease". J Reprod Fertil Suppl. 27: 361–5. PMID 383988.
3. "U.S. Importation of Mares and Stallions U.S.D.A. Quarantine Requirements Regarding Infectious Equine Diseases". cemquarantine.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007.
4. What has happened to Nasa's missing Moon rocks? From lunar landscape to Dublin dump BBC World Service, 2012-02-19.
5. Dunsink Obseratory—Outbreak of Fire, 3 October 1977 Irish Astronomical Journal, Vol. 13, p.156. March 1978.
6. McElroy, James (2007). Ireland: A Traveler's Literary Companion. Whereabouts Press. p. 147.
7. "The Hogan File". The Irish Times. 2 April 2005.
8. McDonough, Tim (2 January 1981). "Irish Tales Have Rooney Angle". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved 2012-04-24.