1978 in Ireland

Events from the year 1978 in Ireland.

Incumbents

President: Patrick Hillery
Taoiseach: Jack Lynch (FF)
Tánaiste: George Colley (FF)
Minister for Finance: George Colley (FF)
Chief Justice: Tom O'Higgins
Dáil: 21st
Seanad: 14th

Events

January

18 January – The European Court of Human Rights found Britain guilty of inhuman and degrading treatment of republican internees in Northern Ireland.
19 January – The Fianna Fáil government dismissed the Garda Commissioner Edmund Garvey. No explanation was given.
21 January – Johnny Giles resigned as manager of the Republic of Ireland national football team.

March

23 March – The state funeral of former President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh took place in Sneem, County Kerry.
31 March – Six thousand people marched through Dublin to Wood Quay to protest against the building of civic offices above an ancient Viking settlement.

May

27 May – Brittany Ferries inaugurated a regular Cork–Roscoff service.

June

1 June – David Cook of the Alliance Party became the first non-Unionist Lord Mayor of Belfast.
21 June – Rosemary Smith established an Irish land speed record of 156.101mph on the Carrigrohane Straight in Cork, driving a seven-litre Jaguar XJ6.

August

10 August – A new £10 note bearing an image of the writer Jonathan Swift was introduced.
19 August – Over 5,000 people took part in a rally against a proposed nuclear power station in Carnsore Point, County Wexford.

September

1 September – Dublin Institute of Technology was created on an ad hoc basis by the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee.

November

2 November – Ireland's second national television channel, RTÉ 2, opened with a live broadcast from the Cork Opera House.
November – Cork Regional Hospital officially opened in Cork.

Undated

The first Supermac's fast food restaurant opened.

Arts and literature

Iris Murdoch was awarded the Booker Prize for her novel The Sea, The Sea.
Peter Sheridan was awarded the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature.
Seán Ó Ríordáin's posthumous poetry collection Tar éis mo Bháis was published.
First broadcast of craft TV series Hands.

Sport

Athletics

25 March – John Treacy won the world cross-country championship in Glasgow.

Golf

Carroll's Irish Open was won by Ken Brown (Scotland).

Horse racing

Shergar won the Epsom Derby (by a record ten lengths), and the Irish Derby.

Births

11 January – Adrian O'Connor, backstroke swimmer.
12 January – David Worrell, association footballer.
19 January – Simon Webb, association footballer.
28 January – Sheamus, pro wrestler.
30 January – John Doyle, Kildare Gaelic footballer.
21 February – Damien English, Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) for Meath West.
23 February – Jason Byrne, association footballer.
7 March – John Miskella, Cork Gaelic footballer.
9 March – Derek O'Connor, association footballer.
16 March – Jemma Redmond, biochemist, pioneer of 3D bioprinting (died 2016).
2 April – John Hoyne, Kilkenny hurler.
4 April – Alan Mahon, association footballer.
5 April – Stephen Murphy, association footballer.
19 April – Geordan Murphy, international rugby player.
23 April – Nicholas Murphy, Cork Gaelic footballer.
24 April – Jimmy Coogan, Kilkenny hurler.
29 April – David O'Loughlin, cyclist.
5 May – Paul Byrne, broadcast journalist.
10 June – Karl Scully, tenor.
21 June – Wayne Sherlock, Cork hurler.
25 June – Kieran Kelly, jump jockey (killed in racing accident 2003).
4 July – Derek Lyng, Kilkenny hurler.
18 July
Shane Horgan, international rugby player.
Annie Mac(Manus), disc jockey and broadcast presenter.
27 July – Brian Barry-Murphy, association footballer.
July – Diarmuid O'Sullivan, Cork hurler.
8 August – Alan Maybury, association footballer.
21 August – Alan Lee, association footballer.
28 August – Barry Ryan, association footballer.
27 September – John Paul Phelan, Fine Gael party Senator.
1 October – Barry Conlon, association footballer.
2 October – Eddie Brennan, Kilkenny hurler.
5 October – Shane Ryan, Gaelic footballer.
9 October – Nicky Byrne, entertainer, singer with Westlife, and television host.
17 October – Jerry Flannery, international rugby player.
25 October – Chris Keane, rugby player.
31 October – Ella McSweeney, radio and television producer
9 November – Martin Comerford, Kilkenny hurler.
15 December – Edele and Keavy Lynch, members of B*Witched.
22 December – Eugene Cloonan, Galway hurler.

;Full date unknown

:* Caoimhe Butterly, human rights activist.

:* Julie Feeney, singer songwriter.

:* Mike FitzGerald, Limerick hurler.

:* Richie Mullally, Kilkenny hurler.

:* Mike O'Brien, Limerick hurler.

Deaths

23 January – Cormac Breslin, Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) and Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann (born 1902).
4 March – Emmet Dalton, Republican activist, soldier and film producer (born 1898 in the United States).
6 March – Micheál MacLiammóir, actor and dramatist (born 1899 in London).
21 March – Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, Attorney-general, Chief Justice of Ireland and fifth President of Ireland (born 1911).
7 July – Mary Swanzy, painter (born 1882; died in London).
28 August – Robert Shaw, actor and novelist (born 1927 in England).
12 September – Wilfred Hutton, cricketer (born 1901).
October – Moss (Maurice) Twomey, chief of staff of the Irish Republican Army (born 1897).
5 November – Denis O'Dea, actor (born 1905).
13 December – Jack Doyle, boxer, actor and singer (born 1913; died in London).
Full date unknown – Gabriel Hayes, sculptor, designer of Irish coins (born 1909).