1956 in Ireland Return to Years in Irish History |
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![]() John A. Costello |
January: Agreement
with the United States respecting the use of Counterpart for defraying
the costs of programmes submitted by Muintir na Tire, Macra na Feirme
and the Irish Countrywomen's Association. The 1956 census passed into law. |
February: On
the 15th, Owen Sheehy-Skeffington, son of Francis Sheehy-Skeffington
who had been murdered by the British during the Easter Rising,
introduced a motion calling for the abolition of corporal punishment of
girls in public schools. The Fatal Injuries Act was passed to make better provision for the families of those fatally injured through the fault of another person. |
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March: Gerard
Sweetman, the Minister for Finance, introduced special import levies on
'less than essential consumer imports'. Prize bonds were authorised,
and would first be sold a year later. John A. Costello became the first head of Government to spend St. Patrick's Day in the United States, where he was guest of honour at a dinner put on by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in Philidelphia. Meanwhile Dublin's Jewish Mayor, Robert Briscoe, led the annual parade in New York. April: On the 2nd, President Seán T. O'Kelly unveiled a bust of Easter Rising rebel Countess Markiewicz in St. Stephen's Green. A national census was carried out, which revealed a general decline in population in both industrial and rural areas. |
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May: On May 7th, a Trade Agreement
was signed with France. The Mid-Ulster by-election of May 8th was won by Independent Unionist George Forrest. The sitting MP, Charles Beattie, had been disqualified in February. Beattie had himself taken the seat by default after Sinn Féin's Tom Mitchell was disqualified for being a convincted felon. On May 21st, the President Seán T. O'Kelly opened the first international Cork Film Festival. Eight days later, T. K. Whitaker was appointed the new Secretary of the Department of Finance. |
Seán T. O'Kelly |
![]() The All-Ireland football champions |
June: The
Ministers and Secretaries Amendment Act provided for a Department of
the Gaeltacht. Minister for Education Richard Mulcahy had introduced
the debate the month previously. July: The Prisoners of War and Enemy Aliens Act was passed, confirming Ireland's commitment to the Geneva Conventions. An Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act was also passed to make provision for the acquisition and loss of Irish citizenship. Major spending cuts were introduced on housing and roads. August: An outbreak of polio forced the GAA to postpone the All-Ireland hurling and football finals. September: On the 22nd, Galway beat Cork in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. |
October: On the 3rd of October, Ireland
beat Denmark 2-1 in a World Cup Qualifying match at Dalymount Park,
Dublin.
November: On the 21st, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children was opened in Crumlin, Dublin. Nine days later it was announced that petrol rationing would be brought in from January, due to the crisis in the Suez. December: On the first, Robert Delaney won the 1500m race and claimed Ireland's first Olympic gold in 24 years. The
IRA's Border Campaign was launched on the night of 11th December with
simultaneous attacks on targets including a barracks, a B-Special post,
a courthouse and a BBC radio transmitter.
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![]() Declaration
of the Border Campaign in the United Irishman
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Notable births in Ireland |
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![]() John O'Donahue 1st January |
![]() Pat O'Carroll 11th February |
![]() Liam Brady 13th February |
![]() Jim Lynagh 13th April |
![]() Kevin Moran 29th April |
![]() Steve Barron 4th May |
Mary Coughlan 5th May |
![]() Brendan Howlin 9th May |
![]() Pat Byrne 15th May |
![]() Pat Fleury 18th May |
![]() Seán Kelly 21st May |
![]() Michael Jackson 24th May |
![]() John O'Donoghue 28th May |
![]() Brendan Smith 1st June |
![]() Gerry Ryan 4th June |
![]() Marty Whelan 7th June |
![]() Frank Stapleton 10th July |
Liz O'Donnell July |
![]() Denis Mulcahy August |
![]() Willie Mullins 5th September |
![]() Charles Flanagan 1st November |
![]() Cathal Ó Searcaigh |
![]() Patrick Cassidy |
![]() Marita Conlon McKenna |
![]() Dorothy Cross |
![]() Joe Duffy |
![]() Frankie Gavin |
![]() Mary Kennedy |
Tadhg Murphy |
![]() Fran Rooney |
Notable Deaths in Ireland |
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Name | Date of death | Age | Details | |||
Sir John Keane | 30th January | 82 | Barrister and politician; the fifth Baronet. | |||
Louis Meldon | 21st February | 69 | Cricketer who played four first-class matches for Ireland. | |||
Alfred Byrne | 13th March | 73 | Irish nationalist politician and Lord Mayor of Dublin. | |||
Benjamin Glazer | 18th March | 68 | Screenwriter, producer, foley artist and film director. | |||
Matt Goff | 19th March | 54 | Gaelic footballer who helped establish the GAA. | |||
Bob Lambert | 24th March | 81 | Cricketer who played 23 first-class matches for Ireland. | |||
John Tudor Gwynn | 17th May | 74 | Cricketer who played in India for 'Europe'. | |||
John Miller Andrews | 5th August | 85 | Second Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. | |||
Tomás Ó Deirg | 19th November | 58 | Fianna Fáil politician. | |||
Robert Bowers | 25th November | 59 | Cricketer who played one first-class match for Ireland. | |||
Frederic Charles Dreyer | 11th December | 78 | Admiral in the Royal Navy. | |||
Lambert McKenna | 27th December | 86 | Jesuit priest and writer. | |||
James Cousins | - | (83) | Writer, playwright, critic, editor, teacher and poet. | |||
Elizabeth Cronin | - | (77) | Singer specialising in trad music. | |||
Ella Young | - | (89) | Poet, political activist and mystic. |