1984 in Ireland Return to Years in Irish History |
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![]() Grotto where Ann Lovett died with her baby son |
January: The Department of Posts and Telegraphs split into An Post and Telecom Éireann. Galway City staged celebrations marking its mayoral status, which had been granted by King Richard III in 1484. Fifteen-year old Ann Lovett died after giving birth secretly in a religious grotto. Investigations into her case brought out similar stories of abuse and abortion. February: The Northern Ireland Assembly voted by twenty votes to one against a proposal to extend the 1967 Abortion Act, which covered Britain, to Northern Ireland. |
March: Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Féin, was shot and wounded in Belfast by the UFF (a UDA cover-name). Dominic McGlinchey of the INLA was recaptured in the Republic and extradited to the North, the first Republican to be extradited over charges related to the conflict. April: John Hermon, Chief Constable of the RUC, denied that security forces in Northern Ireland were operating a 'shoot-to-kill' policy. May: The New Ireland Forum published its suggestions for discussion: a unitary Irish state, a federal or confederal state and joint sovereignty. |
![]() Dominic McGlinchey, allegedly leader of the INLA |
![]() President Reagan drinks Guinness at Ballyporeen |
June: 10,000
took part in a march in Dublin against American President Ronald
Reagan. The following day, June 4th, Reagan addressed a joint session
of the houses at the Oireachtas. European Parliament elections were held in both parts of Ireland. July: Father Niall O'Brien was released following his false imprisonment in the Philippines on charges of multiple murder. Workers at Dunnes Stores in Dublin refused to handle produce from South Africa as a protest against apartheid. The DART rail service between Howth and Bray was introduced. |
August: Martin
Galvin, leader of the Irish Northern Ireland Aid Committee, appeared at
rallies in Derry and Belfast despite being banned from the UK. When
police moved to arrest him Belfast, Catholic civilian Sean Downes was
killed by a plastic bullet.
The IRA shot dead a member of the Garda Siochana in Meath. September: The Dublin phone system collapsed due to network overload caused by a phone-in competition on an illegal radio station. October: The University of Ulster was presented with a Royal Charter by Elizabeth II. Women workers at Dunnes Stores in Dublin continued their eleven-week old strike against the handling of South African fruit with a sit-in at the store. The IRA bombed the Grand Hotel in Brighton where the Conservative Party and their families were staying during their Conference. Five people were killed. |
![]() The shattered Grand Hotel in Brighton |
![]() Patrick President Hillery |
November: The RTÉ current affairs programme Morning Ireland was broadcast for the first time. In the same month, RTÉ's first newsreader, Charles Mitchel, read his final news bulletin. Irish Shipping Limited was placed into liquidation. December: The European Economic Community heads of government visted President Hillery and his wife at Áras an Uachtaráin. Ireland's most sophisticated ever naval vessel, LÉ Eithne, was commissioned at Haulbowline naval base. |
Notable births in Ireland |
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![]() Denis Behan January 2nd |
![]() Stephen Elliot January 6th |
![]() Alan McCormack January 10th |
![]() John Fitzgerald February 10th |
![]() Tommy Bowe February 22nd |
![]() Nora Jane Noone March 8th |
![]() Andy Lee June 11th |
![]() Ger O'Brien July 2nd |
![]() Paul Keegan July 5th |
![]() Martin Burke October 26th |
![]() Stephen Bradley November 19th |
Notable Deaths in Ireland |
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Name | Date of death | Age |
Details | |||
Tarlach Ó Raifeartaigh | January 1st | - | Educationalist |
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Seán MacEntee | January 10th | 94 | Fianna Fáil TD and Tánaiste from 1959 to 1965 Last surviving member of the First Dáil |
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Bernard Cowen | January 24th | 51 | Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State | |||
Luke Kelly | January 30th | 43 | Singer and member of The Dubliners | |||
Theodore William Moody | February 11th | 78 | Historian | |||
Rinty Monaghan | March 3rd | 65 | World flyweight boxing champion | |||
Charlie Ware | March 19th | (83) | Waterford hurler | |||
Fintan Kennedy | March 24th | - | Former General President of the IT & GWU and member of the Seanad from 1969 to 1981 |
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Jimmy Kennedy | April 6th | 81 | Songwriter | |||
Alec Mackie | June | 81 | Soccer player | |||
Paddy Grace | July 21st | (87) | Hurler | |||
Dennis Johnston | August 8th | 83 | Dramatist | |||
Jack Lawrence | August 13th | 79 | Cricketer | |||
Liam O'Flaherty | September 7th | 88 | Novelist and short story writer | |||
Charles Lynch | September 15th | 77 | Pianist | |||
Fintan Coogan Senior | November 4th | 74 | Fine Gael TD | |||
William Bedell Stamford |
December 30th | 74 | Classical scholar and senator |