1984 in Ireland

1984 in Ireland Return to Years in Irish History
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.
Grotto where Ann Lovett died with her baby son
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
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
Name	Date of death	Age	Details
Tarlach Ó Raifeartaigh	January 1st	-	Educationalist
Seán MacEntee	January 10th	94	Fianna Fáil TD and Tánaiste from 1959 to 1965 Last surviving member of the First Dáil
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
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

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