1954 in Ireland

← 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1954 in Ireland → 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s
See also:	1954 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1954 List of years in Ireland

Events from the year1954 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President:Seán T. O'Kelly
• Taoiseach:
  • Éamon de Valera(FF) (until 2 June 1954)
  • John A. Costello(FG) (from 2 June 1954)
• Tánaiste:
  • Seán Lemass(FF) (until 2 June 1954)
  • William Norton(Lab) (from 2 June 1954)
• Minister for Finance:
  • Seán MacEntee(FF) (until 2 June 1954)
  • Gerard Sweetman(FG) (from 2 June 1954)
• Chief Justice:Conor Maguire
• Dáil:
  • 14th(until 23 April 1954)
  • 15th(from 2 June 1954)
• Seanad:
  • 7th(until 7 July 1954)
  • 8th(from 22 July 1954)

Events

• 1 January – 1954 was the firstMarian year.There were many events and devotions toMary, mother of Jesus,and shrines and statues were erected in public places.
• 11 January – The Irish Council of the European Movement was formed inDublin.
• 19 January – The government announced that the newCork Airportwould be built atBallygarvan, County Cork.
• 19 February – CaptainHenry Harrison,the last surviving member of the party led byCharles Stewart Parnell,died aged 87.
• 20 April – MurdererMichael Manning,aged 25, was executed inMountjoy Prison.He was the last person to be judicially executed in the state.
• 5 May – At its headquarters in Kingsbridge, transport companyCIÉsigned a £4.75 million contract to replace itssteam locomotiveswith diesels.
• 16 May – Thirty thousand people marched through Dublin in a Marian year procession, the city's greatest display of Catholic faith since theEucharistic congressof 1932.
• 18 May –1954 Irish general election:TheFianna Fáilparty lost four seats. The second inter-party government underJohn A. Costellocame to power when the members of the15th Dáilassembled on 2 June.
• 25 May – Joe 'Spud' Murphy establishedTaytocrisps in two rented rooms on O'Rahilly's Parade, offMoore Street,Dublin
• 12 June – AnIrish Republican Army(IRA) unit carried out a successful arms raid onGough BarracksinArmagh,signalling the renewal of IRA activity following a long hiatus.
• 28 June –Alfie Byrnewas electedLord Mayor of Dublinfor the tenth time.
• 5 July –Dublin Corporationdecided thatNelson's PillaronO'Connell Streetin Dublin would not be removed.
• 5 September – Twenty seven people died whenKLM Flight 633crashed two minutes after leavingShannon Airport.
• 8 September –Marian College, Dublinopened for the first time.
• Undated
  • Entrepreneur Joe "Spud" Murphy (1923–2001) established theTaytocompany to manufacturecrisps.
  • TheEvening Pressnewspaper was launched in Dublin.

Arts and literature

• 16 June – The first public celebration ofBloomsdaytook place in Dublin. WritersFlann O'Brien,Patrick Kavanagh,andAnthony Cronintravelled in a horse-drawn coach stopping at numerous pubs to retrace the steps of the characters from James Joyce's novelUlysses.
• 16 October – A marble plaque was unveiled atWestland Row,Dublin, to mark the centenary of the birth of writerOscar Wilde.
• 19 November –Brendan Behan's first play,The Quare Fellow,premièred at thePike Theatre,Dublin.
• The firstCork International Choral and Folk Dance Festivalwas held.
• English-born painterDerek Hillsettled at St Columb's Rectory, nearChurchill, County Donegal.
• Publication ofChristy Brown's autobiographyMy Left Foot.
• Publication ofIris Murdoch's first novel,Under the Net.

Sport

Association football

League of Ireland

Winners:Shamrock Rovers

FAI Cup

Winners:Drumcondra1–0St Patrick's Athletic.

Births

• 3 January –Fintan Cullen,art historian and writer.
• 10 January –Bairbre de Brún,Sinn FéinMember of the European Parliament(MEP) and first Sinn Féin politician to represent Northern Ireland in theEuropean Parliament.
• 22 January –Ger Fennelly,Kilkennyhurler.
• 26 January –Sean O'Callaghan,Provisional Irish Republican Armymember andGarda Síochánainformer (died in 2017).
• 8 March –Dermot Keely,soccer player and manager.
• 12 March –Francis Martin O'Donnell,United Nationsofficial.
• 6 April –Billy Fitzpatrick,Kilkennyhurler.
• 11 April –Michael Lyster,RTÉsports broadcaster.
• 15 April – Michael Willis, only official IRA member to escape from Crumlin Road prison.
• 25 April –Róisín Shortall,Labour PartyTeachta Dála(TD) forDublin North-West.
• 29 April –Gavan O'Herlihy,actor.
• 30 April –Gerry Daly,soccer player.
• 5 May –Ger Henderson,Kilkennyhurler.
• 13 May –Johnny Logan,singer and songwriter (born in Australia).
• 25 May –Daragh O'Malley,actor.
• 6 June –Tim O'Reilly,computer software promoter.
• 6 July –Tim Kennelly,Gaelic footballerwithKerry(died 2005).
• 23 July –Arthur Morgan,Provisional Irish Republican Armyprisoner,Sinn FéinTD forLouth.
• 27 July –Pat Delaney,Offalyhurler.
• 28 July –Mikey Sheehy,Gaelic footballer (Kerry).
• 3 August –George Birmingham,Fine Gaelpolitician.
• 5 August –Paddy Glackin,fiddle player.
• 12 August –Brian Cody,Kilkennyhurler, manager.
• 22 August –Jimmy Barry-Murphy,hurler and Gaelic footballer (St. Finbarr's,Cork,Munster).
• 8 September –Áine Brady,Fianna FáilTD forKildare North.
• 3 October –Mick Holden,Gaelic footballer and hurler (died in 2007).
• 8 October –Tony Ward,international rugby player and sports journalist.
• 16 October
  • Bertie Óg Murphy,Corkhurler and manager.
  • Noel Slevin,journalist.
• 2 November –Martin Cullen,Fianna FáilTD representingWaterfordand Cabinet Minister.
• 11 December –Noel Lane,Galwayhurler and manager.
• 17 December –Síle de Valera,Fianna FáilTD representingClare,Minister and MEP.

• Catherine Dunne,novelist.
• Harry O'Donoghue,musician and songwriter.
• Eugene Sheehy,Group Chief Executive ofAllied Irish BankPlc.

Deaths

• 2 February –Áine Ceannt,revolutionary activist and humanitarian (born 1880).
• 20 April –Michael Manning,carter, convicted of murder and hanged, last person executed in theRepublic of Ireland(born 1929).
• 1 May –James Macmahon,civil servant and businessman,Under-Secretary for Irelandfrom 1918 to 1922 (born 1865).
• 2 May –Elinor Darwin,engraver and portrait painter (born 1871).
• 20 May –Roger Sweetman,barrister-at-law, member of1st DáilrepresentingNorth Wexford(born 1874).
• 8 July –George Gardiner,boxer (born 1877).
• 11 September –R. M. Smyllie,editor ofThe Irish Times(born1894 in Scotland).
• 16 September –James G. Douglas,member of the1922 Seanad(born 1887).
• 21 October –T. V. Honan,merchant,Fianna Fáilmember of theSeanad(born 1878).