1923 in Ireland

← 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1923 in Ireland → 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s
See also:	1923 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1923 List of years in Ireland

Events from the year1923 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• Governor-General:Tim Healy
• President of the Executive Council:W. T. Cosgrave(CnaG)
• Vice-President of the Executive Council:Kevin O'Higgins(CnaG)
• Minister for Finance:
  • W. T. Cosgrave(CnaG) (until 21 September 1923)
  • Ernest Blythe(CnaG) (from 21 September 1923)
• Dáil:
  • 3rd(until 9 August 1923)
  • 4th(from 19 September 1923)

Events

• 10 January – an order is signed creating theRevenue Commissioners.
• 13 January – Beechpark, the residence ofPresidentW. T. CosgraveinDublin,is set on fire.
• 16 January –Provisional Government of Irelandtakes office.
• 22 January – theMinister for Education,Eoin MacNeill,announces that Irish is to become a subject for examination in the Civil Service.
• 18 February – an amnesty forIRAIrregulars expires on this day. It was introduced by theMinister for Home Affairs,Kevin O'Higgins.
• 1 April – the Provisional Government establishescustomsposts on the border with Northern Ireland.
• 11 April –Liam Lynch,Chief of Staff of the Irregulars, is wounded and captured by the Free State'sNational Armyin theKnockmealdown Mountains.His subsequent death inClonmelis also announced by the army.
• 14 April –Austin Stackis captured by National Army troops at the foot of the Knockmealdown Mountains.
• 30 April – thousands turn up to greetJim Larkinas he returns to Ireland after a nine-year absence in the United States.
• 28 May – the Government releases two captured documents issued by theIRAon 24 May. The letters, signed byÉamon de ValeraandFrank Aiken(the new Chief of Staff) call for the dumping of arms and the ending of armed struggle.TheCivil Waris officially over.
• 31 May – obelisk of 1736 commemorating theBattle of the Boyne(1690) at Oldbridge (County Meath) is blown up.
• 20 July –Éamon de Valeraappeals to the American Association for the Recognition of theIrish Republicfor $100,000 to fight the upcoming general election.
• August – the BritishRoyal Navypatrol ship HMYHelgais handed over to the IrishCoastal and Marine Serviceas thePublic Armed ShipMuirchú.
• 2 August –Joe Whittydies on an independenthunger strike,the first of three IRA men to die in the1923 Irish Hunger Strikes.
• 15 August –Éamon de Valerais arrested at an election meeting inEnnis,County Clare.
• 27 August –1923 Irish general election:Cumann na nGaedhealunderW. T. Cosgravewin most seats and form a minority government.
• 10 September – Ireland is admitted into theLeague of Nations.
• 17 September – 33 members present themselves atLeinster Housefor the swearing in of the newDáil.No anti-Treatyrepublicans attend.
• 19 September – theFourth Dáilmeets for the first time atLeinster House.Michael Hayesis electedCeann ComhairleandW. T. Cosgraveis electedPresident of the Executive Council.
• 13 October–23 November –1923 Irish Hunger Strikes:IRA prisoners in Irish gaols stage ahunger strike;two die.
• 15 October – theMallowViaduct over the River Blackwater is officially re-opened byPresidentW. T. Cosgrave.

  Full date unknown

  • TheRoyal Bank of Irelandbuys theIrish Free Statebusiness of theBelfast Banking Company,which in turn buys theNorthern Irelandbusiness of theRoyal Bank of Ireland.SeeAllied Irish Banks.
  • TheGeneral Assembly of the Church of Scotlandcalls for curbs on the immigration of Irish Catholics.

Arts and literature

• 11 April –Seán O'Casey's dramaThe Shadow of a Gunman,the first of his "Dublin Trilogy" (set in 1920), opens at theAbbey Theatre,Dublin.
• 14 November –W. B. Yeatsis awarded theNobel Prize for Literature.This year he also publishes his poetryThe Cat and the Moon(including "Leda and the Swan" ).
• Elizabeth Bowenpublishes her first book, a collection of short stories,Encounters,in London.
• Liam O'Flahertypublishes his first novel,Thy Neighbour's Wife.
• Mainie Jellett'sDecorationis among the firstabstract paintingsshown in Ireland when it is exhibited at the Society of Dublin Painters Group Show.

Sports

Bo xing

• World light heavyweight championship

  Winners:Mike McTiguedefeatedBattling Sikifor the title on St Patrick's Day, 1923, at La Scala Theatre, Dublin.

Football

• League of Ireland

  Winners:Shamrock Rovers

  FAI Cup

  Winners:Alton United1 - 0Shelbourne.Played atDalymount Park,Dublin, on 17 March 1923.

  Belfast side Alton United of the Falls District League are shock winners of theFree State CupbeatingShelbourne1–0 in the final atDalymount Park.Clubs and leagues in republican areas ofNorthern Irelandhad affiliated to theFA of the Irish Free Stateafter the 1921 split from the Belfast-basedIrish Football Association.

Gaelic Games

• The All-Ireland Champions areGalway(hurling) andDublin(Gaelic football)

Births

• 2 January –Cathal Goulding,Chief of Staffof theIrish Republican Armyand theOfficial IRA(died 1998).
• 15 January –Tommy Eglington,soccer player (died 2004).
• 31 January –Joseph Burke,cricketer (died 2005).
• 9 February –Brendan Behan,poet, novelist and playwright (died 1964).
• 20 March –Con Martin,soccer player and manager (died 2013).
• 8 April –Edward Mulhare,actor (died 1997).
• 2 May –Patrick Hillery,Fianna FáilTD,Cabinet Minister,European Commissionerand sixthPresident of Ireland(died 2008).
• 24 May –Siobhán McKenna,née Siobhán Giollamhuire Nic Cionnaith, actress (died 1986).
• May –Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin,journalist, author and broadcaster (died 2013).
• 3 June –Maureen Flavin Sweeney,postmistress (died 2023).
• 11 June –Seán Condon,Corkhurler (died 2001).
• 17 June –W. M. Gorman,economist (died 2003).
• 23 June –Peter Corr,international soccer player and father ofThe Corrsmembers (died 2001).
• 8 July –John Wilson,Fianna FáilTDand Cabinet Minister, previouslyCavanGaelic footballer(died 2007).
• 10 September –Mickey Byrne,Tipperaryhurler(died 2016).
• 23 September –Seán Treacy,Labour PartyTeachta DálaforTipperary South,Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann(died 2018).
• 8 October –Kathleen Mills,camogie player (died 1996).
• 29 October –Paddy Donegan,Fine GaelTDand Cabinet Minister (died 2000).
• 10 November –Tommy Moroney,soccer and rugby player (died 1981).
• 17 December –Dennis Flynn,soldier in Canada,Chairman of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto(died 2003).
• 21 December –Scott Huey,cricketer (died 2012).
• 25 December –Jim Tunney,Fianna FáilTD,Minister of State andLord Mayor of Dublin(died 2002).
• 28 December –Anthony Cronin,poet (died 2016).

Deaths

• 28 January –George Richardson,soldier, recipient of theVictoria Crossfor gallantry in 1859 atKewane Trans-Gogra,India (born1831).
• 25 March –Thomas Crean,surgeon, rugby player and soldier, recipient of theVictoria Crossfor gallantry in 1901 atTygerkloof Spruit,South Africa (born1873).
• 10 April –Liam Lynch,commanding general of theanti-Treaty Irish Republican Armyduring theIrish Civil War,shot and killed (born1893).
• 17 April –Laurence Ginnell,nationalist, lawyer and politician, member of1st Dáil(born1852).
• 23 April –Seán Etchingham,Sinn Féinpolitician, member of1st Dáil,Cabinet Minister (born1868).
• 29 April –Robert Carew, 3rd Baron Carew(born1860).
• 11 June –Herbert Trench,poet (born1865).
• 16 July –Sydney Mary Thompson,geologist and botanist (born1847).
• 9 August –O'Moore Creagh,soldier, recipient of theVictoria Crossfor gallantry in 1879 atKam Dakka,Afghanistan(born1848).
• 20 October –Thomas MacPartlin,trade union official, elected to1922 Seanad(born1879).
• 9 November –Maurice Healy,lawyer, politician andMP(born1859).
• 20 November –Denny Barry,Irish Republican,in1923 Irish Hunger Strikes(born1883).
• 22 November –Andy O'Sullivan,agriculturalist and Irish Republican, died after 40 days onhunger strikein St. Bricin's Military Hospital, Dublin in 1923 Irish Hunger Strikes (born1882).
• 5 December –Edward Martyn,playwright and activist (born1859).