1939 in Ireland

← 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1939 in Ireland → 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s
See also:	1939 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1939 List of years in Ireland

Events from the year1939 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President:Douglas Hyde
• Taoiseach:Éamon de Valera(FF)
• Tánaiste:Seán T. O'Kelly(FF)
• Minister for Finance:
  • Seán MacEntee(FF) (until 16 September 1939)
  • Seán T. O'Kelly(FF) (from 16 September 1939)
• Chief Justice:Timothy Sullivan
• Dáil:10th
• Seanad:3rd

Events

• 11 January – The Congress of theIrish National Teachers' OrganisationinGalwaycalled onthe Governmentto abolish the ban on married women teachers.
• 12 February – The Department of External Affairs announced that it recognised the government ofFrancisco Francoin Spain.
• February – In hisLentenpastoral,Bishop Daniel Mageeanreferred to "A Protestant Parliament for a Protestant People".
• 12 March –TaoiseachÉamon de Valeraattended the coronation ofPope Pius XIIin Rome.
• 16 March – Éamon de Valera was greeted byBenito Mussoliniin Rome and a luncheon was held in his honour.
• 22 March –Irish neutralitywas discussed during aDáildebate on defence estimates. The Government considered the implications for the export market to Britain if a neutral stand was taken.
• 30 March – The Treason Bill passed its fifth and final stage inDáil Éireann.
• 9 April – TheGaelic Athletic Associationvoted to keep the name of the President,Douglas Hyde,off its list of patrons. The situation arose when Hyde attended an international soccer game.
• 15 April – BoxerJack Doylemarried Mexican film actressMovita Castanedain a civil ceremony inEnsenada, Baja California,Mexico.
• 17 April – ThePrime Minister of Northern Ireland,Lord Craigavon,dismissed as cowardly the Irish Government's position of neutrality.
• 19 April – In a speech toSeanad ÉireannTaoiseach Éamon de Valera referred to the dropping of all references to the King and Great Britain from new Irish passports.
• 30 April – The1939 New York World's Fairopened with an Ireland pavilion designed byMichael Scott.
• 4 May – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland announced that conscription would not be extended toNorthern Ireland.
• 18 May – The Earl of Iveagh presented the Government with his townhouse inDublin.
• 2 June – The Treason Act 1939 became law: a sentence of death could be passed on anyone convicted of "levying war against the State."
• 29 June –Clann na Talmhan,the National Agricultural Party, was founded inAthenry.
• 1 July – TheIrish Red CrossSociety was established.
• 1 September –A state of emergencywas declared by the Government when Germany invaded Poland.
• 2 September – Taoiseach Éamon de Valera told the Dáil that Ireland will remain neutral in the European War.
• 3 September
  • TheEmergency Powers Act 1939came into force as Britain and France declared war onNazi Germany.
  • TheMarine and Coastwatching Servicewas set up.
  • BritishlinerSSAtheniabecame the first civilian casualty of the war when she wastorpedoedand sunk by German submarineGerman submarineU-30betweenRockallandTory Island;theKnut Nelson(Norway) landed 450 of the survivors inGalway.
• 18 September –John F. Kennedyflew fromFoynes,County Limerick for his first transatlantic flight, toPort Washington, New York,after helping with arrangements for survivors of the SSAthenia.
• 9 September – Billed as "The Last Race in Europe" until after World War II, the Irish Motor Racing Club held itsPhoenix ParkRace; this included motorcycle and car races.
• 11 September – The Irish-flagged tankerInverliffeywas shelled and sunk by the Nazi submarine,U-38.The U-boat towed the lifeboats away from the blazing oil.
• 13 September – TheMinister for Supplies,Seán Lemass,introduced petrol rationing.
• 6 October – Austriantheoretical physicistErwin Schrödingertook up residence in Dublin at the invitation of Éamon de Valera.
• 30 October – More than two dozen air-raid sirens, acquired byDublin Corporation,were tested across Dublin.
• November – The teenageBrendan Behan,at this time a member of theIrish Republican Army,was arrested inLiverpoolfor possession of explosives.
• December – TheSupreme Court of Irelanddeclared the detention without trial of Irish Republican Army members to be illegal.
• 10 December – The GermanNazi propagandaradio station Irland-Redaktion began broadcasting to Ireland in theIrish language.
• 23 December – A million rounds of ammunition were stolen from the national arsenal at thePhoenix Parkby the Irish Republican Army.

Arts and literature

• 31 January –Lord Longfordbegan a series ofChekhovproductions at theGate Theatrein Dublin withThe Cherry Orchard.
• February – English novelistT. H. Whitesettled at Doolistown inCounty Meath;he lived in Ireland until 1946.
• 13 March –Flann O'Brien'sAt Swim-Two-Birdswas published in London.
• 4 May –James Joyce'sFinnegans Wakewas published complete in London.
• 18 May –Louis MacNeice'sAutumn Journal: a poemwas published in London.
• July –W. B. Yeats'Last Poems and Two Playswere published posthumously in London.
• 10 October –Robert Collis's playMarrowbone Lanewas premiered at theGate Theatre,Dublin, starringWilfrid Brambell.
• Autumn
  • English paintersKenneth Halland his loverBasil RakocziofThe White Stag groupmoved from London to Ireland.
  • English novelistEthel Manninsettled inConnemara.
• English-born Irish composerElizabeth Maconchyreturned to Ireland from England, living in Dublin for a brief period, during which she composed her Fifth String Quartet.
• Peig Sayers' stories and anecdotes about life onGreat Blasket Islandare published asMaċtnaṁ seana-ṁnáin Dublin.

Sport

Football

League of Ireland

Winners:Shamrock Rovers

FAI Cup

Winners:Shelbourne1–1, 1–0Sligo Rovers.English footballer,Dixie Deanplayed in the final for Rovers.

Golf

• Irish Openwas won byArthur Lees(England).

Births

• 7 January –Tom Kiernan,rugby player and coach.
• 25 January –Dermot Clifford,Roman CatholicArchbishopof theArchdiocese of Cashel and Emly.
• 2 February –Desmond O'Malley,politician, TD (1968–2002) and leader of theProgressive Democrats(1985-1993) (died2021).
• 19 February –Ted Carroll,Kilkennyhurler(died1995).
• 25 March –Tom Fitzgerald,Fianna Fáil Senator.
• 1 April –Joe Jacob,Fianna Fáil TD andMinister of State.
• 11 April –Joe Burke,accordionist (died 2021).
• 13 April –Seamus Heaney,poet (died 2013).
• 24 April –Joe McCartin,Member of the European Parliament,Senator.
• 3 May –Ken Hope,cricketer.
• 9 May –Pádraig Flynn,Fianna Fáil TD, Cabinet Minister andEuropean Commissioner.
• 19 May –John Sheahan,violinist, folk musician and composer, withThe Dubliners.
• 29 May –Mary Banotti,Fine Gaelpolitician.
• 25 June –Garech Browne,patron of the arts (died 2018).
• 5 July –Hugh Byrne(died 2023).
• 11 July –Mick Brown,football scout.
• 16 August –Seán Brady,Archbishop of Armaghand Primate of All Ireland.
• 21 August –Ray McLoughlin,international rugby player.
• 5 September –Mark Killilea Jnr,Fianna Fáil TD and Member of the European Parliament.
• 10 September –Edward Plunkett, 20th Baron of Dunsany,artist.
• 12 September –Patrick Harrington,Bishopof theRoman Catholic Diocese of LodwarinKenya.
• 11 October –Austin Currie,founder-member of theSocial Democratic and Labour Partyand Fine Gael TD (died2021).
• 16 October –Joe Dolan,singer (died 2007).
• 27 October –Thady Wyndham-Quin, 7th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl,peer.
• October – Frank Columb, writer.
• 2 November –John Buckley,Bishop of Cork and Ross (1997 – ).
• November –Ollie Conmy,international soccer player.
• 16 December –Barney McKenna,musician.

  Full date unknown

  • Michael Coady,poet, short story writer, local historian, genealogist, photographer, journalist and musician (died2024).
  • Paddy FitzGerald,Corkhurler.
  • Alice Hanratty,painter and printmaker.
  • Paddy Moran,Kilkennyhurler.
  • Denis Murphy,Corkhurler.
  • Éamonn O'Doherty,sculptor (died 2011).

Deaths

• 28 January –W. B. Yeats,poet and dramatist, in France (born 1865).
• 2 February –Amanda McKittrick Ros,novelist and poet (born 1860).
• 9 May –Mary Williams,previously Mary, Lady Heath, aviator, athlete and writer (born 1896).
• 9 June –Owen Moore,actor (born 1886).
• 28 June –James Charles Dowdall,businessman and independent member of the 1922Seanad(born 1873).
• 19 July –John Cassidy,sculptor and painter (born 1860).
• 20 August –Edward Bulfin,Britishgeneral during World War I (born 1862).
• 8 September –Maurice George Moore,soldier and independent member of the 1922 Seanad (born 1854).
• 15 September –William MacCarthy-Morrogh,cricketer (born 1870).
• 20 September –Andrew Claude de la Cherois Crommelin,astronomer (born 1865).
• 10 November –Charlotte Despard,suffragist,novelistandSinn Féinactivist (born 1844).
• 14 December –Samuel Lombard Brown,independent member of 1922 Seanad and barrister (born 1858).