1968 in Ireland

← 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1968 in Ireland → 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s
See also:	1968 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1968 List of years in Ireland

Events in the year1968 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President:Éamon de Valera
• Taoiseach:Jack Lynch(FF)
• Tánaiste:Frank Aiken(FF)
• Minister for Finance:Charles Haughey(FF)
• Chief Justice:Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh
• Dáil:18th
• Seanad:11th

Events

• 8 January –TaoiseachJack LynchandNorthern Ireland Prime MinisterTerence O'Neillmet for talks inDublin.
• 10 March –Minister for EducationDonogh O'Malleydied while campaigning inCounty Clare.
• 17 March – A seat to commemorate the poetPatrick Kavanaghwas unveiled beside theGrand Canalin Dublin.
• 24 March – TheAer Lingusaircraft,St Phelim,plunged into theIrish Seanear theTuskar Rock lighthousekilling all 57 passengers.
• 14 May –King BaudouinandQueen Fabiolaof Belgium began astate visitto Ireland.Astate dinnerwas held in their honour atÁras an Uachtaráinthis evening.
• 15 May – The King and Queen of Belgium visitedTrinity College Dublin,University College Dublin,and theNational Museum.They also visited theLord Mayor of Dublin,Frank Cluskey,at theMansion House,and attended a state banquet atDublin Castlein the evening.
• 16 May – The King and Queen of Belgium attended a party at theAbbey Theatrein Dublin.
• 17 May – The King and Queen of Belgium paid a second visit to Áras an Uachtaráin where Baudouin playedhurlingwithPresidentÉamon de ValeraandTaoiseachJack Lynch.The royal couple each planted a tree in the garden of the residence.The President, the Taoiseach, andMinister for External Affairs,Frank Aikenlater accompanied the king and queen to a farewell ceremony atDublin Airport.
• 29 May – President de Valera opened theJohn F. Kennedy Arboretumand Memorial Park inNew Ross,County Wexford.
• 6 June – Ireland mourned the loss of assassinatedUnited States SenatorRobert F. Kennedy.Dáil Éireannpaid tribute and a book of condolence was opened.
• 5 October – Police inDerrybaton-chargeda Northern Ireland civil rights march.
• 8 October – Twenty new traffic wardens were introduced on Dublin's streets.
• 16 October – The1968 Irish constitutional referendumwas held proposing changes to the electoral system. The proposals were rejected.
• 25 October – TheNew University of Ulsteropened inColeraine,County Londonderry.
• 27 October – TheStandard Time Act 1968stipulated thatIrish Standard TimeisUTC+1(Central European Time) and clocks were not to be turned back one hour during winter.
• 13 December – According to theEconomic and Social Research Institute60 percent of undergraduates in Ireland would emigrate upon graduation.
• County Hall, Corkwas opened; at the time it was thetallest storeyed building in Ireland.

Arts and literature

• 28 February – The first English-language production ofSamuel Beckett'sCome and Gowas performed at thePeacock Theatrein Dublin.
• Tom Murphy's playsFamine(21 March) andThe Orphans(7 October) were first produced in Dublin (at theAbbeyandGate Theatresrespectively).

Sports

• 29 May –Tony DunneandGeorge Bestbecame the first Irish footballers to collectEuropean Cupwinner's medals asManchester United F.C.defeatedBenficain the final atWembley Stadium.
• 1 September –WexfordbeatTipperary5–8 to 3–12 in theAll Ireland Senior Hurling FinalatCroke Park,Dublin.
• 18 September – George Best was the star attraction as Manchester United beat Waterford City 3–1 at theLansdowne Roadstadium in Dublin.
• 22 September –DowndefeatedKerry2–12 to 1–13 in theAll Ireland Senior Football Final.

Births

• 12 January –Michael Moynihan,Fianna FáilTeachta Dála(TD) forCork North-West.
• 15 January –Tom Murphy,actor (died 2007).
• 19 January –Fiona O'Malley,Progressive DemocratsTD,Senator.
• 20 January
  • TS O'Rourke,writer.
  • Charlie Swan,jockey and trainer.
• 23 January –Simon Cumbers,journalist (murdered 2004 inSaudi Arabia).
• 21 February –Michael Duignan,Offalyhurler and Gaelic footballer, manager.
• 24 March –Conor Hoey,cricketer.
• 26 March –Nick Sweeney,discus thrower.
• 24 April –Aidan Gillen,born Murphy, actor.
• May –Linda Doyle,electrical engineer, provost of Trinity College Dublin.
• 22 May –Graham Linehan,television writer and director.
• 31 May –John Connolly,novelist.
• 7 June –Robbie Horgan,association football player.
• 28 July –Eoin Collins,tennis player.
• 11 August –Alan Kelly, Jr.,English-born Irish international footballer.
• 24 August –Keelin Shanley,television news presenter (died 2020).
• 10 September –Mark Little,journalist and television presenter.
• 15 September –James O'Higgins Norman,academic and author.
• 23 October –Eddie Gormley,association football player and manager.
• 24 October –Tom McEllistrim,Fianna Fáil party TD forKerry North.
• 12 November –Sharon Shannon,accordion player and musician.
• 20 December –Paul Gogarty,Green PartyTD.
• 16 November –Panti(Rory O'Neill),drag queen.
• 27 November –Cecilia Keaveney,Fianna Fáil party TD,Senator.

Full date unknown

• Patrick Chapman,poet and screenwriter.
• Fergus Feehily,artist.
• Justin Quinn,poet and literary critic.
• Colin Teevan,playwright, radio dramatist, translator and academic.

Deaths

• 1 January –Donagh MacDonagh,writer and judge (born 1912).
• 19 January – SirAlfred Chester Beatty,mining magnate and benefactor (born 1875).
• February –Joan de Sales La Terriere,socialite, equestrienne and divorcée (born 1889).
• 8 February –Louise McIlroy,Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the London School of Medicine for Women (born 1874).
• 10 March –Donogh O'Malley,Fianna Fáil TD and Cabinet minister (born 1921).
• 24 March –Gladys Wynne,artist (born 1876).
• 16 July –William John Leech,painter (born 1881).
• 11 September –Denis McCullough,member of theIrish Volunteerselected to thefourth Dáil(born 1883).
• 31 October –William O'Brien,politician and trade unionist (born 1881).
• 2 November
  • Don Davern,Fianna Fáil TD forTipperary Southfrom 1965 until his death (born 1935).
  • Estella Solomons,painter (born 1882).
• 7 November –Margaret Mary Pearse,Fianna Fáil TD andSeanad Éireannmember, sister ofPatrick Pearse(born 1878).
• 24 December –Eamon Bulfin,Irish republican (born 1892).

Full date unknown

• William Conor,artist (born 1881).
• Harry Duggan,soccer player (born 1903).

See also

• 1968 in Irish television