1973 in Ireland

← 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1973 in Ireland → 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
See also:	1973 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1973 List of years in Ireland

Events in the year1973 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President:
  • Éamon de Valera(until 24 June 1973)
  • Erskine H. Childers(from 25 June 1973)
• Taoiseach:
  • Jack Lynch(FF) (until 14 March 1973)
  • Liam Cosgrave(FG) (from 14 March 1973)
• Tánaiste:
  • Erskine H. Childers(FF) (until 14 March 1973)
  • Brendan Corish(Lab) (from 14 March 1973)
• Minister for Finance:
  • George Colley(FF) (until 14 March 1973)
  • Richie Ryan(FG) (from 14 March 1973)
• Chief Justice:
  • Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh(until 22 September 1973)
  • William FitzGerald(from 25 September 1973)
• Dáil:
  • 19th(until 5 February 1973)
  • 20th(from 14 March 1973)
• Seanad:
  • 12th(until 30 March 1973)
  • 13th(from 1 June 1973)

Events

• 1 January – Ireland joined theEuropean Economic Community(EEC) along with the United Kingdom and Denmark.
• 5 January – TheFifth Amendment of the Constitution of Irelandwas signed into law, removing the "special position" of theRoman Catholic Churchand recognition of certain other named religions.
• 6 January –Patrick Hillerywas appointed Social Affairs Commissioner of the EEC.
• 28 February – TheNational Coalitionof theFine Gaelparty andLabour Partywon thegeneral election,ending 16 years ofFianna Fáilparty government.
• 8 March
  • Northern Ireland sovereignty referendum(the "Border Poll" ): 98.9percent of voters wanted Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom. Turnout was 58.7percent overall, but fewer than one percent among Catholics.
  • Provisional Irish Republican Army(IRA) bombs exploded inWhitehalland theOld BaileyinLondon.
• 14 March – The newTaoiseach(prime minister),Liam Cosgrave,received his seal of office fromPresidentÉamon de Valeraat the President's residence,Áras an Uachtaráin.
• 25 March – The first edition of theSunday Worldnewspaper, printed in Dublin, went on sale.
• 2 April – TheCivil Authorities (Special Powers) Act (Northern Ireland) 1922was replaced by theNorthern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Actabolishing the death penalty for murder in Northern Ireland and establishing theDiplock courts.
• 11 April – The funeral took place of the former Archbishop of Dublin,John Charles McQuaid.
• 16 April – IRA chiefSeán Mac Stíofáinwas freed from jail.
• 28 April – Six men, includingJoe Cahill,were arrested by theIrish Naval ServiceoffCounty Waterfordon board a coaster carrying five tons of weapons destined for the IRA.
• 30 May – In the1973 presidential election,Fianna Fáil party candidateErskine Childersbeat Fine Gael party candidateTom O'Higgins,and was inaugurated atDublin Castle,on his father's birthday anniversary on June 25th, as Ireland's fourth president.
• 6 June –Irish Continental Line(a joint venture betweenIrish Shipping Limited,Fearnley & Eger and Swedish companyLion Ferry) began operation with MSSaint Patrickon theRosslare–Le Havreroute.
• 24 June – President Éamon de Valera retired from office aged 90. He travelled toBoland's Mill,where he was positioned during theEaster Rising.The motorcade then proceeded to Talbot Lodge nursing home inBlackrockwhere he spent his retirement.
• 28 June – TheNorthern Ireland Assembly electiontook place.
• 10 July – The funeral of GeneralSeán Mac Eointook place inBallinalee,County Longford.
• 18 July – The office ofGovernor of Northern Ireland,at this time held byThe Lord Grey of Naunton,was abolished under Section 32 of theNorthern Ireland Constitution Act.TheSecretary of State for Northern Ireland,aUK cabinetoffice created in 1972, took over the functions of the Governor on 20 December 1973 underletters patent.
• 27 July – The government lifted colour restrictionsonRTÉtelevision transmissions.
• 31 July – The Civil Service (Employment of Married Women) Act 1973 removed the prohibition on married women working in the civil service.
• 31 July – The first sitting of theNorthern Ireland Assemblytook place.
• 1 September
  • The deepest underwater rescue ever performed took place 150 miles southwest ofCounty Corkwhen the submarinePisces IIIgot into difficulties while laying a transatlantic telephone cable on the seabed. The crew,Roger Mallinson and Roger Chapman,were rescued by an international group of vessels after three days, having sunk to a depth of 1,575 feet below sea level on 29 August.
  • The27 Infantry Battalionof theIrish Armywas formed, with headquarters atAiken Barracks,Dundalk.
• 10 October – TheDalai LamaTenzin Gyatso,on his first visit to Ireland, went to Áras an Uachtaráin where he was welcomed by President Childers.
• 31 October –Mountjoy Prison helicopter escape:Three IRA prisoners escaped fromMountjoy Prisonin Dublin in a hijacked helicopter that landed in the prison yard.
• 1 November –James Flanaganbecame the first Roman CatholicChief Constableof theRoyal Ulster Constabulary.
• 9 December – TheSunningdale Agreementwas signed by British Prime MinisterEdward Heath,TaoiseachLiam Cosgrave,Brian Faulkner,Gerry FittandOliver Napier.

Arts and literature

• 7 August –Hugh Leonard's playDawas staged for the first time in the United States (the Irish première was on 8 October at theOlympia Theatrein Dublin).
• February –Iris Murdoch's novelThe Black Princewas published.
• September –HorslipsalbumThe Táinwas recorded and released.

Sports

Association football

International results

World Cup qualifiers

• 13 May –Soviet Union1–0Ireland.

• 19 May –France1–1 Ireland.

Ireland did not qualify for the 1974 World Cup.

Internationalfriendlymatches

• 16 May –Poland2–0 Ireland.

• 6 June –Norway1–1 Ireland.

• 21 October – Ireland 1–0 Poland.

Single-handed sailing

• Anglo-IrishsailorBill Kingcompleted a three-year solo worldcircumnavigationat the third attempt in hisjunk-riggedschoonerGalway Blazer II.

Births

• 12 March –Mark Daly,Fianna FáilSenator.
• 17 March –Caroline Corr,drummer withThe Corrs.
• 23 March –Brian Corcoran,CorkGaelic footballer and hurler.
• 26 March –James Keddy,association football player.
• 29 April –Mike Hogan,bass guitarist withThe Cranberries.
• 5 May –Kevin McBride,boxer.
• 7 May –Rick O'Shea,radio disc jockey.
• 10 May –Dara Calleary,Fianna FáilTeachta Dála(TD) forMayo.
• 14 May –Sinéad O'Carroll,singer and musician.
• 25 May –Joe Dunne,association football player.
• 28 May –Ryan Tubridy,television and radio presenter.
• 12 June –Amanda Brunker,Miss Ireland and journalist.
• 5 July –Róisín Murphy,singer, songwriter and producer.
• 30 July –Dave Savage,association football player.
• 2 August –Stephen McGuinness,association football player.
• 21 August –Mickey Joe Harte,singer-songwriter.
• 5 September –Robbie Brunton,association football player (died 2020).
• 17 September –Mark Kenny,association football player.
• 19 September –Nick Colgan,association football player.
• 22 September –Trevor Brennan,international rugby player.
• 30 October –Anthony Foley,international rugby player (died 2016).
• 2 November –John Hayes,rugby player.
• 5 November –Gráinne Seoige,journalist, television presenter.
• 14 November –Andrew Strong,actor and singer.
• 2 December –Graham Kavanagh,association football player.
• 7 December –Damien Rice,singer songwriter.
• 14 December –Pat Burke,basketball player.
• 14 December –Amanda Byram,television presenter.
• 24 December –Oisin Fagan,boxer.

Full date unknown

• Claire Kilroy,novelist.
• Oisín McGann,author and illustrator.
• Seánie McMahon,Clarehurler.
• Sarah O'Flaherty,television presenter.
• Caitriona O'Reilly,poet and critic.

Deaths

• 5 January –Gerald Boland,founder member of the Fianna Fáil party, government minister (born 1885).
• 10 January –Denis Rolleston Gwynn,journalist, author, and professor of Modern Irish History (born 1893).
• 12 January –Maurice Collis,colonial administrator and writer (born 1889).
• 19 January –Max Adrian,actor (born 1903).
• 31 January –Jack MacGowran,actor (born 1918).
• January –Willie Clancy,uileann piper (born 1918).
• 22 February –Elizabeth Bowen,novelist and short story writer (born 1899).
• 13 March –Eddie Ingram,cricketer (born 1910).
• 8 April –E. R. Dodds,classical scholar (born 1893).
• 9 April –Warren Lewis,soldier and historian, brother ofC. S. Lewis(born 1895).
• 17 May –Lory Meagher,Kilkennyhurler (born 1899).
• 18 May –Ronald Ossory Dunlop,painter and author (born 1894).
• 21 May –Eugene O'Callaghan,Bishop of Clogher1943–1969 (born 1888).
• 24 May –Bryan Cusack,doctor,Sinn FéinpartyMember of Parliament(MP), member of thefirst Dáil(born 1882).
• 7 April –John Charles McQuaid,Catholic Archbishop of DublinandPrimate of Ireland(born 1895).
• 7 July –Seán MacEoin,major general, former Fine Gael TD and cabinet minister (born 1893).
• 25 July –Michael Davern,Fianna Fáil TD forTipperary South1948–1965 (born 1900).
• 18 August –Basil Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough,Ulster Unionist PartyMP, thirdPrime Minister of Northern Ireland(born 1888).
• 21 August –Dinny Barry-Murphy,Corkhurler (born 1903).
• 20 September –Patrick O'Keeffe,member of First Dáil representingNorth Cork.
• 26 October –Tomás Bairéad,journalist and author (born 1893).
• 31 October – Elizabeth Watkins, born in Ireland, died as the oldest person in the world (born 1863).
• 4 December –Tom McEllistrim,Fianna Fáil TD (born 1894).

See also

• 1973 in Irish television