1987 in Ireland

← 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1987 in Ireland → 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
See also:	1987 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1987 List of years in Ireland

Events from the year1987 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President:Patrick Hillery
• Taoiseach:
  • Garret FitzGerald(FG) (until 10 March 1987)
  • Charles Haughey(FF) (from 10 March 1987)
• Tánaiste:
  • Dick Spring(Lab) (until 20 January 1987)
  • Peter Barry(FG) (from 20 January 1987 until 10 March 1987)
  • Brian Lenihan(FF) (from 10 March 1987)
• Minister for Finance:
  • John Bruton(FG) (until 10 March 1987)
  • Ray MacSharry(FF) (from 10 March 1987)
• Chief Justice:Thomas Finlay
• Dáil:
  • 24th(until 20 January 1987)
  • 25th(from 10 March 1987)
• Seanad:
  • 17th(until 3 April 1987)
  • 18th(from 25 April 1987)

Events

January

• 1 January – Thehalfpenny coinwas withdrawn from circulation.
• 20 January –Labour Partyministers resigned from the government because of disagreement over budget proposals.

February

• 19 February – Ageneral electionreturned aFianna Fáilminority government after theFine Gael–Labour Partycoalition collapsed.Charles Haugheybecametaoiseachby one Dáil vote. The newProgressive Democratsparty won 14 seats.

March

• 11 March – Former taoiseachGarret FitzGeraldresigned as leader of the Fine Gael party and was succeeded byAlan Dukes.
• 22 March – TheIrish National Lotterywas launched.

May

• 8 May –Loughgall ambush:The BritishSpecial Air Servicekilled eightProvisional Irish Republican Army(IRA) members and a civilian inLoughgall,County Tyrone.
• 9 May –Johnny Loganwon theEurovision Song Contestfor Ireland with his own compositionHold Me Now,making him the only person to win the competition twice as a performer.
• 26 May – A referendum was held on theSingle European Act.Nearly 70% voted in favour of thetenth amendment to the Constitution.

July

• 26 July –Stephen Rochewon theTour de France,the first Irish cyclist to do so.

November

• 8 November –Remembrance Day bombing:Eleven people were killed and 63 were injured by an IRA bomb during aRemembrance Dayservice inEnniskillen.
• 10 November – The funeral took place of broadcasterEamonn Andrews.
• 29 November –Beaumont Hospitalopened in Dublin.

December

• 5 December –Downpatrick and Ardglass Railwaybegan public operation, the firstIrish gaugeheritage railwayin Ireland.
• Undated –Cooley Distillerybegan producingIrish whiskey.

Arts and literature

See also:1987 in Irish television

• U2releasedThe Joshua Treealbumto international acclaim.
• Maeve Binchy's novelFirefly Summerwas published.
• Roddy Doylepublished his first novel,The Commitments,the first volume ofThe Barrytown Trilogy,about a group of unemployed young people on the north side of Dublin who start a soul band.
• Kíla,thefolk/world musicgroup, was formed in theIrish languagesecondary school,Coláiste EoininCounty Dublin.

Sport

Association football

• 11 November –Irelandqualified for their first major international tournament when Scotland pulled off a shock 1–0 win inSofiaagainst Bulgaria.Gary Mackayscored the only goal with just three minutes left to put Ireland into theEuro 88tournament in West Germany.

Cycling

Stephen Roche

• 6 September – CyclistStephen Rochecompleted a remarkable treble by winning theGiro d'Italia,theTour de France,and theWorld Championship.

Gaelic football

• MeathdefeatedCorkby 1–14 to 0–11 to win theAll-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

Golf

• TheCarroll's Irish Opengolf tournament was won byBernhard Langer(West Germany).

Hurling

• GalwaydefeatedKilkennyby 1–12 to 0–9 to win theAll-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.

Births

Shane Long,born in January.

Shane Lowry,born in April.

• 2 January –Cathal Naughton,Corkhurler.
• 9 January –Nicola Coughlan,actress
• 22 January –Shane Long,association footballer.
• 24 January –Ruth Bradley,television actress.
• 30 January –Becky Lynch,professional wrestler.
• 4 February –Darren O'Dea,association footballer.
• 5 February –Denis McLaughlin,association footballer.
• 14 February –James Chambers,association footballer.
• 16 March –Diarmuid O'Carroll,association footballer.
• 2 April –Shane Lowry,golfer
• 13 April –Conor Sammon,association footballer.
• 23 April –Kelly Gough,actress.
• 12 May –Darren Randolph,association footballer.
• 20 May –Pa Cronin,Corkhurler.
• 21 May –Chris McCann,association footballer.
• 7 July –Diarmuid Connolly,DublinGaelic footballandhurlingplayer.
• 9 July –Jonny Hayes,association footballer.
• 28 September –Gary Deegan,association footballer.
• 2 June –Graeme Mulcahy,hurler (Kilmallock,Limerick).
• 2 October –Séamus Hickey,hurler (Murroe-Boher,Limerick).
• 11 October –Richie McCarthy,hurler (Blackrock,Limerick).
• 16 October –Eric McGill,association footballer.
• 9 November –Tom Condon,hurler (Limerick).
• 14 November –Brian Gleeson,actor
• 16 November –T. J. Reid,Kilkennyhurler.
• 13 December –Billy Clarke,association footballer.

Deaths

• 2 January –Roger McHugh,professor, author and playwright (born 1908).
• 4 January –Eudie Coughlan,Corkhurler (born 1900).
• 14 January –Ewart Milne,poet (born 1903).
• January –Billy King,cricketer (born 1902).
• 8 April –Kevin McNamara,Archbishop of Dublin (born 1926).
• 19 April –Con Cremin,diplomat (born 1908).
• 22 April –Bill Hayes,association footballer (born 1915).
• 23 April –Oliver J. Flanagan,Fine Gaelteachta dála(TD) and cabinet minister (born 1920).
• 27 April –Maurice Gibson,Northern Irish judge (born 1913).
• 8 May –Jim Lynagh,Provisional Irish Republican Army(IRA) member killed in an ambush by the BritishSpecial Air Serviceduring an IRA attack onLoughgallRoyal Ulster Constabulary station (born 1956).
• 22 June –John Hewitt,poet (born 1907).
• 30 June –Tommy O'Connor,association footballer.
• 20 July –Denis J. O'Sullivan,Fine GaelTD (born 1918).
• 18 October –Michael Lipper,Labour PartyTD (born 1932).
• 25 October –Ivan Beshoff,last survivor of the RussianPotemkinmutiny(born 1882/4 in the Russian Empire).
• 29 October –Monk Gibbon,poet and author (born 1896).
• 5 November –Eamonn Andrews,broadcaster (born 1922).
• 25 November –James McDyer,Roman Catholic priest and community leader (born 1910).
• 8 December –Peadar Livingstone,priest and historian (born 1930).
• 9 December –Seán Brosnahan,Treasurer Irish National Teachers Organisation, member of theSeanad(Senate) from 1961 to 1977 (born 1911).

Full date unknown

• Jimmy Warnock,boxer (born 1912).