1997 in Ireland

← 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1997 in Ireland → 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
See also:	1997 in Northern Ireland Other events of 1997 List of years in Ireland

Events from the year1997 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President:
  • Mary Robinson(until 12 September 1997)
  • Mary McAleese(from 11 November 1997)
• Taoiseach:
  • John Bruton(FG) (until 26 June 1997)
  • Bertie Ahern(FF) (from 26 June 1997)
• Tánaiste:
  • Dick Spring(Lab) (until 26 June 1997)
  • Mary Harney(PD) (from 26 June 1997)
• Minister for Finance:
  • Ruairi Quinn(Lab) (until 26 June 1997)
  • Charlie McCreevy(FF) (from 26 June 1997)
• Chief Justice:Liam Hamilton
• Dáil:
  • 27th(until 15 May 1997)
  • 28th(from 26 June 1997)
• Seanad:
  • 20th(until 10 July 1997)
  • 21st(from 17 September 1997)

Events

• 8 January – Russia sought to widen its ban on the importation of Irish beef due tobovine spongiform encephalopathy.
• 27 February – The new law providing for divorce came into effect.
• 6 March –Michael Lowryresigned as a member of theFine Gaelparty.
• 7 March –PresidentMary RobinsonmetPope John Paul IIin the Vatican.
• 17 March – The new national independent radio station,Radio Ireland,went on the air.
• 8 April – AuthorFrank McCourtwas awarded thePulitzer Prizefor his bookAngela's Ashes.
• 6 June – In thegeneral election,Fianna Fáilwon a plurality of seats and formed a coalition government with theProgressive Democrats.Bertie AhernreplacedJohn BrutonasTaoiseach,andMary Harneyof the Progressive Democrats becameTánaisteandMinister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
• 12 June – President Mary Robinson was appointedUN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
• 16 June –National University of Ireland, Maynoothcame into existence with the commencement of the Universities Act, 1997.
• 25 June – Film makers arrived for two months of shooting atCurracloe,County Wexford to re-create theD-Day Normandy invasionscenes forSteven Spielberg's filmSaving Private Ryan.
• 3 July – Taoiseach Bertie Ahern met United Kingdom Prime MinisterTony Blairfor the first time.
• 6–11 July –Nationalist riots in Northern Ireland:There was violence in nationalist areas of Northern Ireland after anOrange Orderparade was allowed down the Garvaghy Road by theRoyal Ulster ConstabularyinPortadownas part of theDrumcree conflict.
• 9 July – Counsel forCharles Haugheyadmitted that the former Taoiseach accepted £1.3 million from businessmanBen Dunne.
• 20 July – TheIrish Republican Armyinstituted a second ceasefire.
• 20 July – TheNational Famine Memorialis unveiled by President Mary Robinson inMurrisk,County Mayo.
• 31 August – The British Ambassador to Ireland, Veronica Sutherland, led tributes toDiana, Princess of Wales,killed in Paris.
• 6 September – Thousands of people queued at the British Embassy in Dublin to sign a book of condolence for Princess Diana. Due to the large turnout, three books of condolence were made available. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Tánaiste Mary Harney, Minister for Foreign Affairs Ray Burke, Fine Gael's Nora Owen and Labour's Ruairi Quinn all signed their condolences. Thousands of bouquets and cards were left at the gates of the embassy. Books of condolence were also made available at the Mansion House, Dublin and at City Hall in Cork.
• 6 September – All flags on state buildings in Ireland flew at half mast as a mark of respect for Princess Diana on the day of her funeral.
• 7 September – A special service of remembrance for Princess Diana, was held in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, attended by the President Mary Robinson, (on one of her final official engagements as President) and the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.
• 12 September – Mary Robinson resigned as President to assume her new role as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
• 18 September – The convertedCollins Barracksin Dublin re-opened to house theNational Museum of Ireland's Decorative Arts and History collections.
• 7 October – Substantial all-party peace talks began in Northern Ireland.
• 10 October – At aProvisional Irish Republican ArmyGeneral Army Convention held atFalcarragh,County Donegal, a majority supported the ceasefire.
• 31 October -Mary McAleesewon the presidential election.
• November – IRA members opposed to the ceasefire, led byMichael McKevitt,met at a farmhouse inOldcastle, County Meath,and formed a new organisation ofÓglaigh na hÉireann,which became known as theReal Irish Republican Army.
• 1 November – TheHepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act, 1997,took effect.
• 7 November –Dick Springconfirmed that he was resigning as leader of theLabour Party.
• 11 November – Mary McAleese was inaugurated as the eighth President of Ireland, the first time in the world that one woman succeeded another as elected head of state.
• 13 November –Ruairi Quinnwon the leadership of the Labour Party.
• 30 November –Eileen Costello O'Shaughnessy,a 47-year-old taxi driver from Galway, was killed in a violent attack while working a shift. The crime remains unsolved.
• 27 December – TheLoyalist Volunteer ForceleaderBilly Wrightwas shot dead in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland by members of theIrish National Liberation Army.

Arts and literature

• 3 May – Ireland staged theEurovision Song Contest,hosted byRonan KeatingandCarrie Crowley.The Irish entry,Mysterious Womansung byMarc Roberts,came second.
• 30 June – The American animated comedy seriesThe Simpsonspremiered onNetwork 2beginning with the final episode ofseason 1"Some Enchanted Evening".
• 4 July –Conor McPherson's playThe Weirpremièred at theRoyal Court TheatreUpstairs in London.
• 13 July –Neil Jordan's filmThe Butcher Boywas released in Ireland.
• 24 November – The first episode aired of the RTÉ television programme,A Scare at Bedtime.
• 31 December –Jim Sheridan's filmThe Boxerwas released, starringDaniel Day-Lewis.
• Raidió Teilifís Éireannrebranded its television channelNetwork 2as "N2".
• Danny Osborne'sOscar Wilde Memorial Sculpturewas unveiled inMerrion Square,Dublin.
• John Banville's novelThe Untouchablewas published.

Sport

Association football

• Shelbournewon theFAI Cupfor the fifth time.
• The first everLeague of Irelandmatch to be broadcast live on television was fromTolka ParkbetweenShelbourneandDerry CityonNetwork 2.

Gaelic games

• Kerrywon theNational Football League,beating Cork 3–7 to 1–8 in the final.
• Kerry won theAll-Ireland Senior Football Championshipwinners for the first time since 1986, following a 0–13 to 1–7 victory overMayoin the final.
• LimerickbeatGalway1–12 to 1–9 in theNational Hurling Leaguefinal.
• ClarebeatTipperaryby 0–20 to 2–13 in theAll-Ireland Senior Hurling Championshipfinal. It was their second title in three years.

Golf

• TheMurphy's Irish Openwas won byColin Montgomerie(Scotland).

Snooker

• Ken Dohertybecame world snooker champion following an 18 frames to 12 victory overStephen Hendryat the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.

Births

• 13 January –Tim O'Mahony,hurler (Newtownshandrum,Cork)
• 15 January –Alex Cardillo,actor
• 1 April –Darragh Fitzgibbon,hurler (Charleville,Cork)
• 13 April –Kelly Thornton,actress
• 14 May –David Griffin,hurler (Carrigaline,Cork)
• 25 August –Shane Kingston,hurler (Douglas,Cork)
• 7 November –Robbie O'Flynn,hurler (Erin's Own,Cork)
• 23 December –Mark Coleman,hurler (Blarney,Cork)
• 26 December –Alex Murphy,actor

Full date unknown

• Aebh Kelly,singer

Deaths

January to June

• 5 January –James Comyn,formerJustice of the High Court of England(born 1921).
• 31 January –John Joseph Scanlan,second Bishop of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu(born 1906).
• 2 February –Seán Ó Síocháin,formerGaelic Athletic Associationpresident.
• February –Reg Ryan,soccer player (born 1925).
• 17 April –Chaim Herzog,sixthPresident of Israel(1983–1993) (born 1918).
• 12 March –William Hare, 5th Earl of Listowel,peer andLabourpolitician (born 1906).
• 2 May –Robin Kinahan,Unionist politician and businessman (born 1916).
• 9 May –Thomas FitzGerald, Earl of Offaly(born 1974).
• 23 May –Noel Browne,politician, former Cabinet Minister (born 1915).
• 24 May –Edward Mulhare,actor (born 1923).
• 16 June –Michael O'Herlihy,television director (born 1929).
• 18 June –Julia Clifford,fiddle player and traditional musician (born 1914).

July to December

• 25 September –Jim Kemmy,Labour PartyandDemocratic Socialist PartyTD(born 1936).
• 20 December –Jim Gibbons,formerFianna FáilTD,Member of the European Parliamentand Cabinet Minister (born 1924).
• 29 December –John Graham,Irish Republican Armyactivist in the 1940s (born 1915).

Full date unknown

• Mervyn Wall,novelist and dramatist (born 1908).

See also

• 1997 in Irish television

External links

• 1997atReeling in the Years