1908 in Ireland

Events in the year 1908 in Ireland.

Events

 * February – Republican leader Tom Clarke opened a tobacconist shop in Dublin under the name of T. S. Ó'Cléirigh which became a centre for Irish Republican Brotherhood activity.
 * 17 February – A statue of Queen Victoria was unveiled at Leinster House in Dublin.
 * 19 April – The Guildhall in Derry was largely destroyed by fire.
 * 19 May – Work began on a monument to Charles Stewart Parnell in Upper Sackville Street, Dublin.
 * 31 July – The Irish Universities Act 1908 received royal assent in the Parliament of the UK. This led to the establishment of the National University of Ireland and Queen's University of Belfast.
 * 8 September – Patrick Pearse opened St. Enda's School (Scoil Éanna) to offer a bilingual secondary education for boys at Cullenswood House in Ranelagh. It later moved to the Hermitage, Rathfarnham.
 * 11 November – The Irish Women's Franchise League was formed, with Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington as secretary.
 * 29 December – The Irish Transport Workers' Union was formed, with James Larkin as general secretary.

Arts and literature

 * January – Hugh Lane founded the Dublin City Gallery in Harcourt Street, the world's first to display only modern art.
 * 1 December – Cuala Press produced its first publication, Poetry and Ireland: essays by W. B. Yeats and Lionel Johnson.
 * Terence MacSwiney, T. C. Murray, Con O'Leary and Daniel Corkery founded the Cork Dramatic Society.
 * John Millington Synge's only comedic play, The Tinker's Wedding, was published.
 * Filson Young's novel When the Tides Turn was published.

Sport

 * 1908 Summer Olympics (London): Ireland competed as a separate country in field hockey and polo and won silver medals in both.

Association football

 * International
 * 15 February – Ireland 1–3 England (in Belfast)
 * 14 March – Ireland 0–5 Scotland (in Dublin)
 * 11 April – Wales 0–1 Ireland (in Aberdare)
 * Irish League
 * Winners: Linfield F.C.
 * Irish Cup
 * Winners: Bohemian F.C. 1–1 draw; replay result 3–1 Shelbourne F.C.

Golf

 * The golf course at Royal County Down Golf Club was modified by Harry Vardon, and Edward VII bestowed royal patronage on the club.

Births

 * 20 February – Florence Wycherley, independent Teachta Dála (TD) (died 1969).
 * 23 February – Jim Ware, Waterford hurler (died 1983).
 * 10 March – Patrick Shanahan, Fianna Fáil party TD (died 2000).
 * 27 April – Patrick Shea, Permanent Secretary in the Northern Ireland Civil Service (died 1986 in Northern Ireland).
 * 5 May – Mary Elmes, humanitarian (died 2002 in France).
 * 10 June – Gerard Sweetman, Fine Gael party TD and Cabinet minister (died 1970).
 * 20 July – Mad Dog Coll, born Uinseann (Vincent) Ó Colla, mob hitman in New York (killed in 1932 in the United States).
 * 24 July – Roger McHugh, professor, author, and playwright (died 1987).
 * 18 August – Sam English, association football player (died 1967 in Scotland).
 * 26 September – Hugh Delargy, British Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) (died 1976 in Northern Ireland).
 * 6 December – Con Cremin, diplomat (died 1987).
 * Full date unknown
 * Frances Kelly, painter (died 2002).
 * Niall Ó Dónaill, Irish language lexicographer and writer (died 1995).
 * Mervyn Wall, novelist and dramatist (died 1997).

Deaths

 * 17 January – Eyre Massey Shaw, Superintendent of the London Metropolitan Fire Brigade (born 1830; died in England).
 * 3 February – Thomas Mellon, entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge, founder of Mellon Bank (born 1813; died in the United States).
 * 23 March – Frederick Falkiner, lawyer, judge and author (born 1831).
 * 10 June – John F. Finerty, U.S. Representative from Illinois (born 1846; died in the United States).
 * 6 July – Thomas William Moffett, scholar, educationalist, and President of Queen's College Galway (born 1820).
 * 5 August – Caesar Litton Falkiner, Irish Unionist Party politician, barrister, writer, and historian (born 1863).
 * 30 August – Lawrence Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse, 18th Chancellor of the University of Dublin (born 1840).
 * 4 November – John Pinkerton, Irish Parliamentary Party MP (born 1845).
 * 15 December – Hugh Annesley, 5th Earl Annesley, British military officer and MP (born 1831).
 * 19 December – Thomas Cleeve, founder of Condensed Milk Company of Ireland, High Sheriff of Limerick (born 1844).