1947 in Ireland

Events from the year 1947 in Ireland.

Incumbents

 * President: Seán T. O'Kelly
 * Taoiseach: Éamon de Valera (FF)
 * Tánaiste: Seán Lemass (FF)
 * Minister for Finance: Frank Aiken (FF)
 * Chief Justice: Conor Maguire
 * Dáil: 12th
 * Seanad: 5th

Events

 * 19 January to 15 March – an arctic cold snap with five major blizzards caused many deaths.
 * 30 January – the internationally known labour leader Jim Larkin died in Dublin aged 72.
 * 18 May – the 21st anniversary of the founding of the Fianna Fáil party was celebrated in the Capitol Theatre, Dublin.
 * 7 July – the Aer Lingus airline began a direct service between Dublin and Amsterdam.
 * 31 July – the Soviet Union blocked Ireland's entry into the United Nations.
 * 11 August – the Enterprise Express train service commenced from Belfast to Dublin.
 * 31 August – United States Congressman John F. Kennedy visited his sister Kathleen in Ireland during the Congressional summer recess. He visited again in 1955 and 1963.
 * 14 September – the All-Ireland Football Final was played in the Polo Grounds in New York. Cavan were victorious over Kerry.
 * 3 November – a 60-day transport strike ended in Dublin. Trams and buses returned to normal service.
 * Undated
 * The Customs Free Airport Act established Shannon as the world's first duty-free airport.
 * The Poulaphouca Reservoir was completed.
 * The Waterford Crystal glassmaking business was revived by Charles Bacik.

Arts and literature

 * June – Joan Denise Moriarty's Cork Ballet Group gave its first performance, at the Cork Opera House under the baton of Aloys Fleischmann.
 * Donagh MacDonagh's poetry The Hungry Grass was published.
 * Séamus Ó Néill's novel Tonn Tuile was the first book published by Irish language publisher Sáirséal agus Dill in Dublin.

Football

 * League of Ireland
 * Winners: Shelbourne


 * FAI Cup
 * Winners: Cork United 2–2, 2–1 Bohemians.

Gaelic Games

 * Cavan won historic All Ireland final in Polo Grounds, New York.

Golf

 * The Irish Open was won by Harry Bradshaw (Ireland).

Swimming

 * 27–28 July – English endurance swimmer Tom Blower became the first person to swim the North Channel, from Donaghadee in County Down to Portpatrick in Scotland.

Births

 * 18 January – John O'Conor, pianist.
 * 26 January – Red Morris, 4th Baron Killanin, film producer.
 * 9 February – Eamon Duffy, religious historian.
 * 1 March
 * Brian Fitzgerald, Labour Party TD.
 * Liz McManus, Labour Party TD for Wicklow.
 * Kate Walsh, Progressive Democrats Senator (died 2007).
 * 30 March
 * Kevin Myers, journalist.
 * Dick Roche, university lecturer, Fianna Fáil TD for Wicklow, Cabinet Minister.
 * 16 April – Eamonn Rogers, soccer player.
 * 17 April – Linda Martin, singer.
 * 24 April – Johnny McEvoy, singer.
 * 27 April – Patrick Lynch, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Southwark.
 * 18 May – John Bruton, Taoiseach, European Union Ambassador to the United States (died 2024).
 * 22 May – Seán Ó Neachtain, Fianna Fáil Member of the European Parliament representing North-West.
 * 8 July – Jonathan Kelly, folk rock singer-songwriter.
 * 18 July – Dermot Healy, novelist and poet (died 2014).
 * 20 July – Joe O'Toole, President of the Irish Trades Union Congress and Senator.
 * 31 July – Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael TD representing Dublin South (1997 – ).
 * 1 August – Tommy Broughan, Labour Party TD for Dublin North-East.
 * 3 August
 * Sally Oldfield, singer.
 * G. V. Wright, Fianna Fáil TD and member of Seanad Éireann.
 * 10 August – Dónal Lunny, musician.
 * 21 August – Philip Lawrence, a London-based headmaster, stabbed to death outside the gates of his school when he went to help a pupil being attacked by a gang (died 1995).
 * 25 August – Anne Harris, journalist.
 * 2 September – Kevin Farrell, Bishop of Dallas, Texas.
 * 7 September – Roger Bolton, trade unionist in UK (died 2006).
 * 2 October – Damien Martin, Offaly hurler.
 * 9 October – Frank Dunlop, public relations consultant, planning advisor, Fianna Fáil Government Press Secretary (1977–1982).
 * 26 October – Trevor Joyce, poet.
 * 9 November
 * Pat Carey, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North-West and Minister of State.
 * Frank Cummins, Kilkenny hurler.
 * 25 November
 * Seán Ardagh, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South-Central (died 2016).
 * Steve Heighway, soccer player.
 * 1 December – Jimmy Dunne, soccer player.
 * 4 December
 * Moosajee Bhamjee, physician, Ireland's first Muslim Teachta Dála (1992–1997), 27th Dáil.
 * Terry Woods, folk musician.
 * 5 December
 * Tony Gregory, independent politician and TD for Dublin Central.
 * Seán Quinn, businessman.

Undated

 * Vincent Brown, sculptor.
 * Noel Elliott, international rugby union player.
 * Johnny Flaherty, Offaly hurler.
 * Jimmy Gregg, former football player.
 * Éamonn Grimes, Limerick hurler.
 * Pat Hegarty, Cork hurler.
 * John Holloway, sociologist and philosopher.
 * Dermot Somers, mountaineer, explorer, writer and broadcaster.

Deaths

 * 2 January – Tom Ross, cricketer (born in 1872).
 * 4 January – Derrick Hall, cricketer (born in 1892).
 * 4 January – Forrest Reid, novelist and literary critic (born in 1875).
 * 21 January – Charles A. Callis, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (born in 1865).
 * 30 January – James Larkin, trade union leader, socialist and Labour Party TD (born in 1876).
 * 3 March – Michael Egan, trade unionist, city councillor, and Cumann na nGaedheal TD (born in 1866).
 * 9 April – Desmond FitzGerald, Sinn Féin MP, TD, Cabinet Minister and Seanad Éireann member (born in 1888).
 * 16 May – Augusta Crichton-Stuart, Marchioness of Bute (born in 1880).
 * 18 June – John Henry Patterson, soldier, hunter and writer (born in 1867).
 * 4 September – P. J. Moloney, chemist, member of 1st Dáil representing Tipperary South.