1977 in Ireland

Events from the year 1977 in Ireland.

Incumbents

 * President: Patrick Hillery
 * Taoiseach:
 * Liam Cosgrave (FG) (until 5 July 1977)
 * Jack Lynch (FF) (from 5 July 1977)
 * Tánaiste:
 * Brendan Corish (Lab) (until 5 July 1977)
 * George Colley (FF) (from 5 July 1977)
 * Minister for Finance:
 * Richie Ryan (FG) (until 5 July 1977)
 * George Colley (FF) (from 5 July 1977)
 * Chief Justice: Tom O'Higgins
 * Dáil:
 * 20th (until 25 May 1977)
 * 21st (from 5 July 1977)
 * Seanad:
 * 13th (until 26 May 1977)
 * 14th (from 27 October 1977)

Events

 * 29 January – Seven Irish Republican Army bombs exploded in the West End of London, but there were no fatalities or serious injuries.
 * 4 February – British police discovered an IRA bomb factory in Liverpool.
 * 10 February – The three IRA terrorists involved in the 1975 Balcombe Street Siege in London were sentenced to life imprisonment on six charges of murder.
 * 21 February – A crater on the planet Mercury was named after the Irish poet W. B. Yeats.
 * 18 March – Six-year-old Mary Boyle from Kincasslagh vanished from her grandparents' farm near Ballyshannon in County Donegal.
 * 9 May – Ireland's first McDonald's restaurant opened on Grafton Street in Dublin.
 * 29 May – A massive peace rally took place in Belfast organized by Betty Williams, Mairéad Corrigan and Ciarán McKeown.
 * 15 June – Fianna Fáil won the 1977 general election with over 50% of the votes and a 20-seat majority
 * 5 July – The 21st Dáil elected Jack Lynch as Taoiseach.
 * 14 July – The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland was recognised as a college of the National University of Ireland.
 * 10 August – Queen Elizabeth II visited Northern Ireland under tight security as part of her Silver Jubilee celebrations.
 * 10 September – Irish horses were prevented from entering the United States because of an outbreak of venereal disease in Irish, British and French horses.
 * 18 September – In Ennis, County Clare, the Christian Brothers celebrated their 150th anniversary.
 * 3 October – Dunsink Observatory near Finglas was badly damaged by fire. Rubble removed to the nearby municipal dump included valuable Apollo 11 Moon rock fragments donated to Ireland by the American government.
 * 22 October – A new £1 note was circulated, a green banknote depicting the mythical Queen Maeve of Connacht.
 * 18 November – The National Council for Educational Awards was given degree awarding status.

Arts and literature

 * August – The Boomtown Rats' debut single "Lookin' After No. 1", written by Bob Geldof, was released in the United Kingdom.
 * The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature was awarded to Desmond Hogan.
 * Publication of Leland Bardwell's first novel Girl on a Bicycle in Dublin, set in 1940s Ireland.
 * Publication of Paul Muldoon's poetry collection Mules.
 * Publication of Niall Ó Dónaill's Irish-English dictionary Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla.

Sport

 * Carroll's Irish Open was won by Hubert Green (USA).
 * The Republic of Ireland national football team failed to qualify for the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina.
 * In September, Cork Hurlers completed the 'three in a row' by beating Wexford in the All-Ireland senior hurling final.
 * Dublin footballers beat Armagh in the highest ever scoring All-Ireland senior football final.

Births

 * January – Mickey O'Connell, Cork hurler.
 * 4 January – Dan Shanahan, hurler and coach.
 * 6 January
 * David Flynn, composer and musician.
 * Genevieve O'Reilly, actress.
 * 7 January – Tomm Moore, twice Oscar nominated animator and film maker.
 * 10 January – Michelle O'Neill, née Doris, politician, First Minister of Northern Ireland.
 * 7 February – Francis Barrett, boxer.
 * 15 February – Damien Faulkner, motor racing driver.
 * 16 February – Ian Clarke, software developer.
 * 3 March – Ronan Keating, singer.
 * 7 March – Ronan O'Gara, International rugby player.
 * 16 March – Donal Óg Cusack, Cork hurling goalkeeper.
 * 31 March – Finghin Collins, pianist.
 * 1 April – Pádraic Joyce, Galway Gaelic footballer.
 * 14 April
 * Stephen Grant, soccer player.
 * Trevor Malloy, soccer player.
 * 7 May – Lisa Kelly, singer.
 * 8 May – Joe Doyle, bass player.
 * 9 May – Paul Lynch, novelist.
 * 12 May – Barry Foley, Limerick hurler.
 * 16 May – Robbie Ryan, soccer player.
 * 22 May – Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Cork hurling and Gaelic football player
 * 1 June
 * Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fáil TD for Meath East.
 * Jamie Costin, race walker.
 * 15 June – P. J. Ryan, Kilkenny hurler.
 * 20 June – Hazel Kaneswaran, singer.
 * 21 June
 * Barry Archer, cricketer.
 * Michael Gomez, boxer.
 * 25 June – Daniel Kinahan, boxing promoter.
 * 2 July – Laura Woods, radio and television presenter.
 * 6 July – Pearse Doherty, Sinn Féin Senator.
 * 27 July – Jonathan Rhys Meyers, actor.
 * 9 August – Caroline Morahan, actress and television presenter.
 * 14 August – Tom Mulligan, Dublin Gaelic footballer (died 2007).
 * 17 August – Colin Hawkins, soccer player.
 * 18 August – Elaine Crowley, journalist, newsreader and television presenter.
 * 21 August – Anthony Lynch, Cork Gaelic footballer.
 * 25 August – Dessie Baker, soccer player.
 * 31 August – Ian Harte, international soccer player.
 * 7 September
 * Marcus Horan, international rugby player.
 * Timmy McCarthy, Cork hurling player.
 * 15 September – Gavin Smith, motor racing driver.
 * 15 November – Joe Deane, Cork hurling player.
 * 3 December – Kerri Ann, pop singer.
 * 11 December – Emma Ledden, television presenter.
 * 13 December – Peter Stringer, rugby union player for Munster and Ireland.
 * 27 December – Sinead Keenan, actress.


 * Full date unknown
 * John Browne, Cork hurler.
 * Stephen Byrne, Offaly hurler.
 * Ste V Roc, hip-hop artist and MC.
 * Anthony Ruby, artist.
 * Donie Ryan, Limerick hurler.
 * Donie Ryan, Limerick hurler.

Deaths

 * 5 January – Patrick Cogan, Independent TD (born 1903).
 * 17 April – William Conway, Cardinal Archbishop of Armagh (born 1913).
 * 24 April – Geoffrey Bing, lawyer and Labour politician in UK (born 1909).
 * 14 June – Joe Keppel, comic performer (born 1894).
 * 14 July – Fiona Plunkett, Republican (born 1896).
 * 17 July – Micky Cross, hurler (Claughaun, Limerick, Munster, national team) (born 1902).
 * 1 August – Bill Loughery, cricketer (born 1907).
 * 21 December – Seán Keating, painter (born 1889).
 * 23 December – Raymond McGrath, architect and interior designer (born 1903 in Australia).
 * 26 December – Jimmy Walsh, Kilkenny hurler (born 1911).