1901 in Ireland

Events

• 1 January – the centenary of the Act of Union is celebrated by British forces in Ireland.
• 3 January – despite some opposition Drogheda Corporation votes to confer the freedom of the town on President Kruger of the Boers.
• 22 January – Queen Victoria dies in London. In Dublin theatres are closed and the blinds are drawn at the General Post Office.
• 24 January – in a state ceremony at Dublin Castle, Edward VII is proclaimed King of Ireland.
• 2 February – banks, public offices, theatres and music halls are closed in Dublin for the funeral of Queen Victoria.
• 19 February – Thomas O'Donnell, a Nationalist Member of Parliament, is stopped by the speaker from addressing the British House of Commons in Irish.
• 31 March – the Irish census is taken. The population of the entire island is 4.5 million people. Roman Catholics outnumber Anglicans and Presbyterians by almost three to one.
• 16 June – Catholic Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba at Letterkenny is opened.
• 11 July – the is launched at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. She is now the largest ship in the world and will sail between Liverpool and New York.
• The Jammet Hotel and Restaurant opens in Dublin.

  Arts and literature

• 21 October – Douglas Hyde's play Casadh an tSúgáin is premiered by Conradh na Gaeilge's Amateur Dramatic Society for the Irish Literary Theatre at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, featuring the author and Máire Ní Chinnéide and directed by William Fay and George Moore.
• Patrick S. Dinneen's Cormac Ó Conaill becomes the first novel in Irish published complete in book form.
• George Moore's novel Sister Theresa is published.

  Sport

Football

• ;International
• :23 February Scotland 11–0 Ireland
• :9 March England 3–0 Ireland
• :23 March Ireland 0–1 Wales
• ;Irish League
• :Winners: Distillery
• ;Irish Cup
• :Winners: Cliftonville 1–0 Freebooters
• St Columb's Court, a team from Derry, joins the Irish Football League, but only lasts one season.

  Athletics

• 5 August – Peter O'Connor sets the first IAAF recognised long jump world record, of 24 ft 11¾ in., in Dublin. It will remain unbeaten for 20 years and an Irish record for 89.

  Births

• 11 February – Roddy Connolly, Labour Party TD, Seanad member, son of James Connolly.
• 15 February – Brendan Bracken, businessman and British cabinet minister.
• 10 May – John Desmond Bernal, scientist.
• 5 June – Wilfred Hutton, cricketer.
• 7 June – Anthony Barry, businessman, Fine Gael TD, Seanad member and Lord Mayor of Cork.
• 8 June – John O'Sullivan, Fine Gael TD and Senator.
• 12 June – Jimmy Elwood, footballer.
• 18 June – Denis Johnston, dramatist.
• 5 July – Matt Goff, Kildare Gaelic footballer.
• 17 July – Patrick Smith, TD and Cabinet Minister.
• 6 October – Todd Andrews, Irish revolutionary and public servant.
• 7 November – Norah McGuinness, artist.
• 21 November – Finlay Jackson, cricketer and rugby player.
• 23 December – Seán Clancy, veteran of the Irish War of Independence
• 26 December – Gustavus Kelly, cricketer.
• Undated – Pretty Polly, racehorse.

  Deaths

• 8 January – John Barry, soldier, posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1901 at Monument Hill, South Africa.
• 22 January – Queen Victoria, monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
• 14 March – Arthur Gore, 5th Earl of Arran, Anglo-Irish peer and diplomat.
• 8 April – Edward Ernest Bowen, schoolmaster.
• 28 April – James Stephens, founding member of the Fenian Brotherhood movement.
• 1 July – James M. Bell, United States Army soldier, awarded the Medal of Honor in 1876 during the .
• 20 August – James Owens, soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1854 at the Siege of Sebastopol in the Crimean War.
• 8 September – Michael Morris, 1st Baron Killanin, jurist, politician, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.
• 16 November – William George Nicholas Manley, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1864 near Tauranga, New Zealand.
• 4 December – William MacCormac, surgeon.