1976 in Ireland

Incumbents

• President:
• * Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh
• * Patrick Hillery
• Taoiseach: Liam Cosgrave
• Tánaiste: Brendan Corish
• Minister for Finance: Richie Ryan
• Chief Justice: Tom O'Higgins
• Dáil: 20th
• Seanad: 13th

  Events

• 5 January –
• *Former Taoiseach, John A. Costello, dies in Dublin aged 84.
• *Kingsmill massacre: ten Protestant men are killed in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, by members of the South Armagh Republican Action Force, after loyalists shot dead six Catholic civilians in South Armagh the previous day.
• 1 March – Merlyn Rees, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the Government of the United Kingdom, ends Special Category Status for those sentenced for crimes relating to civil violence in Northern Ireland.
• 4 March – the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention is formally dissolved, resulting in direct rule of Northern Ireland by the Government of the United Kingdom in London.
• 18 March – Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave and Mrs Cosgrave are greeted by President Gerald Ford and Mrs Betty Ford at the White House.
• 31 March – Sallins Train Robbery: A large quantity of money is stolen from a CIÉ train at Sallins, County Kildare.
• 3 April – the last passenger train runs on the Limerick-Claremorris line ending an 80-year north-south link along the western seaboard.
• 17 May – Tim Severin in the boat Brendan sets off from Dingle to America, tracing the route of the legendary 6th-century Irish monk Brendan.
• 29 June – the highest temperature record in Ireland this century, 32.5C at Boora, Offaly. The highest on record was in 1887.
• 15 July – four prisoners escape when bombs explode in the Special Criminal Court, Dublin.
• 21 July – Christopher Ewart-Biggs, UK ambassador, and a civil servant, Judith Cooke, are killed by a landmine at Sandyford, Co. Dublin.
• 23 September – the President, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, consults with the Council of State for four hours on whether to refer the Emergency Powers legislation to the Supreme Court.
• 22 October – President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh resigns following the 'thundering disgrace' remark from the Minister for Defence, Paddy Donegan.
• 27 October – a new £5 note is introduced with the image of the 9th-Century philosopher Johannes Scotus Eriugena.
• 20 November – National Peace Day is marked with marches, church services and bell ringing.
• 3 December – Patrick Hillery is inaugurated as the sixth President of Ireland in St. Patrick's Hall, Dublin Castle.
• 10 December – Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan win the Nobel Peace Prize.
• The Islamic Foundation of Ireland establishes the first mosque in Ireland, in Dublin.

  Arts and literature

• 25 September – the band U2 is formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, Dublin.
• 9 December – Maeve Binchy's play End of Term premières on the Abbey Theatre's Peacock Stage.
• The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature is launched; Heno Magee is the first recipient.
• John Banville's novel Doctor Copernicus is published.
• Breandán Ó hEithir's novel Lig Sinn i gCathú is published and becomes the first Irish language book to top Ireland's hardback bestseller list.
• The monthly journal Books Ireland is founded.

  Sport

Golf

• Carroll's Irish Open is won by Ben Crenshaw.

  Births

• 10 January – Jason Sherlock, Dublin Gaelic footballer.
• 6 February – Darragh Maguire, soccer player.
• 10 February – Tony McDonnell, soccer player.
• 12 February – Mundy, singer-songwriter.
• 13 February – Denis Hickie, rugby player.
• 17 March – Stephen Gately, singer and actor.
• 20 April – Shay Given, international soccer player.
• 24 April – Steve Finnan, soccer player, former international.
• 15 May – Mark Kennedy, soccer player.
• 25 May – Cillian Murphy, actor.
• 31 May – Colin Farrell, actor.
• 2 June – Dáithí Ó Sé, television host.
• 3 June – Enda Markey, Irish-Australian actor and producer
• 12 June – Tony Scully, soccer player.
• 15 June – Gary Lightbody, Snow Patrol singer.
• 29 June – Duncan O'Mahony, Canadian football punter and placekicker.
• 3 July – Shane Lynch, singer and actor.
• 8 July – David Wallace, rugby player.
• 9 July – Ollie Canning, Galway hurler.
• 14 July – Kirsten Sheridan, film director and screenwriter.
• 23 July – Brian Carney, rugby player.
• 11 August – Claire Byrne, journalist and television presenter.
• 18 August – Robbie Murray, boxer.
• 29 August – Joseph Armstrong, cruiserweight boxer
• 16 September – Liz Bonnin, television presenter
• 4 October – Owen Heary, soccer player.
• 15 October – Paul Mooney, cricketer.
• 19 October – Alan Quirke, Cork Gaelic footballer.
• 20 October – John Leonard, Dublin Gaelic footballer.
• 21 October – Andrew Scott, actor

Deaths

• 5 January – John A. Costello, barrister, Attorney General, Fine Gael TD and twice Taoiseach.
• 23 January – David Sullivan, labour leader in USA.
• 2 February – Gardner Budd, lawyer.
• 6 February – Dan Kennedy, Kilkenny hurler.
• 12 February – Frank Stagg, Provisional Irish Republican Army hunger striker for 62 days in Wakefield Prison.
• 28 February – Pat Hone, cricketer.
• 29 February – Liam Cunningham, Fianna Fáil TD.
• 8 March – Edward FitzGerald, 7th Duke of Leinster, peer and gambler.
• 13 April
• *Willie Hough, Limerick hurler.
• *Noel Lemass, Fianna Fáil TD.
• 4 May – Hugh Delargy, British Labour Party politician and MP.
• 27 June – Derrick Kennedy, cricketer.
• 11 July – Michael Hayes, pro-treaty TD, Cabinet Minister, Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann member.
• 22 July – Jim Ganly, cricketer and rugby player.
• 29 July – Knox Cunningham, barrister, businessman and Ulster Unionist politician.
• 12 September – Reginald Lyons, cricketer.
• 7 October – Michael O'Neill, nationalist politician and MP.
• 15 October – James Ennis, cricketer.
• 31 October – Eileen Gray, architect and designer.
• 2 November – Walter Starkie, author and translator.
• 14 November – Frederick Alfred Pile, soldier and politician.
• 4 December – W. F. McCoy, Ulster Unionist member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.