1949 in Ireland

Events

* March 22 - The Irish Government leases a residence in the Phoenix Park to the United States government for a period of 99 years. It will be the residence of the U.S. ambassador.
* April 17 - At midnight 26 counties officially leave the British Commonwealth. A 21-gun salute on O'Connell Bridge, Dublin, ushers in the Republic of Ireland.
* April 29 - Major de Courcy Wheeler, the man who accepted the surrender of Patrick Pearse in 1916, presents President Seán T. O'Kelly with Pearse's revolver at a special function at Áras an Uachtaráin.
* May 3 - The British Government passes an act guaranteeing the position of Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom as long as a majority of its citizens want it to be. The government also recognises the existence of the Republic of Ireland.
* May 10 - The Oireachtas motion calls a "Protest Against Partition" because of the Ireland Act provisions.
* May 13 - John A. Costello, Éamon de Valera, William Norton and Seán MacBride share a platform to protest the British government's attitude to the constitutional status of Northern Ireland.
* May 25 - Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh receive the freedom of Belfast during a visit to the city.
* June 26 - 80,000 people gather in Croke Park to affirm the pledge as members of the teetotal Pioneer Total Abstinence Society.
* July 9 The last tram runs from Nelson Pillar to Blackrock and will be the last tram run until the Luas.
* July 12 - Douglas Hyde, first President of Ireland and founder of the Gaelic League, dies in Dublin aged 89.
* August 24 - Tánaiste William Norton tells the European Consultative Assembly in Strasbourg that Ireland would not agree to a customs union of western European states.
* November 8 - Street names in any language other than English are prohibited by an Amendment to a Bill passed in the Senate of Northern Ireland.
* November 20 - Students and professional staff celebrate the centenary of University College Galway.

Arts and literature

Sport

Football

*League of Ireland::Winners: Drumcondra

*FAI Cup::Winners: Dundalk 3 - 0 Shelbourne.

Golf

*Irish Open is won by Harry Bradshaw (Ireland).

Births

January to June

*5 January - Nuala Ahern, Green Party Member of the European Parliament representing Leinster.
*16 January - RF Foster, historian.
*20 January - Michael Ahern, Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State.
*2 February - John McAreavey, Bishop of Dromore.
*6 February - Jim Sheridan, film director.
*12 February - Fergus Slattery, international rugby player.
*February - Joan Burton, Labour Party Deputy Leader, TD for Dublin West.
*3 March - Frank Chambers, former Fianna Fáil senator.
*3 March - Ben Dunne, former chief executive of Dunnes Stores.
*9 April - Sorcha Cusack, actress.
*18 April - Peter Caffrey, actor (d.2008).
*18 April - Avril Doyle, Fine Gael Member of the European Parliament representing Leinster.
*1 May - Joe Higgins, former Socialist Party TD.
*18 May - Pat Rabbitte, former Leader of the Labour Party.
*23 May - Martin Cahill, Dublin criminal, shot and killed (d.1994).

July to December

*11 July - Shane Ross, journalist, member of the 22nd Seanad representing the University of Dublin.
*13 July - Bryan Murray, actor.
*18 August - John O'Leary, golfer.
*20 August - Phil Lynott, singer and songwriter (d.1986).
*26 August - Thomas Murphy, Irish republican.
*27 August - Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano.
*1 September - Liam Fitzgerald, former Fianna Fáil TD and Senator.
*4 September - Michael McKevitt, Irish republican convicted of directing terrorism as leader of the Real IRA.
*9 September - Charlie Bird, journalist and broadcaster, Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ.
*30 September - Charlie McCreevy, former Fianna Fáil TD and Cabinet Minister, European Commissioner.
*October - Enda Bonner, Fianna Fáil Councillor, former Senator.
*3 October - Jim McDaid - Fianna Fáil TD representing Donegal North East, former Cabinet Minister.
*20 October - Eddie Macken, show jumper.

Full date unknown

*Joe Callanan, former Fianna Fáil TD.
*Sean Delaney, former soccer player and coach (d.2004).
*Johnny Flaherty, Offaly hurler.
*Seán Foley, former Limerick hurler.
*Dermot Gleeson, barrister, businessman, former Attorney General.
*Pat Moylan, Cork hurler.
*Billy Roche, playwright and writer.
*Gabriel Rosenstock, poet.
*Jackie Tabick, first female rabbi in Britain.

Deaths

*18 January - James Magee, cricketer (b.1872).
*2 March - Cecil Lowry-Corry, 6th Earl Belmore, High Sheriff and councillor (b.1873).
*29 April - Timothy J. Murphy, Labour Party (Ireland) TD.
*23 May - Dan Comyn, cricketer (b.1872).
*12 July - Douglas Hyde, member of the Seanad in 1922 and 1938; first President of Ireland and Gaelic scholar (b.1860).
*10 September - Brian Brady, Fianna Fáil TD.
*8 October - Edith Anna Somerville, novelist (b.1858).
*14 November - Jimmy Dunne, soccer player (b.1905).

Full date unknown

*Robert Wilson Lynd, writer (b.1879).