Events from the year 1926 in Ireland.
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- 1 January – Douglas Hyde officially opens the Irish Free State broadcasting service, 2RN (later RTÉ Radio 1), in Dublin.
- 4 January – the country's first Aeroplane Club is formed in Dublin.
- 19 January – the Minister for Finance, Ernest Blythe, introduces a Bill providing for the issue of silver, nickel and bronze coins for Saorstát Éireann.
- 21 January – the Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture meets his Free State counterpart, Patrick Hogan. The meeting paves the way for co-operation in securing better animal health for livestock.
- 12 February – the minister for Justice, Kevin O'Higgins, appoints a Committee on Evil Literature.
- 11 March – Éamon de Valera resigns as President of Sinn Féin at its Árd-Fheis when one of his proposals is defeated.
- 7 April – an elderly Irishwoman, Violet Gibson, shoots the Italian Prime Minister, Benito Mussolini, in Rome.
- 18 April – census held in both parts of Ireland.[1] The population of the Irish Free State is 2,972,000; the population of Northern Ireland is 1,257,000.
- 29 April – Dublin city commissioners decide to remove Nelson's Pillar from O'Connell Street. However, this decision needs the approval of the Oireachtas.
- 16 May – at La Scala Theatre in Dublin a new political party is formed. Fianna Fáil – the Republican Party is launched by leading republicans including Éamon de Valera and Seán Lemass.
- 20 August – the Irish pilgrimage to the battlefields of France and Flanders leaves today. Celtic crosses are to be unveiled in memory of the members of the 16th Irish Division who died during World War I.
- 5 September – 48 people burned to death in a cinema fire at Dromcolliher, County Limerick.
- 17 November – President W. T. Cosgrave introduces the Public Safety (Emergency Powers) Bill following the killing of two unarmed gardaí.
- 25 November – Éamon de Valera addresses the first Fianna Fáil Árd-Fheis in Dublin.
- The Gaeltacht – regions with a significant percentage of Irish language speakers – is officially recognised, following the report of the first Coimisiún na Gaeltachta in the Free State.[2]
Gaelic Games
- The All-Ireland Champions are Cork (hurling) and Kerry (football)
- 15 January – Tom McEllistrim, Fianna Fáil TD (died 2000).
- 3 February – Jim Higgins, soccer player.
- 9 February – Garret FitzGerald, Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael (died 2011).
- 10 March – Thomas Dunne, Fine Gael TD and MEP (died 1990).
- 24 March – Desmond Connell, Cardinal and Archbishop of Dublin (died 2017).
- 30 March – Ray McAnally, actor (died 1989).
- 4 April – Ronnie Masterson, actress (died 2014).
- 23 April – J. P. Donleavy, writer (died 2017).
- 26 April – Philomena Garvey, golfer.
- 18 May – Sylvester Barrett, Fianna Fáil TD, Cabinet Minister and MEP (died 2002).
- 2 June – Milo O'Shea, actor (died 2013 in the United States).
- 21 July – Patrick Lalor, Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Laois–Offaly, Cabinet Minister, Member of the European Parliament and Laois hurler (died 2016).
- 1 August – Declan Costello, former Fine Gael TD, Attorney General and High Court judge (died 2011).
- 30 August – Tom O'Donnell, Fine Gael TD and MEP (died 2020).
- 3 November – Frank Filgas, cricketer (died 2006).
- 9 November – Hugh Leonard, dramatist, writer and journalist (died 2009).
- 10 November – Brian Behan, writer and trade unionist (died 2002).
- 23 November – Peter Desmond, soccer player (died 1990).
- 10 December – Dónall Mac Amhlaigh, writer (died 1989).
- 18 December – Stanley Bergin, cricketer (died 1969).