Events during the year 2016 in Ireland.
Incumbents
President: Michael D. Higgins Taoiseach: Enda Kenny (FG) Tánaiste: Joan Burton (Lab) (until 6 May 2016) Frances Fitzgerald (FG) (from 6 May 2016) Minister for Finance: Michael Noonan (FG) Chief Justice: Susan Denham Dáil: 31st (until 3 February 2016) 32nd (from 10 March 2016) Seanad: 24th (until 9 February 2016) 25th (from 8 June 2016)
Events
Year-long Memorials and events marking the Centenary of the Easter Rising took place nationwide throughout the year.
February 3 February – Taoiseach Enda Kenny dissolved the 31st Dáil and announced 26 February as the date of a general election. 5 February – One man was killed and two were wounded during a shooting at the Regency Hotel in Dublin. 8 February – A man was shot dead in a gangland shooting in Dublin. 26 February – The 2016 general election was held.
March 10 March – The 32nd Dáil met for the first time. Talks on government formation began and continued until 6 May. 20 March – Five family members from Derry died after their car slipped off the pier at Buncrana, County Donegal into Lough Swilly. 27 March (Easter Sunday) – The Easter Rising centenary parade took place in Dublin.
May 6 May – The 32nd Dáil elected a Taoiseach and a new Cabinet was announced. 9 May – A gathering of naturists at Curracloe Strand, County Wexford was criticised by the Mayor of Wexford, councillor Ger Carthy. The Irish Naturist Association stated that no-one asked the people to leave. 20 May – Brendan Howlin was elected unopposed as leader of the Labour Party, succeeding Joan Burton.
June 13 June – The Ireland football team played their first match, against Sweden, at the Euro 2016 football competition.Own goal costs Ireland victory against Sweden RTÉ Sport, 2016-06-13. 21 June – The United States Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Ireland for a six-day visit with his brother and sister, daughter, and five grandchildren. His itinerary included visits to his ancestral counties of Louth and Mayo, the Neolithic monument at Newgrange in County Meath, and engagements in Dublin including meeting President Michael D. Higgins and Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Biden visited Ireland a number of times previously in a private capacity.US Vice President Joe Biden arrives in Ireland for six-day visit RTÉ News, 2016-06-21.
July 23 July – Carina Fitzpatrick, a female concert-goer at the KnockanStockan music festival, near Ballyknockan, County Wicklow, was arrested for revealing her breasts during the festival in a form of topless protest. The incident opened a conversation over women's bodily autonomy and nudism in Ireland.
September 2 September – The body of Philip Finnegan, missing since 10 August, was found in Rahin Wood, County Kildare.
Sports
Association football Euro 2016
13 June – Ireland 1–1 Sweden.Republic of Ireland v Sweden UEFA, 2015-12-12. 18 June – Belgium 3–0 Ireland.Belgium v Republic of Ireland UEFA, 2015-12-12. 22 June – Italy 0–1 Ireland.Italy v Republic of Ireland UEFA, 2015-12-12.
Round of 16 26 June – France 2–1 Ireland.
Gaelic games 2016 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final 4 September – Kilkenny 2–20 – 2-29 Tipperary
2016 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final 1 October – Dublin 1-15 – 1-14 Mayo (Replay)
Horse racing 18 March – Don Cossack, trained by Gordon Elliott in County Meath, won the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Europe's most prestigious steeplechase.
Rugby union Ireland finished third, behind England and Wales, in the 2016 Six Nations Championship. 5 November – Ireland defeated the New Zealand All Blacks for the first time in 111 years in Chicago on a scoreline of 40–29.
Summer Olympics
Qualification 21 February – Oliver Dingley qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics, the first Irish diver to do so since 1948 (68 years). 17 April – Ellis O'Reilly became the first female gymnast to qualify for an Olympics representing Ireland. 22 June – Golfer Rory McIlroy announced his withdrawal from the Olympics. 23 June – Golfer Graeme McDowell announced his withdrawal from the Olympics, citing the expected birth of his second child. 28 June – Golfer Shane Lowry announced his withdrawal from the Olympics.
Events 4 August – The Irish Examiner reported that an Irish male boxer tested positive for a banned substance on the eve of the Olympics. He was later named as Michael O'Reilly. O'Reilly was the first athlete to test positive for drugs at the 2016 Olympics. 5 August – On the day of the 2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, police in Rio de Janeiro arrested two people for attempted illegal resale of hundreds of tickets allocated to the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI). 7 August – Michael O'Reilly's legal team announced it was to officially appeal the boxer's proposed suspension following a failed drug test. 8 August – Boxing captain Paddy Barnes, who medalled at the previous two Olympics, lost his opening bout to a Spaniard in a shock result. 9 August – Boxer Michael O'Reilly was ruled out of the Olympics after announcing he was no longer contesting his proposed suspension and admitting to taking a supplement that may have contained a banned substance. 14 August – The Irish minister for transport, tourism, and sport, Shane Ross, flew to Rio de Janeiro to meet with OCI president Pat Hickey in a bid to have Hickey permit an independent member be included on the OCI's own inquiry into the ticketing fiasco. 15 August – Defending lightweight champion Katie Taylor lost her Olympic crown to a Finn in her opening bout. 16 August – Boxer Michael Conlan, a favourite for the gold medal, lost his opening bout to a Russian in contentious circumstances. 17 August – OCI president Pat Hickey was arrested naked in a hotel room in Rio de Janeiro and charged with three crimes. 18 August – Pat Hickey was photographed being wheeled to prison from a hospital in his pyjamas. As well as resigning as OCI president, Hickey also resigned his membership of the International Olympic Committee, his role as president of the European Olympic Committees, and his role as vice-president of the Association of National Olympic Committees. Meanwhile, Shane Ross returned to Dublin. 21 August – The 2016 Summer Olympics concluded, as more IOC officials were sought by Brazilian police and the organisation's former president remained locked up in a Rio de Janeiro jail.
Arts and literature 11 March – Jean Martin's The Raped Little Runaway became the first book since 1998 to be banned by the Censorship of Publications Board, being deemed "indecent or obscene" on account of repeated reference to child rape.Official notice, Iris Oifigiúil (Oireachtas) 11 March 2016 p. 388. May – Mike McCormack's novel Solar Bones was published by Tramp Press of Dublin; it won this year's Goldsmiths Prize. 20 October – Sebastian Barry's novel Days Without End was published; it won this year's Costa Book Awards in the novel and overall categories. 3 November – Cecelia Ahern's novel Lyrebird was published.
Deaths
January 3 January – Amby Fogarty, 82, association footballer (Sunderland, Hartlepool United, Cork Celtic and Cork Hibernians).Tributes paid to former Ireland player Ambrose 'Amby' Fogarty, irishtimes.ie 5 January – Gerry O'Malley, 87, Gaelic footballer and hurler (Roscommon).Roscommon 'colossus' Gerry O'Malley passes away, irishtimes.ie 6 January – Christy O'Connor Jnr, 67, golfer.Christy O'Connor Jnr dies suddenly aged 67, irishtimes.ie 7 January – Patrick Connolly, 88, Attorney General. 8 January – Paddy Reid, 91, rugby union player.Death occurs of rugby legend Paddy Reid, limerickleader.ie 15 January – P. J. Mara, 73, public affairs consultant and senator, long illness.PJ Mara obituary: flamboyant character who was central to FF for three decades , irishtimes.ie 17 January – Billy Quinn, 80, hurler (Tipperary).Billy Quinn, two-time All-Ireland minor winner with Tipperary and father of Niall, has died, independent.ie 19 January – John Corcoran, 56, Gaelic games administrator, heart attack.Cork GAA in mourning following the sudden death of former Rebels selector John Corcoran, independent.ie 23 January – Jennifer Guinness, 78, kidnap victim. 30 January – Peter Quinn, 90, Gaelic footballer (Mayo).Death of Mayo All-Ireland winning priest, hoganstand.com 31 January – Terry Wogan, 77, broadcaster, cancer.Broadcaster Terry Wogan dies, aged 77, irishtimes.com
February 3 February – Mark Farren, 33, footballer (Derry City F.C.), cancer.Tributes pour in for Mark Farren who dies aged 33, irishexaminer.com 15 February – Paul Bannon, 59, footballer (Cork City F.C.).FAI pays tribute to the late Paul Bannon, rte.ie 17 February – George Redmond, 92, Dublin county planning manager, short illness.Late George Redmond disputed tribunal's findings, irishtimes.com 19 February – Din Joe Crowley, 70, Gaelic footballer (Kerry).Death of former Kerry great DJ Crowley, hoganstand.com 28 February – Frank Kelly, 77, actor, heart attack.Fr Ted star Frank Kelly passes away, independent.ie
March 7 March – Adrian Hardiman, 64, Supreme Court judge.Supreme Court judge Adrian Hardiman dies, irishtimes.com 10 March – Jim McNamara, 76, athlete.Tributes pour in following the death of legendary Irish athlete Jim McNamara, independent.ie 14 March – Davy Walsh, 92, association footballer.OBITUARY: Davy Walsh, former Irish soccer international, irishexaminer.com 15 March Robert Carrickford, 88, actor.Actor Robert Carrickford, Glenroe's Stephen Brennan, dies, irishtimes.com Dick Burke, 83, teachta dála (TD), minister for education, and European Commissioner.Dick Burke, minister for education, dies aged 83, irishtimes.com 16 March – Brian Smyth, 91, Gaelic footballer (Meath).Death of 1949 Royal County captain, Brian Smyth, meathchronicle.ie 19 March – Paddy Philpott, 79, hurler (Cork).The death has occurred of PATRICK (PAT) PHILPOTT, rip.ie 24 March – Brendan Sloan, 67, Gaelic footballer (Down).Down legend Brendan Sloan passes away, hoganstand.com 26 March – Paddy O'Brien, 91, Gaelic footballer (Meath).Death of legendary Meath full back, Paddy 'Hands' O'Brien, meathchronicle.ie
April 10 April – Michael John Shinnick, 62, Chief Scout of Scouting Ireland. 18 April – Sir John Leslie, 4th Baronet, 99, British Army officer, aristocrat and media personality.
May 2 May – Basil Blackshaw, 84, artist.Death occurs of artist Basil Blackshaw, irishtimes.com 10 May – Jack Boothman, 80, President of the GAA.Tributes pour in following the death of former GAA President Jack Boothman, independent.ie 14 May – Christy O'Connor Snr, 91, professional golfer.Tributes paid as golfing great Christy O'Connor Senior passes away aged 91, independent.ie 17 May – Seán Ardagh, 68, TD, cancer.Former Fianna Fáil TD Sean Ardagh passes away, independent.ie 20 May – Joe McDonagh, 62, Galway hurler and President of the GAA, short illness.Tributes paid to former GAA President Joe McDonagh who passed away after short illness, independent.ie
June 10 June John Horgan, 66, hurler (Cork), long illness.John 'Blondie' Horgan takes his final bow, irishexaminer.com Ambrose Hickey, 71, Gaelic footballer (Offaly), short illness.Death of Offaly great Ambrose Hickey, hoganstand.com 13 June – Tony Byrne, 70, Irish international footballer.Tony Byrne: Footballer who won 14 international caps for Ireland, irishtimes.ie 25 June – Séamus Power, 86, hurler (Waterford).Sad news as Waterford 'legend' Seamus Power passes away, hoganstand.com 28 June – Freddie Gilroy, 80, Olympic bronze medal winner.Death of boxing legend Freddie Gilroy, irishexaminer.com
July 5 July Mick Finucane, 93, Gaelic footballer (Kerry), short illness.Last link to Polo Grounds final is broken, hoganstand.com Phonsie O'Brien, 86, jockey and racehorse trainer. 26 July