1999 in Ireland

none August 2022 September 2020 1999 Events from the year 1999 in Ireland. Incumbents President: Mary McAleese Taoiseach: Bertie Ahern (FF) Tánaiste: Mary Harney (PD) Minister for Finance: Charlie McCreevy (FF) Chief Justice: Liam Hamilton Dáil: 28th Seanad: 21st Events January 1 January – The Euro Currency officially entered circulation in the European Union (EU) Eurozone member area countries, then formally made its debut on European and the world financial markets. 13 January – Derek Hill became the eleventh honorary citizen of Ireland. February 5 February – New legislation changed the name of the RSI Number to the Personal Public Service Number and expanded its use. March 31 March – The Irish Land Commission was dissolved. April April – Senator George Mitchell Peace Bridge opened across the Irish border. 27 April – The States of Fear television series, made by Mary Raftery for RTÉ, began broadcasting. Its revelations of a history of institutional child abuse led to questions being raised in the Dáil,Dáil adjournment comments, 29 April 1999June 2017 InternetArchiveBot yes an apology to victims from the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and the appointment of a Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse in May. May 21 May – Gay Byrne hosted his last Late Late Show after 37 years. 28 May – The county engineer for County Clare confirmed that the Latoon fairy bush, which was due to be cut down for the construction of the M18 motorway, would be spared after a preservation campaign led by folklorist Eddie Lenihan.Multiple sources: Deegan Gordon 1999-05-29 Fairy bush survives the motorway planners https://www.irishtimes.com/news/fairy-bush-survives-the-motorway-planners-1.190053 2024-06-11 The Irish Times Mulvaney Amy 2019-04-24 Double Take: The fairy bush in Co Clare that moved a motorway https://www.thejournal.ie/fairy-bush-co-clare-4604485-Apr2019/ 2024-06-11 TheJournal.ie Magan Manchán 2021-05-13 From ringfort to ring road: The destruction of Ireland’s fairy forts. Some of these ancient mounds date back to 3000 BC, but many are buried under motorways https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/from-ringfort-to-ring-road-the-destruction-of-ireland-s-fairy-forts-1.4496069 2024-06-11 The Irish Times F. Clarity James 1999-06-16 If You Believe in Fairies, Don't Bulldoze Their Lair https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/19990616wednesday.html 2024-06-11 The New York Times McMahon Páraic 2020-10-26 A Latoon fairy bush that got international attention https://www.clareecho.ie/a-latoon-fairy-bush-that-got-international-attention/ 2024-06-11 The Clare Echo June 17 June – UEFA punished the Football Association of Ireland with a fine of £25,000 for not fulfilling a Euro 2000 qualifier against Yugoslavia.http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0617/sport.html Ireland fined £25,000 for cancelled Yugoslavia match RTÉ News 17 June 1999 June 4 July – Victoria Adams married David Beckham at Luttrellstown Castle, Clonsilla with the Bishop of Cork, Paul Colton, officiating.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/385866.stm Wedded spice 5 July 1999 BBC News 26 November 2011 7 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170907003627/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/385866.stm live The wedding attracted much media coverage.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/383151.stm David and Victoria tie the knot BBC News 5 July 1999 19 December 2007 3 March 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080303110445/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/383151.stm live August 11 August – Ireland joined the world in watching the last solar eclipse of the millennium. 18 August - President McAleese attended a novena in Knock, County Mayo. October 12 October – Peter Mandelson arrived in Belfast as the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. 20 October – President McAleese led tributes to the former taoiseach Jack Lynch who died aged 82. November November – Remaining prohibition orders made under the Censorship of Publications Acts relating to contraception or termination of pregnancy were lifted.Iris Oifigiúil, 7 March 2000 28 November – A fireball tore itself apart in a massive explosion and bright flashes in the night sky over County Carlow. Golf ball-sized fragments were found later by a grandmother in Leighlinbridge, who remained anonymous; the meteorite was named after her town. The four stone fragments totalling 271.4g were classified as ordinary chondrites and were the first meteorites discovered in Ireland since 1865.Multiple sources: Woman finds space fireball debris Damian Carrington 2000-01-31 BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/622499.stm Leighlinbridge Rob Elliott 2025-11-13 Fernlea Meteorites UK https://fernlea.tripod.com/leighlinbridge.html Leighlinbridge The Meteoritical Society, Retrieved: 16 February 2013 29 November – Ten designated ministers were appointed to the power-sharing Northern Ireland Assembly. December December – The Millennium Bridge was opened in Dublin. 2 December The Irish Government ratified changes to Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. Direct rule from Westminster in Northern Ireland ended. Foras na Gaeilge was established as an agency of The North/South Language Body under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement to promote the Irish language throughout the island of Ireland, assuming the roles of Bord na Gaeilge, An Gúm, and An Coiste Téarmaíochta, previously state bodies of the Government of Ireland. 13 December – The first meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council took place in Armagh. Inez McCormack of the UNISON trade union became the first woman President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.http://www.irishtimes.com/indepth/sisters/first-among.html 15 women who made a breakthrough O'Toole Fintan irishtimes.com dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101128080159/http://www.irishtimes.com/indepth/sisters/first-among.html 28 November 2010 18 January 2020 Arts and literature 10 February – Mark O'Rowe's play Howie the Rookie premièred at the Bush Theatre, London.Howie the Rookie http://www.irishplayography.com/play.aspx?playid=31075 Playography Ireland Irish Theatre Institute Dublin 2017-07-23 19 April – Sligo boyband Westlife released their first single, Swear It Again, the first of fourteen that went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart. 6 October – Frank McGuinness's drama Dolly West's Kitchen premièred at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin.Dolly West's Kitchen http://www.irishplayography.com/play.aspx?playid=783 Playography Ireland Irish Theatre Institute Dublin 2015-06-30 1 November – Westlife released their first album, five singles from which went to number one in the UK Singles Chart. Colm Tóibín's novel The Blackwater Lightship was published. Sport Association football St Patrick's Athletic won the League of Ireland for the third time in four years. Gaelic football Meath beat Cork 1–11 to 1–8 to win their second All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in four years. Golf Murphy's Irish Open was won by Sergio García (Spain). Hurling Cork beat Kilkenny 0–13 to 0–12 to win the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship for the first time since 1990. Births 22 January – David Clifford, Gaelic footballer 18 May – Mark Travers, footballer 11 August – Mary Fitzgerald, Paralympic athleteFITZGERALD Mary https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024-paralympics/athlete/mary-fitzgerald_1569157 Paris 2024 Paralympics 21 August 2024 (alternate link, alternate link 2) 12 October - Ferdia Walsh-Peelo actor 15 December - Liah O'Prey actress 27 December - Finn Bennett actor Deaths 15 January – Robert Lowry, Baron Lowry, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland (b. 1919) 28 January – Markey Robinson, artist (b. 1918) 8 February – Iris Murdoch, novelist and philosopher (b. 1919) 22 February – Pat Upton, Labour Party TD (b. 1944) 25 April – William McCrea, astronomer and mathematician (b. 1904) 25 April – Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, journalist, author, sports official and sixth president of the International Olympic Committee (b. 1914) 11 May – Birdy Sweeney, actor (b. 1931) 23 May – Cathal Gannon, harpsichord maker and fortepiano restorer (b. 1910) 15 June – Fred Tiedt, boxer (b. 1935) 17 July – Donal McCann, actor (b. 1943) 27 July – Malachi Martin, Roman Catholic priest and author (b. 1921) 21 August – Noel Larmour, cricketer and diplomat (b. 1916) 21 August – Maurice Gerard Moynihan, civil servant and writer (b. 1902) 24 August – Eithne Strong, poet 4 September – Raonaid Murray, victim of an unsolved murder (b. 1982) 13 October – Michael Hartnett, poet (b. 1941) 15 October – Josef Locke, tenor (b. 1917) 20 October – Jack Lynch, former Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil (b. 1917) 14 November – Brian Ó Cuív, son-in-law of Éamon de Valera, Celtic scholar and author 23 November – Micheál Cranitch, Fianna Fáil politician, Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann in 1973 (b. 1912) 29 November – Michael O'Halloran, politician in the UK (b. 1933) 30 December – Tom Aherne, soccer player (b. 1919) Full date unknown Manliff Barrington, motorcycle racer (b. 1910) Áine Ní Cheanainn, educationalist (b. 1907) See also 1999 in Irish television References External links 1999 at Reeling in the Years 1999