2001 in Ireland

Events from the year 2001 in Ireland.

Incumbents

• President: Mary McAleese (Independent)
• Taoiseach: Bertie Ahern (Fianna Fáil)
• First Minister and deputy First Minister: David Trimble and Mark Durkan

Events

• 1 January – Ireland celebrates the first day of the 21st century.
• 22 March – Ireland confirms its first case of foot-and-mouth disease.
• 7 June – Irish voters reject the Treaty of Nice in a referendum.
• 9 September – The National Museum of Ireland's Museum of Country Life at Turlough, County Mayo, is officially opened.
• 11 September – The world is plunged into a state of shock as huge terrorist attacks takes place in New York City and Washington, D.C. The people of Ireland extend their sympathies to the people of the United States, particularly in view of the strong Irish American heritage of the New York City Fire Department.
• 14 September – Ireland holds a national day of mourning as a result of the atrocities in the United States. All sports, public functions, and entertainment are cancelled on orders of the government. Schools, businesses, and stores throughout the country are closed, also on orders of the government. President Mary McAleese says that the events are "an attack on the very foundations of human dignity" and left the people of Ireland "sad, shocked, sickened, grieving, disbelieving, outraged, frightened all at once."
• 14 October – The first multiple state funeral is held in honour of ten Irish Republican Army Volunteers who were executed by the British for their part in the War of Independence.
• 4 November – The Police Service of Northern Ireland is established.
• 17 November – The Gaelic Athletic Association votes to abolish its controversial Rule 21. Members of the British Army and the Police Service of Northern Ireland will henceforth be permitted to play.
• 14 December – Irish euro coins are available in An Post and bank branches, these "Starter Packs" contain nineteen coins worth €6.35 and can be purchased for IR£5.

Arts and literature

• February–April - Conor McPherson's play Port Authority premieres in London and Dublin.
• 26 June - Two Old Master paintings from the Beit collection are stolen from Russborough House.
• Publication of Julian Gough's novel Juno & Juliet.
• Publication of John McGahern's last novel That They May Face the Rising Sun.

Sport

Equestrianism

Show jumping

Kevin Babington, Peter Charles, Jessica Kurten and Dermott Lennon win the senior European Show Jumping Championships Team Gold medals.

Golf

• Murphy's Irish Open is won by Colin Montgomerie (Scotland).

Births

• 27 March – Gaby Lewis, cricketer

Deaths

January to June

• 5 January – G. E. M. Anscombe, analytic philosopher (born 1919).
• 21 February – Desmond Leslie, pilot, filmmaker and writer (born 1921).
• 8 March – Ninette de Valois, founder of the Royal Ballet (born 1898).
• 1 June – Peter Corr, international soccer player and father of The Corrs members (born 1923).
• 27 June – Michael Moynihan, Labour Party Senator and TD (born 1917).

July to December

• 4 July – Anne Yeats, painter and stage designer (born 1919).
• 1 August – Joe Lynch, actor (born 1925).
• 27 August – John Joe 'Purty' Landers, Kerry Gaelic footballer (born 1907).
• 31 August – Donal O'Sullivan, Cork Gaelic footballer (born 1930).
• 23 September – Kevin Boland, Fianna Fáil TD, served as Minister for Defence, Minister for Social Welfare and Minister for Local Government (born 1917).
• 24 October – Eamon Kelly, actor (born 1914).
• 4 November – Denis Gallagher, Fianna Fáil TD and Cabinet Minister (born 1922).
• 10 December – Freddie Anderson, playwright and socialist (born 1922).
• 12 December – Michael Torrens-Spence, held commissions in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, the Royal Air Force, the British Army, Ulster Special Constabulary and Ulster Defence Regiment (born 1914).
• 14 December – Eoin Ryan, Fianna Fáil Seanad Éireann member (born 1920).
• 23 December – Mark Clinton, Fine Gael TD, former Minister for Agriculture and MEP (born 1915).

Full date unknown

• Seán Condon, Cork hurler (born 1923).

External links

• 2001 at Reeling in the Years