See also: 1970 in Ireland, other events of 1971, 1972 in Ireland and the list of 'years in Ireland'.

Events

• April 3 - the Eurovision Song Contest is held in Dublin. Presented by Bernadette Ní Ghallchóir , it is the first colour broadcast by RTÉ.
• April 11 - The Gaelic Athletic Association votes to lift its ban on members participating in "foreign games" such as soccer, rugby and cricket.
• May 11 - Sean Lemass, Taoiseach from 1959 to 1966, dies in Dublin aged 71. He was active during the 1916 Easter Rising, the War of Independence and the Civil War.
• May 22 - members of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement return to Dublin by train from Belfast bringing contraceptives as a protest against the law banning their importation.
• July 16 - the SDLP announces that it is withdrawing from Stormont.
• August 9 - internment without trial is introduced in Northern Ireland. 300 men are 'lifted' in pre-dawn raids. No loyalists are targeted.
• August 12 - British troops begin clearing operations in Belfast following the worst rioting in years. An Taoiseach Jack Lynch calls for an end to the Stormont administration.
• September 25 - a rally takes place in Dublin in support of passive disobedience in Northern Ireland.
• November 10 - the government defeats a motion of no confidence in Jim Gibbons.
• November 17 - Neil Blaney and Paudge Brennan are expelled from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
• November 19 - An Taoiseach Jack Lynch has talks with British Prime Minister Harold Wilson in Dublin.

Arts and literature

Sports

Births

• March 4 - Fergal Lawler, drummer with The Cranberries.
• August 10 - Roy Keane, footballer.
• August 31 - Padraig Harrington, golfer.
• September 6 - Dolores O'Riordan, lead vocalist with The Cranberries.
• October 10 - Roy Keane, footballer.

Deaths

• January 24 - St John Ervine, playwright and novelist.
• April 1 - Dame Kathleen Lonsdale, X-ray crystallographer.
• May 10 - Archie Heron , trade union organiser.
• May 11 - Sean Lemass, former Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil.
• May 15 - Sir Tyrone Guthrie , playwright and novelist.
• June 13 - Máiréad Ní Ghráda , poet and playwright.
• June 14 - Gerard Dillon , artist and painter.
• September 15 - John Bernal , physicist.
• September 26 - Conor Maguire , lawyer and judge.
• October 3 - Seán Ó Riada, composer.
• December 16 - Richard Mulcahy, Revolutionary, Cabinet Minister and former leader of Fine Gael.