1956 in Ireland

John A. Costello

January: Agreement with the United States respecting the use of Counterpart for defraying the costs of programmes submitted by Muintir na Tire, Macra na Feirme and the Irish Countrywomen's Association.

The 1956 census passed into law.

February: On the 15th, Owen Sheehy-Skeffington, son of Francis Sheehy-Skeffington who had been murdered by the British during the Easter Rising, introduced a motion calling for the abolition of corporal punishment of girls in public schools.

The Fatal Injuries Act was passed to make better provision for the families of those fatally injured through the fault of another person.

March: Gerard Sweetman, the Minister for Finance, introduced special import levies on 'less than essential consumer imports'. Prize bonds were authorised, and would first be sold a year later.

John A. Costello became the first head of Government to spend St. Patrick's Day in the United States, where he was guest of honour at a dinner put on by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in Philidelphia. Meanwhile Dublin's Jewish Mayor, Robert Briscoe, led the annual parade in New York.

April: On the 2nd, President Seán T. O'Kelly unveiled a bust of Easter Rising rebel Countess Markiewicz in St. Stephen's Green.

A national census was carried out, which revealed a general decline in population in both industrial and rural areas.

May: On May 7th, a Trade Agreement was signed with France.

The Mid-Ulster by-election of May 8th was won by Independent Unionist George Forrest. The sitting MP, Charles Beattie, had been disqualified in February. Beattie had himself taken the seat by default after Sinn Féin's Tom Mitchell was disqualified for being a convincted felon.

On May 21st, the President Seán T. O'Kelly opened the first international Cork Film Festival. Eight days later, T. K. Whitaker was appointed the new Secretary of the Department of Finance.

Seán T. O'Kelly

The All-Ireland football champions

June: The Ministers and Secretaries Amendment Act provided for a Department of the Gaeltacht. Minister for Education Richard Mulcahy had introduced the debate the month previously.

July: The Prisoners of War and Enemy Aliens Act was passed, confirming Ireland's commitment to the Geneva Conventions. An Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act was also passed to make provision for the acquisition and loss of Irish citizenship.

Major spending cuts were introduced on housing and roads.

August: An outbreak of polio forced the GAA to postpone the All-Ireland hurling and football finals.

September: On the 22nd, Galway beat Cork in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

October: On the 3rd of October, Ireland beat Denmark 2-1 in a World Cup Qualifying match at Dalymount Park, Dublin.

November: On the 21st, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children was opened in Crumlin, Dublin.

Nine days later it was announced that petrol rationing would be brought in from January, due to the crisis in the Suez.

December: On the first, Robert Delaney won the 1500m race and claimed Ireland's first Olympic gold in 24 years.

The IRA's Border Campaign was launched on the night of 11th December with simultaneous attacks on targets including a barracks, a B-Special post, a courthouse and a BBC radio transmitter.

Declaration of the Border Campaign in the United Irishman

Notable births in Ireland
John O'Donahue 1st January	Pat O'Carroll 11th February	Liam Brady 13th February	Jim Lynagh 13th April	Kevin Moran 29th April	Steve Barron 4th May
Mary Coughlan 5th May	Brendan Howlin 9th May	Pat Byrne 15th May	Pat Fleury 18th May	Seán Kelly 21st May	Michael Jackson 24th May
John O'Donoghue 28th May	Brendan Smith 1st June	Gerry Ryan 4th June	Marty Whelan 7th June	Frank Stapleton 10th July	Liz O'Donnell July
Denis Mulcahy August	Willie Mullins 5th September	Charles Flanagan 1st November	Cathal Ó Searcaigh	Patrick Cassidy	Marita Conlon McKenna
Dorothy Cross	Joe Duffy	Frankie Gavin	Mary Kennedy	Tadhg Murphy	Fran Rooney

Notable Deaths in Ireland
Name	Date of death	Age	Details

Sir John Keane	30th January	82	Barrister and politician; the fifth Baronet.
Louis Meldon	21st February	69	Cricketer who played four first-class matches for Ireland.
Alfred Byrne	13th March	73	Irish nationalist politician and Lord Mayor of Dublin.
Benjamin Glazer	18th March	68	Screenwriter, producer, foley artist and film director.
Matt Goff	19th March	54	Gaelic footballer who helped establish the GAA.
Bob Lambert	24th March	81	Cricketer who played 23 first-class matches for Ireland.
John Tudor Gwynn	17th May	74	Cricketer who played in India for 'Europe'.
John Miller Andrews	5th August	85	Second Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.
Tomás Ó Deirg	19th November	58	Fianna Fáil politician.
Robert Bowers	25th November	59	Cricketer who played one first-class match for Ireland.
Frederic Charles Dreyer	11th December	78	Admiral in the Royal Navy.
Lambert McKenna	27th December	86	Jesuit priest and writer.
James Cousins	-	(83)	Writer, playwright, critic, editor, teacher and poet.
Elizabeth Cronin	-	(77)	Singer specialising in trad music.
Ella Young	-	(89)	Poet, political activist and mystic.