1997 in Ireland - Events

Events

  • January 8 - Russia seeks to widen its ban on the importation of Irish beef due to BSE.
  • February 27 - The law providing for divorce comes into effect today.
  • March 6 - Michael Lowry resigns as a member of the Fine Gael Party.
  • March 7 - President Mary Robinson meets Pope John Paul II in the Vatican.
  • March 17 - The new national independent radio station, Radio Ireland, goes on the air.
  • April 8 - Author Frank McCourt is awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his book Angela's Ashes.
  • June 6 - In the Irish general elections, Fianna Fáil win a plurality of seats, and form a coalition government with the Progressive Democrats. Bertie Ahern replaces John Bruton as Taoiseach, and Mary Harney of the Progressive Democrats becomes Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment.
  • June 12 - President Mary Robinson is appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
  • June 16 - National University of Ireland, Maynooth comes into existence with the commencement of the Universities Act, 1997.
  • July 3 - Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, meets Prime Minister Tony Blair for the first time.
  • July 6 - There is violence in nationalist areas after an Orange Order parade is allowed down the Garvaghy Road by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Portadown.
  • July 9 - Counsel for Charles Haughey admits that the former Taoiseach accepted £1.3 million from businessman Ben Dunne.
  • July 20 - The Irish Republican Army (IRA) institutes a second ceasefire.
  • September 12 - Mary Robinson resigns as President of Ireland to take up a United Nations post.
  • September 18 - Collins Barracks (Dublin) opens as converted to house the National Museum of Ireland's Decorative Arts and History collections.
  • October 7 - Substantial all-party talks begin in Northern Ireland.
  • November 1 - The Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act, 1997, takes effect.
  • November 7 - Dick Spring confirms that he is resigning as leader of the Labour Party.
  • November 11 - Mary McAleese is inaugurated as the eighth President of Ireland, the first time in the world that one woman has succeeded another as elected head of state.
  • November 13 - Ruairi Quinn wins the leadership of the Labour Party.
  • December 27 - The Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright is shot dead in the Maze prison by members of the Irish National Liberation Army.

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    “When the course of events shall have removed you to distant scenes of action where laurels not nurtured with the blood of my country may be gathered, I shall urge sincere prayers for your obtaining every honor and preferment which may gladden the heart of a soldier.”
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