Dublin Diary #OnThisDay

What stories made the news in Dublin over the years during this month?

1 January 1875 – Death of poet, editor and bookseller Philip Dixon Hardy. He was editor of the Dublin Penny Journal. He died at Frankfort Place, Rathmines.

1 January 1875 – Essex Bridge re-named Grattan Bridge by Lord Mayor Peter Paul McSwiney.

1 January 1968 – Death of Donagh MacDonagh, poet, playwright and short story writer. He was the son of 1916 Rising participant Thomas MacDonagh, and was born in Dublin. He was Justice for the Dublin Metropolitan Courts at the time of his death. He was interred at Dean’s Grange cemetery.

1 January 1972 – Death of Constantine Curran, barrister and writer. He was born in 1880 and studied at the old Catholic University where he first met James Joyce. Although called to the bar he never practised. His works include 'Dublin Decorative Plasterwork of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries' (1967), 'James Joyce Remembered' (1968) and 'Under the Receding Wave' (1970). There is a memorial by Seamus Murphy at Curran’s grave in Dean’s Grange cemetery.

1 January 1988 – Dublin Millennium celebrations begin.

2 January 1880 – Mansion House Fund for the relief of distressed peasantry inaugurated at meeting presided over by Lord Mayor of Dublin Edmund Dwyer Gray, proprietor of the Freeman's Journal. Fund reached £181,665 by 2 December 1880. The records of this Fund are held in Dublin City Archives, at Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse Street, Dublin.

2 January 1901 – The world premiere of George Russell’s play 'Deirdre' was staged in the garden of 5, Harcourt Terrace, Dublin.

2 January 1922 – Several of Dublin’s bridges were renamed: Wellington Bridge to Liffey Bridge; Richmond Bridge to O’Donovan Rossa Bridge; Whitworth Bridge to Dublin Bridge (now Fr. Matthew Bridge); Queen Street Bridge to Queen Maeve Bridge; Victoria Bridge to Rory O’More Bridge; King’s Bridge to Sarsfield Bridge (now Sean Heuston Bridge); and Sarah Bridge to Island Bridge.

3 January 1882 – Resolution of Dublin City Council grants Honorary Freedom of the City of Dublin to Charles Stewart Parnell and to John Dillon.

3 January 1908 – The Moody-Manners Opera Company premiered its production of La Boheme at Dublin’s Theatre Royal.

3 January 1966 – The deep-sea section of Dublin port closed due to industrial dispute.

4 January 1904 – The name of Dolphin’s Barn Lane was changed to Dolphin’s Barn Street.

4 January 1908 – Dublin’s second Motor Show opened in the grounds of the Royal Dublin Society, Ballsbridge. Companies such as Fiat and Napier exhibited their new models.

4 January 1937 – About 400 people attended the Fry-Cadbury third annual staff dance, at the Metropole, Dublin. Lord Mayor Alfie Byrne, T.D., was the special guest.

4 January 1980 – Death of Dublin-born comedian Cecil Sheridan.

4 January 1986 – Death of Dublin musician and songwriter Phil Lynott, aged 36.

5 January 1864 – Bronze statue of Oliver Goldsmith, by sculptor John Henry Foley, unveiled in front of Trinity College Dublin. Among the guests was the Lord Lieutenant, who had, six years earlier, proposed the statue. He gave £100 to the Goldsmith Statue Fund.

5 January 1864 – The National Gallery of Ireland opened at Merrion Square, Dublin. On the same day, a statue of William Dargan, by sculptor Thomas Farrell, was unveiled.

5 January 1881 – Death of Dublin-born political activist and administrator Thomas Mathew Ray. He was secretary of the National Trades Political Union (1832), secretary of the Precursor Society (1838), and secretary of the Repeal Association until its dissolution in 1848. In 1844 he was tried, with O’Connell and others, for sedition. He served three months in Richmond prison. He died at 5 Leinster Road, Rathmines and was buried in Glasnevin cemetery.

5 January 1903 – The name of Addison Street, Fairview, was changed to Addison Road, by Dublin Corporation, following a petition by local residents.

5 January 1936 – Severe flooding on Dublin coast from Clontarf to Sandycove. The Liffey was flooded at the North and South Walls. Cottages in East Wall were abandoned. Huge waves crashed over the sea walls at Sandymount.

5 January 1969 – The First Dublin Festival of 20th Century Music begins.

5 January 1976 – Death of John A. Costello, former Taoiseach (1948-51) and (1954-57), and Attorney General (1926-32). He was born in Dublin in 1891 and educated at O’Connell Schools, and U.C.D. He then studied Law at King’s Inns and was called to the Bar in 1914. He was elected M.R.I.A. in 1948.

6 January 1874 – Birth in Dublin of Andrew Marshall Porter, hockey international. He captained Dublin University Cricket Club in 1895. He was a member of Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club and was capped six times for Ireland. He enlisted for the Boer War and died of wounds while trying to bring water to his company under fire on 5 June 1900 at Lindley, Orange Free State.

6 January 1876 – Statue of Henry Grattan (1746-1820) unveiled in Dublin. Sculptor John Henry Foley was commissioned to do the statue in April 1869 but he died in 1874 leaving an almost completed model to be cast.

6 January 1910 – At the Empire Theatre, Dame Street, Dick Knock defeated Joe Singleton in a 16th round knock-out to win the Lightweight Boxing Championship of Ireland.

6 January 1931 – Death of Dublin-born stained glass artist and illustrator Harry Clarke. He was born on 17 March 1889. His home was at 48 North Circular Road.

6 January 1966 – The James Larkin Memorial Rehabilitation Centre opened at St. Laurence’s Hospital, Dublin.

7 January 1868 – Death of Dublin-born miniature painter John Aylmer. He was born about 1815 and was a regular exhibitor at the RHA from 1847 to 1854. He later became a photographer. He died at his residence 6 Hamilton Row, Dublin.

7 January 1925 – The Irish Free State Army boxing team was defeated by the Scotland Amateur Team in a tournament held in the Round Room of Dublin’s Mansion House.

7 January 1927 – A fire broke out at Robinson’s coal merchants, on Sir John Rogerson's Quay. The fire had started among a stock of German briquettes but Dublin Fire Brigade put out the fire after several hours.

7 January 1928 – Death of Francis Elrington Ball, historian, in Dublin. He was born at Portmarnock, Co. Dublin on 18 July 1863. He wrote a 'History of County Dublin' (1902-20), 'Correspondence of Jonathan Swift' (six vols., 1910-14) and 'The Judges in Ireland, 1221-1921' (1926).

7 January 1937 – About 350 people attended the annual staff dance of Autocars (Ireland) Ltd. at the Metropole, Dublin. Lord Mayor Alfie Byrne, T.D., was the special guest.

7 January 1965 – Death of Dublin-born comedian Jimmy O’Dea (65), creator of ‘Biddy Mulligan’.

7 January 1965 – The Rolling Stones performed two concerts at Dublin’s Adelphi Cinema.

8 January 1860 – Church of St. Andrew, Suffolk Street, Dublin, destroyed by fire.

9 January 1937 – Lord Mayor Alfie Byrne, T.D., was the special guest at the annual dinner of the Dublin branch of the Customs and Excise service, held at the Gresham Hotel, O’Connell Street.

9 January 1945 – A lock-out of about 1,000 fuel workers employed by 16 Dublin fuel merchants resulted in a complete stoppage of deliveries to domestic and commercial consumers of turf and fuel – later some 120 Dublin Port dockers went out on strike in sympathy with the fuel workers.

10 January 1878 – Death of Dublin-born physician William Stokes, son of Whitley Stokes. He was president of the Royal Irish Academy in 1874. He died at Howth, Co. Dublin.

10 January 1937 – Lord Mayor Alfie Byrne, T.D., entertained some 3,000 inmates of Dublin Union at St. Kevin’s Hospital. Bands and various pantomime artistes gave their services while sweets, cigarettes, etc. were also given out.

10 January 1977 – The Oscar Theatre, 78 Serpentine Avenue, formerly the Ritz Cinema, opened with a production of ‘There Was A Young Man.’ Proprietor Louis O’Sullivan and manager Ronan Wilmot promised to present plays with popular appeal.

11 January 1934 – Educationalist Dr. Maria Montessori presented a lecture to 80 teachers at Dominican Convent, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.

11 January 1947 – Three sections of Dublin Fire Brigade fought a blaze at Wynn’s Hotel, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin. There were no major casualties.

11 January 1956 – A large number of variety artists (Jack Cruise, Hal Roach, Patty Ryan, Milo O’Shea, the Ballyfermot Accordion Band and others) gave a charity concert at Dublin’s Mansion House in aid of the National Association of Cerebral Palsy.

11 January 1981 – Death of Dublin-born Thomas Dudley aka ‘Bang Bang’ at Clonturk House for the Blind in Drumcondra. He had lived at 50b Bridgefoot Street, Inchicore.

12 January 1729 - Birth at Arran Quay, Dublin, of philosopher and politician Edmund Burke.

12 January 1966 – Death of Very Rev. Norman David Emerson, Dean, since 1961, of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.

13 January 1875 – Death of Dublin-born surgeon, Robert Adams, appointed to the Jervis Street Charitable Infirmary in 1818. He became known as the father of Irish surgery. He was interred at Mount Jerome cemetery, Dublin.

13 January 1922 – Horace Tennyson O’Rourke, L.R.I.B.A., was appointed Dublin City Architect (until 1944). He was one of the motivators behind the Dublin Civic Survey. He developed the layout of the Marino housing scheme with F.G. Hicks, on the ‘garden city’ principle.

13 January 1941 – Death of James Joyce in Zurich.

13 January 1983 – Dublin Chamber of Commerce began celebrating its bicentenary.

14 January 1937 – Death of Richard Raymond, an official in Dublin Corporation’s finance and general purposes section for over 20 years. Raymond was a member of the R.D.S. He was survived by his widow and children. His address was 53, Talbot Street. His remains were interred at Bluebell cemetery.

14 January 1957 – At a special meeting held in the Council chamber, City Hall, Dublin Corporation adopted a new City Development Plan.

14 January 1970 – Dublin’s first parking meter began operating at Wellington Quay. Some 2,500 meters are scheduled to be put in place.

14 January 1990 – Dr. Nicola Gordon Bowe delivered the Hugh Lane Lecture, ‘Harry Clarke 1889-1931’ at the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Charlemont House, Parnell Square.

15 January 1900 – Municipal elections in the following Dublin City Wards: Arran Quay, Fitzwilliam, Inns Quay, Mansion House, Merchant’s Quay, Mountjoy, North Dock, North City, Rotunda, Royal Exchange, South City, Trinity, Usher’s Quay, Wood Quay.

15 January 1953 – Lord Mayor Senator Andrew Clarkin opened the Star Cinema in Crumlin.

15 January 1996 – ‘The Huguenots in Ireland’ Exhibition officially opened by Lord Mayor Sean D. Dublin Bay Rockhall Loftus.

16 January 1935 – The new St. Thomas’ parochial hall opened at Lower Rutland Street, Dublin.

16 January 1954 – Singer Joan Hammond appeared on stage at the Theatre Royal, Dublin.

16 January 1967 – Public inquiry into bread and flour prices opened in Dublin.

17 January 1866 – Death of Dublin-born scholar and artist George Petrie, LL.D. He was born in 1789. He was also a skilled musician, and wrote much for The Dublin University Magazine, the Irish Penny Journal, etc. He was given an Hon. LL.D. by T.C.D. in 1847, and wrote and sketched many Irish round towers, and translated Irish texts.

17 January 1931 – Death in London of Sir Thomas Devereux Pile, D.L., J.P., former Lord Mayor of Dublin (1900).

17 January 1973 – St. Andrew’s College opened in Booterstown. The College originally opened on 8 January 1894 at St. Stephen’s Green before moving in 1936 to Clyde Road, Ballsbridge.

17 January 2002 – Death of Jim Tunney, former Fianna Fail T.D., born Finglas 1923). He was elected a Dublin City Councillor in 1967 until 1991. He was first elected a T.D. in 1969. He was Lord Mayor of Dublin City 1985 – 86.

18 January 1934 – Some 1,500 Dublin tramway workers strike until 21 January.

19 January 1966 – A 240-seat theatre-cum-conference centre, the Erin Foods Theatre, was opened at Earlsfort Terrace.

20 January 1888 – The horse-training establishment of James Duffy, Liffey Bank, Islandbridge went on fire. Some 100 tons of hay were ablaze as at least seven horses were rescued. The cost of the fire damage was estimated at £800. Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene under Captain Boyle.

20 January 1908 – The new Municipal Art Gallery – the Hugh Lane - was opened to the public.

20 January 1915 – Death of philanthropist Sir Arthur Edward Guinness, Baron Ardilaun, at his residence, St. Anne’s, Clontarf. He was head of the family brewing business, 1868-77, and M.P. for Dublin 1868-69 and 1874-80. He restored Marsh’s Library, extended the Coombe Hospital, and bought, laid out and presented to Dublin city the public park of twenty-two acres now known as St. Stephen’s Green.

20 January 1935 – Denis Johnston’s film adaptation of Frank O’Connor’s short story ‘Guests of the Nation’, shot on location in Dublin and Co. Wicklow, is given a private showing to assembled guests actors at the Gate Theatre.

20 January 1945 – Six families (19 occupants) were left homeless after a fire destroyed their apartments in a four-storey premises on Aungier Street, Dublin.

20 January 1968 – Death of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, art collector and first honorary citizen of Ireland. He is later given a State funeral in Dublin.

20 January 1973 – One person was murdered and 13 injured by a car bomb in Dublin.

20 January 1980 – Severe weather, high winds and flooding, in Dublin and elsewhere. Part of the copper roof on the Customs House is blown off, but later repaired by the Office of Public Works.

20 January 1981 – Death of Dublin-born co-editor of Dublin Opinion Charles E. Kelly. He also contributed cartoons to the magazine signed CEK. He was also a well-known watercolourist.

21 January 1919 – The first Dáil met at the Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin.

21 January 1920 – DMP Assistant Commissioner William Charles Forbes Redmond was shot dead at Harcourt Street, Dublin, while on his way from his office in Dublin Castle to his temporary accommodation at the Standard Hotel, Harcourt Street. He was born in 1874 in Co. Armagh. He had 23 years service and was the highest-ranking DMP member to be killed in its entire history.

21 January 1969 – Fiftieth anniversary of the first Dáil celebrated in the Mansion House, Dublin.

22 January 1945 – Dublin Corporation approved plans for the proposed C.I.E. central bus terminus at Store Street.

22 January 1980 – 300,000, according to Gardaí, marched in Dublin in favour of P.A.Y.E. tax reforms.

23 January 1901 – Election of Councillor Timothy Charles Harrington, M.P., as Lord Mayor of Dublin.

23 January 1903 – Dublin City Councillor Timothy Harrington, B.L., M.P., was elected Lord Mayor for a third consecutive year, an event unprecedented since the creation of the title.

23 January 1908 – Alderman Gerald O’Reilly was elected Lord Mayor of the City of Dublin.

23 January 1915 – Alderman John Clancy elected Lord Mayor of Dublin for the year commencing 23 February 1915 but he died in the intervening period.

24 January 1831 – Birth in Dublin of Thomas Maguire, classicist and unionist. He was called to the English Bar in 1862 but returned to Dublin in 1866 and three years later he was appointed Professor of Latin at Queen’s College Galway. He spent much of the late 1880s castigating Home Rule and Parnell. Maguire died in 1889 and was buried at Dean’s Grange cemetery, Dublin.

24 January 1979 – The go-ahead for Ireland’s first major toll bridge was given by Dublin City planning officials. The £2.5m. structure across the Liffey at Ringsend will be built by a consortium headed by Tom Roche (see also 21 October 1984).

24 January 1991 – Death of Dublin-born politician and lawyer John Kelly. He was Fine Gael T.D. for Dublin-South, 1973-89.

25 January 1908 – Dublin’s public lending libraries closed on the orders of the Town Clerk.

25 January 1922 – Death of Dublin-born landscape and portrait painter Claude Hayes, the son of marine painter Edwin Hayes, RHA. He first showed at the RHA in 1874. He died at Brockenhurst, Hampshire.

25 January 1989 – Death of Dublin-born abstract painter and printmaker Michael Byrne. He exhibited at the Irish Exhibition of Living Art. He played an active role in the formation of the Independent Artists in 1960. His first one-man show was in Los Angeles in 1966. He exhibited at the Setanta Gallery, Dublin, in 1974, 1976, and 1981. Unmarried, he died suddenly at his home, 9 Offaly Road, Cabra.

26 January 1907 – 'The Playboy of the Western World' by J.M. Synge opened at the Abbey Theatre; rioting occurred in the theatre on 28-30 January.

26 January 1953 – On Republic of India Day members of Dublin’s Indian and Asiatic communities held a dance in traditional costumes, in the Mansion House, courtesy of the Lord Mayor.

27 January 1949 – All-party conference at the Mansion, House, Dublin, leads to church-gate collection on 30 January in support of the Anti-Partition League.

27 January 1989 – Dublin’s oldest bakery, Johnston, Mooney and O’Brien announced that it was to close.

28 January 1953 – French singer Maurice Chevalier gave a concert at Dublin’s Theatre Royal.

28 January 1970 – Death of Dublin-born lawyer and politician Gerard Sweetman. He was born on 10 June 1908 and was educated at T.C.D. He became a member of Fine Gael and was a Senator from 1943 to 1948, and a T.D. for Co. Kildare from 1948 until his death. He died in a road accident.

28 January 1939 - One of Ireland's most important literary figures, William Butler Yeats passed away in Menton, France on the 28 January 1939. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923, W.B. Yeats was one of the 20th century’s greatest poets.

29 January 1908 – The Municipal Gallery for Modern Art opened on Harcourt Street, Dublin.

30 January 1920 – Alderman Thomas Kelly, M.P., was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin City for the year commencing 23 February 1920 but was unable, due to ill-health, following earlier imprisonment, to assume his office.

30 January 1947 – Death of trade unionist James Larkin, aged 71, in the Meath Hospital. He was interred at Glasnevin cemetery.

30 January 1984 – Death of singer Luke Kelly of the Dubliners ballad group. He was interred in St. Paul’s section of Glasnevin cemetery.

31 January 1957 – Lord Mayor Robert Briscoe, T.D.’s Midnight Matinee at the Theatre Royal, Dublin, featured many top artists in Irish entertainment. The show was held in aid of the Mansion House Coal Fund.

31 January 1962 – Death of Dublin-born rugby and water-polo player Noel Mary Joseph Purcell. He was born in 1891 at Westland Row, Dublin. In 1920 he was the only Irish member of the British team that won the Gold Medal at the Antwerp Olympics.

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