# 1908 in Ireland

Events in the year 1908 in Ireland.

## Events

* February – Republican leader Tom Clarke opened a tobacconist shop in Dublin under the name of T. S. Ó'Cléirigh which became a centre for Irish Republican Brotherhood activity.
* 17 February – A statue of Queen Victoria was unveiled at Leinster House in Dublin.
* 19 April – The Guildhall in Derry was largely destroyed by fire.
* 19 May – Work began on a monument to Charles Stewart Parnell in Upper Sackville Street, Dublin.
* 31 July – The Irish Universities Act 1908 received royal assent in the Parliament of the UK. This led to the establishment of the National University of Ireland and Queen's University of Belfast.
* 8 September – Patrick Pearse opened St. Enda's School (Scoil Éanna) to offer a bilingual secondary education for boys at Cullenswood House in Ranelagh. It later moved to the Hermitage, Rathfarnham.
* 11 November – The Irish Women's Franchise League was formed, with Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington as secretary.
* 29 December – The Irish Transport Workers' Union was formed, with James Larkin as general secretary.

## Arts and literature

* January – Hugh Lane founded the Dublin City Gallery in Harcourt Street, the world's first to display only modern art.
* 1 December – Cuala Press produced its first publication, Poetry and Ireland: essays by W. B. Yeats and Lionel Johnson.
* Terence MacSwiney, T. C. Murray, Con O'Leary and Daniel Corkery founded the Cork Dramatic Society.
* John Millington Synge's only comedic play, The Tinker's Wedding, was published.
* Filson Young's novel When the Tides Turn was published.

## Sport

* 1908 Summer Olympics (London): Ireland competed as a separate country in field hockey and polo, and won silver medals in both.

### Association football
#### International

** 15 February – Ireland 1–3 England (in Belfast)
** 14 March – Ireland 0–5 Scotland (in Dublin)
** 11 April – Wales 0–1 Ireland (in Aberdare)

#### Irish League

    Winners: Linfield F.C.

#### Irish Cup

    Winners: Bohemian F.C. 1–1 draw; replay result 3–1 Shelbourne F.C.

### Golf

* The golf course at Royal County Down Golf Club was modified by Harry Vardon, and Edward VII bestowed royal patronage on the club.

## Births

* 20 February – Florence Wycherley, independent Teachta Dála (TD) (died 1969).
* 23 February – Jim Ware, Waterford hurler (died 1983).
* 10 March – Patrick Shanahan, Fianna Fáil party TD (died 2000).
* 27 April – Patrick Shea, Permanent Secretary in the Northern Ireland Civil Service (died 1986 in Northern Ireland).
* 5 May – Mary Elmes, humanitarian (died 2002 in France).
* 10 June – Gerard Sweetman, Fine Gael party TD and Cabinet minister (died 1970).
* 20 July – Mad Dog Coll, born Uinseann (Vincent) Ó Colla, mob hitman in New York (killed in 1932 in the United States).
* 24 July – Roger McHugh, professor, author, and playwright (died 1987).
* 18 August – Sam English, association football player (died 1967 in Scotland).
* 26 September – Hugh Delargy, British Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) (died 1976 in Northern Ireland).
* 6 December – Con Cremin, diplomat (died 1987).

### Full date unknown

*   * Frances Kelly, painter (died 2002).
*   * Niall Ó Dónaill, Irish language lexicographer and writer (died 1995).
*   * Mervyn Wall, novelist and dramatist (died 1997).

## Deaths

* 17 January – Eyre Massey Shaw, Superintendent of the London Metropolitan Fire Brigade (born 1830; died in England).
* 3 February – Thomas Mellon, entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge, founder of Mellon Bank (born 1813; died in the United States).
* 23 March – Frederick Falkiner, lawyer, judge and author (born 1831).
* 10 June – John F. Finerty, U.S. Representative from Illinois (born 1846; died in the United States).
* 6 July – Thomas William Moffett, scholar, educationalist, and President of Queen's College Galway (born 1820).
* 5 August – Caesar Litton Falkiner, Irish Unionist Party politician, barrister, writer, and historian (born 1863).
* 30 August – Lawrence Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse, 18th Chancellor of the University of Dublin (born 1840).
* 4 November – John Pinkerton, Irish Parliamentary Party MP (born 1845).
* 15 December – Hugh Annesley, 5th Earl Annesley, British military officer and MP (born 1831).
* 19 December – Thomas Cleeve, founder of Condensed Milk Company of Ireland, High Sheriff of Limerick (born 1844).