# 1929 in Ireland

Events from the year 1929 in Ireland.

## Incumbents

* Governor-General: James McNeill
* President of the Executive Council: W. T. Cosgrave (CnaG)
* Vice-President of the Executive Council: Ernest Blythe (CnaG)
* Minister for Finance: Ernest Blythe (CnaG)
* Chief Justice: Hugh Kennedy
* Dáil: 6th
* Seanad: 1928 Seanad

## Events

* 17 January – all cats from abroad, except Great Britain, are to be kept in quarantine for a period of six months to avoid rabies.
* 8 February – a Belfast court sentences Fianna Fáil leader, Éamon de Valera, to one month in jail for illegally entering County Armagh.
* 20 February – Major-General Seán Mac Eoin, the Blacksmith of Ballinalee, is appointed Chief of Staff of the army.
* 12 May
** After his resignation from the army Major-General Seán Mac Eoin receives the Cumann na nGaedheal nomination in the Sligo-Leitrim by-election.
** Maud Gonne MacBride is arrested and charged with seditious libel against the State.
* 22 May – Northern Ireland general election for the Parliament of Northern Ireland, the first held following abolition of proportional representation and the redrawing of electoral boundaries to create single-seat territorial constituencies. The Ulster Unionist Party retains a substantial majority.
* 23 June – 300,000 people attend the Pontifical High Mass at the Phoenix Park to mark the end of the Catholic emancipation centenary celebrations.
* 11 July – the restored General Post Office, Dublin, is officially opened by President W. T. Cosgrave.
* 22 July – the Shannon hydro-electric scheme at Ardnacrusha, County Clare is opened.
* August – Censorship of Publications Act sets up the Censorship of Publications Board.
* 21 October – the Shannon Hydro-Electric Scheme is handed over to the ESB (Electricity Supply Board), bringing electricity to Galway and Dublin.
* 24 October – start of Wall Street crash; Ireland's economy suffers.
* Six banks in Northern Ireland begin to issue banknotes in sterling.
* Primary Certificate introduced, but optional, at end of primary education.
* Fordson tractor production is moved to Cork from the United States.
* Inishtrahull is depopulated (other than lighthouse keepers).

## Arts and literature

* 22 April – the first talking film, The Singing Fool starring Al Jolson, opens in the Capitol Theatre, Dublin.
* 3 July – Denis Johnston's The Old Lady Says "No!" is premièred by the Gate Theatre in Dublin, directed by Hilton Edwards.
* 29 November – Savoy Cinema opens in Dublin with the American colour talkie On with the Show.
* Elizabeth Bowen publishes her novel The Last September, set during the Irish War of Independence.
* Cecil Day-Lewis publishes Transitional Poem.
* Louis MacNeice publishes his poetry Blind Fireworks.
* Tomás Ó Criomhthain's autobiographical An t-Oileánach is published.
* Peadar O'Donnell publishes his novel Adrigool.
* George Bernard Shaw's political satire The Apple Cart is first performed (in Warsaw and Malvern).
* W. B. Yeats publishes his poetry A Packet for Ezra Pound and The Winding Stair.

## Sport
### Football
#### League of Ireland

    Winners: Shelbourne

#### FAI Cup

    Winners: Shamrock Rovers 0–0, 3–0 Bohemians
* St Patrick's Athletic F.C. is founded

### Gaelic Games

* The All-Ireland Champions are Cork (hurling) and Kerry (football).

### Golf

* Irish Open is won by Abe Mitchell (England).

### Motor racing

* Irish International Grand Prix is won by Boris Ivanowski (Alfa Romeo 6C)

## Births

* 9 January – Brian Farrell, author, journalist, academic and broadcaster (died 2014).
* 7 February
** Norman Rodway, actor (died 2001).
** Constance Smith, actress (died 2003).
* 10 February – Liam Ó Murchú, television broadcaster (died 2015).
* 14 February – Noel Lemass, Fianna Fáil TD (died 1976).
* 27 February – Richie Ryan, Fine Gael TD, Cabinet Minister and MEP (died 2019).
* 11 March – Erskine Barton Childers, writer and broadcaster (died 1996).
* 15 March – Paddy Buggy, Kilkenny hurler, President of the Gaelic Athletic Association (died 2013).
* 1 April – Michael O'Herlihy, television director (died 1997).
* 9 April – James McLoughlin, Roman Catholic Bishop of Galway (died 2005).
* 14 May – Brendan O'Reilly, broadcaster and actor (died 2001).
* 9 June – Shay Gibbons, international soccer player (died 2006).
* 11 July – David Kelly, actor (died 2012).
* 20 August – Kevin Heffernan, Gaelic footballer and manager (died 2013).
* 7 September – T. P. McKenna, character actor (died 2011).
* 9 September – Mervyn Jaffey, cricketer.
* 17 September – David Craig, Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom).
* 9 October – Michael Dargan, cricketer (died 2023).
* 16 October – James Kelly, Irish Army officer cleared of attempting to import arms for the IRA in the 1970 Arms Trial (died 2003).
* 28 October – Paddy Keaveney, Independent Fianna Fáil TD (died 1995).
* 14 November – Jimmy Gray, GAA sportsman (died 2023).
* 20 November – Ned Power, Waterford hurler (died 2007).
* 21 November – Niall Toibin, comedian and actor (died 2019).
* 23 December – Ouida Ramón-Moliner, anaesthetist (died 2020).

### Full date unknown

*   * Camille Souter, English-born painter.
*   * Tim Sweeney, hurler (died 2018).

## Deaths

* February – Jim Connell, political activist, writer of The Red Flag (born 1852).
* 6 March – Thomas Taggart, politician in the United States (born 1856; died in U.S.)
* 23 March – William Sears, newspaper proprietor, member of 1st Dáil representing South Mayo (Pro Treaty).
* 27 April – Austin Stack, Sinn Féin MP and TD, member of 1st Dáil (born 1879).
* 28 April – Alice Stopford Green, historian and nationalist, Independent member of the Seanad in 1922, 1925 and 1928 (born 1847).
* 29 April – Otto Jaffe, twice elected as Irish Unionist Party Lord Mayor of Belfast (born 1846).
* 1 May – Henry Jones Thaddeus, painter (born 1859; died on Isle of Wight).
* 28 May – Alice Stopford Green, nationalist, historian and journalist (born 1847).
* 5 July – Ted Sullivan, Major League Baseball player and manager (born 1851; died in U.S.)
* 12 July – Sir Nugent Everard, 1st Baronet soldier, Seanad member (born 1849).
* 11 August – Jer Doheny, Kilkenny hurler (born 1874).
* 10 October – Rose Mary Barton, watercolourist (born 1856).
* 19 October – Feardorcha Ó Conaill, Gaelic scholar (born 1876; died in traffic accident)
* 18 November – T. P. O'Connor, journalist and member of parliament (born 1848).
* Full date unknown – Grace Rhys, novelist (born 1865; died in U.S.)