1896 in Ireland

Events from the year 1896 in Ireland.

Events

February – the Broighter Gold hoard of prehistoric objects is discovered near Limavady by Tom Nicholl while ploughing.
29 March – the Royal College of St Patrick, Maynooth is granted the status of pontifical university by charter of the Holy See.Rescripts of the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide.
16 May – the first electric tram runs on the Dublin tramways system.
May – James Connolly returns from Edinburgh to Ireland as paid organiser for the Dublin Socialist Club. He founds the Irish Republican Socialist Party.
28 March – Tom Gallaher incorporates the Gallaher tobacco business and opens the world's largest tobacco factory in Belfast.
John Dillon assumes the leadership of the anti-Parnellite wing of the Home Rule Party.
An extension is made to Arthur Balfour's Land Act. 1,500 bankrupt estates are made available for sale to tenants.
Ireland's first motor vehicle laws are introduced.
Restoration of the Church of Ireland's Kildare Cathedral is completed.

Arts and literature

20 April – first cinema show in Ireland, at Dan Lowry's Star of Erin Variety Theatre in Dublin.{{cite book|first=Patrick|last=Robinson|title=Film Facts|location=Wigston|publisher=Quantum Books|year=2007|isbn=978-1-84573-235-6|page=7}}
The lyrics of The Mountains of Mourne are written by Percy French with Dr. W. Houston Collision.{{cite book|last=De Burgh Daly|first=Mrs|year=1973|title=Prose, Poems and Parodies of Percy French|pages=vii-xv|location=Dublin|publisher=Talbot Press|isbn=0-85452-107-0}}
Charles Villiers Stanford's comic opera Shamus O'Brien is first performed.

Sport

=Cricket=

;International
:February: Tim O'Brien becomes the first Irish captain of the England cricket team in a match won against South Africa at Port Elizabeth{{cite web|title=Timothy Carew O'Brien – the first Irishman to captain England|first=Ger|last=Siggins|date=2011-08-27|url=http://www.cricketeurope4.net/DATABASE/ARTICLES4/articles/000022/002241.shtml|work=CricketEurope|access-date=2012-03-20}}

=Football=

;International
:29 February Wales 6–1 Ireland (in Wrexham){{cite book|last=Hayes|first=Dean|year=2006|title=Northern Ireland International Football Facts|publisher=Appletree Press|location=Belfast|pages=154–155|isbn=0-86281-874-5}}
:7 March Ireland 0-2 England (in Belfast)
:28 March Ireland 3-3 Scotland (in Belfast)
;Irish League
:Winners: Distillery
;Irish Cup
:Winners: Distillery 3 - 1 Glentoran

=Field hockey=

;International
:2 March: The Ireland women's national field hockey team defeat England 2–0 at Alexandra College in the first ever women's international field hockey match. {{cite news|url=http://www.hockey.ie/news-detail/10034968/|title=125 Year Anniversary Of IHU Formation|publisher=www.hockey.ie|access-date=8 September 2018|date=6 February 2018|archive-date=28 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328215044/https://www.hockey.ie/news-detail/10034968/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/hockey/a-history-of-the-sport-on-the-island-as-hockey-ireland-celebrates-125th-anniversary-36573115.html|title=A history of the sport on the island as Hockey Ireland celebrates 125th anniversary|publisher=www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk|access-date=8 September 2018|date=6 February 2018}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/living-for-the-days-of-the-big-finals-alexandra-college-1.897904?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fliving-for-the-days-of-the-big-finals-alexandra-college-1.897904|title=Living for the days of the big finals Alexandra College|publisher=www.irishtimes.com|access-date=8 September 2018|date=27 February 2008}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.wispsports.com/womens-sport-feature-articles/womens-sports-history/history-hockey-part-2/|title=A History of Hockey – Part 2|publisher=www.wispsports.com|access-date=10 September 2018|date=17 December 2016|archive-date=15 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915192159/http://www.wispsports.com/womens-sport-feature-articles/womens-sports-history/history-hockey-part-2/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.sportireland.ie/Media/Latest_News/2014/October/Hockey_Internationals_Set_For_Three_Rock_Rovers_Alexandra_College_.html|title=Hockey: Internationals Set For Three Rock Rovers & Alexandra College|publisher=www.sportireland.ie|access-date=10 September 2018|date=13 October 2014|archive-date=15 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915155245/https://www.sportireland.ie/Media/Latest_News/2014/October/Hockey_Internationals_Set_For_Three_Rock_Rovers_Alexandra_College_.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2014/10/grange-road-and-milltown-to-host-scotland-series/#.W5bikvZFxy0|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915155041/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2014/10/grange-road-and-milltown-to-host-scotland-series/#.W5bikvZFxy0|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 15, 2018|title=Grange Road and Milltown to host Scotland series|publisher=www.hookhockey.com|access-date=8 September 2018|date=13 October 2014}}

=Tennis=

;The Championships, Wimbledon
:Harold Mahony wins the gentleman's singles Championship
;Olympic Games
:John Pius Boland wins gold medals in the men's singles and doubles at the first modern Summer Olympics in Athens (Greece)

Births

15 February – Arthur Shields, actor (died 1970).
March – Martin Joseph Sheehan, soldier and Royal Air Service Observer in World War I, killed in action (died 1918).
4 April – Sir Osmond Esmonde, 12th Baronet, diplomat and politician (died 1936).
24 April – F. R. Higgins, poet and theatre director (died 1941).
9 May – Austin Clarke, poet, playwright and writer (died 1974).
22 May – Cyril Fagan, astrologer (died 1970).
28 August – Liam O'Flaherty, novelist and short story writer (died 1984).
17 September – Oscar Heron, Irish World War I flying ace (died 1933).
10 November – Sophie Catherine Theresa Mary Peirce-Evans, later Mary, Lady Heath, aviator, athlete and writer (died 1939).
25 December – Sister Philippa Brazill, nurse in Australia (died 1988).
;Full date unknown
:*Monk Gibbon, poet and author (died 1987).
:*Fiona Plunkett, republican (died 1977).