1949 in Ireland

Centuries:	18th; 19th; 20th; 21st; ;
Decades:	1920s; 1930s; 1940s; 1950s; 1960s;
See also:	1949 in Northern Ireland; Other events of 1949; List of years in Ireland

Events from the year 1949 in Ireland.

Incumbents

22 March – the
Irish Government leases a residence in the Phoenix Park
to the United States government for a period of 99 years. It will be the residence of the U.S. ambassador.

17 April – at midnight 26 counties officially leave the
Republic of Ireland Act 1948. A 21-gun salute on O'Connell Bridge, Dublin, ushers in the Republic of Ireland
.

29 April – Major de Courcy Wheeler, the man who accepted the surrender of Patrick Pearse in 1916, presents President Seán T. O'Kelly with Pearse's revolver at a special function at Áras an Uachtaráin.
3 May – the Parliament of the United Kingdom passes the Ireland Act guaranteeing the position of Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom as long as a majority of its citizens want it to be. The government also recognises the existence of the Republic of Ireland.
10 May – the Oireachtas motion calls a "Protest Against Partition" because of the UK's Ireland Act provisions.
13 May – John A. Costello, Éamon de Valera, William Norton and Seán MacBride share a platform to protest the British government's attitude to the constitutional status of Northern Ireland.
25 May – Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and The Duke of Edinburgh receive the freedom of Belfast during a visit to the city.
26 June – 80,000 people gather in Croke Park to affirm the pledge as members of the teetotal Pioneer Total Abstinence Society.
9 July – the last tram runs from
Nelson Pillar to Blackrock and will be the last tram run in Dublin until the Luas
.

24 August – Tánaiste William Norton tells the European Consultative Assembly in Strasbourg that Ireland would not agree to a customs union of western European states.
8 November – street names in any language other than English are prohibited by an Amendment to a Bill passed in the Senate of Northern Ireland.
20 November – students and academic staff celebrate the centenary of
University College Galway
.
The
Electricity Supply Board completes its Liffey scheme, providing hydroelectricity generating stations at Poulaphouca, Golden Falls and Leixlip and a water supply Reservoir for Dublin at the former location.^[1]

Publication of Máirtín Ó Cadhain's first novel, Cré na Cille ("Churchyard Clay", written 1944–45), illustrated by Charles Lamb.
Publication of Máirtín Ó Direáin's first poetry collection, Rogha Dánta.
Publication of Séamus Ó Néill's poetry for children, Dánta do pháistí.
Daniel O'Neill paints Place du Tertre and The Blue Skirt.

14–18 April – Breandán Ó hEithir's novel Lig Sinn i gCathú (1976) is set in a fictionalised city of Galway during this period.

11 January – Billy Roche, playwright and writer.
16 January – R. F. Foster, historian.
20 January – Michael Ahern, Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State.
30 January – Joe Callanan, Fianna Fáil TD.
1 February – Joan Burton, Labour Party Deputy Leader, TD for Dublin West.
2 February – John McAreavey, Bishop of Dromore.
5 February – Nuala Ahern, Green Party Member of the European Parliament representing Leinster.
6 February – Jim Sheridan, film director.
12 February – Fergus Slattery, international rugby player.
3 March – Frank Chambers, Fianna Fáil senator.
3 March –
Ben Dunne, chief executive of Dunnes Stores
.

9 April – Sorcha Cusack, actress.
18 April – Peter Caffrey, actor (died 2008).
18 April – Avril Doyle, Fine Gael Member of the European Parliament representing Leinster.
1 May – Joe Higgins, Socialist Party TD.
18 May – Pat Rabbitte, Leader of the Labour Party.
23 May – Martin Cahill, Dublin criminal (shot and killed 1994).
10 June – Daniele Formica, Irish-Italian actor, director and playwright (died 2011)
11 July – Shane Ross, journalist, member of the 22nd Seanad representing Dublin University.
13 July – Bryan Murray, actor.
18 August – John O'Leary, golfer.
20 August – Phil Lynott, English rock singer-songwriter (died 1986).
26 August – Thomas Murphy, Irish republican.
27 August – Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano.
1 September – Liam Fitzgerald, Fianna Fáil TD and Senator.
4 September –
Real IRA
(died 2021).
9 September – Charlie Bird, journalist and broadcaster, Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ (died 2024).
29 September – Gabriel Rosenstock, poet.
30 September – Charlie McCreevy, Fianna Fáil TD and Cabinet Minister, European Commissioner.
October – Enda Bonner, Fianna Fáil Councillor and Senator.
3 October – Jim McDaid, Fianna Fáil TD representing Donegal North-East and Cabinet Minister.
20 October – Eddie Macken, show jumper.
29 October – Seán Foley, Limerick hurler.
12 November –
Attorney General
.
Full date unknown

18 January – James Magee, cricketer (born 1872).
2 March – Cecil Lowry-Corry, 6th Earl Belmore, high sheriff and councillor (born 1873).
29 April – Timothy J. Murphy, Labour Party (Ireland) TD.
23 May – Dan Comyn, cricketer (born 1872).
12 July –
Seanad in 1922 and 1938; first President of Ireland and Gaelic scholar (born 1860
).