1928 in Ireland

Events

• January 29 - In Belfast, members of the nationalist opposition protest at the Ulster Unionist Party government's plan to abolish Proportional representation.
• January 31 - The outgoing Governor-General, T. M. Healy leaves the Vice-Regal Lodge. His successor is James McNeill.
• February 25 - William O'Brien, former activist in the Home Rule and land campaigns, dies in London aged 75.
• April 12 - The first east-west transatlantic flight leaves Baldonnel Aerodrome in Dublin. Commandant James Fitzmaurice is on board the Bremen.
• April 30 - Cheering crowds in New York greet the crew of the Bremen after it made the first east-west transatlantic journey.
• May 19 - The foundation stone of the new Northern Ireland Parliament Building is laid at Stormont.
• May 29 - It is suggested that the old Irish flag - that of a gold harp with a blue background - should be carried at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam. However, the Irish tricolour has already been registered as the national flag.
• June 14 - Amendments to the Court of Justice bill state that certain judges cannot be appointed if they do not have a competent knowledge of the Irish language.
• July 30 - The Irish Tricolour is raised for the first time at the Olympic Games when Dr. Pat O'Callaghan wins a gold medal for hammer throwing.
• August 27 - Fifteen countries, including the Ireland, sign the Kellog Peace Pact in Paris. The Irish Tricolour flies at the Quai d'Orsay amongst the flags of 50 other nations.
• August 30 - The United States Secretary of State, Frank Kellogg, visits Dublin on his return journey from the Paris Peace Convention. He is granted the freedom of Dublin.
• September 10 - The Saorstát Pound ('Free State Pound') becomes a reality as the first Irish banknotes circulates for over a century.
• December 10 - RMS Celtic, the first ship to exceed 20,000 tons, foundered off Queenstown.
• December 12 - The first Irish coinage is circulated in the state making complete the introduction of banknotes and coinage of the Irish Free State.
• Irish becomes a compulsory subject for the Intermediate Certificate.
• John McCormack is appointed a Papal Count for his services to music.

Arts and literature

Sport

Football

• League of Ireland

Winners: Bohemians

• FAI Cup

Winners: Bohemians 2 - 1 Drumcondra

Gaelic Games

• The All-Ireland Champions are Cork (hurling) and Kildare (football).

Golf

• Irish Open is won by Ernest Whitcombe (England).

Olympics

• The first Irish team attends the Olympic Games.

Births

• 22 January - Constance Smith, actress (d.2003).
• 2 February - Liam Burke, former Fine Gael TD (d.2005).
• March - Pearse Wyse, former Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats politician.
• 4 May - Thomas Kinsella, poet, translator, editor and publisher.
• 24 May - William Trevor, novelist and playwright.
• 21 July - John B. Keane, playwright, novelist and essayist (d.2002).
• 10 August - Peter Barry, former Fine Gael TD, Tánaiste and Cabinet Minister.
• 17 August - Ernest Bodell, cricketer (d.2003).
• 17 August - Pat Saward, soccer player (d.2002).
• September - Maura Murphy, writer (d.2005).
• 6 October - Maeve Kyle, Olympian and hockey player and coach.
• 11 October - Robin Roe, clergyman and rugby player.
• 22 October - Dominic Behan, songwriter, novelist and playwright (d.1989).
• 19 November - Paddy Power, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Kildare and Cabinet Minister.

Full date unknown

• Paddy Barry, Cork hurler (d.2000).
• Denis Donoghue, literary critic.
• Ulick O'Connor, writer, historian and critic.
• Seán Purcell, former Gaelic footballer with Galway (d.2005).

Deaths

• 20 January - John de Robeck, admiral in the British Navy (b.1862).
• 25 February - William O'Brien, nationalist, journalist, agrarian agitator, social revolutionary, politician, party leader, newspaper publisher and author (b.1852).
• 4 April - Alan Joseph Adamson, politician in Canada (b.1857).
• 22 July - Lawrence E. McGann, Democrat U.S. Representative from Illinois (b.1852).
• 6 August - W. H. Grattan Flood, musicologist and historian (b.1857).
• 6 October - Pádraic Ó Conaire, journalist and writer (b.1882).
• 25 November - J. J. Clancy, Member of Parliament, barrister and journalist (b.1847).

Full date unknown

• F Elrington Ball, author and legal historian (b.1863).
• John Devoy, Fenian organiser, exiled to America (b.1842).
• Standish James O'Grady, author, journalist, historian (b.1846).