Events

• 29 January The Dublin newspaper known as The Union is founded. The Unionist newspaper's goals were stated in its first edition as "A Journal devoted to the maintenance of the Union in the three kingdoms."
• 7 March - The Times publishes a series of articles on "Parnellism and Crime" between March 7, 1887 to April 17, 1888 accusing Charles Stewart Parnell of involvement in illegal activities, in particular, involvement of the 1882 Phoenix Park Murders. A special commission, known as the "Times Commission", is proposed by Lord Frederick Cavendish to investigate the allegations, as well as investigate links between the Home Rule party and the Fenians, eventually proving the letters forgeries written by Richard Pigott in 1890.
• 29 March - The Irish Crimes Act of 1887 is introduced by Arthur Balfour in response to the boycott of certain landlords by their tenants (led by the National Land League), suspending the right to trial of people suspected of involvement in the boycott. The Crimes Act was passed in September, despite protests from Liberal and Home Rule Members of Parliament, and would continue until 1890.
• April - Richard Moynan begins as a political illustrator with The Union.
• 19 April - Gladstone delivers his speech The Irish Question.
• May - The narrow gauge Clogher Valley Railway opens in County Tyrone.
• 26 June - The highest temperature ever recorded in Ireland, 33.3C (91.9F) at Kilkenny Castle
• 9 September - Mitchelstown massacre – three men killed by police at an Irish National League demonstration.
• Arthur Balfour becomes Chief Secretary later enacting the policy of "killing Home Rule with kindness".
• The 1887 Land Act, an extension of the Ashbourne Act of 1885, is passed by Parliament.
• The period of rent set by the Land Court is reduced to 3 years.
• According to census records 69,084 emigrate from Ireland to the United States.
• The Plan of Campaign starts its first phase as tenant farmers begin withholding rent from landlords.
• Police attack a Land League march in Kiltimagh, County Mayo.
• Newtownbrowne School is opened in Kiltimagh, County Mayo.
• Construction of Ballymena Castle by Robert Alexander Shafto Adair, the Adair family residence in Demesne, is completed.
• The Romanesque doorway of St. Flannan's Cathedral, a late 12th century church in Killaloe, is restored.
• George Roe & Company Distillers becomes the largest distillery in Europe.
• Edward Carson is appointed as counsel to the Attorney-General for Ireland.

Arts and literature

• William Ewart Gladstone publishes Handbook of Home Rule.
• Michael Davitt publishes Revival of the Irish woollen Industry. Brief Historical Record: How England Endeavoured to Destroy Irish Manufacture. How Irish Leaders Propose to Accomplish its Revival
• William Lecky's A History of Ireland in the Eighteenth Century is published.
• Alex G. Richey's A Short History of the Irish popel to the Plantation of Ulster is published.
• Margaret Stokes publishes Early Christian Art in Ireland.
• Lady Wilde publishes Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms and Superstitions of Ireland, with Sketches of the Irish Past (later appended to The Ancient Race of Ireland)
• Sir Samuel Ferguson's Ogham Inscriptions in Ireland, Wales, and Scotland is published posthumously.

Sport

Athletics

• January 15 - Trinity College's University Harriers Club holds the first Hares and Hounds race in Dollymount.

Football

• International

5 February England 7 - 0 Ireland (in Sheffield)

19 February Scotland 4 - 1 Ireland (in Glasgow)

13 March Ireland 4 - 1 Wales (in Belfast). 16th international game and first win.

• Irish Cup

Winners: Ulster 3 - 0 Cliftonville

Gaelic Games

• Cavan GAA President Michael Davin resigns.
• Cavan GAA football teams Annagh Sons of Usnagh, Mountnugent Red Hands, Belturbet Rory O'Moore's, Mullagh Briffnians, Killinkere Defenders, Cross Independents, Moybulgue St. Patricks, and the Virginia Sarsfields are formed.
• The Kiltimagh Cavan GAA Club is formed.
• The Limerick Commercials win the first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship defeating the Dundalk Young Irelands.
• April 1 - The first All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship is held in Birr County Offaly between Galway and Tipperary.
• December 27 - The first Cavan GAA County Convention is held at McGoldricks Hotel in Ballyjamesduff.

Births

• 1 May - Alan Cunningham, soldier noted for victories in the East African Campaign during the Second World War (d.1983).
• 6 May - Michael Browne, Master General of the Dominicans, Cardinal (d.1971).
• 7 May - Benjamin Glazer, Academy Award-winning writer, producer and director (d.1956).
• 18 May - Richard Wyndham-Quin, 6th Earl of Dunraven, peer (d.1965).
• 24 May - Edward Mannock, First World War flying ace and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross (d.1918).
• 19 August - Francis Ledwidge, poet, killed in action during World War I (d.1917).
• 27 August - Carmel Snow, journalist and editor of the American edition of Harper's Bazaar from 1934 to 1958 (d.1961).
• 6 November - Edward McLysaght, genealogist and writer (d.1986).
• 11 November - Canon John M. Hayes, priest and Muintir na Tíre founder.
• 21 November - Joseph Mary Plunkett, nationalist, poet, journalist, and one of leaders of the Easter Rising, executed (d.1916).

Full date unknown

• Harry Boland, Irish Volunteer in Easter Rising, Sinn Féin MP, shot by members of the Free State National Army (d.1922).
• Joseph Brennan, civil servant and Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland (d.1963).
• Joseph McGrath, Sinn Féin and later Cumann na nGaedhael TD, racehorse owner and breeder (d.1966).
• Patrick O'Connell, soccer player and manager (d.1959).
• Padraig O'Keeffe, fiddle player (d.1963).
• Amby Power, Clare hurler (d.1960).

Deaths

• 17 January - Martin Haverty, writer.
• 17 February - William Dowling, soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1857 at Lucknow, India (b.1825).
• 16 April - John McCaul, educator, theologian, and the second president of the University of Toronto (b.1807).
• 30 April - Edward Hardman, geologist (b.1845).
• 25 August - Matthew Cooke, economic entomologist in California (b.1829).
• 22 November - Ulick Bourke, scholar and writer who founded the Gaelic Union (b.1829).
• 4 December - Mary Frances Clarke, founder of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (b.1803).

Full date unknown

• Rev. William Anderson O'Connor, theologian.
• Eliza Patterson, reputed to have introduced the noxious weed known as Patterson's Curse to Australia (b.1820).
• Richard Quain, anatomist and surgeon (b.1800).

References