1976 in Ireland

• President:
  • Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (until 22 October 1976)
  • Patrick Hillery (from 3 December 1976)
• Taoiseach: Liam Cosgrave (FG)
• Tánaiste: Brendan Corish (Lab)
• Minister for Finance: Richie Ryan (FG)
• Chief Justice: Tom O'Higgins
• Dáil: 20th
• Seanad: 13th

• 5 January –
  • Former Taoiseach, John A. Costello, dies in Dublin aged 84.
  • Kingsmill massacre: ten Protestant workmen are killed in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, by members of the South Armagh Republican Action Force, after loyalists shot dead six Catholic civilians in South Armagh the previous day.
• 1 March – Merlyn Rees, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the Government of the United Kingdom, ends Special Category Status for those sentenced for crimes relating to civil violence in Northern Ireland.
• 4 March – the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention is formally dissolved, resulting in direct rule of Northern Ireland by the Government of the United Kingdom in London.
• 18 March – Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave and Mrs Cosgrave are greeted by President Gerald Ford and Mrs Betty Ford at the White House.
• 31 March – Sallins Train Robbery: A large quantity of money is stolen from a CIÉ train at Sallins, County Kildare.
• 3 April – the last passenger train runs on the Limerick-Claremorris line ending an 80-year north–south link along the western seaboard.
• 17 May – Tim Severin in the boat Brendan sets off from Dingle to America, tracing the route of the legendary 6th-century Irish monk Brendan.
• 29 June – the highest temperature record in Ireland this century, 32.5C (90.5F) at Boora, Offaly. The highest on record was in 1887.[1]
• 15 July – four prisoners escape when bombs explode in the Special Criminal Court, Dublin.
• 21 July – Christopher Ewart-Biggs, UK ambassador, and a civil servant, Judith Cooke, are killed by a landmine at Sandyford, Co. Dublin.
• 23 September – the President, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, consults with the Council of State for four hours on whether to refer the Emergency Powers legislation to the Supreme Court.
• 22 October – President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh resigns following the 'thundering disgrace' remark from the Minister for Defence, Paddy Donegan.
• 27 October – a new £5 note is introduced with the image of the 9th-Century philosopher Johannes Scotus Eriugena.
• 20 November – National Peace Day is marked with marches, church services and bell ringing.
• 3 December – Patrick Hillery is inaugurated as the sixth President of Ireland in St. Patrick's Hall, Dublin Castle.
• 10 December – Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan win the Nobel Peace Prize.[2]
• The Islamic Foundation of Ireland establishes the first mosque in Ireland, in Dublin.

• 25 September – the band U2 is formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, Dublin.
• 9 December – Maeve Binchy's play End of Term premières on the Abbey Theatre's Peacock Stage.[3]
• The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature is launched; Heno Magee is the first recipient.[4]
• John Banville's novel Doctor Copernicus is published.
• Breandán Ó hEithir's novel Lig Sinn i gCathú is published and becomes the first Irish language book to top Ireland's hardback bestseller list.[5]
• The monthly journal Books Ireland is founded.

• 10 January – Jason Sherlock, Dublin Gaelic footballer.
• 6 February – Darragh Maguire, soccer player.
• 10 February – Tony McDonnell, soccer player.
• 12 February – Mundy, singer-songwriter.
• 13 February – Denis Hickie, rugby player.
• 17 March – Stephen Gately, singer and actor.
• 20 April – Shay Given, international soccer player.
• 24 April – Steve Finnan, soccer player, former international.
• 15 May – Mark Kennedy, soccer player.
• 25 May – Cillian Murphy, actor.
• 31 May – Colin Farrell, actor.
• 2 June – Dáithí Ó Sé, television host.
• 3 June – Enda Markey, Irish-Australian actor and producer
• 12 June – Tony Scully, soccer player.
• 15 June – Gary Lightbody, Snow Patrol singer.
• 29 June – Duncan O'Mahony, Canadian football punter and placekicker.
• 3 July – Shane Lynch, singer and actor.
• 8 July – David Wallace, rugby player.
• 9 July – Ollie Canning, Galway hurler.
• 14 July – Kirsten Sheridan, film director and screenwriter.
• 23 July – Brian Carney, rugby player.
• 11 August – Claire Byrne, journalist and television presenter.
• 18 August – Robbie Murray, boxer.
• 29 August – Joseph Armstrong, cruiserweight boxer
• 16 September – Liz Bonnin, television presenter
• 4 October – Owen Heary, soccer player.
• 15 October – Paul Mooney, cricketer.
• 19 October – Alan Quirke, Cork Gaelic footballer.
• 20 October – John Leonard, Dublin Gaelic footballer.
• 21 October – Andrew Scott, actor

Full date unknown

• Paddy Christie, Dublin Gaelic footballer.
• Kevin Flynn, Dublin hurler.
• Donal Ryan, novelist.

• 5 January – John A. Costello, barrister, Attorney General, Fine Gael TD and twice Taoiseach (born 1891).
• 23 January – David Sullivan, labour leader in USA (born 1904).
• 2 February – Gardner Budd, lawyer.
• 6 February – Dan Kennedy, Kilkenny hurler (born 1926).
• 12 February – Frank Stagg, Provisional Irish Republican Army hunger striker for 62 days in Wakefield Prison (born 1942).
• 28 February – Pat Hone, cricketer (born 1886).
• 29 February – Liam Cunningham, Fianna Fáil TD (born 1915).
• 8 March – Edward FitzGerald, 7th Duke of Leinster, peer and gambler (born 1892).
• 13 April
  • Willie Hough, Limerick hurler (born 1892).
  • Noel Lemass, Fianna Fáil TD (born 1929).
• 4 May – Hugh Delargy, British Labour Party politician and MP (born 1908).
• 27 June – Derrick Kennedy, cricketer (born 1904).
• 11 July – Michael Hayes, pro-treaty TD, Cabinet Minister, Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann member (born 1889).
• 22 July – Jim Ganly, cricketer and rugby player (born 1904).
• 29 July – Knox Cunningham, barrister, businessman and Ulster Unionist politician (born 1909).
• 12 September – Reginald Lyons, cricketer (born 1922).
• 7 October – Michael O'Neill, nationalist politician and MP (born 1909).
• 15 October – James Ennis, cricketer (born 1900).
• 31 October – Eileen Gray, architect and designer (born 1878).
• 2 November – Walter Starkie, author and translator (born 1894).
• 14 November – Frederick Alfred Pile, soldier and politician (born 1884).
• 4 December – W. F. McCoy, Ulster Unionist member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland (born 1886).

Full date unknown

• John Hunt, antiquarian (born 1900).

• 1976 in Irish television

Media related to 1976 in Ireland at Wikimedia Commons