1999 in Ireland - Definition and Overview

See also: 1998 in Ireland, other events of 1999, 2000 in Ireland and the list of 'years in Ireland'.

Events

• January 4 - The Euro makes its debut on European financial markets.
• January 13 - Derek Hill becomes the eleventh honorary citizen of Ireland.
• May 21 - Gay Byrne hosts his last Late Late Show after 37 years.
• May 22 - The electorate of the entire island of Ireland go to the polls to vote on the Good Friday Agreement.
• May 23 - People North and South give their overwhelming support to the Good Friday Agreement.
• August 11 - Ireland joins the world and watches the last solar eclipse of the millennium.
• August 28 - 80,000 fans see the Robbie Williams concert at Slane Castle, County Meath.
• October 12 - Peter Mandelson arrives in Belfast as the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
• October 20 - President McAleese leads tributes to the former Taoiseach Jack Lynch who died this morning aged 82.
• November 29 - Ten designated ministers are appointed to the Northern Ireland Assembley.
• December 2 - The Irish Government ratifies changes to Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. Direct rule from Westminster in Northern Ireland ends.
• December 13 - The first meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council takes place in Armagh.
• December 31 - The last sunset of the millennium occurs at 4.41 pm at Dursey Head in west Cork.

Arts and literature

Sports

Births

Deaths

• May 19 - Victor Bewley.
• July 17 - Donal McCann, actor.
• July 27 - Malachi Martin, Roman Catholic priest and author.
• August 15 - Paddy Devlin, politician.
• August 24 - Eithne Strong, poet.
• October 15 - Josef Locke, tenor.
• October 20 - Jack Lynch, Former Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil.