2003 in Ireland - Definition and Overview

See also: 2002 in Ireland, other events of 2003, 2004 in Ireland and the list of 'years in Ireland'.

Events

• January 21 - The Spire of Dublin on O'Connell Street is officially completed.
• February 16 - 100,000 people march in Dublin to express their opposition to the imminent invasion of Iraq.
• April 7 - President Bush of the United States arrives in Northern Ireland for discussuions with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. He also meets An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
• June 21 - The 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games open in Croke Park, Dublin.
• August 31 - The remains of the Belfast mother, Jean McConville, are found 31 years after she was abducted and murdered by the IRA.
• September 15 - For the first time the All-Ireland Football Final is contested by two teams from the same province. Tyrone are victorious over Armagh in the first All-Ulster Final.
• November 27 - The people of Northern Ireland go to the polls. The DUP and Sinn Féin make massive gains at the expense of more moderate unionist and nationalist parties.

Arts and literature

• IMPAC Award: Orhan Pamuk, My Name is Read

Sports

• All-Ireland Hurling Final - Kilkenny 1-14, Cork 1-11.
• All-Ireland Football Final - Tyrone 0-12, Armagh 0-9.
• Rugby World Cup - Ireland reach the quarter-fianls of the competition before being beaten by France.

Births

Deaths

• January 21 Tony O'Malley, artist and painter
• January 23 Aodhagán Brioscú, last surviving founder of Irish cultural organisation Gael Linn
• February 25 - Tom O'Higgins, former Irish Chief Justice and twice defeated Irish presidential candidate
• April 2 - Pat Leavy, actress who played Hannah Finnegan in the Radio Telifís Éireann soap opera Fair City, died after being taken ill on set
• July 16 - Captain James Kelly, former Irish Army officer cleared of attempting to import arms for the IRA in the Arms Trial in 1970
• July 17 - Eamonn Leahy, 46 year old top barrister and husband of government Chief Whip Mary Hanafin
• July 28 - Lady Valerie Goulding, former Senator and campaigner for the disabled
• August 11 - Kieran Kelly, jump jockey after a racing accident
• August 15 - Bishop Donal Lamont Irish born Rhodesian Catholic bishop and Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
• September 20 - Liam Tobin, longtime Árd Rúnaí Roinn na Gaeltachta and Irish language campaigner
• September 24 - Tomás MacGabhann, Trade Unionist and Irish language activist
• October 7 - Frank Roe, former President of the Circuit Court
• December 30 - Archbishop Michael Courtney Papal Nuncio to Burundi who assassinated