Events during the year 2015 in Ireland.
Incumbents
President: Michael D. Higgins Taoiseach: Enda Kenny (FG) Tánaiste: Joan Burton (Lab) Minister for Finance: Michael Noonan (FG) Chief Justice: Susan Denham Dáil: 31st Seanad: 24th
Events
January
12 January – It was reported that defence co-operation between the Irish and British armies is to be formalised and increased in scope when the Irish Minister for Defence and the British defence secretary sign a historic memorandum of understanding at a ceremony in Dublin by the end of January. New developments will include the Irish Army training British soldiers in peacekeeping operations, and surplus British Army equipment being donated to the Irish.Ireland and UK agree historic defence agreement Irish Times, 2015-01-12. 18 January – Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, revealed his homosexuality on radio, thus becoming the first openly gay government minister in Ireland.
February
4 February – The ferryboat service from Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead in Wales ended after 204 years. The boat from Dublin Port to Holyhead remained in service. 9 February – The Garda Síochána arrested Paul Murphy, TD, along with three other anti-austerity activists and politicians, leading to public speculation about "political policing". 13 February – Former Fianna Fáil minister Pat Carey revealed his homosexuality publicly. 17 February – The Irish Times announced the reintroduction of a paywall for its website, beginning on 23 February.
March
3 March – The Government confirmed it would lock away for 75 years any statements it received from victims of child sexual abuse (almost twice the normal length), prompting criticism from survivors. 13 March – A new political party, Renua, was launched. 26 March – Kathleen Hayes Rollins Snavely became the oldest Irish-born person to have ever lived. She died on 6 July aged 113 years, 140 days.
April
5 April – President Higgins paid an official visit to Turkey, including a trip to Gallipoli.President Higgins in official visit to Turkey RTÉ News, 2015-04-23.President to attend WW1 Commemorations in Turkey (Gallipoli) and visit Irish troops in Lebanon Áras an Uachtaráin, 2015-04-21. 9 April – President Higgins paid an official visit to Lebanon.President Higgins praises Irish peacekeepers RTÉ News, 2015-04-28. 29 April – The International Astronomical Union honoured Irish composer and harpist Turlough O'Carolan when it assigned the official name Carolan to a 24kilometre crater on the surface of the planet Mercury. Craters on the planet are named after artists, composers, and writers.
May
6 May – Ireland was circumnavigated by a trimaran with a seven-man crew of Omani, French, and Spanish sailors in a record-breaking 40 hours, 51 minutes, and 57 seconds, breaking the previous round-Ireland sailing record by almost four hours.Yacht breaks 20-year-old Round Ireland sailing record Irish Times, 2015-05-06. 15 May – Broadcaster and political editor of the TV3 television channel, Ursula Halligan, publicly declared her homosexuality and her support for a 'yes' vote for marriage for homosexuals and lesbians in the Constitutional marriage equality referendum. TV3 was thus obliged for the sake of visible journalistic objectivity to remove her from broadcast coverage of the referendum.Ursula Halligan: Referendum pointed me towards telling the truth about myself The Irish Times, 2015-05-15.TV3's Ursula Halligan comes out as she calls 'Yes' vote the 'most Christian thing to do' Irish Independent, 2015-05-15. 19 May – Charles, Prince of Wales and his wife visited the west of Ireland, including Mullaghmore, County Sligo, where his great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten, was murdered by a Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb in 1979.Prince Charles to visit site of Lord Mountbatten's murder during Irish tour The Guardian, 2015-05-09. 22 May – A referendum was conducted on two amendments to the Constitution of Ireland – the 34th (marriage equality) and the 35th (presidential election voting) amendments. A Carlow–Kilkenny by-election was also held.Same-sex marriage referendum to be held in May RTÉ News, 2014-12-16.Kenny expects 22 May date for same-sex marriage referendum RTÉ News, 2015-02-20.Nul points for timing of same-sex marriage referendum Irish Times, 2015-02-21. The 34th Amendment, permitting same-sex marriage in Ireland, was enacted by the Marriage Act 2015 and came into force on 16 November, the first time that a state legalised same-sex marriage through a popular vote.
June
16 June – Five Irish students and one Irish American were killed after an apartment collapsed in California. 26 June – Three Irish people died in a terrorist attack in Tunisia.
July
13 July – A new national postcode system called Eircode was inaugurated by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.New postcode system launched amid criticism RTÉ News, 2015-07-14.Use of Eircode system 'not compulsory', Alex White says Irish Times, 2015-07-13. 26 July – The celebration of Reek Sunday, the annual climbing of Croagh Patrick, was cancelled because of dangerous weather but hundreds of people ignored warnings by the police, coastguard, and mountain rescue teams not to climb the mountain because rescues would not be possible, and even brought children.Hundreds climb Croagh Patrick despite warnings about bad weather RTÉ News, 2015-07-27.Hundreds including children ignore safety warnings to climb Croagh Patrick Sunday Independent, 2015-07-26.
September
23 September – The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, visited Dublin, where he was presented with a hurley and sliotar, and was greeted by a thousand Indian people at a gathering in Ballsbridge.Taoiseach welcomes Indian prime minister to Dublin RTÉ News, 2015-09-23.
October
2 October – The postal service, An Post, told the public not to post any mail owing to a staff dispute, then stated that staff might be dismissed if no post arrived for them to sort.An Post tells customers not to send any post RTÉ News, 2015-10-02. "An Post has advised customers not to post any items with immediate effect due to industrial action....An Post said this afternoon it has not issued protective notice to staff but noted that if there is no mail coming into the system, there is no work for its employees." 10 October – Carrickmines fire: A chip pan fire swept through a halting site in Carrickmines, County Dublin, killing 11 Travellers including five adults, five children, and an unborn child. The Taoiseach Enda Kenny ordered flags to fly at half-mast on the days of the victims' funerals. A letter of condolence from Pope Francis was read to mourners at one funeral for five of the victims. Hundreds of Travellers, including relatives of the victims, had an audience in the Vatican with the Pope on 26 October. 11 October – Garda Tony Golden was among two people who died in a shooting in Omeath in County Louth. 12 October – The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin told a synod of bishops in Rome that Irish people "struggle to understand abstract moral principles" while remaining capable of understanding that people need to be happy and to belong. He also claimed that the recent debate about same-sex marriage in Ireland was conducted by laypeople in language that belonged to the Roman Catholic Church, concepts he described as "traditionally our language: equality, compassion, respect and tolerance."Same-sex marriage campaign used 'our' language, bishops told Irish Times, 2015-10-12.Intervention of Archbishop Martin at Synod Archdiocese of Dublin, 2015-10-12. Quote: "The referendum was debated within a social culture where people struggle to understand abstract moral principles. What they do understand is the predicament of individuals whom they wish to see happy and included. It is a very individualistic culture, but not necessarily an uncaring one. Indeed those in favour of same-sex marriage based their campaign on what was traditionally our language: equality, compassion, respect and tolerance."
November
7 November – The President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, met the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, at Áras an Uachtaráin. Morales was the first South American head of state to visit Ireland.Flanagan calls for international investigation into Dwyer death Irish Times, 2015-11-07.
December
Multiple floodings took place across the country during December, causing widespread damage. 7–13 December – Heavy rain and strong winds affected the northwest causing bad flooding to Athlone, Carrick-on-Shannon and parts of County Galway. 28 December–1 January 2016 – More flooding took place across the country causing serious damage. 29 December – The controversial Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2015 became law."Councillors criticise new planning powers for minister". RTÉ. "The Irish Planning Institute (IPI), which represents planners, voiced concerns about the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2015 which became law on 29 December – during a consultation period which began the month beforehand."
Arts and literature
3 February – Royal Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects presented to O'Donnell & Tuomey for lifetime achievement. 10 April – "The Claddagh Embrace", a large-scale mural by artist Joe Caslin, depicting a same-sex couple embracing, was installed overnight on the side of a building on the corner of Dame Street and South Great George's Street in Dublin. The mural "became a symbol of the pro-marriage-equality campaign side" in the run up to the 2015 Irish constitutional referendum on same-sex marriage which took place on 22 May 2015. "After 19 days, the wind and the rain began to take it (the mural) down". April – Lisa McInerney's debut novel The Glorious Heresies published. 29 October – Kevin Barry's novel Beatlebone published.
Sports
Association football
International friendly matches 4 June – Ireland 0–0 Northern Ireland.Multiple sources: All-Ireland friendly finishes scoreless, RTÉ Sport, 2015-06-04. Republic of Ireland to join Northern Ireland in training game Football Association of Ireland, 2015-04-27. All-Ireland friendly finishes scoreless RTÉ Sport, 2015-06-04. Fifty supporters witness 'behind closed doors' goalless draw at Aviva Irish Independent, 2015-06-04.
7 June – Ireland 0–0 England.Multiple sources: Report Ireland to host England in friendly at the Aviva in June 2015 Irish Independent, 2014-04-08. Ireland and England play out stalemate in Dublin RTÉ Sport, 2015-06-07. Teams have just been released FM104, 2015-06-07.
UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group D
29 March – Ireland 1–1 Poland.Multiple sources: Report Republic of Ireland–Poland UEFA, 2014-02-24.
13 June – Ireland 1–1 Scotland.Multiple sources: Report Republic of Ireland–Scotland UEFA, 2014-02-24.
4 September – Gibraltar 0–4 Ireland.Multiple sources: Report Gibraltar–Republic of Ireland UEFA, 2014-02-24.
7 September – Ireland 1–0 Georgia.Multiple sources: Ireland edge past Georgia to stay in contention Jon Walters on target in priceless Irish victory RTÉ Sport, 2015-09-08. Relieved O'Neill looks to future tests after Georgia victory Irish Times, 2015-09-07.
8 October – Ireland 1–0 Germany.Multiple sources: Report Republic of Ireland–Germany UEFA, 2014-02-24.
11 October – Poland 2–1 Ireland.Multiple sources: Report Poland–Republic of Ireland UEFA, 2014-02-24.
UEFA Euro 2016 play-offs
13 November – Bosnia and Herzegovina 1–1 Ireland.Multiple sources: Ireland face Bosnia and Herzegovina in play-off RTÉ Sport, 2015-10-18. European Qualifiers 2016 - Bosnia and Herzegovina-Republic of Ireland Head-to-head UEFA, 2015-10-18.
16 November – Ireland 2–0 Bosnia and Herzegovina.Multiple sources: Report Ireland face Bosnia and Herzegovina in play-off RTÉ Sport, 2015-10-18. European Qualifiers 2016 - Republic of Ireland-Bosnia and Herzegovina Head-to-head UEFA, 2015-10-18.
Cricket