1940 in Ireland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids ← 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1940 in Ireland → 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
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See also:	Other events of 1940 List of years in Ireland

The year 1940 was a very important time for Ireland. Even though World War II was happening in Europe, Ireland decided to stay neutral. This period was known as "The Emergency" in Ireland. Despite being neutral, the war still affected daily life, from ships being sunk to worries about invasions. People had to prepare for many challenges.

Leaders of Ireland

• President: Douglas Hyde was the President of Ireland.
• Taoiseach (Prime Minister): Éamon de Valera from the Fianna Fáil party was the Taoiseach.

Key Events of 1940

• January – The Irish Naval Service got its first fast attack boat, called M1. They would get five more of these boats later.
• 3 January – In Cork city, a man named Tomás Óg Mac Curtain shot and badly wounded Detective Garda Síochána John Roche.
• 17 January – A neutral Norwegian ship called Enid was sailing to Dublin. It went to help another ship that had been attacked by a German submarine. Then, the German submarine U-25 attacked and sank the Enid too.
• 7 February – The ship Munster hit a mine and sank in the Irish Sea near Liverpool.
• 3 March
  • Dublin's water supply and electricity improved! The River Liffey was blocked at Poulaphouca to create the Poulaphouca Reservoir. This was part of a big project by the Electricity Supply Board to build Ireland's second hydroelectricity power station.
  • A British ship named Cato, sailing from Dublin to Bristol, hit a mine. Sadly, 13 people died.
• 9 March – The fishing boat Leukos was sunk by gunfire from a German submarine, U-38, near Tory Island. 11 people died. Some believed the boat tried to use the Irish flag to protect other English trawlers.
• 29 March – A fire badly damaged the roof and top floors of St. Patrick's College, Maynooth.
• April – Two men died in Mountjoy Jail in Dublin.
• 4 May – A German agent named Hermann Görtz parachuted into Ireland. He was supposed to contact the IRA.
• 24 May – Irish officials and British military leaders had their first secret meeting in London. They started planning "Plan W", which was about working together if Germany tried to invade Ireland.
• 27 May
  • The British government in London agreed to work with Taoiseach de Valera to create an All-Ireland Council during "the present emergency" (the war).
  • A neutral ship from Argentina called Uruguay was sunk by a German submarine, U-37. 15 people died.
• 10 June – A Greek ship, Violando N Goulandris, was sunk by a German submarine, U-48. 6 people died.
• 12 June – A German spy, Karl Simon, was dropped off in Dingle by a submarine, U-38. He was quickly arrested and kept in prison for the rest of the war.
• 19 June – The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies was created. This is a place for very high-level research.
• 23 June – Minister Frank Aiken told everyone to store food and water and prepare a shelter in case of a direct attack.
• 2 July – A British ship, SS Arandora Star, carrying civilians and prisoners from Italy and Germany, was sunk by a German submarine, German submarine U-47, off northwest Ireland. Around 865 people died.
• 4 July – Taoiseach Éamon de Valera announced that Ireland would continue its policy of neutrality, meaning it would not join the war.
• 15 July
  • The ship City of Limerick was bombed by an aircraft and sank. 2 people died.
  • Frank Ryan, an Irish republican, was released from a Spanish prison and handed over to German intelligence.
• 30 July – The ship Kyleclare rescued 52 people from another British ship.
• 1 August – The coal ship Kerry Head was bombed near Kinsale. It survived this attack, but was later sunk.
• 8 August
  • Two Irish republicans, Seán Russell and Frank Ryan, left Germany on a German submarine, U-65, to go to Ireland. But Russell became sick and died during the journey, so the plan was stopped.
  • "Operation Green" was a plan for a German invasion of southern Ireland. It was suggested as a way to distract from the planned invasion of Britain.
• 10 August – A British armed merchant ship, HMS Transylvania (F56), was torpedoed by a German submarine, German submarine U-56, off Malin Head.
• 15 August – The ship Meath hit a mine and sank. The crew was rescued, but 700 cattle were lost.
• 26 August – Five German bombs were dropped on County Wexford during the day. One hit a creamery in Campile, sadly killing three women.
• 4 September
  • The ship Luimneach was sunk by gunfire from a German submarine, U-46.
  • The ship Edenvale was shot at by a German plane off the Waterford coast.
• 3 October – The German news agency announced that the German government was willing to pay for the bombs dropped on Dublin.
• 22 October – The ship Kerry Head was bombed again, and all twelve crew members were lost. People on Cape Clear Island watched it happen.
• 26–28 October – The large British troopship RMS Empress of Britain was bombed, torpedoed, and sunk off the Donegal coast. 45 lives were lost. It was the largest merchant ship lost during the war.
• 7 November – Éamon de Valera responded to a statement from Winston Churchill. He said that Ireland would not hand over its ports for British forces to use as long as Britain controlled Northern Ireland.
• 11 November – The ship Ardmore hit a mine off the Saltee Islands. 24 people died.
• 19 December – The lightship tender Isolda was sunk by German bombers near Carnsore Point. Six people were killed and seven were injured.
• 20 December – Two German bombs fell on Sandycove near Dún Laoghaire, injuring three people. Another bomb fell near Carrickmacross in County Monaghan.
• 21 December – The ship Innisfallen hit a mine near Liverpool and sank. Four people died.
• 27 December – Dr. John McQuaid became the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin. He held this important position for over thirty years.

Arts and Literature in 1940

• 10 June – Christine Longford's play about history, Lord Edward, was first performed at the Gate Theatre in Dublin.
• 5 August – George Shiels' play The Rugged Path was first performed at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
• 4 October – Brian O'Nolan started his funny column called "Cruiskeen Lawn" in The Irish Times. From the second column, he used the pen name 'Myles na gCopaleen'. He wrote this column until he died in 1966.
• October – The Bell, a monthly magazine about literature and social topics, was started in Dublin by Peadar O'Donnell. Seán Ó Faoláin was its first editor.
• Seán Ó Faoláin also published a travel book called An Irish Journey and a novel called Come Back to Erin.
• Cecil Day-Lewis published his poetry collection Poems in Wartime.
• Louis MacNeice's poetry book The Last Ditch was published in Dublin.

Sports in 1940

Football

League of Ireland

The winners were St James' Gate.

FAI Cup

The winners were Shamrock Rovers, who beat Sligo Rovers 3–0.

Golf

• The Irish Open golf tournament was not played this year because of "The Emergency" (World War II).

People Born in 1940

• 25 January – Philip Boyce, a Roman Catholic bishop.
• 26 January – Séamus Hegarty, a Bishop (died 2019).
• 2 February – Brendan Daly, a politician (died 2023).
• 9 February – Seamus Deane, a poet and novelist (died 2021).
• 1 March – Nuala O'Faolain, a journalist and writer (died 2008).
• 22 March – Johnny Fullam, a soccer player (died 2015).
• 27 March – Lorcan Allen, a politician, who was the youngest person ever elected to the Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament) in 1961.
• 12 April – Dermot Fitzpatrick, a politician (died 2022).
• 13 April – Frank O'Neill, a soccer player.
• 20 April – Alfie Linehan, a cricketer (died 2019).
• 23 April – Timothy Carroll, a Roman Catholic bishop.
• 28 April – Danny Doyle, a folk singer (died 2019).
• 11 May – Mary Henry, a doctor and member of the Seanad (Irish Senate).
• 15 May – Proinsias De Rossa, a political leader and Member of the European Parliament.
• 21 May – Ronan O'Rahilly, a media entrepreneur (died 2020).
• 28 May – Maeve Binchy, a famous novelist and columnist (died 2012).
• 29 May – Donal Murray, a Bishop of Limerick.
• 6 June
  • Willie John McBride, a famous international rugby player.
  • Michael Smith, a Roman Catholic Bishop of Meath.
• 19 June – Brendan Ingle, a boxing trainer (died 2018).
• 24 June – Adrian FitzGerald, the 24th Knight of Kerry.
• 26 July – Tom Enright, a politician.
• 29 August – Dessie O'Halloran, a singer (died 2019).
• 12 September – Des Foley, a Gaelic footballer and hurler, and politician (died 1995).
• 19 October – Michael Gambon, a famous actor.
• 1 November – Michael Collins, a politician (died 2022).
• 6 November – Johnny Giles, an international footballer and broadcaster.
• 17 November – Luke Kelly, a folk singer and member of The Dubliners (died 1984).
• 29 November – Seán Cannon, a folk musician.
• 1 December – Brendan Toal, a politician.

  Full date unknown

  • Mick Carley, a Gaelic footballer (died 2019).
  • Séamus Cleere, a hurler.
  • Martin Coogan, a hurler.
  • Phil Flynn, a businessman.
  • Nan Joyce, an Irish Travellers' rights activist (died 2018).
  • John Keogh, a soccer player.
  • Mick Murphy, a hurler (died 2018).

People Who Died in 1940

• 2 January – William Harrington, a cricketer (born 1869).
• 24 January – John Doogan, a soldier who received the Victoria Cross for bravery in 1881 (born 1853).
• 9 February – Edward Joseph Byrne, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin (born 1872).
• 6 April – Samuel Shumack, a farmer and author in Australia (born 1850).
• 3 June – Dan Lane, a hurler (born 1861).
• 17 June – Dr. Mark F. Ryan, a nationalist and author (born 1844).
• 21 July – John Brunskill, a cricketer (born 1875).
• 22 July – Peter Maher, a boxer (born 1869).
• 14 August – Seán Russell, an Irish republican leader (born 1893).
• 21 September – Mick O'Brien, a soccer player and manager (born 1893).
• 24 November – James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. He was the longest-serving Prime Minister in Europe at the time (born 1871).