Events from the year 1955 in Ireland.
Incumbents
President: Seán T. O'Kelly
Taoiseach: John A. Costello (FG) Tánaiste: William Norton (Lab) Minister for Finance: Gerard Sweetman (FG) Chief Justice: Conor Maguire Dáil: 15th Seanad: 8th
Events
6 January – The National Farmers' Association was formed during a meeting of 1,200 people in Dublin. 14 January – Tony O'Reilly was named in the Irish rugby squad for his first cap in an international against France. 17 March (Saint Patrick's Day) – The Church of Ireland hallowed Trim Cathedral. 4 July – Denis Larkin was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin defeating 73-year-old Alfie Byrne. 21 July – The BBC brought its Divis television transmitter into service, its first permanent facility serving Northern Ireland, marking the launch of a television service for Northern Ireland; the 35-kilowatt transmissions could also be readily received in much of Ireland. September – United States Senator John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline visited Dublin for two days. 29 November – Publication of the Greyhound Industry Bill paved the way for the establishment of the greyhound board, Bord na gCon. 14 December – Ireland was admitted to the United Nations. Frederick Boland was appointed as its first ambassador.
Arts and literature
March – English language publication of Beckett's novel Molloy (in Paris and New York). 3 August – English language première of Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot, directed by Peter Hall, at the Arts Theatre in London. 28 October – Irish première of Waiting for Godot at the Pike Theatre in Dublin. 12 December – The Cork Opera House at Emmet Palace was destroyed by fire. Sigerson Clifford published his poetry collection, Ballads of a Bogman. Michael Sheehy's modern history Divided We Stand: A Study In Partition was published.
Sports
Association football
League of Ireland
Winners: St Patrick's Athletic
FAI Cup
Winners: Shamrock Rovers 1–0 Drumcondra.
Births
15 January – Paddy Burke, Fine Gael Senator. 18 January – Fergus Martin, artist. 29 January – Liam Reilly, rock singer-songwriter (died 2021). 2 February – Dermot Ahern, Fianna Fáil TD for Louth and Cabinet Minister. 15 March – John McGuinness, Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow–Kilkenny. 27 March – Patrick McCabe, novelist. 29 March – Brendan Gleeson, actor. 1 April Bobby Aylward, Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow–Kilkenny. Joe O'Reilly, Fine Gael Senator. 7 April – Kevin Fennelly, Kilkenny hurler. 14 April – Simon Crowe, drummer with The Boomtown Rats. 17 April – Austin Brady, footballer. 24 April – Eamon Gilmore, Labour Party TD for Dún Laoghaire, leader of the Labour Party. 28 April – Mae Sexton, Progressive Democrats TD. 16 May – Páidí Ó Sé, Kerry Gaelic footballer and manager. 23 May Mary Black, folk singer. Luka Bloom, singer-songwriter and guitarist. 30 May – Colm Tóibín, novelist and critic. 20 June – Aonghus McAnally, broadcast producer and presenter, actor, guitar player, billiards champion and magician. 25 June - Paula Meehan, poet, playwright and teacher. 5 July – Sebastian Barry, playwright, novelist and poet. 6 July – William Wall, novelist, poet and short story writer. 20 July – Jem Finer, musician and composer. 16 August – James Reilly, Fine Gael TD for Dublin North and Minister for Health. 15 September – Brendan O'Carroll, comedian. 24 November – Jerry Holland, Munster rugby union player and coach (died 2022). 1 December – Pat Spillane, Kerry Gaelic footballer. 2 December – Joachim Kelly, Offaly hurler. 11 December – John Fenton, Cork hurler. 29 December – Pat Loughrey, Controller of BBC Northern Ireland, Director of BBC Nations and Regions and academic. Full date unknown John Allen, Cork hurler and manager. John Callinan, Clare hurler. Michael Gleeson, Tipperary hurler. Peter Wyse Jackson, Director of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin. Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill, traditional singer. Sean Power, Member of the States of Jersey.