1779 in Ireland

Events

• Armed Volunteers demonstrate in Dublin for free trade between Ireland and England. This demand for amendment of the Navigation Acts is quickly granted by the British government.
• Grand Canal opens to traffic between Dublin and Sallins.
• Spike Island, County Cork, is acquired by the government to form part of the defences of Cork Harbour.
• New Church of Ireland Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford, completed.

  Births

• 22 January – Charles O'Neill, 1st Earl O'Neill, landowner and politician.
• February – Richard Carmichael, surgeon.
• 30 March – Antoine Ó Raifteiri, "last of the wandering bards".
• 16 April – Patrick Kelly, Roman Catholic Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.
• 28 May – Thomas Moore, poet, singer, songwriter and entertainer.
• 17 August – William Corbet, member of the United Irishmen, soldier, Commander-in-Chief of French forces in Greece.
• 3 November – Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough, British Field Marshal.
• Arthur Brooke Faulkner, physician and writer.
• John Oldham, mechanical engineer.
• Thomas Ussher, Royal Navy officer.
• Possible date – Julia Glover née Betterton, comic actress.

  Deaths

• April – Anthony Foster, lawyer and politician.
• 18 October – Patrick d'Arcy, mathematical physicist and soldier in France.
• 10 December – Thomas Fortescue, politician.
• Risteárd Buidhe Kirwan, soldier and duellist.
• Thomas Newburgh, poet.
• Thomas Tennison, lawyer and politician.