1821 in Ireland

Events

• 12 August - 3 September: the newly crowned King George IV of the United Kingdom lands at Howth to become the first monarch to pay a state visit to Ireland since the 14th century. He stays at the Viceregal Lodge in Dublin; with his mistress Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham, at Slane Castle; and with Viscount Powerscourt at Powerscourt House. He departs from Dunleary which is renamed Kingstown in his honour.
• September-November – potato crop fails.
• 28 December – Sandycove lifeboat disaster – four lifeboatmen drown attempting to rescue Ellen of Liverpool.
• Metal Man seamark erected at Rosses Point.
• Loreto Abbey established by Sisters of Loreto at Rathfarnham.

  Arts and literature

• 18 January – the Albany New Theatre opens in Dublin. In August, King George IV attends a performance, following which it becomes Dublin's second Theatre Royal.
• John Banim's poem The Celt's Paradise is published, and his play Damon and Pythias is first performed on 28 May.

  Births

• 20 January – Dennis Mahony, co-founder of the Herald newspaper in Dubuque, Iowa.
• February – Robert O'Hara Burke, explorer of Australia.
• 17 February – Lola Montez, born Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, "Spanish dancer" and royal mistress.
• 20 February – Miles Gerard Keon, journalist, novelist, colonial secretary and lecturer.
• 21 February – "Roaring" Hugh Hanna, Evangelical preacher.
• 8 March – James Sheridan Muspratt, research chemist and teacher.
• 28 March – William Howard Russell, journalist.
• 6 May – Robert O'Hara Burke, explorer of Australia.
• 20 July – Michael Hannan, Archbishop in Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• 22 September – John Conness, United States Senator from California, 1863-1869.
• 18 December – William Connor Magee, Anglican clergyman, Archbishop of York.
• 21 December – Samuel Haughton, scientific writer.
• 27 December – Jane Francesca Elgee, later Lady Wilde, poet.
• Date unknown – Joseph Robinson Kirk, sculptor.

  Deaths

• 6 April – Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry, politician.
• 15 June – James Cuffe, 1st Baron Tyrawley, peer.
• 4 October – Edward Hudson, dentist.
• 15 November – John Barrett, clergyman and Hebrew scholar.