Events March – construction in Queenstown of St Colman's Cathedral, Cobh, concludes with completion of the spire. 4 April – 25,000 National Volunteers assemble at the Phoenix Park, Dublin. John Redmond takes the salute from under the statue of Charles Stewart Parnell on Sackville Street. 5 April – at the National Volunteers convention at the Mansion House, Dublin, John Redmond praises their response to World War I. 7 May – sinking of the RMS Lusitania: British ocean liner is sunk by Imperial German Navy U-boat U-20 about off Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork, killing 1,198 civilians en route from New York to Liverpool, among them the Irish-born art dealer and benefactor Sir Hugh Lane and Irish composer and conductor Thomas O'Brien Butler. 25 May – the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom forms the Asquith coalition ministry, a national wartime coalition government of twelve Liberals, eight Unionists and one Labour member. In Dublin the Irish Parliamentary Party approves John Redmond's decision not to join. 29 July – Republicans, led by Patrick Pearse, take over the Gaelic League at its Dundalk conference. Douglas Hyde resigns as its president. 1 August – O'Donovan Rossa is buried at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin, and Pearse delivers the graveside oration ("Ireland unfree shall never be at peace"). 26 December – the Irish Republican Brotherhood Military Council decides to stage an Easter Rising in 1916. The Elim Pentecostal Church is founded in Monaghan by Welsh evangelist George Jeffreys. Arts and literature 1 February – Helen Waddell's first play, The Spoiled Buddha, is premiered at the Opera House, Belfast, by the Ulster Literary Society. Francis Ledwidge's poems Songs of the Fields published. James Stephens' poems The Adventures of Seumas Beg: the Rocky Road to Dublin and Songs from the Clay are published. The first dramatic film made in Ireland, Fun at Finglas Fair, is directed by F. J. McCormick. It is never released as all prints are destroyed in the Easter Rising of April 1916. Sport Football Irish League Winners: Belfast Celtic Irish Cup Winners: Linfield 1–0 Belfast Celtic Births 11 January – Paddy Mayne, international rugby union footballer and decorated soldier (died 1955). 13 January – Kit Ahern, Fianna Fáil TD (died 2007). 21 January – Andy O'Brien, Fine Gael senator from County Cavan (died 2006). 25 January – Liam Cunningham, Fianna Fáil TD (died 1976). 7 February – Mark Clinton, Fine Gael TD, Minister