Coiste Téarmaíochta, previously state bodies of the Government of Ireland. 13 December – The first meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council took place in Armagh. Inez McCormack of the UNISON trade union became the first woman President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. Arts and literature 10 February – Mark O'Rowe's play Howie the Rookie premièred at the Bush Theatre, London. 19 April – Sligo boyband Westlife released their first single, Swear It Again, the first of fourteen that went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart. 6 October – Frank McGuinness's drama Dolly West's Kitchen premièred at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. 1 November – Westlife released their first album, five singles from which went to number one in the UK Singles Chart. Colm Tóibín's novel The Blackwater Lightship was published. Sport Association football St Patrick's Athletic won the League of Ireland for the third time in four years. Gaelic football Meath beat Cork 1–11 to 1–8 to win their second All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in four years. Golf Murphy's Irish Open was won by Sergio García (Spain). Hurling Cork beat Kilkenny 0–13 to 0–12 to win the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship for the first time since 1990. Births 18 May – Mark Travers, football Deaths January to June 15 January – Robert Lowry, Baron Lowry, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland (b. 1919) 28 January – Markey Robinson, artist (b. 1918) 8 February – Iris Murdoch, novelist and philosopher (b. 1919) 22 February – Pat Upton, Labour Party TD (b. 1944) 25 April – William McCrea, astronomer and mathematician (b. 1904) 25 April – Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, journalist, author, sports official and sixth president of the International Olympic Committee (b. 1914) 11 May – Birdy Sweeney, actor (b. 1931) 19 May – Victor Bewley, café proprietor (b. 1913) 23 May – Cathal Gannon, harpsichord maker and fortepiano restorer (b. 1910) 15 June – Fred Tiedt, boxer (b. 1935) July to December 17 July – Donal McCann, actor (b. 1943) 27 July – Malachi Martin, Roman Catholic priest and author (b. 1921) 21 August – Noel Larmour, cricketer and diplomat (b. 1916) 21 August – Maurice Gerard Moynihan, civil servant and writer (b. 1902) 24 August – Eithne Strong, poet 4 September – Raonaid Murray, victim of an unsolved murder (b. 1982) 13 October – Michael Hartnett, poet (b. 1941) 15 October – Josef Locke,