Events from the year 1931 in Ireland. Incumbents Governor-General: James McNeill President of the Executive Council: W. T. Cosgrave (CnaG) Events 9 January – Ulster Canal abandoned. 12 February – sixteen members of the Ennis Dalcassian Gaelic Athletic Association club are expelled for attending the Ennis-Nenagh rugby match. 17 March – first St. Patrick's Day parade held in the Irish Free State, reviewed by Desmond FitzGerald, Minister of Defense. 3 April – persistent rainfall causes the banks of the River Lee to burst. Half the houses in Cork are flooded. 7 May – the Irish Youth Hostel Service, An Óige, is established. 17 May – Muintir na Tíre, the rural organisation, is founded by Canon John Hayes. 9 July – Dublin-born racing driver Kaye Don breaks the world water speed record at Lake Garda, Italy. 13 August – law books return to the rebuilt Four Courts where High Court business resumes after its destruction during the Civil War. 5 September – the first issue of The Irish Press, the newspaper of Fianna Fáil, goes on sale for 1d. 27 September – Saor Éire's first National Congress takes place in the Iona Hall in Dublin. 4 December – the derelict aerodrome at Collinstown in north County Dublin is considered as the site for a new civil airport. Arts and literature 13 October – Orson Welles makes his first professional stage debut, age 16, at the Gate Theatre, Dublin, with a leading rôle in an adaptation of Jew Süss. 25 October – Ireland's first all-concrete Art Deco church, the Church of Christ the King, is opened at Turners Cross, Cork, designed by Chicago architect Barry Byrne with sculptor John Storrs. 'Æ' (George William Russell) publishes Vale, and Other Poems. Samuel Beckett's Proust is published. Cecil Day-Lewis's poetry From Feathers To Iron is published. Lord Dunsany's The Travel Tales of Mr. Joseph Jorkens is published. Kate O'Brien's first novel, Without My Cloak, is published. Frank O'Connor's first short story collection, Guests of the Nation, is published. Francis Stuart's first novel, Women and God, is published. Sport Football League of Ireland Winners: Shelbourne FAI Cup Winners: Shamrock Rovers 1–1, 1–0 Dundalk Golf Irish Open is won by Bob Kenyon (England). Births 1 January – Jimmy Smyth, Clare hurler (died 2013). 7 February – Cyril Haran, priest and Gaelic football manager (Sligo) (died 2014). 2 March – Paddy Cooney, solicitor, Fine Gael TD, Cabinet Minister