Events from the year 1936 in Ireland. Incumbents Governor-General: Domhnall Ua Buachalla (until 11 December) President of the Executive Council: Éamon de Valera (FF) Events 9 February – Brian de Valera, third son of Éamon de Valera, dies in a riding accident, aged 21. 5 March – five hundred delegates attend the Fine Gael Árd-Feis in Dublin. W. T. Cosgrave is once again nominated as its president. 4 April – a dispute between two unions over who makes coffins results in the coffin of an abandoned infant being turned away from Glasnevin Cemetery. 27 May – Aer Lingus makes its first flight. The five-seater plane, Iolar, travels from Baldonnel Aerodrome to Bristol. 28 May – the Dáil passes a motion abolishing the Senate of the Irish Free State. 20 June – the Irish Republican Army is (again) declared an illegal organisation by the government. 6 September – the new Roman Catholic Christ the King Cathedral, Mullingar, is dedicated. 20 November – General Eoin O'Duffy leads six hundred men in his Bandera to fight for Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War. December – first Irish socialist volunteers in the Spanish Civil War (including the Connolly Column) leave the Irish ports to fight for the Republican faction, initially on the Córdoba front. 11 December – the Oireachtas of the Irish Free State passes the Constitution (Amendment No. 27) Act 1936, removing most powers from the office of Governor-General of the Irish Free State with the intention of abolishing the post. 12 December – the Oireachtas's Executive Authority (External Relations) Act 1936 is signed into law, assenting to the abdication of Edward VIII of the United Kingdom (and passing of the throne to George VI) and restricting the power of the monarch in relation to Ireland to international affairs. Arts and literature Elizabeth Bowen publishes her novel The House in Paris. Austin Clarke publishes his second novel The Singing-Men at Cashel; like the first, it is prohibited in Ireland by the Censorship of Publications Board. Teresa Deevy's play Katie Roche premieres. James Joyce publishes his Collected Poems. Patrick Kavanagh publishes Ploughman, and Other Poems. Harry Kernoff paints In Davy's Parlour Snug: Self portrait with Davy Byrne and Martin Murphy. Cecil Day-Lewis publishes his poetry Noah and the Waters. Lord Longford founds the Longford Players. Louis MacNeice publishes his translation of The Agamemnon of Aeschylus. Seán Ó Faoláin publishes his novel Bird Alone;