Events from the year 1944 in Ireland. Incumbents President: Douglas Hyde Taoiseach: Éamon de Valera (FF) Events 26 January – W. T. Cosgrave officially resigns as leader of Fine Gael. 10 March – The United States alleges that Ireland's neutrality is operating in favour of the Axis Powers. 13 March – The British government bans all travel between Great Britain and Ireland. 22 March – Cymric (Capt. C. Cassidy) lost between Ardrossan and Lisbon: 11 dead. 30 March – first Dunnes Stores opens. 1 June – 1944 Irish general election: The ruling Fianna Fáil under Éamon de Valera gains a majority of 14 seats over all other parties. Members of the 12th Dáil assemble on 9 June. 7 June – The Minister for Supplies, Seán Lemass, announces further rationing of electricity. 21 July – Irish Fir (Capt, J.P. Kelly) reports a 'near miss' torpedo attack in North Atlantic. 22 August – Men from Tyrone and Fermanagh form an Anti-Partition League in Dublin. 29 November – The Chief Genealogical Officer issues County Dublin with a coat of arms, the first county to receive such a distinction. 30 November – General Eoin O'Duffy, former leader of the Blueshirts, dies aged 52 in Dublin. Dr. John Dignan, Roman Catholic Bishop of Clonfert, publishes Social Security: Outlines of a Scheme of National Health Insurance. Dr. James Deeny is appointed Chief Medical Officer. Arts and literature January – The White Stag group stages an exhibition of Subjective Art in Dublin. 28 August – Joseph Tomelty's play The End House (dealing with the Special Powers Act in Northern Ireland) is premièred at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. John M. Feehan founds the successful Cork-based publishing house Mercier Press. John Lynch's De praesulibus Hiberniae (written 1672) is first published, in Dublin. Frank O'Connor's short story collection Crab Apple Jelly is published. Sport Football GAA All Ireland Football Winners: Roscommon GAA League of Ireland Winners: Shelbourne FAI Cup Winners: Shamrock Rovers 3–2 Shelbourne. Golf Irish Open is not played due to The Emergency. Births 2 January – Martin Drennan, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Galway and Kilmacduagh. 5 January Ivan Cooper, co-founder of the SDLP (NI) (died 2019). Edward Haughey, Baron Ballyedmond, businessman and senator (killed in helicopter accident in England 2014). Louis Stewart, jazz guitarist (died 2016) 7 January – Joe McGowan, historian, folklorist and author. 8 February – Brian Farrell, Roman Catholic bishop in the