and set in a rural Irish community. 18 May – Ireland won the Eurovision Song Contest for the seventh time with The Voice, sung by Eimear Quinn and composed by Brendan Graham. 7 August – Marie Jones' play Stones in His Pockets was premiered in Belfast. 26 September – Enda Walsh's play Disco Pigs was premiered by the Corcadorca Theatre Company at the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork. 31 October – Ireland's first Irish language television station, Teilifís na Gaeilge (TnaG), was launched. On 3 November the soap opera Ros na Rún was first aired on the channel. 6 November – The film Michael Collins was shown in Cork and Dublin. The following novels were published: Evening Class by Maeve Binchy. Reading in the Dark by Seamus Deane. Headbanger by Hugo Hamilton. Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married by Marian Keyes. The Story of the Night by Colm Tóibín. Sport Association football St Patrick's Athletic won the League of Ireland Shelbourne won the FAI Cup Boxing 9 March – Steve Collins, "The Celtic Warrior", successfully defended his World Boxing Organization super middleweight title against Neville Brown at the Green Glens Arena, Millstreet, County Cork. Gaelic football Meath beat Mayo in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final, after a replay, to win their first title since 1988. Golf Murphy's Irish Open was won by Colin Montgomerie (Scotland). Hurling Wexford GAA beat Limerick GAA in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final. It was their first senior All-Ireland since 1968. Olympics Swimmer Michelle Smith won three gold medals and one bronze in the Atlanta Olympics. Births 3 January – Cian Lynch, hurler (Patrickswell, Limerick) 24 January – Seán Finn, hurler (Bruff, Limerick) 26 January – Gary Cully, boxer 2 February – Paul Mescal, actor 5 May – Mark McKenna, actor and musician 29 May – Tom Morrissey, hurler (Ahane, Limerick) 28 October – Una Raymond-Hoey, cricketer 16 November – Brendan Murray, singer 6 December – Ann Skelly, actress 31 December – Barry Nash, hurler (South Liberties, Limerick) Deaths January to June 8 January – Joyce McCartan, community activist. 12 February – James Camlin Beckett, historian. 18 February – Cathal Ó Sándair, writer (born 1922). 9 March – Ollie Walsh, Kilkenny hurler (born 1937). 5 April – Gerry L'Estrange, member of the Seanad, Fine Gael TD. 22 April – Molly Keane, novelist and playwright (born 1904). 24 April – Tomás de Bhaldraithe, Irish language scholar