Events from the year 1896 in Ireland. Events February – the Broighter Gold hoard of prehistoric objects is discovered near Limavady by Tom Nicholl while ploughing. 16 May – the first electric tram runs on the Dublin tramways system. May – James Connolly returns from Edinburgh to Ireland as paid organiser for the Dublin Socialist Club. He founds the Irish Republican Socialist Party. 28 March – Tom Gallaher incorporates the Gallaher tobacco business and opens the world's largest tobacco factory in Belfast. John Dillon assumes the leadership of the anti-Parnellite wing of the Home Rule Party. An extension is made to Arthur Balfour's Land Act. 1,500 bankrupt estates are made available for sale to tenants. Ireland's first motor vehicle laws are introduced. Restoration of the Church of Ireland's Kildare Cathedral is completed. Arts and literature 20 April – first cinema show in Ireland, at Dan Lowry's Star of Erin Variety Theatre in Dublin. The lyrics of The Mountains of Mourne are written by Percy French with Dr. W. Houston Collision. Charles Villiers Stanford's comic opera Shamus O'Brien is first performed. Sport Cricket International February: Tim O'Brien becomes the first Irish captain of the England cricket team in a match won against South Africa at Port Elizabeth Football International 29 February Wales 6–1 Ireland (in Wrexham) 7 March Ireland 0-2 England (in Belfast) 28 March Ireland 3-3 Scotland (in Belfast) Irish League Winners: Distillery Irish Cup Winners: Distillery 3 - 1 Glentoran Field hockey International 2 March: The Ireland women's national field hockey team defeat England 2–0 at Alexandra College in the first ever women's international field hockey match. Tennis The Championships, Wimbledon Harold Mahony wins the gentleman's singles Championship Olympic Games John Pius Boland wins gold medals in the men's singles and doubles at the first modern Summer Olympics in Athens (Greece) Births 15 February – Arthur Shields, actor (died 1970). March – Martin Joseph Sheehan, soldier and Royal Air Service Observer in World War I, killed in action (died 1918). 4 April – Sir Osmond Esmonde, 12th Baronet, diplomat and politician (died 1936). 24 April – F. R. Higgins, poet and theatre director (died 1941). 9 May – Austin Clarke, poet, playwright and writer (died 1974). 22 May – Cyril Fagan, astrologer (died 1970). 28 August – Liam O'Flaherty, novelist and short story writer (died 1984). 10 November – Sophie Catherine Theresa Mary Peirce-Evans, later Mary, Lady Heath, aviator,