▁for ▁the ▁prohib ition ▁of ▁all ▁corpor al ▁pun ishment ▁for ▁girls ▁in ▁Irish ▁national ▁schools . ▁ 2 ▁April ▁– ▁President ▁Se án ▁T . ▁O ' K elly ▁un ve ils ▁a ▁b ust ▁of ▁Count ess ▁Mark iev icz ▁in ▁St ▁Stephen ' s ▁Green , ▁Dublin . ▁ 1 ▁May ▁– ▁the ▁Minister ▁for ▁Education ▁Richard ▁Mul c ah y ▁introdu ces ▁the ▁debate ▁on ▁a ▁separate ▁government ▁department ▁for ▁the ▁Ga elt acht . ▁ 2 1 ▁May ▁– ▁President ▁Se án ▁T . ▁O ' K elly ▁opens ▁the ▁first ▁C ork ▁International ▁Film ▁Festival . ▁ 2 9 ▁May ▁– ▁T . ▁K . ▁Whit aker ▁is ▁appointed ▁new ▁Secretary ▁at ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Fin ance . ▁ 1 2 ▁August ▁– ▁the ▁G ael ic ▁Athlet ic ▁Association ▁post pon es ▁the ▁All - I reland ▁Hur ling ▁and ▁Football ▁Final s ▁due ▁to ▁an ▁out break ▁of ▁pol io . ▁ 2 1 ▁November ▁– ▁Our ▁Lady ' s ▁Hospital ▁for ▁S ick ▁Children ▁is ▁opened ▁in ▁C rum lin , ▁Dublin . ▁ 3 0 ▁November ▁– ▁pet rol ▁r ation ing ▁is ▁due ▁to ▁be ▁introduced ▁from ▁ 1 ▁January ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁crisis ▁in ▁the ▁S uez . ▁ 1 ▁December ▁– ▁at ▁the ▁Olympic ▁Games ▁in ▁Melbourne , ▁Australia , ▁Ron nie ▁Del any ▁wins ▁Ireland ' s ▁first ▁gold ▁medal ▁for ▁ 2 4 ▁years . ▁ 1 2 ▁December ▁– ▁the ▁Irish ▁Republican ▁Army ▁launch es ▁its ▁Border