July 12

  • 1970 Over 1,000 refugees from Northern Ireland arrived in the Republic during the preceding 48 hours.
  • 1949 Douglas Hyde (89), scholar and first president of Ireland (1938–45), died.
  • 1989 Fianna Fáil entered its first coalition when Charles J. Haughey was elected taoiseach with the support of the Progressive Democrats.
  • 1969 Serious rioting broke out in Belfast when bottles were thrown at Orange bands passing the Catholic enclave of Unity Flats, near the Shankill Road. Similar disturbances, lasting well into the following day, erupted in Derry when Catholic youths stoned the Twelfth of July parade.
  • 1949 Douglas Hyde, scholar, founder of the Gaelic League and first president of Ireland, died.
  • 1911 King George V concluded a five-day visit to Ireland. During his stay he went to the races, visited Maynooth College and opened the College of Science in Merrion Street, Dublin.
  • 1691 Battle of Aughrim, the decisive battle in the Williamite Wars (1689–91).
  • 1691 The Battle of Aughrim, the most decisive battle of the Jacobite wars in Ireland, was won by the forces of William III under General Godert de Ginkel.
  • 1922 The Provisional Government appointed a War Council, with Michael Collins as commander-in-chief and Richard Mulcahy as chief-of-staff and minister for defence.
  • 1998 Richard (10), Mark (9) and Jason (8) Quinn died when the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) petrol-bombed their home in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim.