UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
31 December 1961 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 31 December 1961 was a Sunday.
- Top Film of 1961
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1961 was One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 31 December is Capricorn.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 31 December 1961 fell in the Year of the Ox.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 31 December 1961 was Waning Crescent.
On this day: 31 December
- 1955 General Motors becomes the first U.S. corporation to make over US$1 billion in a year.
- 1956 The Romanian Television network begins its first broadcast in Bucharest.
- 1961 RTÉ, Ireland's state broadcaster, launches its first national television service.
- 1963 The Central African Federation officially collapses, subsequently becoming Zambia, Malawi and Rhodesia.
- 1965 Jean-Bédel Bokassa, leader of the Central African Republic army, and his military officers begin a coup d'état against the government of President David Dacko.
Famous people born on 31 December
- Val Kilmer, American actor (1959–2025)
- Sophia Laforteza, Filipino-American singer (born 2002)
- Alex Ferguson, Scottish footballer and manager (born 1941)
- Charles Edward Stuart, Scottish claimant to the throne of England (1720–1788)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1961 in Ireland
A selection from Wikipedia's '1961 in Ireland'. Not a complete list.
- 6 January – Lieutenant-General Seán Mac Eoin left Dublin for the Congo to take up his new post as General Commanding Officer of the United Nations.
- 9 April – The national census showed that County Cork's population had reached an all-time low, with just 330,000 (in the late 1950s it was 336,000).
- 10 June – President Éamon de Valera and his wife Sinéad greeted Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco at the presidential residence, Áras an Uachtaráin. It was the first official visit to Ireland by a head of state after it became an independent republic.
Life in Ireland in 1961
Taoiseach
Seán Lemass
Petrol (per litre)
2s 6d/gal
Loaf of Bread
8d
Average House
£2,400
Weekly Wage
£5 15s
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1960s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Sinéad O'Connor8 December 1966Singer-songwriterView their day →Bono10 May 1960SingerView their day →Enya17 May 1961SingerView their day →Aidan Gillen24 April 1968ActorView their day →Graham Linehan22 May 1968Comedy writerView their day →Graham Norton4 April 1963Comedian & actorView their day →The Edge8 August 1961Rock musician & guitar player of U2View their day →Ali Hewson23 March 1961Activist & businesswomanView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About The Day You Were Born
Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.
About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →