1938 1940

What Happened This Year 1939

All Events 112 Births 578 Deaths 124

Born in 1939

Barney McKenna

Irish musician and banjo player

Born

1939 87 years ago

Died

April 5th, 2012 13 years ago — 73 years old

Originally from Dublin, a prominent figure in Irish traditional music, playing the banjo and tenor banjo. Co-founded the famous folk group The Dubliners in 1962, which contributed significantly to the global popularity of Irish folk music. Performed for decades, showcasing unique instrumentation and storytelling in songs. Contributed to numerous albums and appeared in various television and festival events, promoting Irish cultural heritage. His work influenced many musicians in the genre, and he continued to perform until his passing in 2012.

Chandra Bahadur Dangi

World Record Holder for Shortest Man

Born

1939 87 years ago

Died

September 3rd, 2015 10 years ago — 76 years old

Born in Nepal, achieved the title of the shortest adult man in recorded history. Dangi measured 54.6 cm (21.5 in) tall. He received recognition from the Guinness World Records in 2012, drawing significant media attention. Dangi traveled internationally, participating in various events and interviews as representatives of the record holding community. His stature and achievement brought awareness to the condition of dwarfism.