About
Each episode looks back at the news and events of a particular year, using news archive footage, along with subtitles as the means of narration, to recount notable Irish and international events of the time.
Seasons
Season 1 - 1980's
The original series focused on the 1980s and first aired on Monday nights from 6 September to 8 November 1999
Season 2 - 1990's
The second series focused on the 1990s and first aired on Monday nights from 11 September to 27 November 2000 except on 30 October and 13 November.
Season 3 - 1970's
The third series focused on the 1970s and first aired on Tuesday nights from 10 September to 12 November 2002.
Season 4 - 1960's
The fourth series focused on the 1960s (1962 to 1969 only) and first aired on Friday nights from 10 September to 29 October 2004. It features neither 1960 nor 1961 as these pre-date the official launch of Telefís Éireann, the television arm of the national broadcaster. It was felt, presumably, that there would be too little archive material from which to make an engaging programme about these years. Indeed, the episodes covering the first half of the 1960s are characterised by extensive use of photographs and posters, as opposed to film and video footage, to represent various historical events.
Season 5 - 2000's
The fifth series focused on the 2000s and first aired on Sunday nights from 17 October to 26 December 2010 except on 28 November.
Season 6 - 2010's
The 6th series focusing on events from 2010 until 2019. From Katie Taylor to Kodaline, from Mrs Brown’s Boys to the marriage referendum, from ‘Fake News’ to Fidget Spinners.
Episodes
Season 1 - 1980's
1980
Charles Haughey leads his first Ard Fheis as Taoiseach. PAYE workers stage the largest labor protest in Irish history. A Boomtown Rats concert is banned in Dublin but later held in Leixlip. The Soviet occupation of Afghanistan leads to a U.S.-led boycott of the Moscow Olympics. Johnny Logan wins Eurovision for Ireland. A metal detectorist discovers the Derrynaflan Chalice. Dermot Morgan debuts as ‘Father Trendy.’ Thatcher visits Ireland for Anglo-Irish talks. The SAS ends the Iranian Embassy siege. A failed U.S. rescue in Iran worsens tensions, and war erupts between Iran and Iraq. Archbishop Oscar Romero is assassinated. Irish TV sees new drama and Gabriel Byrne's rise. "Who Shot JR?" captivates audiences. Poland’s Solidarity movement gains traction. Seventeen die in the Buttevant train disaster. John Lennon is murdered. Hunger-striking IRA prisoners gain no concessions. An IRA landmine raises the Troubles’ death toll to 2,000.
1981
In 1981, Ronald Reagan is sworn in as U.S. President, sparking celebrations in his ancestral Ballyporeen, Ireland. A fire at Dublin’s Stardust Club kills 44. Protests fail to stop the IRFU’s controversial rugby tour of South Africa. Ireland hosts Eurovision, with Sheeba representing and Buck’s Fizz winning. Republican prisoners, led by Bobby Sands, go on hunger strike for political status. Sands is elected MP but dies, triggering mass protests. An Aer Lingus jet is hijacked over the Third Secret of Fatima. A turbulent general election sees Garret Fitzgerald form a short-lived coalition. Prince Charles weds Lady Diana. Riots erupt over the hunger strikes, and Kieran Doherty, a newly elected TD, dies. The strike ends after ten deaths, with prisoners’ demands later met. 1981 also sees assassination attempts on Reagan and the Pope, while Egyptian President Anwar Sadat is killed.
1982
Ireland experiences its worst winter in 50 years. A controversial Budget leads to the collapse of the Fine Gael–Labour government, triggering an election. Charles Haughey survives a leadership challenge and becomes Taoiseach. Independent TD Tony Gregory secures a £90m deal for Dublin’s inner city. Poland remains under martial law, banning ‘Solidarity,’ though Lech Walesa is freed. Ireland wins the Triple Crown after 33 years. Argentina invades the Falklands, sparking a British military response; 255 Britons and 652 Argentinians die. Belfast’s DeLorean plant shuts down, costing 1,500 jobs. The IRA bombs London, killing eight. Two brutal murders lead to Malcolm MacArthur’s arrest at the Attorney General’s home, forcing the AG’s resignation. Fianna Fáil debates Haughey’s leadership; he wins an open vote. In November, the government loses a confidence vote, prompting Ireland’s third election in 18 months. Fine Gael and Labour return to power.
1983
Factory closures and job losses, including Ranks and Dunlops in Cork, contribute to a gloomy public mood. The new government exposes Fianna Fáil’s phone-tapping scandal, leading to resignations, though Charles Haughey remains leader. Champion racehorse Shergar is kidnapped and never found. Businessman Don Tidey is rescued after a shootout kills a soldier and Garda officer. RTÉ airs Glenroe. Eamonn Coghlan wins the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships. The US supports Contra rebels in Nicaragua and invades Grenada. A divisive abortion amendment passes. Divorce reform efforts begin. Reagan announces ‘Star Wars’ missile defence. Nuclear disarmament protests grow. Dublin defeats Galway in the All-Ireland Football Final.
1984
Ronald and Nancy Reagan visit Ireland amid protests against US policy. The Colin McStay Appeal surpasses its £100,000 goal, funding his successful surgery in the US. British miners strike against pit closures. The New Ireland Forum report fails to impress the UK Prime Minister. Nicky Kelly is freed on humanitarian grounds, though many see it as a miscarriage of justice. Heroin devastates Dublin’s inner-city. Niall Quinn joins Arsenal. Despite a Communist boycott, the 1984 Olympics proceed, with John Treacy winning silver. MTV arrives in Ireland. PW Botha becomes South Africa’s President, but black citizens remain disenfranchised. A Dunnes Stores worker sparks an anti-apartheid strike. The Bhopal disaster kills 2,000+. Indira Gandhi is assassinated. An Irish priest is imprisoned in the Philippines but later released. The IRA bombs a Tory conference hotel. Charles Mitchel retires. Ethiopia faces famine, and a BBC report inspires Bob Geldof to act.
1985
Statue movement reports in Asdee and Ballinspittle spark debate—miracle or illusion? Ireland wins the 1985 Triple Crown. An Air India 747 crashes into the Atlantic, killing 329 in a suspected terrorist attack. At Heysel Stadium, a riot leads to dozens of soccer fans being crushed to death. Divorce referendum is delayed. Gorbachev introduces 'glasnost' in the USSR. Despite 'Star Wars' plans, US-Soviet relations improve. Barry McGuigan wins the World Featherweight title. Live Aid raises massive funds, with Ireland the highest per capita donor. The Progressive Democrats form a new political party. French agents bomb a Greenpeace ship in New Zealand. The Anglo-Irish Agreement gives the Republic a role in Northern affairs, sparking Unionist outrage. Spike Island prison is wrecked in a riot. 20,000 teachers rally for pay increases. Dublin street traders protest against a trading clampdown.
1986
1986 sees strong Unionist opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Tragedy strikes with the Challenger disaster and the Chernobyl explosion. In Lebanon, Belfastman Brian Keenan is kidnapped. Hurricane Charlie devastates parts of Ireland. John Stalker is removed from his RUC investigation. A Dublin refuse strike leads to army intervention. The Irish Sweepstakes ends after 56 years. Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew marry. The Self Aid telethon highlights unemployment. The Kowloon Bridge tanker runs aground off Cork. Ireland rejects divorce in a referendum. Barry McGuigan retains his world title but later loses it. Evelyn Glenholmes is re-arrested after a failed extradition attempt. Ryanair launches low-cost flights. Emigration surges, with 30,000 people leaving and U.S. visa applications up 25%.
1987
The Fine Gael-Labour coalition collapses, with budget cuts dominating the election. Fianna Fáil returns to power as Charles Haughey becomes Taoiseach by one vote. Garret FitzGerald resigns as Fine Gael leader, replaced by Alan Dukes. In Britain, Margaret Thatcher wins a third term. 'Black Monday' shakes global markets, with a 22% drop in New York. Johnny Logan wins Eurovision again. A harsh Budget threatens jobs and closes state agencies. Scientists discover a massive ozone hole. Reagan faces the 'Irangate' scandal. Ireland qualifies for a major football tournament under Jack Charlton. IRA attacks and bombings rock Northern Ireland. Stephen Roche wins the Tour de France. AIDS awareness rises in Ireland. Irish immigration to the U.S. continues despite stricter controls.
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