S01E01 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...
Reeling in the Years
S01E05: 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.
Overview
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.
Episodes
S01E02 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...
S01E03 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...
S01E04 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...
S01E05 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...
S01E06 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,...
S01E07 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...
S01E08 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....
S01E09 1988
A 70ft Gulliver washes up in Dublin for the city's Millennium celebrations. Ireland hosts Eurovision; Switzerland wins with Celine Dion. The British government decides not to prosecute RUC officers after the Stalker-Sampson inquiry. The Court...
S01E10 1989
In 1989, the 25th Dail is dissolved, leading to an inconclusive general election and coalition talks between Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats. Fianna Fail, under Charles Haughey, forms a coalition. Century Radio launches, and...
