1999

500,000 people buy Telecom Eireann shares in July. The sun disappears across most of Europe during a solar eclipse in August. At MTV Europe's Music Awards in November, the stars come out at the Point Depot. Controversy follows the early release of Philip Sheedy. Two judges are criticised for their handling of the case. Hugh O'Flaherty resigns, along with Cyril Kelly. Terry Keane appears on the 'Late Late' in May. She reveals her affair with Charles Haughey. It is another frustrating year for Irish soccer. In a two-match play-off to decide qualification for next year's European Finals, Ireland draw 1-1 at home to Turkey and 0-0 away. Turkey go through on the 'away goal' rule. The West finally confronts Slobodan Milosevic over Serb aggression in the province of Kosovo. Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians flee Kosovo... ...as NATO launches airstrikes against Yugoslav targets. Milosevic's forces withdraw in June. Pristina celebrates the end of the war. The North gets devolution, despite worries over decommissioning. A new British-Irish Agreement is signed. The Northern Executive is established. Articles Two and Three of the Constitution are changed. Cork bids farewell to former Taoiseach Jack Lynch. The revelations continue at Ireland's Tribunals of Inquiry. James Gogarty is the star witness at the Flood Tribunal. There are wide-ranging accusations and denials of money being handed over for planning favours. After he is stopped at Dublin Airport with £200,000, serious questions are also asked of official George Redmond. 1999 is also the year of the 'Ansbacher' revelations. A secret list of 120 account-holders' names is contained in Tanaiste Mary Harney's report. Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy gets into trouble. His Budget angers single-income couples, low-paid workers, and the Opposition. East Timor: There is a massive vote for independence from Indonesia. Pro-Indonesian militias terrorise the country. The UN pulls out, and later returns in force. East Timor's autonomy is secured. The Indonesian military withdraws. 27,000 nurses go on strike in a dispute over better pay. In America, the Monica Lewinsky scandal comes to an end. The US Senate acquits President Bill Clinton on two articles of impeachment. In the 1999 European elections, Independent candidate Dana is among the winners. Chris Patten's Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland gets a mixed reaction to its report. When solicitor Rosemary Nelson is killed in a car bomb, there are widespread claims of RUC collusion with loyalists. A TV documentary exposes the State's role in decades of abuse at Irish industrial schools. Gay Byrne gets a surprise present on his last 'Late Late Show' . After 37 years as host, Gaybo says goodbye. The 20th century draws to a close. The millennium solstice at Newgrange is seen by a select few people. Ireland lights candles to mark the millennium. Dubliners get a new bridge across the Liffey. There are midnight celebrations across the world. Playlist: Basement Jaxx - Red Alert Britney Spears - Hit Me Baby One More Time Westlife - Flying Without Wings Stereophonics - Pick A Part That's New Lauryn Hill - Ex-Factor B*witched - Jesse Hold On Cardigans - Erase/Rewind Ronan Keating - When You Say Nothing At All Fat Boy Slim - Right Here, Right Now