1989

The 25th Dail is dissolved and a general election is called. The election result is inconclusive. As Ireland heads for another hung Dail, Fianna Fail begins talks with the Progressive Democrats. Charles Haughey leads Fianna Fail into coalition. 1989 sees the launch of Century Radio. Plans are also announced for a third TV channel. TV3 intends to be on the air within a year. M1 Motorway, Kegworth, England: A British Midland plane en route to Belfast crashes near East Midlands Airport. 44 people die. Cork beat Mayo in the football final. Tipperary beat Antrim in the hurling. Mikhail Gorbachev stops over at Shannon for a brief summit meeting. Gorbachev brings sweeping reform to the Soviet Union and opens a new dialogue with the West. Soviet forces also pull out of Afghanistan. South Africa: The 'apartheid' system begins to fall apart as the ANC grows in strength.Some ANC leaders are released, but Nelson Mandela remains in prison. Army wives come out in protest. They seek better pay and conditions. Hillsborough Stadium, April 1989; an FA Cup semi-final turns into disaster. The final death toll is 96: Anfield in Liverpool becomes a shrine. The Forty Foot, Sandycove: Dublin women take over a male stronghold. Iran orders the death of Salman Rushdie for blasphemy in his 'Satanic Verses' book. Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini dies later in 1989. Over two million Iranians mourn their leader. Tianamen Square, Beijing: Chinese students defy the Communist regime. They demand social and political reform. The Chinese authorities brutally crush the protest. 20 October 1989: After 14 years in prison, the Guildford Four are freed. Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Christy Brown in the film 'My Left Foot'. Ireland beat Hungary, Northern Ireland and Malta - qualifying for the World Cup Finals for the first time ever. Prague, Czechoslovakia: The people celebrate the fall of Communism and the return of leader Alexander Dubcek. Communism also collapses in Poland. The 'Solidarity' movement finally triumphs. Romania's dictator Nicolae Ceausescu tries desperately to retain power. After a short and bloody civil war, the Communist Party is abolished. Ceausescu and his wife Elena are executed. For twenty-eight miles and twenty-eight years, the Berlin Wall has divided East and West. On 10 November 1989, the Wall comes down. Playlist: Cher: If I Could Turn Back Time Stone Roses: Fool's Gold Guns and Roses: Sweet Child Of Mine Van Morrison: Have I Told You Lately Billy Joel: We Didn't Start The Fire The 4 Of Us: Mary MMary Black: No Frontiers Black Box: Ride On Time U2 - All I Want Is You