On This Week: Irish Moments from History (19th - 25th May)
Welcome to On This Week, where we delve into the standout stories from the years gone by, featuring standout news stories, major sporting events, and pop culture highlights that helped shape Irish life.
Here's your dose of Irish nostalgia from 19th to 25th May.
This Week In Irish News
2011: Barack Obama draws huge crowd in Dublin

Barack Obama finished off his visit to Ireland with a speech at College Green in Dublin.
With tens of thousands of people turning out, the 44th President of the United States greeted them by saying: "My name is Barack Obama, of the Moneygall Obamas".
''I've come home to find the apostrophe we lost somewhere along the way.'
He concluded his speech with a nod to his 2008 campaign slogan - 'is féidir linn' drawing a huge cheer from the crowd.
2015: Ireland says YES to same-sex marriage

Ireland became the first country in the world to bring in same-sex marriage by popular vote.
The total poll was just under two million, with 1,201,607 people (62.1%) voting Yes.
All constituencies, bar one, voted Yes with the highest Yes vote coming from Dublin South East at almost 75%.
This Week In Irish Sports
2008: Munster clinch Heineken Cup trophy for second time

Munster won their second Heineken Cup after a hard-fought battle against Toulouse, which ended 16 - 13 in Cardiff.
The French side started off strong, but Munster held the course and took the lead on 33 minutes when Denis Leamy barged over from close range.
Toulouse drew level after half-time, but Ronan O'Gara’s 64th-minute penalty, his third of the game, put them back in front. From there, Munster held on to secure the cup.
2024: Football fans flock to Dublin to see Atalanta win Europa League final

More than 47,000 fans were in the Aviva Stadium to see Atalanta overcome Bayer Leverkusen to win the Europa League.
The Italian side ended a 61-year wait for a major trophy thanks to Ademola Lookman's hat-trick, concluding a journey that saw them knock out Sporting Lisbon, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool and Marseille along the way.
It was the second time the Aviva Stadium hosted the Europa League final; the first was in 2011.
This Week In Irish Entertainment
1999: Gay Byrne presents his final 'Late Late Show'

After 37 years of hosting The Late Late Show, Gay Byrne called it a day hosting the longest running chat show in the world.
Originally, The Late Late Show was intended as a filler for the summer schedule but became a mainstay in Irish culture.
Over the four decades, Byrne brought forward many topics deemed taboo by elements of Irish society into a public forum for discussion.
In his final show, he was greeted by U2 members Bono and Larry Mullen, who presented Byrne with a Harley Davidson saying: "This is from us to you"
2023: Jazzy becomes first Irish female artist to hit No 1 in 14 years

Irish singer Jazzy became the first Irish female to reach number one in the official Irish singles chart in 14 years.
The musician, who hails from Crumlin, Co Dublin, spent three weeks topping the charts with her debut solo single Giving Me.
The single had been in the top three for five weeks and reached number three in the UK Singles chart.
This Week In Irish Culture
1990: Bronze statue of WB Yeats unveiled in Sligo town

A large 8-foot bronze statue of the poet WB Yeats was unveiled at a ceremony in Sligo town.
It was the first statue of the internationally acclaimed poet and was unveiled by the poet's son, Michael Yeats, who speaks of his father’s love of County Sligo.
The statue was located at the junction of Stephen Street and Markievicz Road and was to mark the 50th anniversary of his death in 1989.
1991: Irish Museum of Modern Art opens

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) opened this week in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
The Government of Ireland established the IMMA with it officially opened by then-Taoiseach Charles Haughey.
The then-director of IMMA, Declan McGonagle, said: "We have an enormous public responsibility to speak to as broad a spectrum of the public as possible… to present the highest standard of art to the broadest range of people possible."
What was Number 1 in Ireland This Week?
1964: 'Fallen Star' by Eileen Reid
Fallen Star was the first official number one single by an Irish woman female and took a joint number one spot with I'm Yours by Dickie Rock.
1993: 'In Your Eyes' by Niamh Kavanagh

With the love ballad In Your Eyes, Niamh Kavanagh won the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest.
2007: 'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley

Crazy entered the record books by becoming the first single in the UK to reach number one on downloads alone.
Irish Celebrities Celebrating Birthdays This Week
Mary Robinson (81)
Former president of Ireland and the first woman to hold the position.
Cillian Murphy (49)
Oscar-winning actor best known for Oppenheimer, Peaky Blinders, and 28 Days Later.
Mary Black (70)
Irish folk singer who released 11 studio albums, all of which achieved platinum status.
Other Irish Trivia From This Week
2024: When the largest rollercoaster in Europe opened in Meath

Europe's largest intertwining rollercoaster opened in Emerald Park in Co Meath.
The two rides opened were named 'Na Fianna Force' and 'The Quest'. 'Na Fianna Force' is the larger of the two, reaching heights of 32 metres and speeds of up to 90km/h.
'The Quest' coaster, which it is intertwined with, is described as a "family boomerang rollercoaster" that travels up to 60km/h and to heights of 25m.
The two, alongside another ride, 'The Celtic Dreamer, ' form part of a 6.5-acre section of the park called 'Tír Na nÓg', which was themed with material made by local blacksmiths in the Boyne Valley.
Looking Ahead
Each Monday, On This Week will bring you a mix of stories from the last 75 years, to celebrate Volkswagen's 75 year anniversary, featuring the big news stories, sporting highlights and major pop culture moments. Volkswagen has been part of those unforgettable moments - driving families to milestones, memories, and moments that matter. Join us every week as we look back at the moments of yesteryear.
To celebrate the milestone of 75 years in Ireland, your local Volkswagen dealer is running a 75th Birthday Sales event from 19th to 24th May with finance from 0% available. Celebrating 75 years in Ireland with big savings for you.
For more information visit 75 Years In Ireland | Celebrate our Birthday | VW Ireland