1980 in Northern Ireland

Events

*1 January - First national H-Block March [http://www.larkspirit.com/history/chronology.html Larkspirit Irish History] ] .
*27 October - Seven Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners go on hungerstrike in Long Kesh.
*8 December - An Taoiseach Charles Haughey meets with the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at Dublin Castle. It is the first visit by a British prime minister since independence.
*15 December - Start of 30 more IRA prisoners joining hungerstrike.
*18 December - Hunger striker Sean McKenna critically ill. Belief that settlement is imminent brings end to hungerstrike.
*Work began on the building of the Foyle Bridge in Derry.

Arts and literature

*Crescent Arts Centre is founded.

port

Boxing

*Hugh Russell wins Flyweight Bronze medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics.

Football

*Irish League::Winners: Linfield

*Irish Cup::Winners: Linfield 2 - 0 Crusaders

Motorcyling

*Robert Dunlop makes first appearance at the Cookstown 100.

Births

*17 January - Gareth McLearnon, flautist.
*11 February - Cormac McAnallen, Tyrone Gaelic footballer (d.2004).
*6 March - Ross Mawhinney, radio DJ.
*3 April - Adrian McCoubrey, cricketer.
*14 April - Grant McCann, footballer.
*11 June - Pete Snodden, radio DJ.
*3 July - Andrew White, cricketer.
*9 July - Michael Ingham, footballer.
*11 September - Gerard McCabe, actor.
*23 September - Malachi Cush, singer/songwriter.
*6 October - Stephen Carson, soccer player.

Full date unknown

*Gerard McKeown, performance poet.
*Zöe Salmon, "Blue Peter" presenter and former Miss Northern Ireland in 1999.

Deaths

*5 July - A. J. Potter, composer (b.1918).
*22 November - Norah McGuinness, artist (b.1901).

Full date unknown

*Ronnie Bunting, Official IRA member and a founder member of the Irish National Liberation Army, assassinated.
*Jimmy McCambridge, soccer player (b.1905).
*Johnny McKenna, footballer (b.1926).

References