26-05-2025
On This Week: Success for Skibbereen and RTÉ Radio 2 launches
On This Week: Irish Moments from History (26th May - 1st June)
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 26th May to 1st June.
This Week In Irish News
Prince Charles arrived in Dublin on the first official visit by a member of the British royal family since Irish independence.
A banquet was held in Dublin castle which included then-Taoiseach John Bruton who commented on the importance of building a lasting peace.
2007: Wild Golden Eagle hatches for first time in almost 100 years
A wild Golden Eagle chick hatched in Co Donegal, for the first time in almost 100 years.
Golden Eagles last bred in Glenveagh, Co Donegal in 1910 and became extinct in Ireland after the last breeding attempt in Co Mayo in 1912. They were reintroduced into Glenveagh National Park as part of a Golden Eagle reintroduction programme in 2001.
This Week In Irish Sports
2017: European hat-trick for Skibbereen at European Rowing Championships
It was a busy time at the European Rowing Championships as Ireland took three medals, all from members of the Skibbereen Rowing Club.
Shane O'Driscoll and Mark O'Donovan took the gold in the lightweight men's pair, Denise Walsh took silver shortly afterwards in the lightweight women's single sculls, while Paul and Gary O'Donovan also won silver in the lightweight men's double sculls.
2022: Sarah Healy breaks Sonia O'Sullivan's 31-year-old U23 1500m record
Sarah Healy broke the Under-23 National 1500m record at a World Athletics Continental Tour gold meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Healy finished sixth with a time of 4:02.86, shaving three seconds off the previous record set by Sonia O'Sullivan back in 1991.
Healy set two other U23 records that year, including the indoor 1500m (4:06.94) and indoor 3,000m (8:53.67) records.
This Week In Irish Entertainment
1979: RTÉ Radio 2 launches in Ireland
RTÉ launched a new radio station aimed at a wide audience and a commitment to supporting Irish contemporary music.
Launched by the Minister for Post and Telegrams Pádraig Faulkner on 31st May 1979, it began broadcasting at Donnybrook with presenters such as Larry Gogan, Dave Fanning, Gerry Ryan, and Marty Whelan on the lineup.
RTÉ Radio 2 would eventually change to 2FM in 1988 before changing its name again to RTÉ 2FM.
1985: Bruce Springsteen headlines Slane Concert
Over 65,000 people saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kick off their European tour at Slane Castle.
The crowd was the largest that Springsteen had ever played to before, and they played for almost three hours on a hot summer day.
Springsteen and the E Street Band are the only acts to play at Slane without support.
This Week In Irish Culture
1991: Recreating the Pirate Queen's Journey
A replica galley, the 'Aileach' set sail from Mayo to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland to celebrate the links between Ireland and Scotland in the sixteenth century.
The voyage also commemorated the pirate queen Grace O'Malley, setting sail from her territory in Co Mayo to Somerled, Scotland's Lord of the Isles.
The 40-foot vessel was built from larch and oak, and the voyage took approximately six weeks.
What was Number 1 in Ireland This Week?
1972: 'A Thing Called Love' by Johnny Cash
A cover of a Jerry Reed song, A Thing Called Love became Cash's biggest hit in Europe.
1990: 'Put 'Em Under Pressure' by The Republic Of Ireland Football Squad
Produced by U2's Larry Mullen and featuring an intro by Moya Brennan of Clannad, Put Em Under Pressure quickly became the anthem of Irish football.
2011:' Lipstick' by Jedward
Representing Ireland in the Eurovision, Jedward finished eighth in the final, giving Ireland its best result in eleven years.
Irish Celebrities Celebrating Birthdays This Week
Colm Meaney (72)
Actor best known for The Snapper, The Van, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Derval O'Rourke (44)
Former Irish hurdler, now sports pundit on RTÉ Sport.
Colin Farrell (49)
Award-winning actor known for In Bruges, The Banshees of Inisherin, and The Batman.
Other Irish Trivia From This Week
1989: The first Dublin Bus champion driver
William Smith from Walkinstown in Dublin became the first driver to win The Dublin Bus Champion Driver of the Year.
The competition featured a number of rigorous tests challenging the skills of each competing driver. It was aimed at sharpening the skills of the Dublin bus driver fleet, inspired by a similar competition run in England which claimed to have improved standards of driving.
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.
