Republican Prisioners in the Maze Prison begin a hunger strike

1980

Hunger strike called off

1980

The hunger strike at the Maze prison is called off after 53 days after an appeal by Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich, Catholic Primate of All Ireland

Film and Television

Maeve
Pat Murphy, John Davies

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Film and Television

The Long Good Friday
John MacKenzie

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Film and Television

The Outsider
Tony Luraschi

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Literature

Lamb Bernard MacLaverty

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Performance Arts

Men Of Ireland / The Men In Me

First Performed 1980

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Poetry

In The Lost Province Tom Paulin

Published 1980

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Poetry

A Partial State Tom Paulin

Published 1980

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Poetry

Anseo Paul Muldoon

Published 1980

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Poetry

The Boundary Commission Paul Muldoon

Published 1980

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Poetry

Mink Paul Muldoon

Published 1980

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Poetry

Truce Paul Muldoon

Published 1980

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Theatre

Translations Brian Friel

Year First Performed 1980

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Visual Art

British Maids Colin McGookin

Year Produced 1980

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Visual Art

Sons of the Fathers Colin McGookin

Year Produced 1980

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Visual Art

Source Material Colin McGookin

Year Produced 1980

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Visual Art

Belfast Street Series Martin Forker

Year Produced 1980

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Bobby Sands wins by-election

1981

While on hunger strike in the Maze Prison, Bobby Sands becomes a member of parliament in Westminster

Maze prisoners begin second hunger strike

1981

Hunger strike called off

1981

Bobby Sands dies

1981

After 66 days on hunger strike, Bobby Sands dies in the Maze Prison. A further 9 prisoners die in the following 3 months

Literature

Silver’s City Maurice Leitch

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Literature

Galloper Thomson Sam McAughtry

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Performance Arts

Hanging

First Performed 1981

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Traditional Music

Whatever you say, say nothing Colum Sands

Released 1981

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Traditional Music

If it wasn’t for the border Colum Sands

Released 1981

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Visual Art

Down on Dunseverick Strand Diarmuid Delargy

Year Produced 1981

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Visual Art

Banflags Colin McGookin

Year Produced 1981

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Visual Art

We’ll Keep Tabs on You Colin McGookin

Year Produced 1981

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Northern Ireland: A Framework for Devolution published

1982

The British government publishes a white paper on devolution in Northern Ireland

The DeLorean sports car factory closes

1982

The factory in Dunmurry closes with the loss of 1,500 jobs.

The IRA bombs Regent’s Park & Hyde Park

1982

These bombings result in the deaths of 11 soldiers and 7 horses

The Northern Ireland Act establishes rules for the proposed Assembly

1982

RUC officers killed by IRA bomb

1982

Droppin’ Well pub in Ballykelly bombed by INLA

1982

Eleven soldiers and seven civilians are killed

Film and Television

Harry’s Game
Lawrence Gordon Clark

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Film and Television

Too Late to Talk to Billy
Paul Seed

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Film and Television

Angel
Neil Jordan

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Literature

A Time To Dance and Other Stories Bernard MacLaverty

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Traditional Music

The Last House in our Street Colum Sands

Released 1982

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Theatre

Diary of a Hunger Strike Peter Sheridan

Year First Performed 1982

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Theatre

The Long March Anne Devlin

Year First Performed 1982

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Theatre

The Interrogation of Ambrose Fogarty Martin Lynch

Year First Performed 1982

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Visual Art

Linnegan’s Kitchen I Diarmuid Delargy

Year Produced 1982

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Visual Art

Four Ideas For A New Town, #1 Sean Hillen

Year Produced 1982

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Visual Art

Orange Icons (Carson) Joseph McWilliams

Year Produced 1982

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Visual Art

Green Icons (Pearse) Joseph McWilliams

Year Produced 1982

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The New Ireland Forum holds inaugural meeting

1983

The New Ireland Forum, a conference of nationalists north and south meets in Dublin Castle

38 Republican prisoners escape from the Maze

1983

A prison officer dies from injuries received in the breakout.

The Catholic Reaction Force (CRE) kills three members of the Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church in Da

1983

Contemporary Music

A Planxty for the Dancer David Byers

Released 1983

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Film and Television

A Matter of Choice for Billy
Paul Seed

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Film and Television

Ascendancy
Edward Bennett

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Literature

Cal Bernard MacLaverty

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Literature

All of Us There Polly Devlin

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Performance Arts

Healing Wounds

First Performed 1983

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Performance Arts

KIncora

First Performed 1983

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Performance Arts

The Rope That Binds Us Makes Them Free

First Performed 1983

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Poetry

Under Creon Tom Paulin

Published 1983

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Poetry

Desertmartin Tom Paulin

Published 1983

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Poetry

Of Difference Does It Make Tom Paulin

Published 1983

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Poetry

Aisling Paul Muldoon

Published 1983

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Poetry

History Lessons Seamus Deane

Published 1983

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Poetry

Guerrillas Seamus Deane

Published 1983

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Poetry

The More a Man has the More a Man Wants Paul Muldoon

Published 1983

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Poetry

A Burial Seamus Deane

Published 1983

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Traditional Music

The Man From RTÉ Fintan Vallely

Released 1983

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Visual Art

Woman With Peace line and Cavehill Catherine Mc Williams

Year Produced 1983

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Visual Art

On Through the Not So Quiet Lands Diarmuid Delargy

Year Produced 1983

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Visual Art

Londonewry, A Mythical Town, #2 Sean Hillen

Year Produced 1983

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Visual Art

Rhythm of the Beating Colin McGookin

Year Produced 1983

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Visual Art

Irish Landscape 2 Catherine McWilliams

Year Produced 1983

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The final report of the new Ireland Forum is published

1984

Three options are offered for Northern Ireland: a unitary state; a federal arrangement; and a joint authority solution. The report also rejects the use of violence to achieve political change in Northern Ireland.

The Grand Hotel in Brighton bombed

1984

A bomb planted by the Provisional IRA in the Grand Hotel explodes on the last day of the Conservative Party Conference. Five people are killed and many others wounded.

Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald meets Margaret Thatcher

1984

The meeting takes place at Chequers to discuss the potential consequences for constitutional politics in the event of the rise in support for Sinn Fein. At a press conference later that day, Margaret Thatcher rejects the proposals of the New Ireland Forum in her famous R

U2 releases The Unforgettable Fire

1984

Architecture

Lough Lea Northern Ireland Housing Executive

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Film and Television

A Coming to Terms for Billy
Paul Seed

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Film and Television

Contact
Alan Clarke

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Film and Television

Four Days in July (or Hot Potato)
Mike Leigh

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Film and Television

Cal
Pat O’Connor

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Theatre

Northern Star Stewart Parker

Year First Performed 1984

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Theatre

The Hidden Curriculum Graham Reid

Year First Performed 1984

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Visual Art

Arise O Great Zimbabwe Dermot Seymour

Year Produced 1984

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Visual Art

The Russians will Water their Horses on the Shores of Lough Neagh Dermot Seymour

Year Produced 1984

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Nine RUC officers killed in a mortar attack on Newry police station

1985

Rioting in Portadown as Orange marches are re-routed

1985

The Anglo-Irish Agreement signed

1985

The agreement is signed by Garret Fitzgerald and Margaret Thatcher at Hillsborough Castle. The Agreement introduces an Intergovernmental Conference headed by the Secretary of State and the Irish Foreign Minister, which will meet regularly to promote cross-border cooperation

An Air India plane crashes into the sea 80 miles off the Irish coast

1985

A bomb exploded on board. All 329 passengers and crew are killed.

Film and Television

Ties of Blood
James Ormerod

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Literature

Nothing Happens in Carmincross Benedict Kiely

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Literature

Field of Blood Gerald Seymour

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Poetry

A Question of Covenants Gerald Dawe

Published 1985

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Poetry

The Clock On A Wall of Farringdon Gardens, August 1971 Gerald Dawe

Published 1985

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Poetry

On Slieve Gullion Michael Longley

Published 1985

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Poetry

Introduction to The Female Line: Northern Irish Women Writers Ruth Hooley (Carr)

Published 1985

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Traditional Music

The Island Paul Brady

Released 1985

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Traditional Music

There Were Roses Tommy Sands

Released 1985

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Traditional Music

Humpty Dumpty was Pushed Tommy Sands

Released 1985

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Theatre

Ourselves Alone Anne Devlin

Year First Performed 1985

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Theatre

Now You’re Talkin’ Marie Jones

Year First Performed 1985

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Visual Art

Gagarin’s Room Sean Hillen

Year Produced 1985

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Visual Art

Trojan Horse Ulster Jack Pakenham

Year Produced 1985

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Visual Art

Fog Ice Last Hours of Daylight Willie Doherty

Year Produced 1985

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Visual Art

Rose with a Thorn Dr Martin Forker

Year Produced 1985

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Visual Art

The Sounds Around Blinded Sam’s Son Colin McGookin

Year Produced 1985

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The Northern Ireland Assembly is officially dissolved

1986

The decision was made by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Tom King.

Peter Robinson marches with 500 loyalists to Clontibret

1986

The Deputy leader of the DUP marched into the village in Co Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. He is later arrested and fined.

Literature

The Way-Paver Anne Devlin

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Literature

Naming The Names Anne Devlin

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Literature

No Mate for the Magpie Frances Molloy

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Poetry

Floods Frank Ormsby

Published 1986

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Poetry

Aftermath Frank Ormsby

Published 1986

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Poetry

Enemy Encounter Padraic Fiacc

Published 1986

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Poetry

Sanctus Padraic Fiacc

Published 1986

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Poetry

Station/An Ordo Padraic Fiacc

Published 1986

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Poetry

Tears/A Lacrimosa Padraic Fiacc

Published 1986

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Poetry

Goodbye to Brigid/An Agnus Dei Padraic Fiacc

Published 1986

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Poetry

Credo Credo Padraic Fiacc

Published 1986

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Poetry

Kids At War Padraic Fiacc

Published 1986

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Poetry

Introit Padraic Fiacc

Published 1986

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Poetry

From the Irish James Simmons

Published 1986

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Poetry

Ulster Says Yes James Simmons

Published 1986

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Poetry

For Jan Betley James Simmons

Published 1986

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Poetry

Claudy James Simmons

Published 1986

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Poetry

Protestant Courts Catholic James Simmons

Published 1986

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Poetry

The Ballad of Gerry Kelly: Newsagent James Simmons

Published 1986

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Poetry

Lament for a Dead Policeman James Simmons

Published 1986

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Traditional Music

A Rose By Any Other Name Gerry Creen

Released 1986

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Theatre

Joyriders Christina Reid

Year First Performed 1986

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Visual Art

Holding the Rope Victor Sloan

Year Produced 1986

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Visual Art

Picking The Masks Jack Pakenham

Year Produced 1986

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Visual Art

Ulster at the Crossroads Jack Pakenham

Year Produced 1986

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Visual Art

Baby You Can Drive My Car Gerry Gleason

Year Produced 1986

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One civilian and 8 members of the IRA are killed in an SAS ambush at Loughgall, Co Armagh

1987

Remembrance Day bombing at Enniskillen

1987

A bomb explodes during the Remembrance Day wreath laying ceremony at the War memorial in Enniskillen. 11 are killed.

U2 release The Joshua Tree

1987

Architecture

Castle Street, Armagh Northern Ireland Housing Executive

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Film and Television

Foreign Bodies
Sydney Lotterby

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Film and Television

Lorna
James Ormerod

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Literature

The Great Profundo and Other Stories Bernard MacLaverty

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Poetry

Meeting the British Paul Muldoon

Published 1987

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Poetry

Christo’s Paul Muldoon

Published 1987

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Poetry

Cocktails Ciaran Carson

Published 1987

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Poetry

Campaign Ciaran Carson

Published 1987

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Poetry

Belfast Confetti Ciaran Carson

Published 1987

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Poetry

The Irish For No Ciaran Carson

Published 1987

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Poetry

Army Ciaran Carson

Published 1987

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Poetry

Night Patrol Ciaran Carson

Published 1987

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Poetry

The Haw Lantern Seamus Heaney

Published 1987

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Poetry

From the Frontier of Writing Seamus Heaney

Published 1987

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Traditional Music

The March Ditch Colum Sands

Released 1987

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Theatre

The Venus de Milo Instead (Screenplay) Anne Devlin

Year First Performed 1987

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Theatre

Pentecost Stewart Parker

Year First Performed 1987

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Theatre

Somewhere Over the Balcony Marie Jones

Year First Performed 1987

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Visual Art

Soldier Victor Sloan

Year Produced 1987

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Visual Art

Sleeping Venus Diarmuid Delargy

Year Produced 1987

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Visual Art

Who Is My Enemy? Sean Hillen

Year Produced 1987

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Visual Art

Trouble In Paradise, #1 Sean Hillen

Year Produced 1987

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Visual Art

The Wasteland 12 Anthony Davies

Year Produced 1987

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Visual Art

The Workers Anthony Davies

Year Produced 1987

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Visual Art

An Irish Good Friday 2 Dr Martin Forker

Year Produced 1987

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First meeting between John Hume and Gerry Adams

1988

The first in a number of meetings take place between John Hume, leader of the SDLP and Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein. This is considered by some to be the beginning of the Peace Process.

IRA members killed in Gibraltar by SAS

1988

Three unarmed IRA members are killed by undercover members of the SAS.

Michael Stone kills mourners at Milltown Cemetery

1988

During the funerals of the three members of the IRA killed in Gibraltar, Michael Stone, a loyalist gunman, launches a gun and grenade attack on mourners. Three are killed and 50 injured.

Two soldiers killed by mourners

1988

During the funeral of one of those killed in the Milltown Cemetery attack, two soldiers in plainclothes are attacked and killed by mourners.

IRA bomb kills 6 off-duty soldiers in Lisburn

1988

Eight soldiers killed in an IRA bomb in Ballygawley, Co Tyrone

1988

Broadcasting Ban announced

1988

The British government announces a broadcasting ban on direct statements by members of proscribed organisations, including Sinn Fein and the Ulster Defense Association.

Contemporary Music

From the Besieged City Kevin O'Connell

Released 1988

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Film and Television

Elephant
Alan Clarke

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Literature

Burning Your Own Glenn Patterson

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Performance Arts

Unearthed, 1988-1991

First Performed 1988

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Poetry

A Schooling Seamus Deane

Published 1988

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Poetry

Derry Seamus Deane

Published 1988

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Poetry

After Derry, 30 January 1972 Seamus Deane

Published 1988

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Poetry

The Bomb Disposal Ciaran Carson

Published 1988

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Visual Art

Suitcases in the Foyle Marie Barrett

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Dance State Marie Barrett

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

The Imminence of Death Diarmuid Delargy

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Mother Ireland Rita Duffy

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Sectarian Murder Paul Seawright

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Dawn Raid Locky Morris

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Town, Country and People Locky Morris

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Annie Montgomery: The Old Woman of Belfast Dr Martin Forker

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Maggie Moon/Mother Ireland Martin Forker

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Belfast Man Series Martin Forker

Year Produced 1988-1989

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Visual Art

Banshee in a Belfast Toilet Martin Forker

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Stalemate Gerry Gleason

Year Produced 1988

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Visual Art

Beyond the Pale Gerry Gleason

Year Produced 1988

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Pat Finucane murdered in his home

1989

Pat Finucane, a solicitor who had represented a number of Republicans, is hot in his home by members of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF). Rumours of collusion between Loyalists and security forces follow.