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Sunday 3 December 2023 Dublin: 1°C

# 1984 State Papers

All time
Government Buildings got a lick of paint when Ronald Reagan came to visit
Including varnishing, carpets, ceiling tiles and “general cleaning up”.
7.6k
12
Jan 3rd 2015, 11:30 AM
This 8-year-old wrote to the Taoiseach in 1984 because RTÉ was 'mean to block sunshine'
She said she wanted RTÉ to ‘stop being mean’ to a pirate radio station.
25.5k
16
Jan 2nd 2015, 8:30 PM
Government was worried about hiking up tax on booze in 1984 because we were so broke...
… but they did it anyway.
11.3k
17
Jan 1st 2015, 10:15 AM
Taoiseach's office had to confirm that 'Éire' would NOT be removed from Irish stamps in 1982
Questions were asked whether An Post should be given an “entirely free hand” in the designing of stamps.
9.7k
18
Dec 31st 2014, 7:00 PM
Stop it! RTÉ was told to stop jamming pirate radio stations
Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald said the Government were not trying to be “spoil-sports”.
13.1k
21
Dec 30th 2014, 8:00 AM
Thirty years ago, a Fine Gael government was worried that Sinn Féin 'could deliver'
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Barry didn’t like that Sinn Féin representatives were being listened to.
8.8k
51
Dec 30th 2014, 7:15 AM
This American lady begged the Prime Minister to save the leprechaun
“In our hearts we know they are still there.”
18.3k
20
Dec 29th 2014, 8:45 AM
Haughey warned about possible international law breach with 'illegitimate' children and divorce
Ireland wanted to ‘avoid a situation’ where it was found to be in breach of its international commitments.
13.9k
30
Dec 28th 2014, 4:30 PM
Ads for Transformer toys and Barbie's Star Traveller were a big worry in the 1980s....
The country was in the midst of a recession with unemployment up to 16.1%.
15.9k
13
Dec 28th 2014, 11:30 AM
Water cannons could be "more lethal than plastic bullets". That's what the UK told Ireland...
17 people were killed by either rubber or plastic bullets during The Troubles.
13.0k
77
Dec 28th 2014, 10:00 AM
Ireland wanted to sell water to Saudi Arabia for $5 a barrel in the 1980s
There was one problem… Japan also wanted to.
20.3k
106
Dec 28th 2014, 8:45 AM
Thatcher in '84: 'The Irish don't like to move, but they're all terribly happy to move to Britain'
The PM’s comments have been revealed in newly released state documents.
69.0k
163
Dec 27th 2014, 8:17 PM
This man warned that Ireland could end up needing a bailout... 30 years ago
State papers reveal how Alan Dukes warned his cabinet colleagues of the need to cut spending.
19.8k
37
Dec 27th 2014, 2:16 PM
In 1983 there was a chance a Soviet spy satellite would fall on Ireland
There was one in 10,000 chance nuclear-powered Cosmo 1402 would fall over Ireland.
9.2k
12
Dec 27th 2014, 10:30 AM
Thousands of Northern refugees streamed over the border in the 1970s - some were called "ungrateful"
The situation is detailed in a memo to Government from 1973.
29.2k
76
Dec 27th 2014, 8:45 AM
The secret note that revealed how much Margaret Thatcher trusted Garret Fitzgerald
A steering note before Garret Fitzgerald’s meeting with Margaret Thatcher shows us how she was “by political preference” a Unionist.
18.0k
38
Dec 27th 2014, 8:15 AM
This 1984 memo to the Taoiseach is why you can't buy bangers at Halloween
You can buy all the toy gun caps you like though.
18.1k
16
Dec 27th 2014, 7:45 AM
John Hume was 'rather blunt' with Margaret Thatcher in secret meeting
Notes from a secret meeting have just been released.
8.7k
5
Dec 27th 2014, 7:10 AM