On This Week: Greg O'Shea wins fifth series of Love Island
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 28th July to 3rd August.
This Week In Irish News
The Transocean Airways DC8 Jet became the first chartered transatlantic flight to fly directly to Cork Airport from New York City.
The landing came following a recent extension of a thousand feet to the Cork Airport runway. When the plane landed, The St. Finbar's Pipe Band, along with crowds of people, were there to greet them.
The then Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Chrissie Aherne, and Minister of State for Tourism and Transport, Denis Lyons, were also present to welcome its passengers to Cork.
2014: When the Jedi came to the great Skellig
Skellig Michael became a part of the Star Wars universe when filming of The Force Awakens took place there.
Local boatmen ferried crew members from Portmagee to the World Heritage Site for filming while the cast was brought by helicopter from a helipad on Valentia Island.
The island, located off the coast of County Kerry, featured in two Star Wars movies: The Force Awakens in 2015 and again in the following instalment, The Last Jedi, released in 2017.
This Week In Irish Sports
2015: Team Ireland finish on a high in Special Olympics
Team Ireland finished the Special Olympics in Los Angeles with an incredible 86 medals.
On the final day of the competition alone, Irish athletes won six gold, five silver, and five bronze medals. The final medal tally of 26 gold, 29 silver, 31 bronze, 31 personal bests and 43 placement ribbons.
The team obtained medals in disciplines such as basketball, soccer, athletics, badminton, equestrian, gymnastics and bowling,
2024: Paris Olympics bring medals for Ireland in multiple disciplines
Ireland had an Olympics to remember, with gold medals and more obtained in multiple disciplines.
Overall, the final tally was four golds, three bronzes, and 26 top-10 finishes.
In swimming, Daniel Wiffen took gold in the men's 800m freestyle and bronze in the men's 1500m freestyle, while Mona McSharry took the bronze in the women's 100m breaststroke.
In rowing, Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan took gold in the men's lightweight double sculls, while Daire Lynch and Philip Doyle took bronze in the men's double sculls.
Kellie Harrington took gold in the women's lightweight boxing, and Rhys McClenaghan took gold in the men's pommel horse.
This Week In Irish Entertainment
2001: Brian Dowling crowned winner of Big Brother 2
The reality TV game show Big Brother saw Brian Dowling crowned the winner of its second series.
Over four and a quarter million people cast telephone votes, making Dowling, from Rathangan in Co. Kildare, the winner.
The series was the most-watched Big Brother ever, with the final watched by 13.7 million viewers, making it Channel 4's second most-watched show.
2019: Greg O'Shea wins fifth series of Love Island
Limerick rugby player Greg O'Shea and his partner Amber Gill, who is from Newcastle in the UK, were announced as the winners of Love Island 2019.
They were competing against Longford model Maura Higgins and her partner Curtis Pritchard, Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague, and Ovie Soko and India Reynolds.
O'Shea entered the villa on day 43 before coupling up with Gill on day 46
This Week In Irish Culture
1965: The first Grand Canal Festival in Co Kildare
The first Grand Canal Festival opened in Robertstown, Co. Kildare in 1965.
Created as part of an effort to maintain the canals for boating, the festival evolved into an annual event featuring people dressed in 18th-century costumes, entertainment, archaeological and art exhibitions, and more.
The festival centre was the Grand Canal Hotel, which operated as a museum showcasing weapons, Georgian maps and rare books relating to the canal.
Funds raised from the festival were used to cover additional repairs to the building.
What was Number 1 in Ireland This Week?
1976: 'The Boys Are Back in Town' by Thin Lizzy
Considered to be the band's best song, the song was the first single from their album Jailbreak.
2003: 'Crazy in Love' by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z
The lead single in Beyoncé's debut solo album Dangerously in Love, her song has been ranked in several best-of lists.
2022: 'Running Up That Hill' by Kate Bush
The 1985 hit gained a new lease of life after featuring in the fourth season of Stranger Things, reaching number one in eight countries.
Irish Celebrities Celebrating Birthdays This Week
Eamon Dunphy (80)
Media personality, journalist, broadcaster, author, and sports pundit
Frances Fitzgerald (75)
Former Fine Gael politician who was Tánaiste from 2016 to 2017
Micheál Martin (65)
Taoiseach of Ireland and leader of Fianna Fáil
Other Irish Trivia From This Week
1994: Having tea with Daniel O'Donnell
Thousands of fans turned out in County Donegal, travelling as far as Australia, to chat and have tea with Daniel O'Donnell.
The tea party hosted by the singer in his mother's home in Kincasslagh, Co Donegal, is a highlight of the Mary from Dungloe Festival.
Several thousand fans queued up outside his mother's house to have a cup of tea and a chat with the man himself. The tradition began four years previously when he invited some fans to call around.
The tradition would continue until 2000 when large numbers made it unfeasible.
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
9 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Former Mayo star Oisín Mullin hails Kerry duo after signing new AFL contract
Oisín Mullin says that the Irish connection is key to his progress at Geelong Cats after signing a new contract with the AFL giants. The former Mayo star has been at the club since 2022 and has committed his future to them until 2027 having become a mainstay this season in particular. After making six AFL appearances in 2023 followed by 12 last year, Mullin has featured in 18 of their 19 games so far this season as the Cats sit in fourth place in the Premiership table with four games to go, leaving them in a strong position to contest the finals series. Laois native Zach Tuohy, who retired last year, was at the club when Mullin first joined, along with Kerry's Mark O'Connor, whose fellow countyman Cillian Burke is now on the books. 'Obviously the Cats have been known for having a great culture and when I was coming over there was Zach and Mark here as well so having that Irish connection was a big pull and a big factor in coming over here,' Mullin told the club's website. 'The two of them were very important in the journey from the get-go so yeah, it definitely had a big influence.' He continued: 'Zach, from the beginning, I worked with him a lot. Done a lot of kicking and stuff, his kick was obviously unbelievable. Mark as well, just nailing the skills and stuff like that, just chatting me through what it takes to keep developing. 'It takes a lot of patience as well, things aren't going to click from the get-go but obviously the off-field transition as well, Mark especially has been at the club… this is his ninth season and he's just been through that whole transition period just for tips, not just on the field but off the field as well and obviously getting Cillian to join this year has been great. 'He's a great personality to have around the club so I've been loving it with them.' Mullin has been handed greater responsibility in the side this year having been handed a key 'tagging' role. He added: 'It's an enjoyable role, it's a very cool experience getting to match up with some of the best in the game. Not something I thought I'd be doing this early in my career but it's definitely been very helpful, helping me to develop and it's nice to know the coaches have the confidence to back me in that role and attack the game.'
Extra.ie
9 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
Butter Bling: Irish designer teases glitzy Kerrygold purse
Hold onto your toast, Irish designer Maya Grisham has just teased what might be the most gloriously over-the-top accessory of the year. Taking to Instagram, the brand known for its crystal embellished accessories, shared an image of a Kerrygold handbag encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Known for her tongue-in-cheek takes on Irish iconography, Grisham seems to have outdone herself with this recent homage, even topping her previous Guinness can cross body and Tayto packet purse. Hold onto your toast, Irish designer Maya Grisham has just teased what might be the most gloriously over-the-top accessory of the year. Pic: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images 'For those who love @kerrygoldirl,' the brand captioned the mock-up image. 'Super tempted to make a Kerry Gold Bag. Should we make a prototype?,' they further teased. Unsurprisingly, fans of the brand melted faster than butter on a hot pan (we couldn't help ourselves, sorry). View this post on Instagram A post shared by @mayagrishamofficial 'OMG I need this,' one user wrote. 'Omg this is gas I love it,' another penned. While the official Kerry Gold Ireland account commented: 'You don't need to ask us twice.' Earlier this month, Kerrygold launched a brand new flavour in the United States, leaving their Irish customers fuming. Pic: Kerrygold USA/ Instagram As we mentioned, the brand is no stranger to paying tribute to popular Irish motifs, but what should she try her hand at next? Our money is on a purple Snack bar or a bottle of Cidona. Earlier this month, Kerrygold launched a brand new flavour in the United States, leaving their Irish customers fuming. The beloved brand has been upping their game in recent years with new varieties of their products including Garlic & Herb butter as well as a spreadable cheese range. Now, American customers have been getting their hands on their latest butter blend, Cinnamon & Sugar. Californian creator Cait Regan took to TikTok to share a glimpse at the delicious delicacy, which is coated in brown sugar and cinnamon. 'It smells like a churro,' she explained, 'I'm not okay.' Cait captioned the clip 'cinnamon sugar kerrygold butter GOODBYE,' with the video generating more than 30,000 likes. Many of the comments were people in awe after learning of the new butter variation, while others were Irish people literally raging that it wasn't a product available in Ireland.
Irish Independent
10 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Gardaí to cycle 500km in Spain to raise funds for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind
This year, the funds raised will be again donated to the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind charity. Next month, the cyclists will embark on a 500km cycle from Cadi-Moixero National Park in the Pyrenees bordering Andorra and Spain, finishing in Barcelona, with the assistance of their counterparts in the Spanish Police. The fundraiser was launched on Tuesday afternoon by Spanish ambassador to Ireland Ion de la Riva Guzmán de Frutos at his residence in Dublin 4 and was also attended by Assistant Garda Commissioner Angela Willis. The Garda Tour De Force consists of gardaí and friends who have been cycling annually since 1991 to raise funds for Irish charities. Last year, they raised almost €44,000 for Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind and almost €4,000 for a host of other charities. On that occasion, 20 cyclists and support staff embarked on a 500km Spanish trip from Malaga to Seville in September raising a total of €47,770 – almost €8,000 more than their target. Among the beneficiaries have been Crumlin Children's Hospital, Debra Ireland, Aware, the Irish Heart Foundation, the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland and Cystic Fibrosis Ireland. The Marie Keating Foundation, Laura Lynn, Age Action, St John of Gods (Re Nua) and Trust, a charity caring for the homeless in Dublin, have also benefited. On their first fundraising ride 33 years ago, members of the team cycled to Ashford, Co Wicklow, to raise money for The HolyAngels Infant Intensive Care Unit at the Coombe Hospital, Dublin. Since 2005, they have embarked on more challenging routes in Ireland and continental Europe. In 2023, they embarked on a 500km cycle from Basel, Switzerland, to Bad Toelz in Germany through the foothills of the German and Austrian Alps in which €32,000 was raised. And in 2010 they even went cycling in North America. Each participant in the charity ride must raise at least €1,000 for the charity and pay their own costs. A Tour De Force spokeswoman told the Irish Independent: 'Our main sponsors this year are: Fleet Plan, Copper Face Jacks, FBD Insurance, Blooms Hotel, Oliver St. John Gogarty's, Fitzwilliam Hotel, ' Euro Cycles, Quanta Capital, Irish Independent Newspapers and The Irish Sun. 'We would like to thank them for their kind support and generous donations to this worthy cause.'
