1975

In 1975, Dutch industrialist Tiede Herrema is kidnapped by the IRA in Limerick, demanding the release of prisoners. After a 17-day siege in Monasterevin, two captors surrender. In Saigon, North Vietnamese forces seize power, ending the Vietnam War as Westerners are airlifted out. Charles Haughey returns to politics, becoming Opposition spokesman on Health. Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female leader of the British Conservative Party. Eamon de Valera dies, leaving behind a legacy as a key figure in Irish history. An IRA gang holds hostages in London, ending a six-day siege peacefully. Internment without trial in Northern Ireland ends. The Miami Showband is ambushed by the UVF, resulting in three deaths. Unarmed Garda officer Michael Reynolds is killed during a bank raid. L'Escargot wins the Grand National, and Kilkenny and Kerry claim All-Ireland titles. Ireland faces a recession, high inflation, and rising unemployment.