2000

2000 features U2 getting the Freedom of Dublin, allowing Bono and The Edge to graze their sheep on St Stephen's Green. The American presidential election descended into political farce in November, when George W Bush and Al Gore fought a legal battle over a handful of votes in the state of Florida. Irish rugby got a bright new star when 21 year-old Brian O'Driscoll scored three tries in a 27-25 victory over France in Paris, while Sonia O'Sullivan took silver in the 5000m at the Sydney Olympic Games in Australia. In Abbeylara, Co. Longford, an armed siege ended in tragedy as Gardaí shot dead John Carthy. The year 2000 also saw the Concorde air crash and the 'Kursk' submarine disaster. In Dublin, angry shareholders confronted Eircom management at the company's AGM, lobbyist Frank Dunlop made a series of startling revelations at the Flood Tribunal, and a nationwide taxi strike brought chaos to Ireland's cities and airports. As reports indicated that Ireland's booming economy was now creating over 100,000 new jobs a year, Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy introduced a series of record tax cuts. Westlife equalled the Beatles' record of successive UK Number One hits with their first seven singles, while Gay Byrne presented the RTÉ version of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?', and Dubliner Anna Nolan was among the residents of the first-ever 'Big Brother' house on Channel Four. Playlist: Ronan Keating - Life Is A Rollercoaster Chicane - No Ordinary Morning Blink 182 - All The Small Things Westlife - Fool Again Blue - Don't Wanna Let You Go Toploader - Dancing In The Moonlight U2 - Beautiful Day The Corrs - Breathless