1169 - Norman Invasion Begins

The first Norman forces landed at Bannow Bay, County Wexford, marking the beginning of the Norman invasion of Ireland. Led by Robert FitzStephen, this advance force of about 30 knights and 60 men-at-arms came at the invitation of the exiled King of Leinster, Diarmait Mac Murchada. Their arrival would initiate centuries of Norman and English involvement in Ireland.

1916 - Executions Ordered

The British military authorities began the court martial of the Easter Rising leaders in Richmond Barracks, Dublin. The hasty and secretive nature of these trials, conducted under martial law, would contribute to growing public sympathy for the republican cause. The decision to execute the rising's leaders would prove to be a crucial turning point in Irish public opinion.

1969 - O'Neill Resignation Impact

The resignation of Terence O'Neill as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland took effect, marking the end of his attempts at moderate reform. His departure highlighted the growing polarization in Northern Ireland society and the increasing difficulty of maintaining a middle ground between civil rights demands and unionist resistance to change.