H-Block Ballots
Archived: 8 October 2026
In 1981, Ireland faced economic hardship, political change and the Northern conflict. Fianna Fáil lost its Dáil majority in June, enabling Garret FitzGerald’s Fine Gael-Labour minority coalition to replace Charles Haughey. The Maze hunger strike dominated events: Bobby Sands won a Westminster by-election before dying, while ten republican prisoners died; Kieran Doherty and Patrick Agnew were elected to the Dáil. Violence and Dublin protests accompanied the crisis, although Anglo-Irish talks resumed. A census recorded 3,443,405 residents. February’s Stardust fire killed 48 people, devastating north Dublin. Dublin also hosted Eurovision, illustrating an outward-looking cultural life amid grief, insecurity and political division.