Reeling in the Years

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

2001 recalls the stories and soundtrack of a year dominated by the events of 11 September in America. Over 3,000 people died when al-Quaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger aircraft: two planes were flown into New York's Twin Towers, a third airliner was targeted at the Pentagon building in Washington, and a fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania. At home in Ireland, 2001 was the year hundreds of thousands of people attended religious ceremonies venerating the Relics of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Government plans for a new sports campus and stadium led to the 'Bertiebowl' controversy, while Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was a guest panellist on RTÉ's 'The Premiership' and Irish soccer fans celebrated qualification for next year's World Cup Finals with a playoff victory over Iran. 2001 saw the outbreak of 'foot and mouth' across Europe: despite strict precautions, the disease reached both Northern Ireland and the Republic. Three Dubliners stepped out for the first time on RTE's new TV drama 'Bachelors Walk', while the first Harry Potter film adaptation, 'Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone', went on release. In West Cork, actor Jeremy Irons completed the successful restoration of a medieval castle but courted debate by painting it in pink limewash. 2001 was the year that Tanaiste Mary Harney married Brian Geoghegan. The 'SSIA' savings scheme was launched: America's Dennis Tito became the world's first 'space tourist', and 24-year-old Ellen MacArthur became the youngest person and the fastest woman to sail solo around the world. 2001 bore witness to sectarian hatred in Belfast's Ardoyne area, as Catholic pupils of Holy Cross School endured a daily gauntlet of abuse while walking to school. The year also bore witness to tragedy in Co Wexford, when eight Turkish migrants died while trying to enter Ireland in a locked transport freight container. Playlist: Texas - Inner Smile Samantha Mumba - Always Come Back To Your Love David Gray - This Year's Love U2

2002 looks back at the sporting mess of Saipan. Ireland's soccer World Cup campaign was plunged into crisis after a bitter row between captain Roy Keane and manager Mick McCarthy. Roy Keane went home from the Irish training camp, and the Irish team made it to the second phase of the competition before losing a penalty shootout to Spain. In Ireland's 2002 general election campaign, Fianna Fáil's slogan was 'a lot done, more to do': the FF- PD coalition returned to power and Michael Noonan resigned as Fine Gael leader. The world of showbusiness saw two high-profile weddings: Paul McCartney married Heather Mills in Glaslough, Co. Monaghan, and Majella McLennan married Daniel O'Donnell in Kincasslagh, Co. Donegal. 2002 was the year the Taliban were forced from power in Afghanistan, while Britain and the US increased the threat of war against Iraq, claiming that Saddam Hussein was still developing weapons of mass destruction. In RTÉ's latest reality TV series 'Popstars', Derry teenager Nadine Coyle lost her place in the music group Six for lying about her age: Six went on to top the charts with 'A Whole Lot Of Lovin' and Nadine went on to join Girls Aloud. 2002 was the 'year of the euro', as the new currency replaced the punt in Ireland. Motorists faced a new 'penalty points' system for driving offences, and a levy on plastic bags was introduced. Golfer Paul McGinley sealed Ryder Cup victory for Europe and Armagh's footballers won their county's first ever All-Ireland title. Playlist: Pink- Get This Party Started Avril Lavigne - Complicated Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club - True Friends Elvis vs JXL - A Little Less Conversation Sugababes - Round Round Coldplay - In My Place Kylie Minogue - Love At First Sight Westlife - World Of Our Own Six - A Whole Lot Of Lovin'

2003 recalls when over 7000 athletes from 160 countries took part in the Special Olympics in Ireland It was the year that the Spire in Dublin's O'Connell Street was completed, the Famine replica ship 'Jeanie Johnston' made its maiden voyage to America, and Dubliner Rosanna Davison won the Miss World competition. An exclusive photo deal with 'Hello' magazine meant that Ireland's wedding of the year took place behind closed doors in France: Westlife's Nicky Byrne married Georgina Ahern, daughter of Bertie and Miriam. Overcrowding in Accident and Emergency departments, long waiting lists and ward closures led to crisis in Ireland's health services. Abroad, 2003 was dominated by the debate over Iraq's supposed 'weapons of mass destruction'. US and British air attacks on Iraq were followed by a land war that saw the end of Saddam Hussein's brutal regime. However, although the US declared 'mission accomplished' after only six weeks of war, armed conflict and civil strife continued to grow across Iraq. 2003 was also the year of the 'Columbia' shuttle disaster and the outbreak of SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Tyrone's Gaelic footballers brushed aside Pat Spillane's 'puke football' criticism and won their county's first senior All-Ireland title. On TV, it was the year 'You're A Star' sent Mickey Harte to represent Ireland at Eurovision with 'We've Got The World', while the ill-fated 'Cabin Fever' reality TV show hit the rocks when the boat sank off Tory Island. Playlist: The Darkness - I Believe In A Thing Called Love The Thrills - One Horse Town Coldplay - Clocks Junior Senior - Move Your Feet Mickey Harte - We've Got The World Paddy Casey - Saints And Sinners Mis-Teeq - Scandalous Will Young - Leave Right Now Jamelia - Superstar

Reeling in the Years looks back to 2004, when Ireland's smoking ban was introduced, when Brian McFadden left Westlife for a solo career, and when over £26 million was stolen in a raid at the Northern Bank in Belfast. Trams returned to the streets of Dublin for the first time in 55 years as the LUAS opened. 'Fake tan', Botox and men's grooming products all increased in popularity: the year also saw the launch of Ireland's 'Oxegen' and 'Electric Picnic' festivals. While 'Fruit Of The Loom' announced the closure of its last two Irish factories, internet companies Google and Ebay chose Ireland for their European headquarters. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Ireland's only victory became mired in controversy: showjumper Cian O'Connor's horse 'Waterford Crystal' tested positive and O'Connor was stripped of a gold medal. Ireland's EU Presidency saw the highlight of the 'Day Of Welcomes' on 1 May, as ten new countries joined the European Union at an accession ceremony in Dublin's Phoenix Park. Representing Europe at a G8 summit meeting, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern famously sported a yellow jacket and trousers... George Bush defeated Democrat challenger John Kerry to win a second term as US president. In Iraq, the US and its allies struggled against rising insurgency: American strategy in Iraq came under further pressure with revelations of prisoner abuse in Abu Ghraib. The end of 2004 was marked by the Asian 'tsunami', when an undersea earthquake triggered massive tidal waves that resulted in the deaths of over 200,000 people in 13 countries. Playlist: Keane - Everybody's Changing Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get It Started Snow Patrol - Run U2 - Vertigo Anastacia - Left Outside Alone Counting Crows - Accidentally In Love Outkast - Hey Ya Natural Gas - The Langer O-Zone - Dragostea Din Tei

2005 recalls the hits and the headlines of 2005, when Cork became the European City of Culture, Waterford welcomed the Tall Ships, the Dublin suburb of Dundrum got a new shopping centre. Abroad, it was the year of the 'Live 8' concerts and campaign, the 'Hurricane Katrina' disaster in New Orleans, the death of Pope John Paul II and the '7/7' bomb attacks in London. As the Shell to Sea campaign opposed the laying of a gas pipeline in Co. Mayo, the 'Rossport Five' protestors spent 94 days in jail. Belfast mourned the loss of its most famous sporting hero as George Best was laid to rest. 2005 also saw the launch of the Sony Playstation and the Xbox 360: Eddie Hobbs' 'Rip-Off Republic' was RTÉ's TV hit of the summer: and a photo-opportunity for Willie O'Dea backfired badly when the Minister for Defence was photographed pointing a gun at a camera. Playlist: The Caesars - Jerk It Out Katie Melua - Nine Million Bicycles U2 - Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own Moby - Lift Me Up KT Tunstall - Other Side Of The World Daniel Powter - Bad Day Stereophonics - Dakota