{"id":395625,"date":"2026-04-13T03:04:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T03:04:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/395625\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T03:04:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T03:04:13","slug":"the-general-strips-off-and-irelands-first-soap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/395625\/","title":{"rendered":"the General strips off and Ireland’s first soap"},"content":{"rendered":"

On This Week: Irish moments from history (April 13th – 19th)<\/p>\n

Welcome to On This Week, where we delve into the standout stories from the years gone by, featuring standout news stories, major sporting events, and pop culture highlights that helped shape Irish life. Here’s your dose of Irish history from April 13th – 19th.<\/p>\n

This week in Irish life and news
\n1984: the Kerry Babies <\/p>\n

On 14th April 1984, the body of a newborn baby boy was found near Cahersiveen in County Kerry. The body was found abandoned on White Strand about three miles from the town and the baby was believed to have died about three days previously. The tragic discovery became headline news, as in this RT\u00c9 News report broadcast on 14 April 1984.<\/a> The newsreader is Colm Connolly.<\/p>\n

The story that unfolded following the discovery of baby John involved further infantile deaths, allegations of murder and police corruption, and a tribunal. The Kerry Babies Tribunal raised many questions about corruption within the Garda S\u00edochana as well as the treatment of unmarried mothers in Irish society at the time.<\/p>\n

\"Joanne
\nJoanne Hayes and her family<\/p>\n

The Kerry Babies Tribunal was established to enquire into the events surrounding Joanne Hayes’s confession to the murder of a baby found on Cahirciveen beach. A second dead baby was subsequently found on the Hayes family farm in Abbeydorney, County Kerry. All charges against Joanne Hayes and her family were ultimately dropped and the tribunal set out to enquire into the circumstances around Joanne Hayes’s confession. In 2020 the Irish state formally apologised to Joanne Hayes for accusing her of the murder of the baby discovered at White Strand.<\/p>\n

1988: The General strips outside the Four Courts<\/p>\n

On April 14th 1988, Martin Cahill, the man who denied he was ‘The General’, appeared in court wearing a wig, false moustache and glasses. <\/a>He appeared at the Four Courts accused of threatening to burn down the house of his elderly next door neighbours. Cahill, who had been at the centre of a four month Garda surveillance, used a decoy to try to fool photographers and cameramen.<\/p>\n

\"Martin
\nA balaclava-clad Cahill outside the Four Courts.<\/p>\n

Following the adjournment of his case, Martin Cahill left the court and issued a short statement to reporters. Wearing a balaclava, he sang and danced while removing his clothing to reveal a Mickey Mouse tee shirt and boxer shorts.<\/p>\n

Martin Cahill was then arrested and later released. Shortly afterwards he spoke to reporter Una O’Hagan, who put it to him that if he were innocent of alleged crimes, he would not need to wear a balaclava. Martin Cahill did not agree, saying:<\/p>\n

Maybe if I was guilty I probably wouldn\u2019t. Seeing that I\u2019m innocent, I do.<\/p>\n

1994: the Vatican approves altar girls<\/p>\n

On this week in 1994 the Vatican sent a letter to bishops around the world<\/a> giving the seal of approval for altar girls. Altar girls were not entirely new to Ireland. Saint Fergal’s Church in Bray, County Wicklow had actively sought out altar girls for the Sunday service. This practice attracted some criticism from both clergy and lay people. Rome’s position had been that “females” were not allowed to act as altar servers. However, in April 1994 the Vatican confirmed that the practice could be performed by lay people, either male or female.<\/p>\n

\"Altar
\nAltar girls serving at Mass.<\/p>\n

While this could be seen as a step forward for women within the church, the Vatican stressed that the new ruling would have no impact on the Catholic Church’s continued opposition to the ordination of women. They were correct; 32 years later, women are still forbidden from becoming Catholic priests.<\/p>\n

This RT\u00c9 News report by Teresa Mannion was broadcast on 14 April 1994.<\/p>\n

This week in arts and entertainment
\n1955: Ireland’s first soap opera<\/p>\n

Radio \u00c9ireann’s first soap opera ‘The Kennedys of Castleross’ began on 14 April 1955, and you can hear an extract from the first episode here<\/a>. The programme was sponsored by Fry Cadbury.<\/p>\n

\"Black
\nThe cast of The Kennedys of Castleross in the studio<\/p>\n

Among the large cast of ‘The Kennedys of Castleross’ were the actors Marie Kean, Pat Laffan and Philip O’Flynn. Mark Grantham was the main writer at the start of the series. Hugh Leonard, David Hanly and Kevin Fuller also wrote scripts for the show. The popular lunchtime series ran until 1975.<\/p>\n

1999: Lyric FM prepares to launch<\/p>\n

On April 19th 1999, the programme for Lyric FM, Ireland’s new national radio station, was revealed,<\/a> dedicated to classical music and the arts.<\/p>\n

That month Lyric FM was getting ready to begin broadcasting from RT\u00c9’s Limerick studios. A nationwide advertising campaign and test transmissions were underway ahead of the launch. Prime Time anchorman Eamon Lawlor would embark on a new career as a presenter of classical music.<\/p>\n

\"An
\nA cheeky ad that aired in advance of Lyric FM’s launch<\/p>\n

In the report Helen Shaw, Director of Radio at RT\u00c9, outlined the reasons why another RT\u00c9 channel has been set up specifically dedicated to classical music, while head of the new channel Seamus Crimmins explained what listeners to the news service can expect.<\/p>\n

Basically classical. Core classical but also we will have American song, operetta, jazz, traditional world, new age but the core sound will be accessible classical music during day time hours.<\/p>\n

Lyric FM would go on air from its Limerick studios on 1 May with a staff of thirty people alongside a number of freelance contributors. 27 years later, the station is still going strong. The reporter is Colm Connolly.<\/p>\n

This week in sports
\n1998: Christina McGinty, a girl playing Gaelic Football<\/p>\n

On 19th April 1988, the programme Evening Extra talked to Christina McGinty<\/a>, who loved playing Gaelic football for Thomas Davis and Dublin. Christina, rom Old Bawn in Tallaght, had been playing Gaelic football for Tomas Davis since the age of eight. While girls playing Gaelic is now the norm, this wasn’t the case back in the 1980s, and Christina played on teams with boys. In 1985 she became the first girl to captain a boys’ team in a primary schools’ football final in Croke Park, when Naomh Maolruan were the victors. Three years later she was still the only girl on her Thomas Davis team, coach Kevin Brennan has seen opponents taken aback at her high level of skills,<\/p>\n

Sometimes they get a fright when they see her when they discover she’s a girl.<\/p>\n

\"Christina
\nChristina McGinty would go on to have a long and successful GAA career<\/p>\n

Having always played football with friends on her road, Christina McGinty went down to Thomas Davis and played a few matches. When she then asked her parents if she could join the club, initially her father Christy said no, but then changed his mind. As a former Gaelic footballer who is originally from Achill Island, he was delighted by his daughter\u2019s interest in the sport,<\/p>\n

Any girl, I would definitely tell them to keep playing sport.<\/p>\n

Christina\u2019s mother Mary was equally supportive of her daughter, saying:<\/p>\n

She enjoys herself. So she is a happy person if I tried to change it I\u2019d spoil her outlook on life.<\/p>\n

According to the report, the boys on all the other teams were used to her now, and for Christina McGinty there was only one thing that she wanted to do:<\/p>\n

Keep playing football.<\/p>\n

Advancing to the next level was the natural next step for this rising GAA star said Kevin Brennan:<\/p>\n

She\u2019s been chosen on…the Senior Dublin Ladies team.<\/p>\n

McGinty would go on to captain Dublin’s team multiple times and her inter-county career continued until 2002. In 2023 she was inducted into the Ladies Gaelic Football Association’s Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n

This episode of ‘Evening Extra\u2019 was broadcast on 19 April 1988. The reporter is Vincent Wall.<\/p>\n

What was Number 1 in Ireland this week?
\n1983: ‘Let’s Dance’ by David Bowie<\/p>\n

One of Bowie’s biggest hits in the 1980s, ‘Let’s Dance’ was number one for two weeks in Paril 1983.<\/p>\n

\"David
\nDavid Bowie in the mid-1980s<\/p>\n

1992: ‘Stay’ by Shakespears Sister<\/p>\n

This hit reached the top of the Irish charts on no fewer than four separate occasions in early 1992!<\/p>\n

\"Shakespears
\nShakespears Sister performing in the early 1990s.<\/p>\n

It first reached number one in February, before being bumped off the top spot for a single week by U2’s ‘One’, before returning on two non-consecutive weeks in March and finally returning to number one for the last three weeks in April.<\/p>\n

1995: ‘Back For Good’ by Take That<\/p>\n

It remains one of the boy band’s most beloved hits and it was number one for three weeks in 1995.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nTake That were top of the charts in 1995<\/p>\n

Famous Irish names celebrating birthdays this week
\nEd Byrne<\/p>\n

The comedian celebrates his 54th birthday on April 16th.<\/p>\n

Eileen Walsh<\/p>\n

The actor will be 49 on April 16th.<\/p>\n

Michael D. Higgins<\/p>\n

The poet and former President will be 85 on April 18th.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On This Week: Irish moments from history (April 13th – 19th) Welcome to On This Week, where we…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":395626,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[61,60,43],"class_list":["post-395625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=395625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395625\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/395626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=395625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=395625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=395625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}