Today In Irish History

1840 - Repeal (of Union) Association founded.

1848 - On Abbey Street in Dublin, the tricolor national flag of Ireland is presented to the public for the first time by Thomas Francis Meagher and the Young Ireland Party

1912 - The Titanic sinks on her maiden voyage with the loss of 1,513 souls, many of them Irish; 732 survive

1941 - Free State fire brigades are sent to aid Belfast after Nazi raids cause numerous fires.

1972 - Sean McConville (17), a Catholic man, was shot dead by members of the UDA on the Crumlin Road, Belfast

1990 - Gerry Adams, the President of Sinn Féin addressed an Easter Rising commemoration and stated that the 'struggle' in Northern Ireland would continue as long as there was a British presence in Ireland.

1995 - Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), gave a radio interview during which he again ruled out the decommissioning of Irish Republican Army (IRA) weapons

1998 - The Grand Orange Lodge, the ruling body of the Orange Order, decided not to support the Good Friday Agreement. While not rejecting the Agreement outright the members demanded clarification of a number of issues from British Prime Minister, Tony Blair before it would consider changing its position.

2003 - The peace process remains deadlocked as Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair continue to press the IRA for more clarity about its intentions  ¶ 2:32 a.m.