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29th September

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1979: Pope speaks in Ireland


In his first visit to Ireland, Pope John Paul II addresses a crowd of more than one million in Dublin and makes an impassioned plea for an end to violence between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. In 1978, Pope John Paul II, born as Karol Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland became the first Polish Pope in history and the first non-Italian pope in 456 years. Fluent in seven modern languages and Latin, the pope fully embraced his role as ambassador of the Roman Catholic Church, and travelled more extensively than any other pope in history. Known for his staunch anti-communism, the Pope was an outspoken supporter of democratic movements in his native Poland and elsewhere during the 1980s. He survived being shot in an assassination attempt in 1981 and died from a heart condition aged 84 in April 2005.

2004

The asteroid 4179 Toutatis passes within 1 million miles of Earth.

1997

British scientists establish link between Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, a brain disorder which humans, and a brain disease found in cows, which produces BSE infected meat.

1991

The first freely-elected President of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, is removed from office in a military coup.

1988

Stacy Allison becomes the first American women to successfully climb Mount Everest.

1988

NASA successfully launches the space shuttle, Discovery, the first launch since the Challenger disaster two and a half years before.

1972

Japan and China re-establish diplomatic relations.

1960

Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev voices his disapproval of the UN handling of the troubles in the Congo making several interruptions during the course of a UN debate on the issue in New York.

1957

A passenger train collides with an oil-tanker train in the Gambar province of western Pakistan, killing 300 people.

1952

British and world water speed record holder John Cobb is killed on Loch Ness in Scotland when his craft Crusader breaks up after hitting waves at 240 mph.

1941

The Second World War: The Babi Yar massacre of nearly 34,000 Jewish men, women and children carried out the SS begins on the outskirts of Kiev in the Nazi-occupied Ukraine.

1938

British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier, Italian leader Benito Mussolini and German leader Adolf Hitler sign the Munich Agreement, ceding the Sudetenland to Germany.  

1918

The First World War: After a 56-hour-long bombardment, Allied forces breach the Hindenburg Line, the last line of German defence on the Western Front.

1829

The first professionally organised police service in Britain, instigated by Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel, is founded.

1364

An English army defeats the French at the Battle of the Battle of Auray in France ending the Breton War of Succession.

855

Benedict III is elected Pope.

1956

English athlete Sebastian Coe

1943

Polish trade union leader Lech Walesa.

1935

American rock and country singer Jerry Lee Lewis

1931

Film actress Anita Ekberg.

1916

English actor Trevor Howard

1916

British cartoonist Carl Giles is born in London. Becomes one of Britain's best-loved cartoonists in the 1950s and 1960s with regular 'Giles' cartoons.

1908

British actress Greer Garson is born in County Down, Northern Ireland

1899

Holiday camp pioneer Sir Billy Butlin is born in South Africa.

1758

English Admiral Horatio Nelson is born in Norfolk. Joins the English navy in 1770 and moves up through the ranks until retiring in 1787. Is called back into service in 1792 at the outbreak of the French Revolution. Loses the sight in one eye while commanding a naval brigade in 1794 and helps inflict defeat on a Spanish Fleet off Cape St Vincent in 1796. Loses his right arm in a battle with a Spanish treasure ship before defeating the french Fleet at the battle of the Nile off Aboukir Bay in 1797. In 1801, now promoted to vice-admiral, famously turns 'a blind eye' to a direct order and defeats a Danish Fleet in the Battle of Copenhagen. In 1805, on board the 'Victory' he defeats the French and Spanish Fleets at Trafalgar but dies during the battle and is buried at St Paul's Cathedral in London. His statue now stands on top of the 170 foot column in Trafalgar Square in central London.

1725

Baron Robert Clive of Plassey, Clive of India,

1996

British entertainer Leslie Crowther dies of heart failure aged 63.

1981

Former Liverpool Football Club manager Bill Shankly.

1952

British and world water speed record holder John Cobb is killed on Loch Ness in Scotland when his craft 'Crusader' breaks up after hitting waves at 240 mph.

1902

French novelist and social reformer Emile Zola. Famous for his attack on the French Government & military leaders in his 'J'accuse' article over the cover-up by the French authorities of the wrongful imprisonment of army officer Alfred Dreyfus who had been jailed for treason.