22nd May - On this day in Irish, world and technological history |
1840 - The transportation of prisoners from the UK to New South Wales, Australia, was abolished - More info: Penal transportation |  |
1932 - Death of Augusta Persse, better known as Lady Augusta Gregory, Irish dramatist, folklorist and theatre director; also a co-founder of the Abbey Theatre. - More info: Lady Gregory |  |
1957 - The Minister for Education announces that married women will no longer be barred from teaching. |  |
1969 - Apollo 10 Lunar Module descends to 47,400 feet (14.4 km) above the lunar surface to allow the astronauts to survey the future Apollo 11 landing site in the Sea of Tranquility. - More info: Apollo 10 |  |
1971 - The 'Contraceptive Train' brings contraceptives from the North to the Republic as a protest against their illegality. - More info: Contraceptive Train |  |
1973 - Robert Metcalfe, a researcher at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center in California, writes his original memo proposing an "Ethernet," a means of connecting computers together - More info: Robert Metcalfe |  |
1980 - Namco's upcoming game “Puck-Man” is location tested in a movie theatre complex in Japan. The game was later renamed "Pac-Man" as they thought the original name could be easily vandalised! - More info: Pac-Man |  |
1981 - Peter Sutcliffe, known as the Yorkshire Ripper, is sentenced to life imprisonment - More info: Peter Sutcliffe |  |
1990 - Microsoft launched Windows 3.0, the first Windows version to achieve widespread use, Windows 3.0 saw significant user interface changes, as well as improved exploitation of the Intel 286 and 386 processors' memory management capabilities. - More info: Windows 3.0 |  |
1998 - The Good Friday Agreement is overwhelmingly endorsed in referendums North (71%) and South (94%). - More info: Good Friday Agreement |  |
2003 - The Official Languages Bill 2002, introduced by the Minister for the Gaeltacht, Mr Ó Cuív, will give citizens the right to conduct their business with any State agency or Government department, in Irish. - More info: Official Languages Act 2003 |  |
2006 - Belfast City airport is renamed George Best Belfast City Airport on what would have been George Best's 60th birthday. - More info: George Best Belfast City Airport |  |
2015 - A referendum for the 34th Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill was approved by just over 62% of the total votes cast, marking the first time a country had legalised same-sex marriage in a nationwide popular vote. - More info: Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland |  |
2017 - A terrorist bombing attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England kills 22 people and injures over 500. - More info: Manchester Arena bombing | _May19.jpg) |
2021 - The UK scores zero points in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest with James Newman's entry 'Embers', marking the first time the contest has seen an entry that did not score any points since the new voting system was introduced in 2016 - More info: Eurovision Song Contest 2021 |  |
22nd May - Number one in the Irish and/or UK singles charts on this day over the years |
1953 | "I Believe" by Frankie Laine | (UK chart) |  |
1959 | "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I / I Need Your Love Tonight" by Elvis Presley | (UK chart) |  |
1964 | "Juliet" by The Four Pennies | (UK chart) |  |
1964 | "Don't Throw Your Love Away" by The Searchers | (Irish chart) |  |
1970 | "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum | (Irish chart) |  |
1971 | "Knock Three Times" by Tony Orlando and Dawn | (UK chart) |  |
1971 | "When We Were Young" by Pat Lynch | (Irish chart) |  |
1975 | "Oh Boy" by Mud | (Irish chart) |  |
1976 | "Fernando" by ABBA | (Irish & UK chart) |  |
1982 | "A Little Peace" by Nicole | (Irish & UK chart) |  |
1993 | "All That She Wants" by Ace of Base | (UK chart) |  |
1999 | "You Needed Me" by Boyzone | (UK chart) |  |
1999 | "Candle for Kosovo" by Rain / Various Artists | (Irish chart) |  |
2004 | "F.U.R.B. (F*** You Right Back)" by Frankee | (UK chart) |  |
2008 | "Take A Bow" by Rihanna | (Irish chart) |  |
2010 | "Good Times" by Roll Deep | (UK chart) |  |
2014 | "Stay with Me" by Sam Smith | (Irish chart) |  |
2020 | "Rockstar" by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch | (Irish chart) |  |