April 30

  • 1970 Bank strike in the Republic of Ireland (until 17 November).
  • 1919 Professor J.P. Mahaffy (80), scholar, provost of TCD since 1914, died.
  • 1970 In Northern Ireland the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) assumed the duties of the Ulster Special Constabulary (‘B’ Specials), now officially stood down. Over the 22 years of the regiment’s existence 192 members, mainly off-duty, were shot dead by republican paramilitaries.
  • 1923 James Larkin returned to Ireland from the USA. A month later, his disagreements with William O’Brien of the ITGWU would split the labour movement.
  • 2008 Bertie Ahern became the sixth Irish leader to address both houses of the US Congress.