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A brightly coloured poster for the Phoenix Park Festival showing a plane flying in front of a red sun with a banner coming out the back saying 'U2, Simple Minds, Eurythmics, Big Country, Steel Pulse, Perfect Crime' The concert is dated Sunday 14th August 1983 with tickets costing £10.50

Typed letter June 1982 from Jim Aiken, Arnie Pustilnik and Andre Wilkinson in regards to the Rolling Stones playing Slane.
One of Jim Aiken’s first major coups was in persuading the Rolling Stones to play at Slane Castle in 1982. It was only the second time that Lord Henry Mountcharles had staged a large outdoor concert in his natural amphitheatre (Thin Lizzy had played there the previous year, supported by U2). These telex messages hashed out the agreement between the band and the Dublin-based concert promoter. The Rolling Stones would pay for the stage, lighting and support bands out of a $375,000 fee… plus a percentage of ticket sales.

Royal Dublin Society Member 1982 Lanyard. Gold embossed text on brown cardboard. Text on back: 'This badge must be signed by its owner and is NOT TRANSFERABLE with a black unsgined space for a signature Signature. To be worn or presented by the member whenever admission is desired at all Shows, Recitals, Library, etc. No. B 124.' Has a yellow string tied to the top.

Two bullets mounted on a sizable rock from Cullyhanna Graveyard in Armagh with 3 silver plaques bearing the words 'October 16th' 'Ben Dunne 1981' and 'October 22nd'. All of which is mounted on a wooden block.

On the 16th of October, 1981, Ben Dunne Jnr. was kidnapped by the IRA on his way to open a new Dunnes Store in Portadown. Before his release on the 22nd of October, two of his abductors gave him these bullets and told him that they could easily have been used – one on him and the other on Fr. Dermot McCarthy. Fr McCarthy had tried to secure Dunne’s release, making a plea on television and at one point meeting with Dunne’s kidnappers. McCarthy was nearly shot in crossfire. After his release, Ben Dunne mounted the bullets on a piece of stone from the cemetary in Armagh where he had been held captive.

A letter written on copy paper by two fans from Ballyfermot to the Dubliners in which they largely talk about other bands, particularly U2, and the area they live.

Two young fans of The Dubliners wrote this letter to the band in the 1980s – although they spend most of the letter telling the folk band how much they love U2. Despite tough times in the city, and especially in suburbs like Ballyfermot, these children evoke a colourful sense of community, fun and individualism.

A white badge for RTÉ Radion with a picture of an old-fashioned radio set with RTÉ Radio written along the bottom and 2 2 2 coming out of it.

RTÉ created a second radio station in 1979, to focus more on popular music. Called Radio 2 between 1979 and 1988, the name was later changed to 2FM. The first song broadcast was ‘Like Clockwork’ by the Boomtown Rats.

A pink poster with a black and white design of a radio and the caption 'RTÉ News - Are you getting the full facts' 'Repeal section 31 of the Broadcasting Act'

During the Troubles, censorship was used to silence Sinn Féin and the IRA. Under Section 31 of the Broadcasting Authority Act, it was forbidden to broadcast the voice of Sinn Féin members. This rule was brought in by Fianna Fáil’s Gerry Collins in 1971 and strengthened by Labour’s Conor Cruise O’Brien in 1977. The ban was upheld by the European Commission of Human Rights in 1991, but repealed two years later as part of the peace process.

A black and white photographic portrait of Roddy Doyle taken by Conor Horgan