UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
18 August 1980 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 18 August 1980 was a Monday.
- Irish Chart Song in 1980
- The Irish chart song for 1980 was “Don't Stand So Close to Me” by The Police.
- Top Film of 1980
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1980 was The Empire Strikes Back.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 18 August is Leo.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 18 August 1980 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for August is Peridot.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 18 August 1980 was First Quarter.
On this day: 18 August
- 1963 Civil rights movement: James Meredith becomes the first African American to graduate from the University of Mississippi.
- 1965 Vietnam War: Operation Starlite begins: United States Marines destroy a Viet Cong stronghold on the Van Tuong peninsula in the first major American ground battle of the war.
- 1966 Vietnam War: The Battle of Long Tan ensues after a patrol from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment clashes with a Viet Cong force in Phước Tuy Province.
- 1971 Vietnam War: Australia and New Zealand decide to withdraw their troops from Vietnam.
- 1976 The Soviet Union's robotic probe Luna 24 successfully lands on the Moon.
Famous people born on 18 August
- Robert Redford, American actor, director, and producer (1936–2025)
- Patrick Swayze, American actor and dancer (1952–2009)
- Edward Norton, American actor (born 1969)
- Kaitlin Olson, American actress and comedian (born 1975)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1980 in Ireland
A selection from Wikipedia's '1980 in Ireland'. Not a complete list.
- 9 January – Taoiseach Charles Haughey addressed the nation on television on the matter of worsening public finances.
- 17 February – The eighth century Derrynaflan Hoard, including the Derrynaflan Chalice, was discovered in a bog in Lurgoe, County Tipperary.
- 24 March – The first dedicated bus lane in Dublin was opened by the CIÉ bus company on Parliament Street. The 250 metre contraflow lane allowed buses and emergency service vehicles to travel in the opposite direction to other traffic.
Life in Ireland in 1980
Taoiseach
Charles Haughey
Petrol (per litre)
£1.10/gal
Loaf of Bread
£0.30
Average House
£23,000
Weekly Wage
£50
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1980s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Ruth Kearney11 November 1984ActressView their day →Katie Taylor2 July 1986Footballer & boxerView their day →Domhnall Gleeson12 May 1983ActorView their day →Jessie Buckley28 December 1989Actress & singerView their day →Kerry Condon9 January 1983ActressView their day →Nicola Coughlan9 January 1987ActressView their day →Vogue Williams2 October 1985Model & media personalityView their day →Aidan Turner19 June 1983ActorView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About The Day You Were Born
Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.
About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →