UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
19 August 1968 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 19 August 1968 was a Monday.
- Irish Chart Song in 1968
- The Irish chart song for 1968 was “Congratulations” by Cliff Richard.
- Top Film of 1968
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1968 was 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 19 August is Leo.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 19 August 1968 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for August is Peridot.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 19 August 1968 was Waning Crescent.
On this day: 19 August
- 1960 Cold War: In Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union, downed American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers is sentenced to ten years imprisonment by the Soviet Union for espionage.
- 1960 Sputnik program: Korabl-Sputnik 2: The Soviet Union launches the satellite with the dogs Belka and Strelka, 40 mice, two rats and a variety of plants.
- 1964 Syncom 3, the first geostationary communication satellite, is launched. Two months later, it would enable live coverage of the 1964 Summer Olympics.
- 1965 Japanese prime minister Eisaku Satō becomes the first post-World War II sitting prime minister to visit Okinawa Prefecture.
- 1981 Gulf of Sidra Incident: United States F-14A Tomcat fighters intercept and shoot down two Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 fighter jets over the Gulf of Sidra.
Famous people born on 19 August
- Bill Clinton, American lawyer and politician, 40th and 42nd Governor of Arkansas, 42nd President of the United States (born 1946)
- Kirk Cousins, American football player (born 1988)
- Matthew Perry, American actor, producer, and screenwriter (1969–2023)
- Kyra Sedgwick, American actress and producer (born 1965)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1968 in Ireland
A selection from Wikipedia's '1968 in Ireland'. Not a complete list.
- 8 January – Taoiseach Jack Lynch and Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O'Neill met for talks in Dublin.
- 17 March – A seat to commemorate the poet Patrick Kavanagh was unveiled beside the Grand Canal in Dublin.
- 15 May – The King and Queen of Belgium visited Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, and the National Museum. They also visited the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Frank Cluskey, at the Mansion House, and attended a state banquet at Dublin Castle in the evening.
Life in Ireland in 1968
Taoiseach
Jack Lynch
Petrol (per litre)
3s 6d/gal
Loaf of Bread
1s
Average House
£3,900
Weekly Wage
£9
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1960s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Sinéad O'Connor8 December 1966Singer-songwriterView their day →Bono10 May 1960SingerView their day →Enya17 May 1961SingerView their day →Aidan Gillen24 April 1968ActorView their day →Graham Linehan22 May 1968Comedy writerView their day →Graham Norton4 April 1963Comedian & actorView their day →The Edge8 August 1961Rock musician & guitar player of U2View their day →Ali Hewson23 March 1961Activist & businesswomanView 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 →