At A Glance

31 January 1980 at a glance

Day of the week
31 January 1980 was a Thursday.
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 31 January is Aquarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 31 January 1980 fell in the Year of the Goat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for January is Garnet.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 31 January 1980 was Full Moon.

On this day: 31 January

  • 1966 The Soviet Union launches the unmanned Luna 9 spacecraft as part of the Luna program.
  • 1968 Vietnam War: Viet Cong guerrillas attack the United States embassy in Saigon, and other attacks, in the early morning hours, later grouped together as the Tet Offensive.
  • 1971 Apollo program: Apollo 14: Astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell, aboard a Saturn V, lift off for a mission to the Fra Mauro Highlands on the Moon.
  • 1978 The Crown of St. Stephen (also known as the Holy Crown of Hungary) goes on public display after being returned to Hungary from the United States, where it was held after World War II.
  • 1988 Doug Williams becomes the first African American quarterback to play in a Super Bowl and leads the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII.

Famous people born on 31 January

  • Julián Alvarez, Argentine footballer (born 2000)
  • Justin Timberlake, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actor (born 1981)
  • Minnie Driver, English singer-songwriter and actress (born 1970)
  • Jackie Robinson, American baseball player and sportscaster (1919–1972)

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.
More events of 1980 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

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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)

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