Born in 1994

The IRA declared a ceasefire in August, and Northern Ireland held its breath. Peace felt, impossibly, possible. In the south, the economy was accelerating rapidly.

The first signs of the Celtic Tiger prosperity were visible on city streets — new cars, new cafes, building sites everywhere. Riverdance was performed at the Eurovision interval and became an international sensation overnight, a perfect symbol of Ireland's new confidence. The country was beginning to believe in itself.