Terrorism laws passed as Clintons fly in

Saturday/Sunday

The Dublin woman Ms Elaine Moore, detained on conspiracy charges in London, was freed on bail from Holloway Prison.

It was a "perfect day" when more than 80,000 fans descended on Slane for a rockfest headlined by The Verve. The sun beamed down and there were just 19 arrests. But some critics insisted it was cooler to be at Dublin's RDS for the Bee Gees.

The studio of the internationally-renowned artist Francis Bacon was donated to the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Dublin, by Mr John Edwards, his sole heir.

Irishman Eddie Jordan wept as his Jordan Team drivers, Damon Hill and Ralf Schumacher, finished first and second in the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix to score the team's maiden victory in its 126-race career which began in 1991. Kildare fans were jubilant as their team defeated Kerry in the All-Ireland football semi-final by a margin of just one point to reach the final for the first time since 1935.

Ireland's Tommy Tiernan won the top comedian award when he scooped the Perrier Prize at the Edinburgh Festival.

Monday

In an interview later published in Thursday's edition of An Phoblacht/Republican News, the IRA repeated it would not decommission its arsenal and claimed some were using the issue to secure a renegotiation of the Belfast Agreement. It also called on the "Real IRA" to disband. Fine Gael leader Mr John Bruton said the IRA statement made it unthinkable that politicians associated with it should sit at a Cabinet table.

The Government published the Offences Against The State (Amendment) Bill providing for curtailment of the right to silence, longer detention periods and five new offences, including "direction of terrorism".

Tuesday

Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams, in a statement, said violence must now be "a thing of the past, over, done with and gone". Ulster Unionist Party leader Mr David Trimble invited Mr Adams to a round-table meeting.

The Bishop of Ferns, Dr Brendan Comiskey, again raised the need for a debate on priestly celibacy in the context of the continuing fall in vocations. A Tullamore GP, Dr A.G. Mansoor, offered a £30,000 reward to "seek out and prosecute" people responsible for spreading rumours that he was involved in the disappearance of a local woman, Ms Fiona Pender, two years ago. Gardai said the rumours were nonsense.

A special Garda unit was set up to investigate the receipt of malicious calls by the families of two young Buncrana boys killed in the Omagh bomb atrocity.

Wednesday

A report on the handling of the case involving the physical and sexual abuse of four Co Sligo children by their father, Joseph McColgan, currently serving a 12year prison sentence, found the children could have been spared much of their suffering had the North Western Heath Board collated all the information in its possession. The board apologised to the children, now adults, for its failings.

The IRA was reported to have given the "Real IRA" a fortnight to disband and to have threatened action against both that group and the 32-County Sovereignty Movement unless its deadline was met. Two Scots Guardsmen convicted of the murder of Peter McBride (18) in Belfast in 1992 were freed from prison. Mr McBride's family said they were devastated by the decision.

Ms Hillary Clinton, wife of the US President, arrived in Belfast to address a Women In Democracy conference.

The National Gallery is hoping the painting, Head Of An Old Man, will be confirmed as a Rembrandt.

Thursday

President Clinton arrived in Belfast and told the North's political leaders not to let the opportunity for peace slip away. He and British Prime Minister Mr Blair paid tribute to Mr Gerry Adams's peace efforts, and the President urged politicians to act, wherever possible, "in concert, not conflict". Northern Ireland First Minister Mr David Trimble told Mr Clinton there could be no place for guns as the North entered a new political era. The President turned the sod for the Springvale university campus in west Belfast and met the people of Omagh before addressing people in Armagh. Later, he flew to Dublin.

Dublin man Mr Brian Meehan (33), of Stanaway Road, Crumlin, was flown back to Ireland from Holland under police guard and charged with the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin.

The Offences Against The State (Amendment) Bill passed into law after it was signed by the Presidential Commission. The measure met little opposition in the Dail and Seanad, but civil liberties groups warned it was bad law. The Government agreed to an annual review of the legislation. The review will be catered for in separate legislation.

Similar legislation, the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Bill, was passed at Westminster despite grave reservations by MPs and peers that the measures were being rushed through without proper debate.

A large Dublin gang was believed to have been behind the largest haul of heroin seized in the State. After a major operation, gardai announced discovery of 7kg of heroin, with a street value of up to £3.5 million, in farm property in north Co Dublin. Eight people were arrested.

The unionist politician, Mr Roy Bradford, died at the age of 78.

The 32-County Sovereignty Movement urged the IRA to lift the threats made against dissident republicans and appealed to all republicans to use their influence to avoid a violent confrontation.

Extreme volatility continued to plague world markets, but the fall on the Irish market was relatively modest.