Events from the year 1988 in Ireland. Incumbents President: Patrick Hillery Taoiseach: Charles Haughey (FF) Tánaiste: Brian Lenihan (FF) Minister for Finance: Ray MacSharry (FF) (until 24 November 1988) Albert Reynolds (FF) (from 24 November 1988) Chief Justice: Thomas Finlay Dáil: 25th Seanad: 18th Events 1 January – Dublin City celebrated its millennium. 11 January – The Social Democratic and Labour Party leader, John Hume, and Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin held a surprise meeting in Belfast. 27 January – The Irish internet country code top-level domain .ie was registered. 29 February – The first edition of the Irish Daily Star newspaper went on sale. 6 March – Operation Flavius: a Special Air Service (SAS) team of the British Army shot dead an unarmed Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) Active Service Unit (Danny McCann, Seán Savage, and Mairéad Farrell) in Gibraltar. 16 March – Milltown Cemetery attack: Three men were killed and 70 were wounded in a gun and grenade attack by the Loyalist paramilitary, Michael Stone, on mourners at Milltown Cemetery in Belfast during the funerals of the three IRA members who were killed in Gibraltar. 19 March Corporals killings in Belfast: Two British Army corporals were abducted, beaten, and shot dead by Irish republicans after driving into the funeral cortège of IRA members killed in the Milltown Cemetery attack. Five thousand people gathered for an anti-apartheid rally at the General Post Office in Dublin. 22 March – Tributes were paid to Aran Islands-born poet Máirtín Ó Direáin at his funeral in Dublin. 16 April – The National Lottery launched its national live draw. 15 June – The IRA killed six British soldiers in a bomb attack in Lisburn. 19 June – The Royal Canal in Dublin officially reopened for leisure purpose between Leixlip and Maynooth. 10 July – Dublin celebrated its official 1,000th birthday. 18 July – The South African anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was awarded the freedom of the City of Dublin. 11 August – The Department of Health launched an information booklet as the number of AIDS cases increased dramatically. 28 August – Leopardstown Racecourse celebrated its 100th anniversary. 12 September – Archbishop Thomas Morris resigned as Archbishop of Cashel and was replaced by Dermot Clifford. 8 October – A tax amnesty produced the surrender of over £500 million in taxpayer payments. 17 October – The Independent Radio and Television Commission was established to regulate non-RTÉ