November 2nd, 1950: Dramatist George Bernard Shaw dies, aged 94.

April 30th, 1951: First television demonstration by Pye (Ireland) at the RDS Spring show and Industries Fair.

December 10th, 1951: The Nobel Prize for Physics is presented to Prof E.T.S Walton of Trinity College, which he shares with Sir John Cockcroft.

November 19th, 1954: Brendan Behan's The Quare Fellow opens at the Pike Theatre, Dublin produced by Alan Simpson.

December 2nd, 1956: Ronnie Delaney wins a gold medal for Ireland in the 1,500 metres at the Olympic Games at Melbourne.

May 12th, 1958: Official opening of Ardmore Film Studios.

The Irish Times Book of the Century by Fintan O'Toole, about key events this century as reflected in the newspaper, is published by Gill & Macmillan this week. Price £25