Updated / Thursday, 15 Apr 2021 15:38 A new national radio station goes on the air - Radio Ireland is launched on St. Patrick's Day. Hong Kong returns to Chinese rule in 1997. Britain's 99-year lease on the colony expires. After eighteen years in power, Britain's Tories suffer a crushing election defeat. 'New Labour' wins by the biggest margin this century. English nanny Louise Woodward is convicted of murdering an eight-month-old baby. The judge reviews the jury's decision. The verdict is changed and the sentence reduced. 1997 sees a crisis in Ireland's immigration system. Asylum-seekers and refugees arrive in record numbers. We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences