Mick Clifford: Nostalgia softens the edges — but 1986 was a hard, cheerless year

1986 was a challenging year for Ireland marked by devastating violence in Northern Ireland, ongoing political strife, and social conservatism, yet it also saw early signs of change, leaving room for some optimism amid the gloom

A police vehicle overturned and set alight by a Loyalist mob near Belfast on Saturday, January 4, 1986 — one of a string of protests against the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Violence continued unabated in the North, with 61 people losing their lives. Picture: Bryn Colton/Getty 

The year began with the passing of an Irish icon. On January 4, 1986, Phil Lynott died in London.

His death came a few days after he collapsed into a coma brought on by drug abuse. He was 36.