Saturday/Sunday
The prospects of the Belfast Agreement being passed in the North were boosted when the ruling council of the Ulster Unionist Party backed it by 540 to 210 votes.
Following the Sinn Fein ardfheis in Dublin, it was indicated that the party would "cherry- pick" the agreement, endorsing elements it likes while rejecting others.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, welcomed the GAA's plans for a special congress to debate the abolition of Rule 21, which prohibits members of the Northern security forces from joining the association.
It was predicted that the former attorney general, Mr Peter Sutherland, could receive up to £58 million if Goldman Sachs, one of the world's most successful investment banks, decided to float on the stock exchange.
Linda McCartney, businesswoman and wife of Sir Paul McCartney, died of cancer in the United States. She had been suffering from breast cancer since 1995 which eventually spread to her liver. She was 56 and had four children, one from her first marriage.
The Christian Brothers in England appealed to anyone who suffered abuse in their schools to contact them.
Two men were arrested by the RUC in connection with the killing of west Belfast taxi-driver Mr Mark McNeill (32).
Monday
The Cabinet agreed that the referendums on the Amsterdam Treaty and the Belfast Agreement would be held on the same day, May 22nd. Fine Gael and Labour welcomed the decision, while Democratic Left said it would have preferred separate polling days. The Green Party MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, denounced the move as "grossly unfair".
The Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, told the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, that he would attend a peace summit in London on May 4th.
The Government abolished the controversial passports-for-sale scheme which had helped to end one political career and damaged several political reputations.
The Minister for Defence warned that an increase in taxes could be necessary to meet the cost of Army deafness claims.
Tuesday
A Catholic council worker, Mr Adrian Lamph (29), from Portadown, Co Armagh, was murdered by a gunman in an attack believed to have been carried out by the Loyalist Volunteer Force.
The Taoiseach said people would decide in the future if the Belfast Agreement was to be a transition to a united Ireland or the basis for a continuation of the Union.
Democratic Left's national executive called a series of meetings throughout the State to discuss options for the party's future, including the possibility of a merger with Labour.
Ireland was ranked 11th in a league table of the world's 20 most competitive economies, ahead of Japan and Britain.
The Freedom of Information Act, which allows citizens access to personal information held on them at any time by public bodies, came into effect.
Parts of the State were left with only a skeleton police force after about 40 per cent of the 8,500 officers of garda rank marched on the Dail in pursuit of a claim for higher pay.
Wednesday
The Northern Ireland Parades Commission cancelled the publication of a crucial report on contentious parades after the intervention of the British Prime Minister.
A ministerial order was signed to allow for the May 22nd referendum to ratify the Belfast Agreement. The order set the scene for a concurrent act of self-determination by the people of Ireland as a whole for the first time since 1918, the Taoiseach said.
Environmentalists criticised the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to allow Monsanto to continue its trials of genetically modified crops in Ireland.
Pat Whelan stunned Irish rugby when he resigned as national team manager after three seasons, citing "personal and business reasons".
It emerged that barristers' fees for criminal trials had doubled under an agreement struck between the Bar Council and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Thursday
The cost of buying a second-hand home was reduced following the Government's decision to cut stamp duty on all homes under £500,000. Other measures in the Government action plan produced by Dr Peter Bacon are expected to help to calm the market by making the purchase of residential property for investment less attractive.
Belgium was plunged into political crisis by the escape of the alleged child murderer, Marc Dutroux, from police custody. He was captured some three hours later.
Three Ulster Unionist Party MPs launched a joint campaign with the DUP and the UK Unionists for a No vote in the referendum on the Belfast Agreement.
It was announced that Dolly, the world's first cloned sheep, had given birth to a female lamb, Bonnie.