Three car bombs explode in Dublin killing 26 people and injuring many more.
Eyewitnesses tell RTÉ News what they saw at the different locations across the city.
Paddy Sharkey, owner of the Maples Hotel on Talbot Street, describes the chaos that ensued when the bomb exploded. He believes that there were more pedestrians than usual on the street at the time of the blast due to a bus strike in Dublin.
This horrific blast went off.
Father Pearce Duggan from Donnycarney was driving through the city near Talbot Street when the explosion occurred. He administered holy oils to as many of the victims of the bomb as possible. He also describes how many civilians came together to clear the debris from the street and help the injured.
I felt that my car was almost lifting off the ground with the explosion.
Pat Nolan, hairdresser, describes the scenes on Parnell Street immediately after the explosion, and how he saw people lying dead on the street.
The whole place just turned grey with metal flying all over the place.
Two other witnesses describe what happened when there was an explosion in South Leinster Street and the work of the emergency services in treating the victims.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 17 May 1974. The reporter is Barry Linane.
