What was the first big news story that caught your attention when you were young!

missmatty

Mainly the news on the radio every morning about bombings in the north and people getting shot. Every day like.

More specifically, I remember watching Charles and Diana's wedding and also Indira Gandhi's funeral. This stuck in my mind as they burnt her on a funeral pyre and I was aghast. I was about 6.

DaeryssaOne

I'm almost 33 and I think I have these in the correct order:

- James Bulger - was truly horrified as had never realised before that people (especially children) could be so violent
- OJ Simpson Trial - my aunt had the 'sky channels' so would fill my mam in on what was going on as far as I can remember
- Louise Woodward Trial - another one for my mam and aunt to chat about!
- Bill Clinton / Monica Lewinksky scandal - shocking sexy stuff altogether!
- Omagh bombing - I remember my cousin and I on our summer holidays listening to the radio and there being constant bulletins from the DJ on what was happening although I'm not sure the significance really hit me straight away with that one.

ligerdub

mrmoonlight wrote:

Jamie bulger in 1993 and the fred West murders 1994 are my earliest memory of news catching my attention. I'm age 33

I was born in 1983 and these would be much the same for me.

I vividly recall Italia 90 as the most prominent external event of my young days, specifically the Romania match.

I don't recall the Berlin wall as a big deal, perhaps very vaguely, nor Euro 88 except for my Dad being away (at it).

Bulger, West and Dahmer were the three crime stories from my childhood, crystal clear in my mind.

Thatcher, Reagan I remember primarily from Spitting Image, but the most prominent figure I recall is Charlie Haughey. Perhaps due to family opinions but I have a very clear view of him being considered a very dark and bad dude. In a similar manner I recall the Gulf War and how vilified and the personification of evil Saddam Hussein was projected to be. I'm told I said "his wife loves him" as a way of thinking he couldn't be that bad.

Bombings in the north seemed to be an almost daily occurence and I can't shake the memory of how much everybody hated everybody else on the two islands. Paisley seemed a particular horror show. Some things do change for thw better.

ligerdub

A few others that spring to mind:

Nelson Mandela being released from prison. I had no real idea who he was, like others mention I recall it interrupted a tv show. I assumed he was some sort of God or something.
If memory serves me right it was one of the first big stories on Sky News.

Also then would be Halley's Comet, and the Dublin Millenium. I only remember them for the sole reason they were the first two events where I was in with a large crowd of people and my first time visiting a city. My only memory of those would be feeling very small and looking up into the sky waiting for something to happen - in one case a comet, the other a fireworks display or something like that.

pauliebdub

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omayra_Sánchez

This sad story from 1985 regarding a child trapped in mud after a volcanic eruption in Colombia was something that affected me, also Challenger disaster a couple of months later and the famine in Ethiopia was also very shocking.

DoozerT6

I have vague memories of the Brighton bombings, but for me it was the Stardust fire. I was only about 6 but I remember seeing some of the news coverage and hearing the grown ups talking about how tragic it all was.

I also remember the Challenger disaster. I remember that being the first time I actually watched the news with interest. It was also discussed in school, with Christa McAuliffe being a schoolteacher I think maybe our own teacher felt a kinship with her.

I remember the day of the Irish Presidential electon 1990, and my mum and my grandmother were arguing about whether to vote for Austin Currie or Brian Lenihan.

It was the 7th of November, four days before my 4th birhday, and I distinctly remember my grandmother saying Lenihan was a liar, which I knew was a bad thing, and saying that she intended to vote for Austin Currie.

I also remember the day of the inauguration very clearly, because it was held on a Monday afternoon, and my cartoons were interrupted. In fact, it must have been Bosco that was delayed, because I recall sitting in 'my box' on the floor in front of the TV, which I usually did only for Bosco.

appledrop

The Chernobyl disaster would have been the first big news story I remember. I would have been 5. Didn't really understand it at the time but remember people worrying that the wind/rain would carry across the radiation.

However it would have been Hillsborough that had the most impact.I'll never forget watching the start of the match with my dad + asking him what was happening. Then seeing them using the advertising hoarding for stretchers. It was horrific. I also vividly remember that the death toll kept going up every time there was a news bulletin throughout the weekend.

silverharp

falklands War although for shame I was supporting Argentina

Northern Monkey

zeebrugge ferry disaster was the first one to come to mind when I read the OP.

markc1184

I'm sure there has been something earlier but the one that has come to mind was the killing of Dominic McGlinchey in Drogheda in '94.

learn_more

The Lockerbie plane crash due to terrorism. It's not the first big news story I remember but I think it's the first one that I took really seriously. Made me realise not all is well in the world. Such a horrible thing for the ppl of Scotland and the relatives of the victims. Sure you'd never get over something like that.

arybvtcw0eolkf

So many mentioning 9/11 and I got to thinking.

I wonder if my son was to remember an early memory would he mention this.

I had just returned home from service in Lebanon when 9/11 happened. My son came home from school very upset and asking if this was world war III and would I have to go to a war again.

micar

For me it's dessie o'hare(the desert fox) kidnapping the dentist.

I was 8 at the time.

Remember travelling with my parents through the countryside at the time and being scared sh1tless that he was out there and about to pounce on the parents car.

IrishHomer

I'm 47. Always remember the Bobby Sands death along with his 40 odd comrades in the H Block hunger strike

XsApollo

Ben Johnson getting done for cheating at the 88 olympics,
God knows why, not very important news , but I remember everybody talking about it .

Noddyholder

markc1184 wrote: »

I'm sure there has been something earlier but the one that has come to mind was the killing of Dominic McGlinchey in Drogheda in '94.

And his wife before him in 1987, reading this thread brings back so many forgotten news stories for me.

micar

markc1184 wrote: »

I'm sure there has been something earlier but the one that has come to mind was the killing of Dominic McGlinchey in Drogheda in '94.

I'm from Drogheda and I remember going to the career evening in a local school the evening before and waking up to hear the news.

From what I remember he was killed at a phone box near the lourdes church.

sryanbruen

I normally never cared for news but the first one that caught my attention was the Haiti Earthquake of 2010.

Moonbeam

The X case ,my step father was a journalist so the news was always on .
I remember the Berlin wall coming down and being utterly shocked at the Jamie Bulger case too .

Moonbeam

micar wrote: »

For me it's dessie o'hare(the desert fox) kidnapping the dentist.

I was 8 at the time.

Remember travelling with my parents through the countryside at the time and being scared sh1tless that he was out there and about to pounce on the parents car.

I remember that too and him cutting off people's fingers .

markc1184

Noddyholder wrote: »

And his wife before him in 1987, reading this thread brings back so many forgotten news stories for me.

I would have only been 3 then so don't remember that.

micar wrote: »

I'm from Drogheda and I remember going to the career evening in a local school the evening before and waking up to hear the news.

From what I remember he was killed at a phone box near the lourdes church.

Yes it was the phone box that used to be outside The Golden Bowl takeaway.

Turtle_

I was born in the latter half of 88.
Have vague memories of Italia 1990 and walking around my nan's house singing about Packie Bonner.

First news I properly remember though is the Bosnian war. Didn't understand it at all though, just remember it being on the news.

There was always a bit of the troubles in the background as well. I remember asking mum when I was about 6 what was going on. She tried to explain how people had come over from England and taken some land in Ireland, and so people were still arguing. I do remember saying "well why can't they go back to England so and give the land back to the Irish people they took it from?" My actual mental visualisation of what was going on was people squabbling in a largish field north of Dublin. Mums response was "it's not that simple. They've been there a long time"

After that I remember the OJ trial. Specifically the verdict being read out and asking why those people were crying (her family) because as far as I was concerned, not guilty meant yay, he didn't do it and doesn't have to go to jail.

The next one after that was Diana. Like another poster, I just remember feeling so sorry for the two sons having to walk after the coffin in public and hold it together when I knew all I would want to do is bawl my eyes out.

FightingIrish

I was 8, a young lad without a care in the world, I remember seeing grown men and women looking at the tv and crying, the horrific event unfolding on screen was the Hillsborough disaster.

I was struck by the raw emotion and began to try and understand what had happened, my dad explained as best he could to an 8 year old, but one thing stuck with me, from that day forward I became a passionate Liverpool fan, it wasn't a love of football that attracted me, looking back now it was 8 year old in solidarity with the people.

stefanovich

Iran Iraq War, fall of the Berlin wall

knucklehead6

pilly wrote: »

I thought that I remembered that happening on the day of my communion but when I look it up it was 1969 which is the year I was born.

Was there another moon landing in about 1975?

1975 was the Apollo Soyuz mission in earth orbit.

LushiousLips

Diana and Charles getting married

mickstupp

Chernobyl

arybvtcw0eolkf

Turtle_ wrote: »

I was born in the latter half of 88.

I was serving in Lebanon back then. And here's news you won't have heard, we were part of the United Nations Intrim Forces In Lebanon ~ so what?, we shared winning the Nobel Peace price for peace that year

Larbre34

Im 39 and was brought up in a house big into current affairs. I have hazy memories of hunger strikes, Falklands war, the Stardust fire, IRA kidnappings, Shergar all when I was between 3 and 5 years old. I also remember well the beginnings on breakfast TV on UK channels and the launch of Channel 4