Your earliest current affairs/news memory?

Beasty · 19-11-2016 11:44AM

Early 65, making me 4yo. Churchill's funeral. Was brought up in England and at that time TV was very much a novelty. Think I was watching on something like a 12 inch screen. Still have this image of (I think) the inside if Westminster Abbey with the coffin being brought in under a state procession.

donegaLroad · 19-11-2016 11:46AM

Earliest news story was Pol Pot in Cambodia, earliest musical memory was gilbert o'sullivan's Matrimony being constantly played on the radio.

Olishi4 · 19-11-2016 11:59AM

The World Cup 1990 and I remember watching breakfast TV with my mother and finding out that Freddie Mercury had died.

I was too young but anyone remember the earthquake in Ireland 1984?

19-11-2016 12:02PM

Olishi4 wrote: »

The World Cup 1990 and I remember watching breakfast TV with my mother and finding out that Freddie Mercury had died.

I was too young but anyone remember the earthquake in Ireland 1984?

I remember the disappointment of not feeling anything and people were writing to Gay Byrne saying they fell out if the bed. When I was young I was very disappointed by our lack of volcanoes and earthquakes.

cdeb · 19-11-2016 12:02PM

Olishi4 wrote: »

I was too young but anyone remember the earthquake in Ireland 1984?

Vaguely that you mention it - but it could be one of those things that I remember because I saw it a few times after.

Like I think I watched the 1985 snooker final, but I've seen the ending so many times since that I feel like I watched it.

I definitely watched the 1986 championship, though I didn't think that really counted as current affairs!

Olishi4 · 19-11-2016 12:05PM

cdeb wrote: »

Vaguely that you mention it - but it could be one of those things that I remember because I saw it a few times after.!

Ye that's what happened me when I read the thread. I thought I had a memory of it and then i looked it up and saw the year and realised I couldn't have because I would have only been 1 so I think I have a memory of my mam telling me about it

xzanti · 19-11-2016 01:16PM

The Berlin Wall coming down.

A kid in my class had a piece of it (from her Aunt) and passed it around.

Dirty Dingus McGee · 19-11-2016 01:22PM

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Princess Diana dying. It was the Sunday morning of an all Ireland

Offaly played Mayo in the AI football semi final that day. Dreadful performance from Offaly that day.

Dublinensis · 19-11-2016 01:41PM

The privatisation of Telecom Éireann. I would have been 4 at the time. I can't really remember to what extent my parents tried to explain it to me or to what extent I understood them. But I do remember following with interest the transformation of the phone boxes around Dublin, and feeling that the change of name and logo was unnecessary and a bit pointless. My instinctive reaction to change hasn't changed much since.

thomil · 19-11-2016 02:31PM

Definitely the Berlin Wall coming down. I vaguely remember earlier events, like the Challenger disaster or Chernyobyl, but the fall of the Berlin Wall was definitely the first one where I actually FELT how big it was. My grandma being close to tears, repeating again and again that she never thought she'd live to see it, the pictures of Trabbis, Wartburgs, etc. streaming across the border, and then, just a few days later, seeing the first of these cars come into my hometown, a small village west of Hamburg.

19-11-2016 02:36PM

Video nasties being discussed on Today Tonight with Pat Kenny. Obsessed with them ever since.

Hillsborough was proabaly the first that meant something to me

foxy farmer · 19-11-2016 05:53PM

Pope John Paul 2 coming to Ireland in 79. I can remember my nother waking me and having to get up. Was sitting in the lounge watching the plane land and him kissing the tarmac. My mothers aunt was in the house too. A rare occasion brought up specially for the event as she didn't have a tv. Remember more from later that day where the orange helicopter lands in Phoenix Park i think and the huge crowds.

nhunter100 · 19-11-2016 05:56PM

Watching the Elvis funeral on TV as a 5 year old with my mum and gran in floods of tears.

19-11-2016 06:23PM

That time Michael Jackson was first under investigation for child sexual abuse. I was about 3 or 4. I was a huge fan of his music and couldn't understand why he was on the news for doing something bad.

I remember asking my Dad and he just said "he's been a very naughty boy".

19-11-2016 06:42PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

That time Michael Jackson was first under investigation for child sexual abuse. I was about 3 or 4. I was a huge fan of his music and couldn't understand why he was on the news for doing something bad.

I remember asking my Dad and he just said "he's been a very naughty boy".

I remember when Gary Glitter was a pop star!

Cortina_MK_IV · 19-11-2016 06:49PM

Lia_lia wrote: »

That time Michael Jackson was first under investigation for child sexual abuse. I was about 3 or 4. I was a huge fan of his music and couldn't understand why he was on the news for doing something bad. I remember asking my Dad and he just said "he's been a very naughty boy".

Wasn't his first time in the news for something BAD

tuisginideach · 19-11-2016 06:53PM

Very early: We had a neighbour called John Glenn so I remember thinking it was he who was in space - I don't remember the space voyage (Feb 62) - the connection with the neighbour is probably somewhat later than 62. I don't remember death of John F Kennedy but I do remember: snow of 63, death of Robert Kennedy, Aberfan

looksee · 19-11-2016 06:58PM

In England - the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. I did not see any of it but I remember it being talked about, I was 5 at the time. I was given a model of the queen's coach and horses by my parents, though I have now no idea what happened to it. We were each given decorated mugs at school, I still have that.

heldel00 · 19-11-2016 07:14PM

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

It happened in August though, didn't it?

Jesus you're right! I must have been making up for something else or trying to get permission to go to disco!!!

cumulonimbus · 19-11-2016 07:23PM

I was 6 and I remember watching the moon landing when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I didn't understand the significance of that event, I was just amazed that my mother had the TV on so early in the morning - usually we had to wait till evening to watch TV.:eek:

happywithlife · 19-11-2016 07:28PM

Veronica Geurin's murder being broadcast on the radio. Was too young to know who she was but knew it must a huge event for them to interrupt the song so went out and told my parents. Dad had it pegged straight away who it was even though I couldn't remember the name to repeat it

Andrewf20 · 19-11-2016 08:11PM

The Briton Ira bombing in October 1984. Vaguely remember the US embassy bombing in Beruit in April 1983 as well as the British airtours 737 catching fire on the runway in Manchester, 1985. They all feel a million years ago.

twill · 19-11-2016 08:42PM

The fall of the Berlin Wall, Hillborough and the Zeebrugge ferry disaster were the first news stories that made a real impression on me. Slightly later, but the death of Freddie Mercury, though I didn't really understand it at the time.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 19-11-2016 08:56PM

Good Friday agreement. My dad's side of the family is from near the border and my mother lived there for years too so they were very emotional. Though I also remember my dad saying in the same breath that it was great that people could put their superficial differences aside and work against sectarianism...even that **** of a orange **** Ian Paisley :pac:

5rtytry56 · 19-11-2016 09:45PM

Star Dust Fire reported on RTE 1 news.

Pherekydes · 20-11-2016 01:45AM

looksee wrote: »

In England - the coronation of Queen Elizabeth.

WTF? You win the thread. You're 462 years old, by my reckoning. Unless you mean QEII?

Still old, though...:pac:

bikubesong · 20-11-2016 02:04AM

pajor wrote: »

Born at the end of 1991. First news memory would be the death of Princess Diana. I remember even as a 6 year old wondering why the BBC kept going on and on about it for weeks.

And then a year later Omagh. I didn't understand what happened of course really, but I remember it was a really bad thing. Was probably a bit scared. I think I also have a vague memory of my Mum crying when she heard the news. She told me years later that she did at least. Of course I now understand how much Omagh shook the whole country.

Born in 1991 as well and funny enough Princess Diana and the Omagh Bombing were the first things that came to my mind reading the thread title, too.

Also have a vague recollection of watching Bill Clinton's visit to Ireland on the tv in 1995.

Your earliest current affairs/news memory?

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