What is the first big news story you remember seeing on TV?

Ace Attorney · 11-09-2013 11:58AM

The gulf war, i was wondering why all those people were fighting on the beach

chakotha · 11-09-2013 12:01PM

The Whiddy Island oil tanker disaster 1979 I think.

.E_C_K_S. · 11-09-2013 12:02PM

I remember seeing a clip of someone being dragged through a field tied to the back of a tractor. I have no idea where the clip was from, it might have been during the Bosnian war. I can't remember whether it was on reeling in the years or the news at the time but it scared the living sh1t outta me.

handsome ken · 11-09-2013 12:17PM

i remember dashing home from school at lunchtime to watch the maiden flight of concord. i remember thinking it looked more like a spaceship than a plane.

anncoates · 11-09-2013 12:31PM

I'm almost sure I remember the Maze dirty protests (late 70s) when I was a small kid. Also definitely air disaster in Tenerfie involving a plane from Manchester (late 70s or 80) as our neighbours died in it

Johnny Drama_11 · 11-09-2013 12:35PM

A few that stand out for me;

Lockerbie bombing.
Seoul Olympic games.
1st Gulf War.
Hillborough disaster.

MonstaMash · 11-09-2013 12:43PM

Apollo 15 moon landings in '71...I'm old

smoking_kills · 11-09-2013 12:46PM

Terry Waite getting kidnapped, 1987 I think.

At the end of the news section, the news reporter said something like, "where is Terry Waite now" to which my smart ass Dad replied, "Wait and see"

Which is probably why I remember it so well.....

Sunglasses Ron · 11-09-2013 12:48PM

Vague memories of World Cup 1990, Lockerbie and the Gulf War. I'm nearly certain for a while the test card on BBC while I would be up at the crack of dawn waiting the Turtles to come on had a photo of a soldier holding a machine gun temporarily replacing the girl with the rubber doll (sounds wrong!)

Vaguely remember OJ. I remember the Oklahoma bombing as we were on holliers in Florida at the time and I wondered what the fuss was since there was a big bombing every other week reported on TV from the North or in London.

The Louise Woodward, Omagh, Guerin, Diana death and Slick Willy Clinton spreadin his mickey around the place are the first truly detailed ones I recall from the late 90's.

Another odd one I recall was a story about a lad about my age driving a stolen car halfway through Bosnia fleeing from the Serb army with a few kids in the back, I think I wanted to try the same

The General also got gunned down a few minutes after we drove past where it happened I also recall.

Grayson · 11-09-2013 12:56PM

Blackpool bombing or maybe chernobyl. I can't remember which came first. I watched both on TVAM whilst waiting for cartoons.

Before that the challanger disaster and regan bombing libya.

Cool_CM · 11-09-2013 12:57PM

The Santa update on RTE news on Christmas Eve in 1990.

Grayson · 11-09-2013 12:57PM

Johnny Drama_11 wrote: »

A few that stand out for me;

Lockerbie bombing.
Seoul Olympic games.
1st Gulf War.
Hillborough disaster.

You just reminded me of this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disaster

Sunglasses Ron · 11-09-2013 12:59PM

Cool_CM wrote: »

The Santa update on RTE news on Christmas Eve in 1990.

I remember The Den went to the USSR as it was collapsing :pac:

old hippy · 11-09-2013 01:00PM

Hmmmm. I suppose it was the Montreal Olympics or when Elvis passed on.

They started showing all the King's movies on telly & that's when I fell in love with him

dark crystal · 11-09-2013 01:01PM

The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981. We were living in London at the time and the royal wedding was everywhere! I got a day off school and everything.

I remember sitting down with my mother watching it and her saying "Jaysus, could they not have ironed the poor woman's dress!".

jack of all · 11-09-2013 01:02PM

Not my earliest but most vivid memory would have to be the hunger strikes and death of Bobby Sands.

Dyr · 11-09-2013 01:06PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

He was hiding in every village in the country:D

The guards got a lot of mileage out dessie and shergar when it came to searches :pac:

TheIrishGrover · 11-09-2013 01:07PM

The earliest I can remember was John Lennon's death. I knew he was in the Beatles and, of course, knew some of their songs, but didn't really know that much else about him. I couldn't understand my older sisters and everyone on the tele crying.

Then, after that the '81 hunger strikes

aujopimur · 11-09-2013 01:10PM

The Irish Famine, oh wait!.

Realtine · 11-09-2013 01:11PM

The Stardust tragedy.
I remember the horror of it all.
And Mary Boyle going missing - even though I was very young myself - I still remember all the adults talking about it

ads20101 · 11-09-2013 01:15PM

As a chap from '73 I'm sure that I seen many interesting bits of news before the one I'm about to describe - but this is the 1st one I can vividly remember. 1980 - John Lennon shot. I can remember McCartney being interviewed and being deeply upset. I would have still been 7.

Taytomal · 11-09-2013 01:22PM

When Éamon de Valera died in 1975. One television station only and all day long RTE had a picture of his face on the screen for HOURS with no commentary!!

Cool_CM · 11-09-2013 01:28PM

Sunglasses Ron wrote: »

I remember The Den went to the USSR as it was collapsing :pac:

The Den was genuinely good for making references to current affairs back in the day. I remember when they had Mary Robinson on after she won the election.

Sunglasses Ron · 11-09-2013 01:33PM

Cool_CM wrote: »

The Den was genuinely good for making references to current affairs back in the day. I remember when they had Mary Robinson on after she won the election.

And Taoiseach John Brutal as Dustin used to say.

There was also the Stamp Out Line Dancing campaign

Ash.J.Williams · 11-09-2013 01:34PM

stardust, the pope and buttavent train crash

ghogie91 · 11-09-2013 01:56PM

Trevor McDonnald on UTV with loads of stories

But actual news stories would be 9/11... Though it was up the North, still remember who told me and where I was... I was 10

Sleepy · 11-09-2013 02:03PM

Bambi wrote: »

As you pointed out you were 7 but then you never grew out of it?

Grew out of what? Considering murders and terrorists to be "bad guys". It's an over-simplification, I'll grant you but I'd still hold it to be a fairly reasonable point of view.

Or are you referring to my not finding much distinction between the various factions of said terrorist groups? As far as I can see, the only meaningful split in an Irish context during my life time was when some of the terrorists put on suits and became politicians whilst the others further split into god knows how many different criminals gangs...

iDave · 11-09-2013 02:07PM

The Somali famine in the early 90's

fjon · 11-09-2013 02:35PM

Chernobyl was a big one, and I also seem to remember a train crash in Clapham Junction - I think someone we knew was involved in it.

Guyanachronism · 11-09-2013 02:48PM

It's hard to tell what earliest memories were, when they get mixed up with documentaries and especially reeling in the years.

But I think it was the NATO bombing campaign during the Bosnian War and the scenes of refugees.

Mary Robinson's resignation also seems vivid I would have been about 7 or 8.

What is the first big news story you remember seeing on TV?

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