[Strumms]

Power cuts were about the only thing and an old psycho school principal. Where we lived there would be about four or five power cuts a year. But they’d put the fear into me. if it happened during the day, or daylight I wouldn’t give a **** but at night, darkness, I’d hardly sleep with the fear in fact. The loudness of the quiet, no tv, no radio..

I was rarely in trouble in school but the odd time where I was sent to the principals office he’d welcome you in with a smile, sit you down, give you a biscuit, listen to why you’ve been sent down, then..” ok, just stand up for me, *still smiling* hold out your hand” *smack* he’d take a bit of an old picture frame out of his drawer and it would be across the palm of your hand with maximum force.. the false smile still etched on his face like a proper psycho..

[KungPao]

The aliens in V when they revealed themselves to be hideous reptiles.

The Omen, and the music in particular Ave Satani...Satani....SATANI! Love that music now, still creepy though.

Frederick Krueger.

Mostly just stuff I was too young to be watching really which stuck in my mind, had no other real fears I don't think except the dark.

[A Tyrant Named Miltiades!]

We were out for a Sunday walk in Birr when I was a small kid, and a black helicopter (not a Garda helicopter) landed and some detectives got out of it.
My Mum said one of them had a gun, and we had to leave, at the time it seemed very exciting.
We found out they were after some Spanish rapist who had attacked a woman, or women, and was on the run.

I didn't know what a rapist was, and it didn't seem to matter, because it surely meant "serial killer". No doubt he'd be after us as potential witnesses. Me, specifically, for some reason. I became genuinely afraid of what I called "The Spanish Lad", and it was often used against me.
It was "Don't go to the river the Spanish man will catch you" or, "Come in before dark or the Spanish will get you" (there was a mildly racist undertone).

The threat of Santa's Bad List was trivial compared to the certain catastrophe of the Spanish lad ever locating me.

Writing this how, I wonder if there ever really was a Spanish man. Either way, he kept me on the straight and narrow between the ages 7 —10

[Church on Tuesday]

Banks.

Having to go into a bank and talk to a clerk was anxiety central.

[castletownman]

May sound bad, but I used to be afraid of people with intellectual disabilities or down syndrome when I was 4/5. I really hope I wasn't the only one at that age.

[sunbeam]

The Incredible Hulk terrified me as a toddler.

The threat of nuclear war when I got a bit older. I actually watched The Day After for the first time last week when it was randomly suggested to me on YouTube. It would probably have terrified me at age 11, but Threads makes it look like a Disney movie. Good job I didn't see that as a kid, or I'd never have slept again.

[Errashareesh]

Going to the doctor.

A TV series called Sapphire & Steel - which I was far too young for, and couldn't make head or tail of (still can't) yet loved it despite its unbelievable creepiness.

The TV series of Day Of The Triffids - the sound that the plants made was terrifying.

Numerous fairy stories were horrific!

Clowns - I don't know why they're so sinister, but they are.

And those public information films - e.g. the kid drowning in the paddling pool or the dog attacking the sheep, or the risk of your nightie combusting if you stood too close to the fire (that one was hosted by the aforementioned witch from Fortycoats - frightening woman!) And the nun shouting "Bah!" into the kid's ear to check their hearing.

[Four Phucs Ache]

80s Scotch video tape tv ad.

I'm highly confident because of these ads that I am a master of the word Fook and every version of it.

[nthclare]

Holy pictures used to frighten me, and concrete structures where there's water.
Like dams and drains, big pipe's etc

Open culverts, there's something creepy about them and water works such as pump houses etc

The still give me the shivers.

I was scared of those even before the first Stephen king movie IT came out these buildings and feats of engineering gave me fear.

[Four Phucs Ache]

Originally Posted by nthclare

Holy pictures used to frighten me, and concrete structures where there's water.
Like dams and drains, big pipe's etc

Open culverts, there's something creepy about them and water works such as pump houses etc

The still give me the shivers.

I was scared of those even before the first Stephen king movie IT came out these buildings and feats of engineering gave me fear.

With you on the concrete and water, went on a day out to turlough hill circa age 8. Crisp grey concrete and endless black water sticks with me.

[Arghus]

Thoughts of the devil, hell, eternal damnation.

[emo72]

Space 1999 dragons domain episode. How the **** did this pass the censor for children's TV. Oh yeah we had to censor out the suggestion of a nipple on TV, but tentacled life force flesh stripping aliens? Yeah that's fine.

https://youtu.be/tvyWfwT5nwU

[Lobsterlady]

Nuclear war....think it may have been When the Wind Blows that put the fear into me, plus my older brother telling me we lived only 30 minutes from Shannon Airport which would be a definite strike by the Russians. We'd all bleed out from our eyes and asses....and that would be it. That and Jaws .....never felt comfortable swimming in any sea water that was murky since.

[punisher5112]

That's just trolling

[nthclare]

Originally Posted by Lobsterlady

Nuclear war....think it may have been When the Wind Blows that put the fear into me, plus my older brother telling me we lived only 30 minutes from Shannon Airport which would be a definite strike by the Russians. We'd all bleed out from our eyes and asses....and that would be it. That and Jaws .....never felt comfortable swimming in any sea water that was murky since.

I remember that in the 80's aerophlot used to land in Shannon and their pilot's and cabin crew would stay in local apartments.

We used to think they were spies.

Although the Russian women were quite attractive.

But during the first gulf war us kids/teen-agers thought Sadam was going to nuke the town any day soon