Impact of first news memory

[johnneycool]

The British Government didn't want Sinn Fein spreading their propgander (sp?) on British TV, so banned their voices from the airwaves. The Irish Government followed through.

Actually the Irish government implemented the ban a good ten years before the Brits and it was more wide-ranging - SF member being banned from speaking about any topic. Used to lead to many farcical situations where activists would ring into gardening and sports programs before declaring membership and being cut off the air. Did it myself at a Fleadh in Kilkenny in '89 when I was 'vox popped' outside the final of one of the competitions and again at a 2FM road show on Moore St one day.

Fair play to Micháel O'Muircheartaigh who gave hunger strike protesters in Davitt Park, Lurgan two minutes of live radio to put their points in 1980.

Stephen Rea was never the voice of Adams but I don't doubt the death threats. 

Was it not the recently deceased Conor Cruise O'Brien who brought in that legislation in the south barring the shinners from the airwaves?

My first political memory was Bobby Sands funeral on TV and the subsequent rioting, oh and an older brother being sent home from school for wearing a black tie.

[Main Street]

It was the  FF gov first who extended section 31 to cover republicans, sacked the RTE board, jailed a journalist.

It was the coalition gov in the mid '70s in the form of the Cruiser, the hero of the extreme right wing  who made the ban total and complete.

Corrected on who Stephen Rea spoke for. I remember reading about the death threats directed his way (one of those wtf news items that sticks in the memory)  but I can't find any reference to it.

[Carmen Stateside]

One news memory that sticks out in my mind was the Loughgall Ambush, and the Irish News the next morning with the Front page covered with photos of the men beleived to be dead.  My mother had been neighbours with several of the dead and had a tear in her eye, think thats what makes it stand out more than any other !

[SidelineKick]

I remember that dubbing myself, strange that it seemed so normal to me at that time.

The story of Jamie Bulger stands out for me as well because I think I was around the same age as them and everyone was shocked at how children that age could do something like that.

Also the bomb at the UDR station in Magherafelt and Broad St. bomb in Magherafelt too.

[Donagh]

It was the  FF gov first who extended section 31 to cover republicans, sacked the RTE board, jailed a journalist.

It was the coalition gov in the mid '70s in the form of the Cruiser, the hero of the extreme right wing  who made the ban total and complete.

Corrected on who Stephen Rea spoke for. I remember reading about the death threats directed his way (one of those wtf news items that sticks in the memory)  but I can't find any reference to it.

Just read on Rea's Wiki article that he did voice-overs during the ban but I still don't believe it. From he came to prominence with the setting up of the Field Day Theater Company along with Brian Friel, famous Seamus, Paulin and Davy Hammond, Stephen Rea was always seen as being too political for many on the unionist side. They particularly detested him because he was a working class Prod who stepped out of their political and cultural getto to engage with all sides of the community. The death threats could have came for any number of reasons as he was active in campaigns around prison protests (he had a poem on one of the old solidarity record that was released at the time along with a singing Francie Brolly). His marriage to Delores Price wouldn't have helped his standing in unionist eyes either.

[corn02]

Dunblane for me.

Was at an indoor soccer tournament in Newry Sports Centre and got to the qaurterfinals. Newtown put us out. I could actually play a bit then because we had no numbers but I was dropped for a game because I had old runners with no grip and I was slipping everywhere.

Coming home with the team in the principal's car - it came on the news. Scary.

[Treasurer]

Dunblane for me.

Particularly significant  piece of news for me - it was the day before my father died and one of the last things I talked to him about.

[saffron sam2]

Miami Showband for me.

First sporting memory Man U 0 Southampton 1

[corn02]

Dunblane for me.

Particularly significant  piece of news for me - it was the day before my father died and one of the last things I talked to him about.

Sorry to hear that. Shows that bad news is always about.

[Our Nail Loney]

Mine was my uncle being shot, I was only P1 did not have a clue what was going on...

[milltown row]

andy Murray went to that school in Dunblane at the time

[stephenite]

Pope arriving in Knock is something that is the earliest for me.


Regarding Dunblane, I was in Uni in Scotland at the time and getting the train down to Stranraer for the ferry back to Belafst, stopped at the Dunblane train station to pick people up, as we pulled out of the train station I heard a lot of sirens going off, and then saw the emergency services tearing down a road - it was only when I got to Stranraer did I realise exactly what happened