Creepy Clowns Terrorize Ireland
Clowns cause paranoia in Dublin and around the world.
Like something that would come out of a horror film, delinquents dressed up as clowns have recently been spotted across Ireland. This twisted trend has swept social media by storm over that past couple months and what started in the US has now spread to Ireland and the UK. For those of you that don’t know, the “creepy clown epidemic” is a large number of clown sightings world wide. The clowns have been terrorizing the public, some with weapons while others are lurking in the shadows just trying to frighten anybody who passes by.
With Halloween around the corner and the the remake of the Stephen King Horror film “It”, creepy clowns are more popular than ever before. But while this epidemic may appear to have shown up overnight, the first clown sightings can be dated all the way back to 1980’s.
The happy go lucky clowns of the 50’s and 60’s like Bozo The Clown and Ronald McDonald are now a thing of the past as these horrific clowns invade the streets. The trend dates back to the 80’s. In 1981 the first problem with clowns arose when a counselor for a Boston city school sent out a memo to parents warning them about men dressed up as clowns trying to lure kids into their van with candy. After a local news station caught on, creepy clowns began popping up across Boston and by the end of the summer, sightings of pestering clowns were spotted across America. The epidemic died down by the end of the year with some clown sightings here and there but the biggest being in 2016 thanks to the popularity it gained on social media.
Currently there have been multiple sightings terrifying mostly children but I think it’s safe to say it’s scaring a lot of older folks too. A local scare took place in Riverside Park last Friday afternoon when a group of children were startled by a devilish clown with a knife.
Another clown sighting took place in Newpark Comprehensive School in Blackrock when a group of clowns were spotted with chainsaws and frightened the students. It is said to be that three clowns arrived to hand out leaflets about a Halloween horror attraction were on the school grounds without permission. .
The creepy clown epidemic has brought great turmoil across Ireland, the UK and the US with over 2 million Google search results for “creepy clown”.
If you happen to come across a creepy clown here are some tips you should take in case the clown is a serious threat.
- Pull out your cellphone and make a call or even pretend to make a call. The clown will be less willing to act if you are on the phone and be willing to contact for help at a moment’s time.
- Change your direction to a more populated well lit area. This will deter the clown from following you and having him seen by more people.
- Grab an object or anything that could be used for a weapon. (This precaution should only be used for intimidation and not to harm anyone in a clown costume)
At this time there have been no arrests in Ireland. If you have any suspicions of a potentially dangerous clown you see, stay calm and contact the Garda for assistance.