[fishy fishy]

Was down at the Volvo twice over the weekend - very atmospheric and really enjoying it. Plenty of security around the dock area and seems to be very well run.

However walking up through the Spanish Arch from the Docks, through the archway at end of Long Walk, it is full of young teens sitting in groups who are very drunk, loud and intimidating. When I walked up there on the Sat night there must have been about 100 of them in various groups - it was quite scary to be honest walking past them. Did not see any gardai or security there.

I hope this changes - it ruins what is seems to be a well organized event.

[Mrs OBumble]

Originally Posted by fishy fishy

...through the Spanish Arch from the Docks, through the archway at end of Long Walk

Not a route I'd take at night, VOR or otherwise. Why go looking for trouble, when there are perfectly good alternatives where you're less likely to draw attention to yourself.

YMMV.

[snubbleste]

You can write to the local superintendent and tell them about it. Do mention the fact that you got the idea from a discussion board.

[inisboffin]

If it was 'menacing' there it's also bad PR for the City at one of the major 'tourist attractions' that Galway puts forth. People live there too, and along long walk. I think it would be no harm to have a Guard wandering through on the hour. A chill guard mind, who wouldn't go emptying cans. But yeah, people shouldn't be afraid to walk in that area *right* in the centre of touristdom.

[squonk]

Above all times the arch should be a safe place to walk around this week. There are a lot of new people in the city and the arch is a big landmark and it's also not that far from the pubs at the top of shop street. It's not a big ask that people should be abkle to go for a stroll down that direction if it's a nice evening this week. Fine, let it back to normal next week but it shouldn't be a knacker drinking spot this week.

[fishy fishy]

justmary

don't know if you have actually been down the docks at all for the Volvo, but if you have, you will see that to get to the global village - if you are in the docks, you can walk down, take a right, walk up long walk to the bridge they have put up.

There were hundreds of people walking this way over the weekend - it was an ugly sight to see these teens screaming, not being able to walk, cans strewn all aroun, being loud and obnoxious with their hoodies on - not a pretty sight for tourists, and quite honestly I don't see your point in saying to not look for trouble and find an alternative route - this IS the route to the global village from the docks. Would you say that to all the tourists also??

[biko]

I was down Friday about 8pm, walked the natural route from Jury's across Spanish Arch, under the arch and along the Long Walk.
The amount of shouting drunk kids were unreal.

They were minding their own business mostly but it didn't look nice and I assume old age tourists weren't too impressed.

[Shakti]

In fairness they have been hanging out there for donkeys years with minimal disturbance, as for 'think of the tourists' pity we didn't say have the same enthusiasm for 'think of our young people' when we were saddling them with debt that they will be paying off for the rest of their lives, small wonder they take to the drink. I'd feel safer if the gardaí were patrolling the IFSC.

[fishy fishy]

Originally Posted by Shakti

In fairness they have been hanging out there for donkeys years with minimal disturbance, as for 'think of the tourists' pity we didn't say have the same enthusiasm for 'think of our young people' when we were saddling them with debt that they will be paying off for the rest of their lives, small wonder they take to the drink. I'd feel safer if the gardaí were patrolling the IFSC.

i have no idea what you are on about shakti. I do know this happens all year, but take a walk down there during the volvo and see what you think. Every tom dick and harry hoodie seems to be there.

[Zzippy]

Originally Posted by Shakti

In fairness they have been hanging out there for donkeys years with minimal disturbance, as for 'think of the tourists' pity we didn't say have the same enthusiasm for 'think of our young people' when we were saddling them with debt that they will be paying off for the rest of their lives, small wonder they take to the drink. I'd feel safer if the gardaí were patrolling the IFSC.

Ah jaysus, does every small crime or problem have to have someone pop up and say "but what about the politicians/bankers, we've bigger things to worry about"???

[squonk]

Originally Posted by Shakti

In fairness they have been hanging out there for donkeys years with minimal disturbance, as for 'think of the tourists' pity we didn't say have the same enthusiasm for 'think of our young people' when we were saddling them with debt that they will be paying off for the rest of their lives, small wonder they take to the drink. I'd feel safer if the gardaí were patrolling the IFSC.

Nobody is putting a gun to young people's heads forcing them to stay here and pay off this debt as you say. They are quite free to go abroad and have happy fulfilling lives if they wish. Besides, if they have money for drink and plenty of free time, they should be doing something more constructive than knacker drinking under the arch. Anyway this is off topic.

The point is that they would hardly be that put out having to move somewhere else to knacker drink for one week. What do we want? People to come to Galway, have a great time and go home to tell their friends that it was a great spot and much craic was had and that they're going back again and recommending their friends come too, or saying it was nice overall but there were some dodgy looking types in plain view, possibly saying it was OK but they wouldn't be in a hurry back.

[biko]

Lol, we're like the politicians in Atlanta when the Olympics came there and they shipped the homeless out of the city

[Shakti]

Originally Posted by fishy fishy

i have no idea what you are on about shakti. I do know this happens all year, but take a walk down there during the volvo and see what you think. Every tom dick and harry hoodie seems to be there.

Originally Posted by Zzippy

Ah jaysus, does every small crime or problem have to have someone pop up and say "but what about the politicians/bankers, we've bigger things to worry about"???

Originally Posted by squonk

Nobody is putting a gun to young people's heads forcing them to stay here and pay off this debt as you say. They are quite free to go abroad and have happy fulfilling lives if they wish. Besides, if they have money for drink and plenty of free time, they should be doing something more constructive than knacker drinking under the arch. Anyway this is off topic.

The point is that they would hardly be that put out having to move somewhere else to knacker drink for one week. What do we want? People to come to Galway, have a great time and go home to tell their friends that it was a great spot and much craic was had and that they're going back again and recommending their friends come too, or saying it was nice overall but there were some dodgy looking types in plain view, possibly saying it was OK but they wouldn't be in a hurry back.

Is that what its come to so 'if you don't like paying off our debt why don't you just f*ck off to oz' I wouldn't take a thousand tourists over one young citizen of Galway but again it's not surprising they do leave here in there hundreds of thousands when you call them knackers* and hoodies etc. and begrudge them even to gather.

*using the terms knacker,knackers and knacker drinking as descriptive terms for a person is dehumanising think of the tourists who might be reading this.

[squonk]

Originally Posted by Shakti

Is that what its come to so 'if you don't like paying off our debt why don't you just f*ck off to oz' I wouldn't take a thousand tourists over one young citizen of Galway but again it's not surprising they do leave here in there hundreds of thousands when you call them knackers* and hoodies etc. and begrudge them even to gather.

*using the terms knacker,knackers and knacker drinking as descriptive terms for a person is dehumanising think of the tourists who might be reading this.

Well your view of the world would kill off our tourist industry very quickly. It's one natural resource we're lucky to have. We are all stuck with paying off the debt that country has. If young people wish to stay, that's fine and I bear no ill will towards any who wish to leave. If the young people in question have such a problem about the term knacker drinking which is a pretty widely used term, then they are also quite free to drink in a licencened premises or their own home. Drinking in public is an offence after all.

[ScumLord]

Originally Posted by fishy fishy

There were hundreds of people walking this way over the weekend - it was an ugly sight to see these teens screaming, not being able to walk, cans strewn all aroun, being loud and obnoxious with their hoodies on -

So they aren't actually doing anything wrong other than being young?

If they are making a mess of the place it wouldn't be to hard to convince them to clean up after them by the guards.