Christchurch area in Dublin

Armani-style

Hello everyone,

I am intending on studying in Dublin this year,and am unfamiliar with it. I have been offered accomodation in an apartment in the Christchurch area and am wondering is it a safe area,or one that I should avoid. For instance ,is there a low/medium/high risk of getting stabbed there at night(or at daytime).

Thanks for your help.

Tricity Bendix

I suppose it depends where abouts in Christchurch. I have seen, on more than one occassion, people lying in pools of their own blood on Dame St. on a Saturday night.

The farther away from Dame St., the better.

ApeXaviour

b.ie curious wrote:

I suppose it depends where abouts in Christchurch. I have seen, on more than one occassion, people lying in pools of their own blood on Dame St. on a Saturday night.

The farther away from Dame St., the better.

wtf???

Dame street is a fine place!

Christchurch area isn't great, well parts of it.. I wouldn't worry so much about getting stabbed. It's the methadone clinic and basically being held at syringe-point while handing over your phone and money. Though I've had friends live in the area and they've had zero problems. The junkies are quite obvious though and if you've your head about you, ya should be fine.

Tricity Bendix

Well, I can only speak of my own experiences. On two seperate nights out last year I came across guys who had bottles broken over their heads on Dame Street. I have to admit, its not my usual haunt, so its possible that I got a false impression of the place. I certainly wouldn't regard it as a fine place, myself.

Nietzschean

ah i've been out on dame street many , many a night and never had a problem.... would have considered it one of the safer area's in town, usually being so damn busy

Right_Side

OP: Avoid Christchurch big time. Junkies etc. Scumbags. Lots of random "gay-bashing"... not saying your gay but just highlights the point that Christchurch isn't a safe place.

Right_Side

Right_Side wrote:

OP: Avoid Christchurch big time.

That is, unless you're heading to burdock's.

John

Myth wrote:

That is, unless you're heading to burdock's.

Or on your way to book tickets for the Viking Splash Tour

cuckoo

Dublin is like any city, there's no place that's 100% safe and none that are 100% dangerous.

To the OP, it depends on what you're like. Are you used to city life? Do you have a 'mug me, please' vibe about you (i'm being kind of serious, i know a few people who aren't the most aware of what's going on around them at the best of times and seem to be getting constantly mugged)?

Dame Street is like any other street full of drunken idiots on a weekend night, but i've never had any hassle beyond the usual 'me drunken man, she woman, she want me' stuff.

Crash

just keep an eye out when around christchurch tbh. used to work around there and as long as you keep an eye out, stay away from around the civic offices (like the offices themselves) and the methadone clinic, you'll be fine. B.ie.curious: when you say dame st. do you mean dame st. trinity end or christchurch end? cus i've seen some ****e once you're heading up past parliament st...

John

Pfft, you're all a bunch of wimps!

cianclarke

John wrote:

Or on your way to book tickets for the Viking Splash Tour

Or the methadone clinic :rolleyes:

John

I'll go with the Vikings thanks

bombus

Christchurch

Pros: <10 mins walk from College.
Close to all City Centre night life
Close to Burdocks (One of dublin's finest fish and chip shops)

Cons: Large amount of council housing surronds private housing in this area and therefore has the associated issues. Anywhere within 10mins wlak from trinity has the potential to be scumbag heavy.

If it's a nice room and the rent is good take it.

Not to hijack the thread but I've been a bit worried about my new flat since I now find out it's in a semi dodgy area.....around New Street (didn't realise it was really considered Christchurch, my friend used to live there and it seemd OK). Will I have problems with my personal safety there? I'm female btw.

I'm no expert on Dublin but I don't like the vibe around the top of Dame St (which is really called Lord Edward St I think) and Christchurch cathedral. I think it's mad that one end of a street can be perfectly grand and the other end a dodgy ****hole but I guess that's Dublin. There is meant to be loads of open air heroin dealing around the cathedral and on Thomas St, and obv outside the methodone clinic. I'd stay away from the top-of-Dame-St area. Also another friend lived up there and she couldn't sleep due to the constant partying/fighting/whatever at night, it's a big party street.

bombus

Listen, a few digs in the head never did anyone any harm don't worry about it, the kebabs will make you feel better.

thanks for that

Crash

Kev banned again. Izzy, ignore him, he's just being a spa.

Tricity Bendix

&#231 wrote: »

just keep an eye out when around christchurch tbh. used to work around there and as long as you keep an eye out, stay away from around the civic offices (like the offices themselves) and the methadone clinic, you'll be fine. B.ie.curious: when you say dame st. do you mean dame st. trinity end or christchurch end? cus i've seen some ****e once you're heading up past parliament st...

First time was outside Apache Pizza, Second time was further up pretty much across from the cathedral itself.


And yes, I am a wimp. I don't much care for seeing people gushing from the head.

BeansMeansHynes

I work in Christchurch myself and its full of Junkies and the worst for wear morning, noon and night. After seeing all of the things that go on here, personally I wouldn’t live in or around the area. What part of Christchurch are you in? Nothing bad has happened me (fingers crossed) but you do need to be very very wary and do not make eye contact. Its not nice to be scared going into work every morning and worrying that you could be robbed or beaten up. Im sure lots of people living around here are quite content but im very very close to the Clinic so you can imagine.

Black_Couch

Well theres a street up from the quays quite close to the Christ Church area. Without fail once out of three times passing on the bus you are guaranteed to see drugs being dropped off/money given on the very same corner. Its unbelievable.

Not sure HOW close it is to the Christchurch area. Suss it out exactly where you'll be and see how it goes. Theres not many places in town you are going to feel absolutely "safe" in at night anyway. But then again there was a junkie outside the pav today.

What exactly counts as Christchurch? Up around the cathedral, Thomas St, how far back and down does it go? Is Clanbrassil St area considered Christchurch?

Jonny Arson

Avoid Christchurch area at all costs! I work up there and I fcuking hate walking through there to and from work. All you see is junkie, junkies, junkies and maybe a few more junkies. All you hear from the junkies is ''arrrrrr yuuuuuuu looookin budd'', they congregate on the street corners openly dealing, i've seen 2 arrests in the past month, a female friend of mine from work was punched for no reason by one of them and they piss anywhere possible..... and this all occured during the day time.... night time I wouldn't even want to think! The whole Christchuch area is infested with junkie scum, it's a scary place and you would want to keep hold of your wallet, mp3 players etc. I was reading in one of the rags a week ago about how they're now openly shooting up on the streets! :eek:

but in saying all this having Burdocks close to you would be too good too miss!

Johnny Swift Rodeo wrote:

What exactly counts as Christchurch? Up around the cathedral, Thomas St, how far back and down does it go? Is Clanbrassil St area considered Christchurch?

Pretty much got it. From the top of Dame Street to the region around thomas street and the area down towards the Civic Offices.

Ahh ****, I should have trusted my instincts.....some of my friends live there and said it was grand, never had a problem. Where are the civic offices?

Fajitas!

I'm in college in Thomas St, and have seen it at all hours. Fair enough there's dodgy goings on, but keep yourself to yourself, and your wits about you. Don't head down side alleys. Don't stop to talk to people you don't know...Or even consider doing so. Most of the junkies stick to the alleys, and whenever I've seen hassle, there's been Gardai there pretty fast.

That said. Thomas st. alone wil open your eyes. I've seen mothers keeping drugs in their babies mouths, and many a splatter of blood on the walls.

Yep, they're openly shooting up too. One of the most horrible things ever. One of our studios is in Johns Lane, right beside the needle exchange, and they do it without a bother.

That said, they generally don't bother us students. As one of my tutors who uses the studio a fair bit says "you don't bother them, they don't bother you", though I'm not sure how far that generousity reaches...

(And if you REALLY hate living there...and want to move out, PM me! I can't get any place to live up there! )

Wait, Thomas St is the one up from the cathedral isn't it, where the Brewery is? Are there not loads of tourists wandering around there?

UU

Right_Side wrote:

OP: Avoid Christchurch big time. Junkies etc. Scumbags. Lots of random "gay-bashing"... not saying your gay but just highlights the point that Christchurch isn't a safe place.

Yeah you're right about the "gay bashing" thing! A friend of mine who is also gay got cornered by a scumbag armed with a broken bottle. He got cut on the arm but escaped - he was so lucky!

Christchurch can be quite a dodgy area. As already explained, there exists a lot of council housing and a drugs clinics and social problems. Personally, I would not live there! I've lived in rough areas in the past and the feeling of dread, fear, anxiety walking down the road was too much to bear. I used to get stuff thrown at me (not just dark words) because I was not like them. My parents eventually moved to a nicer area where I no longer have to live in fear and take a roundabout route to places.

OP, if you do intend to live in that area, I hope you get nice accomodation in one of the less dangerous parts of the area. Remember, to keep your head down, have any valuables hidden, ignore anyone who says something to you and run in the case of danger (oh, and keep your mobile on in case of emergency).

Good Luck!

muckwarrior

I've lived in Christchurch for the past 3 1/2 years and never had the slightest bit of bother. If your gonna live in the city centre then your gonna have to contend with scumbags, no matter what area it is. Christchurch is no better or worse than anywhere else in my experience.

I'll be living off Clanbrassil St, the top part, going onto New St. I'm feeling really pissed off because the last thing I want is to worry every time I go home. Stupid accommodation office not giving me a room while people from fecking Kildare are getting them. :mad: :rolleyes: Oh well, I'm the waiting list, what more can I do but keep the fingers crossed.

So is the worst of it up around the CC cathedral? Like I said I'll be further south on Clanbrassil St, towards Harold's Cross (which is where I stupidly thought the house was) and I could walk from Harcourt St across instead of up Dame St and by the cathedral if it's safer. UU, the area didn't seem dodgy when I viewed the house, seems a nice enough road and didn't give me any reason to think it was dangerous. I actually walked through Christchurch many times last year to my mate's house and never had a problem, I just had a funny feeling about the area, around St Pats cathedral and The Coombe. The roads of private houses seemed grand. It's hard to know when you haven't seen it at night really. Does anybody live in this area and knows an OK route to take by day and night?

Crash

So is your place up south circular road end of Dublin 8 or whereabouts?

I just had to check on this map

http://www.foundmark.com/Ireland/Dublin/Dublin.jpg

it's at the top end of Clanbrassil St/bottom of New Street. When I went to see it I went from Harold's Cross, hence not realising how close to town it really is.

Crash

Ah i think I have it figured as to where you are. IIRC thats a much better part of Dublin 8 than christchurch direction - granted some of the areas in that square around camden st./south circular around clanbrassil st. etc. arent great, but they're about a million times better than anything further north. you should be fine as long as you don't do something terrifically stupid. (like streak, or punch junkies, yeh know, the usual.)

Best way to get home from college there, btw, is to walk up along aungier st. probably. or if you dont like aungier st., saunter up along harcourt st. and skip down montague st. its the best turnoff, especially seeing as after that you're talking about that little arched laneway between harcourt and camden, which always makes me feel dodgy at 2am on my own

What arched laneway is that? Thanks for the tip! So Montague St is OK? And then Camden Row, Long Lane? It would be a quickish route into college if I used those roads then went down Dawson St to college.

Sawa

Johnny Swift Rodeo wrote:

I just had a funny feeling about the area, around St Pats cathedral and The Coombe./QUOTE]
You could walk down Kevin's Street which is grand during the day and also at night as there is a Garda station nearby.
Patrick's St is grand, lovely pub there just opened on the corner, lots of students around because of D.I.T at the end of Kevin Street, you'll be fine!
You won't have to go near Thomas St or Christchurch at all. I'm down there nearly every day and it's fine, really just keep your head up and don't look at people and don't stroll along, walk briskly.

muckwarrior

Jesus christ, I can't believe the paranoia of some people here! Do ye really spend your life planning the safest route to take somewhere for fear you might bump into a dreaded scumbag?

Well, around Dublin in the last few months I've been randomly punched by a guy in Dame Street, racially harrassed and followed, and that was all around the centre in broad daylight with people around so forgive me if I'm a little wary of wanting to walk home through the least dodgy roads. I've only lived in Rathmines before which is a nicer area than most so I've never had to think about which way to walk.

Thanks for the tip Sawa.

muckwarrior

Sorry to hear that, but like I said, nowhere near the city centre is scumbag free. If it's any consolation Clonbrassil street is fairly quiet, much more so than nearer Christchurch.