Student Safety

L.Jenkins

I just want to point out the safety on a night out is paramount. I just read the story of an AIT student recovering in hospital after an altercation during the last week or two.

http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2010/10/07/4000653-student-recovering-in-hospital-after-willow-park-altercation/

So ye know yourselves, watch out for each other and avoid the dodgey looking crowds around the college at night. Trust me, there's plenty of them about.

angelxx

I know someone who was attacked last night while walking with a female friend, He is currently in hospital. Apparently they were attacked by a number of people perhaps it's related. We all have to be extra careful there are a lot of rough crowds hanging around.

L.Jenkins

Seriously, I love AIT, but willow is a shít hole! Not a place for students who concern themselves with personal safety.

cherryghost

angelxx wrote: »

I know someone who was attacked last night while walking with a female friend, He is currently in hospital. Apparently they were attacked by a number of people perhaps it's related. We all have to be extra careful there are a lot of rough crowds hanging around.

Sorry to hear! Haven't heard anything myself. Normally wouldn't hear stuff about this but seems it's happening this year

Conor_M1990

Seems to be bad this year

L.Jenkins

I don't know if anyone from the students union is on boards, but they should organise something in regard to personal safety and the area surrounding AIT. I think there is numbers for the Gardai in the general info thread. If not, there should be.

uSmellLikeSoup

athlone is a town rife with crime, people get attacked every weekend and just because you feel like you should be able to walk the streets at night, doesnt mean you actually should. seriously. there are bad people out there that just go looking for a fight. arrange lifts, get buses, even splash out on a taxi if you need to, but just dont walk. its not safe.

teaholic

uSmellLikeSoup wrote: »

athlone is a town rife with crime, people get attacked every weekend and just because you feel like you should be able to walk the streets at night, doesnt mean you actually should. seriously. there are bad people out there that just go looking for a fight. arrange lifts, get buses, even splash out on a taxi if you need to, but just dont walk. its not safe.

I don't think this is a fair assessment of the town. I have been living here for 6 years and I havent heard of people being attacked "every weekend". Yes here are scraps etc outside nightclubs at night but that is rampant in every town in Ireland where there is alcohol. Yes there are people out looking for a fight but again that is in every other town in the country.

The worst ones I heard about were the ones in Bonavalley and that hasnt happened in a couple of years. It really comes down to common sense and personal safety. The union used to sell personal alarms, not sure if they still do though. Don't go anywhere on your own, always have someone with you, where this is not feasable let some one know where you are going, when you will be arriving and let them know you arrived safely.
Myself and my friends have been doing this for years and we are all fine, none of us have been jumped on etc.

uSmellLikeSoup

I've lived here all my life. In my work, I have cause to be in contact with both social services and the gardai in Athlone. Seriously, there are a lot more attacks than what are reported.

I would like to tell you an example without giving away too much info.

In my workplace, in October alone, two members of staff have been attacked in the town. Stupidly, neither reported it.

Eg 1. A male in their mid twenties went to Burgess Park after a night out. He was sitting by a river (probably drinking, sleeping, etc) and was robbed by 5 youths (estimated age 12-16) with knives. They took his phone and wallet.

Eg 2. Another male, late twenties. Walking in the Coosan area (which is supposed to be a pretty nice area) was 'jumped' (his description!) by a gang of 5 or 6 people. Beaten up, he had a broken rib, bruised ribs, a black eye and some scratches. Nothing stolen - he didnt actually have anything on him of value because he was going to his girlfriends house. Again, not reported.

A lot of people are embarrassed when the likes of this happens to them. Stupid, yes. But it doesnt allow for accurate reporting of incidents.

I'm sure this happens in every single town in Ireland, but I live in Athlone, so I can only talk about this place. Not trying to put the town down at all, I actually love living here, but I wouldnt walk after dark anywhere in it.

cherryghost

If that's the case, this town is full of idiots then.

I happen to know two of the Gardai that work full time at the station. Athlone is one of the quietest towns in Ireland in relation to crime. I'm not arguing that nothing ever happens in the town, but in comparison to similar sized towns, Athlone has one of the lowest crime rates in the country

teaholic

The two incidents you described where two people on their own. Why would someone drink/sleep in a park when there are when there are plenty of pubs or houses for them to drink in or sleep in? The second incident gives the impression the man was from the area seeing as he was walking there, in which case he would know or have some idea of the behaviour of the youths in the area, know who is responsible and have reported the matter.
As i previously pointed out i have lived here for 6 years. I have a large group of friends that live in the town for as long as i have and some are from Athlone and not one of us has been attacked, jumped or set upon or gotton into any trouble with anyone.

BoB_BoT

I too have lived here all my life and haven't seen a fraction of what you're describing uSmellLikeSoup. I find it very hard to believe that someone had their rib(s) broken and didn't report it to the Gardai. If it is the case, they just let a crowd of 5/6 people get away with gbh to do it again.

I used to walk around the town a lot a few years ago (before I got lazy with having a car), walking around at all hours of the day and night and never encountered this. Maybe I'm just very lucky, but saying the town is rife with crime is a bit much.

There will always be aggressive drunks, rowdy / violent kids and outright scumbags no matter where you go (not that I'm saying we should accept this).

vinamax

uSmellLikeSoup must work for the tourism board...


I have lived here for four years. Most of my friends are locals from areas mentioned previously in this thread. None of us ever had any trouble, hassle or other bad experiences that weren't a result of too much drink and bad tempers.

The worst thing that happened to me? An Asian guy asked me to get into his car one night when I was walking to Charlie Browns, just where the City Cabs office is. I declined and walked on.


I have walked over Bonavalley bridge alone at night and early in the morning and had nobody even look at me crossways. I avoid the back of Willow and the entry to Kilmacoolane, AKA Rape Lane, and don't go near Burgess Park alone at night BECAUSE I HAVE A BRAIN.