O'Connell Street

Killer Wench

O'Connell Street

Before moving here, most Americans who I talked to about Dublin and Ireland, always referred to O'Connell Street. I think they conjure up images of it from old postcards and see the bridges and iconic buildings in movies and tv shows. Prior to moving here, I thought it was the street to visit when in Dublin. It seemed to be the center of all of the action for the area.

Now that I live here, I just want to write home and tell people to avoid it at all costs. I honestly wonder if many tourists envision O'Connell Street as being one of the safest, well-walked areas of town. I imagine a few of them have gottena rude awakening over the last few days.

On Saturday, I was leaving Henry Street to walk down O'Connell St. when I look towards the Spire and see two men fighting. They are going at it and one is attempting to throw the other into traffic. Their buddies are jumping in and trying to break them apart, but I didn't see one po-po in the area. This was probably about 2pm in the afternoon and I remember looking up to see the reaction of shoppers and sightseers. So many surprised faces.

Today, about 7:30, I am once again leaving Henry Street when I see a young dude walking ahead of me. He's not wearing a shirt and he's walking with another guy and a girl. He's punching signs, kicking cans, and making obvious signs of aggression. As an Asian guy walks by, he punches the wall in front of him. He then picks up a garbage bag and throws it into a window. The bag just bounces off. The next thing I know, this guy walks
up to another dude hanging out on the corner and proceeds to kick him in the face. The other guy falls back stunned and one of his pals goes after shirtless dude. I look around and see a group of tourists walking out from somewhere stop and gape. People were scurrying out of the way not sure what was happening.

Luckily, the po-po were just around the bend, and as I walked away I heard, "son, please come here". Just the tone of their voice made me think that they were probably going to give the guy a verbal warning and send him on his merry way.

So, has O'Connell St. always been a bit rough or has this developed in the last few years? Is there a campaign to make this area more touristy? Does it need to be?

phasers

Killer Wench wrote: »

So, has O'Connell St. always been a bit rough or has this developed in the last few years? Is there a campaign to make this area more touristy? Does it need to be?

Yep, there's always been a load of fights there, even property damage.

Some gimp managed to put bullet holes in the GPO, proper rough it is

El Weirdo

Killer Wench wrote: »

The next thing I know, this guy walks up to another dude hanging out on the corner and proceeds to kick him in the face.

Face Kicker?!

red menace

It had a bit of a a bad reputation for a while in 1916

Phasers - snap!

Colmo52

1916

Zebra3

Killer Wench wrote: »

O'Connell Street

Before moving here, most Americans who I talked to about Dublin and Ireland, always referred to O'Connell Street.

1916 and all that.

easyeason3

I think Irelands best kept secret is where Shergar is buried?

Hootanany

What a Po Po

pipelaser

Its close proximity to some dog rough areas means that I would avoid it by night(and St. Patricks day).

El Weirdo

Hootanany wrote: »

What a Po Po

5-0

Killer Wench

Touche on 1916. But, I should clarify that I mean since the tourist industry boom of the last few decades or has this area become rough since the mid 2000s?

Po-Po = Police

iMax

I agree with you 100%. There is a general scumminess in the area which shouldn't be present.

A lot of the problem is the inhabitants of the area. They're out & out scum. They know exactly what they can get away with & push it to the limits. Another part of the problem is the legal system has become too lax & these guys know it. They know AGS most probably aren't going to challenge them if they're digging into another of their ilk & even if they do (& it gets to court), their legal aid will plead impoverished circumstances forcing them into the situation they're in.

We need some tough policing & legal follow up through the courts. One of the simplest, least expensive (& ironically money saving) punishment would be withholding of social welfare benefits, not just dole, allowances too. Hit them in the only place they'll feel it. Cut off their benefits for increasing amounts of time with each offence & eventually cut it off altogether if they persist.

O'Connell Street, always had a certain charm to it. I wouldn't be caught in it after dark now though.

amacachi

Any time I'm walking down O'Connell St. in the evening I'm terrified I'm going to hear the words "Omar comin' y'all" again.

CrackisWhack

It never seemed to be too rough a spot in the 80's? or maybe that was me just being oblivious as a child, Its junkie central at the moment along with the quays and Talbot st. I think in the late 90's the whole north inner city got far rougher.

gigino

O'Connel street was much nicer when it was known as Sackville Streeet.

It really started going downhill after they blew down Nelsons column, which was of historic and architectural significance. By replacing it with the big heroin needle in the sky, it has attracted ...

sock puppet

iMax wrote: »

O'Connell Street, always had a certain charm to it. I wouldn't be caught in it after dark now though.

That said the two incidents described in the OP happened during daylight which in my experience would be quite rare. Always seems to be a few gardai around too.

wow sierra

WOW - Top prize for inappropriate name for thread. Thought this was going to be a nice positive thread about nice quaint restaurants in Borrisakane or waterfalls in Armagh:rolleyes::rolleyes:

O'Connell street is ok by the way and if people mention it as a tourist attraction it would be for the GPO and the monuments, etc - not as a night time venue anyway. I don't find it threatening even late at night to be honest, mabye I am just used to it.

Latchy

phasers wrote: »

Yep, there's always been a load of fights there, even property damage.

Some gimp managed to put bullet holes in the GPO, proper rough it is

Ahh...memories sniff ( wipes tears from eyes )

easyeason3 wrote: »

I think Irelands best kept secret is where Shergar is buried?

psst .....Craggy Island :cool:

alexa5x5

Yet another thinly veiled ‘Dublin vs. rest of Ireland’ thread :rolleyes:

Killer Wench

Well, I wrote the title as a foreigner who remembers associating O'Connell St with Ireland. And, many tourists do make it out to O'Connell St with the Dublin City Bus having offices and a tourist center located on it. Many day tours and regional tours begin at O'Connell St and most airport shuttles pick up and drop off here. So, it is a big part of the tourist industry in that sense. I can change the title to Dublin's best kept secret, if you prefer?

Pauleta

alexa5x5 wrote: »

Yet another thinly veiled ‘Dublin vs. rest of Ireland’ thread :rolleyes:

Im from Dublin and dont feel like that. Something really needs to be done about Dublin City centre. The places around O'Connell street and some other places in the city centre needs to be zoned as a tourist friendly area. Anybody with violent or anti social criminal records would be banned from the area and anybody who looks anti-social would be removed from the area without the Garda needing any reason. Dublin City centre is a pricelss comodity but is ruined by anti-social behaviour.

sock puppet

wow sierra wrote: »

O'Connell street is ok by the way and if people mention it as a tourist attraction it would be for the GPO and the monuments, etc - not as a night time venue anyway. I don't find it threatening even late at night to be honest, mabye I am just used to it.

Yep. Used to do deliveries on foot through town and while the scenery around Grafton Street may be nicer I've never felt in any way unsafe on O'Connell Street.

red menace

Pauleta wrote: »

Im from Dublin and dont feel like that. Something really needs to be done about Dublin City centre. The places around O'Connell street and some other places in the city centre needs to be zoned as a tourist friendly area. Anybody with violent or anti social criminal records would be banned from the area and anybody who looks anti-social would be removed from the area without the Garda needing any reason. Dublin City centre is a pricelss comodity but is ruined by anti-social behaviour.

Wow I better dress well so.
That's pure police state stuff.
Better get rid of those unsightly poor people also in case they offend gentle sensibilities.
How about just increasing Garda presence and visibility in the area

alexa5x5

Pauleta wrote: »

Im from Dublin and dont feel like that. Something really needs to be done about Dublin City centre. The places around O'Connell street and some other places in the city centre needs to be zoned as a tourist friendly area. Anybody with violent or anti social criminal records would be banned from the area and anybody who looks anti-social would be removed from the area without the Garda needing any reason. Dublin City centre is a pricelss comodity but is ruined by anti-social behaviour.

In not saying O'Connell street/Parnell street aren't $hit hole's over run with scum, but it just seems that every couple of days there is yet another Dublin bashing thread, its getting old.

El Weirdo

Pauleta wrote: »

Im from Dublin and dont feel like that. Something really needs to be done about Dublin City centre. The places around O'Connell street and some other places in the city centre needs to be zoned as a tourist friendly area. Anybody with violent or anti social criminal records would be banned from the area and anybody who looks anti-social would be removed from the area without the Garda needing any reason. Dublin City centre is a pricelss comodity but is ruined by anti-social behaviour.

How would that work, exactly?

pragmatic1

alexa5x5 wrote: »

In not saying O'Connell street/Parnell street aren't $hit hole's over run with scum, but it just seems that every couple of days there is yet another Dublin bashing thread, its getting old.

Dont think this was intended as a Dublin bashing thread. Just something that many of us have observed. Something that isnt doing us any favours when it comes to tourism and business.

strobe

Hootanany wrote: »

What a Po Po

He means the shades boi!

Latchy

Increasing Garda presence and visibility in the area might go some way to easing any fears there may be from both locals and tourists alike . I think it's needed to be honest .

davetherave

I could tell you what the best kept secret is, but then I'd have to kill you

BengaLover

Irelands best kept secret is where the Irish crown jewels went..I reckon someone out there knows...;)

Hail 2 Da Thief

Never found O'Connell St unsafe tbh. There's always going to be the odd scumbag here or there when your in a big city.

I notice your from Seattle. Do you think downtown Seattle is safer than Dublin city centre? Because from my (limited) experience I certainly don't!

n900guy

CrackisWhack wrote: »

It never seemed to be too rough a spot in the 80's? or maybe that was me just being oblivious as a child, Its junkie central at the moment along with the quays and Talbot st. I think in the late 90's the whole north inner city got far rougher.

That's exactly what it was in the 1980s. Dublin, for most of it's more recent history, has been a heroin-infested dump stuck with Victorian-era administrative attitudes. The past 10-15 years are an exception, and it is returning to it's more traditional ways.

Pauleta

El Weirdo wrote: »

How would that work, exactly?

Stuff like people that look like heroin addicts, roma gypsies, homeless people, walking around topless, excessively loud people and large gangs of young people. The type of people that when you walk up a street, you would be on guard. Maybe even if a tourist police was set up it could do some sort of job or at least make tourists feel safer. We all know if you go to a City and have one incident it would tarnish a holiday and you probably wouldnt go back again. Added to that you would tell all your family and friends and they wont want to go to that place either.

Dravokivich

Scumbags fight on a street full of scumbags.

That's it?

sock puppet

Pauleta wrote: »

Stuff like people that look like heroin addicts, roma gypsies, homeless people, walking around topless, excessively loud people and large gangs of young people. The type of people that when you walk up a street, you would be on guard.

Maybe if you're the world's biggest pansy.

m@cc@

Killer Wench wrote: »

I honestly wonder if many tourists envision O'Connell Street as being one of the safest, well-walked areas of town. I imagine a few of them have gottena rude awakening over the last few days.

O Connell St, safe? No wonder yous took so long to find Osama.

Surely it's a basic thing to research the place you're going before you go there?

Killer Wench

Hail 2 Da Thief wrote: »

Never found O'Connell St unsafe tbh. There's always going to be the odd scumbag here or there when your in a big city.

I notice your from Seattle. Do you think downtown Seattle is safer than Dublin city centre? Because from my (limited) experience I certainly don't!

No, I don't think downtown Seattle is safer than Dublin city centre, but the USA also has a huge gun and gang problem that really isn't associated with the people friendly Ireland. I remember a few years ago, there were a string of drive by shootings near 3rd and Pike and 3rd and Pine which are only a block or two away from the famous Pike Street Market. Saying that, if you make your way towards the Space Needle, that area has been really cleaned up in the last few years and it was safe to walk the streets. Pioneer Square... eh, not so much.

Larianne

Hail 2 Da Thief wrote: »

Never found O'Connell St unsafe tbh. There's always going to be the odd scumbag here or there when your in a big city.

Thought that myself but I've been in the city centre at 7.30pm twice recently and there was frickin loads of junkies hanging around the junction of North Earl Street and O'Connell Street. Looked like someone had just dumped them all there from somewhere.

Between the junkies/drunks, Roma Gypsies and Chuggers, O'Connell Street is a pain in the ass to walk down these days.

flahavaj

I'm always on my guard on O' Connell Street. In fairness there is always a strong Garda presence even if they are just leaning against the GPO doing nothing but I'm always wary of the scumbags that seem to throng around the Spire and the Easons side of the street in particular.

El Weirdo

Pauleta wrote: »

Stuff like people that look like heroin addicts, roma gypsies, homeless people, walking around topless, excessively loud people and large gangs of young people. The type of people that when you walk up a street, you would be on guard. Maybe even if a tourist police was set up it could do some sort of job or at least make tourists feel safer. We all know if you go to a City and have one incident it would tarnish a holiday and you probably wouldnt go back again. Added to that you would tell all your family and friends and they wont want to go to that place either.

So what do heroin addicts, Roma Gypsies and homeless people look like then?

Killer Wench

flahavaj wrote: »

I'm always on my guard on O' Connell Street. In fairness there is always a strong Garda presence even if they are just leaning against the GPO doing nothing but I'm always wary of the scumbags that seem to throng around the Spire and the Easons side of the street in particular.

That's the area that I notice most. I know the spire is used by many tourists and locals as a meeting place, too.

Turtyturd

El Weirdo wrote: »

So what do heroin addicts, Roma Gypsies and homeless people look like then?

People with gold teeth and no teeth.

mikemac

My own little shopbox

The drug treatment centres are in the city centre. Amiens St, Merchant Quay, Marlborough St and others

Why can't there be one top class centre down by the port?
There are few shops down there and it's an industrial area so few residents in certain areas.

Before you say the poor disadvantaged citizens can't get there, the Luas runs most of way and there is a bus service. If needs be, the HSE can pay for a taxi, it's not far.
The Luas extension has realy made it accessible.

I'm not saying out of sight, out of mind

But walking around Marlborough St and Talbot St is like walking with zombies at times. Right in the city centre by the tourists. And it's the rate paying businesses that keep the council going.

So away to the port area with all this and one top class clinic to give good service. Centralize it all instead of clinics dotted around the place

I definitely think the northside city centre in general could do with more of a garda presence. It's pretty normal to see gardai walking around Grafton St. on a sunny day, but less common on the parnell end of O Connell St. at night. Bit ridiculous IMO. The stretch of path where the bus stops are should definitely be made to feel safer for people having to wait for buses.

However, as much as tourism is extremely important to us, it seems strange that the immediate worry would be about how tourists will see us rather than people who have to wait for buses there every night after work... They'd be my first priority. Although that said, I've walked through that part of the street many times as a teenage girl at night(and I'm only 20 now so it wasn't long ago) and never had any trouble, so maybe it is the look of it that we should be tackling.

I think the suggestion of removing anyone who doesn't look clean+home-owning+settled-home-owning+conservatively-dressed+quiet and also removing anyone who is young and with their mates is ten times as ridiculous as the current situation. If anyone not fitting that bill makes you "on guard", I'd say the problem is more yours than theirs. The place just needs more attention from the gardai.

Also, I still can't get over "po-po"...

wild_cat

There was an article in the indo about this kind of topic a while ago. I'm too lazy to google for it.

Pauleta

El Weirdo wrote: »

So what do heroin addicts, Roma Gypsies and homeless people look like then?

Dont play stupid, you can spot them a mile away.

jesus_thats_gre

Complete and utter dump. So many bad experiences on that street. Saw two girls attack another girl the other day - first time being on the street for 6 months.

wow sierra

Killer Wench wrote: »

No, I don't think downtown Seattle is safer than Dublin city centre, but the USA also has a huge gun and gang problem that really isn't associated with the people friendly Ireland.[/QUOTE]

Yeah we are friendly, yeah Dublin city centre is relatively safe as cities go despite the fact that our junkies are fairly visible aroung town and not hidden away, but I have to let you know that we do have a gun and gang problem here too unfortunately - sure Paul Williams has been making a great living glorifying them for the last 15 years:rolleyes:( - sorry I know different thread).

Teyla Emmagan

O'Connell St is such a hole. I've worked in a couple of places down there and always hated leaving work late or in the winter. I saw a gang of lads pick up a girl of about 11 and throw her into shop shutters a couple of years ago, just for the laugh. She was scared witless and totally unknown to them. And there's always gangs and junkies, drunks and thieves walking up and down the street. It's the one thing I hate about going to the Gate - you come out at 10pm and it's like navigating Armageddon to get to the bus stop.

mikemac

Where is the Gate in Dublin?
Genuinely asking here

El Weirdo

Pauleta wrote: »

Dont play stupid, you can spot them a mile away.

So you are suggesting that we should ban people from certain areas because of the way that they look?

Brilliant. What about the ones that don't conform to your stereotype? I'm sure plenty of scumbags wear suits.