Is Modern Dublin Rough?

JordanG990

Right so I know there have been threads like this in the past but the answers were from a few years ago so I'd just like to get peoples opinions on it now.

Where in Dublin do you think is the roughest, now. Many people have talked about Ballymun, Sheriff Street etc as being among the roughest back in the 80's but as most Dublin people will know, they're not as bad anymore.

Now when I say 'rough' I don't mean young fella's on street corners, sure you get that nearly everywhere. I'm talking about high crime levels, vandalism, burglaries etc.

I'd rather hear from people who have lived in these places as 'passing by' doesn't really give a good idea of what they're like.

I've lived in a lot of places around the city, Bridgefoot Street, Oliver Bond, O Devany Gardens, Dorset Street and Basin Street.

In my opinion, Bridgefoot Street had a high level of drug use back when the flats were there but right across the road in Oliver Bond seemed much worse. When I moved to O Devany Gardens it also had a lot of drugs as well as burglaries, vandalism etc, but out of all of them, the area surrounding Basin Street in Dublin 8 seemed the worst, from Thomas Street onward was quite a rough area.

I can't comment on Summerhill, Buckingham Street, Tallaght, as I've only ever been around there a few times but places such as Dolphins Barn, Darndale, Finglas and Ballymun seemed to have quietened down in recent years.

Any opinions are appreciated and I do not mean to cause offense to anyone living in these areas, everywhere has good and bad

rollup

Im scared to go near templebar, i have been verbally abused to many times after refusing to buy "c*caine" or not giving somebody money for "the hospital" as if, thats just my opinion but i would consider templebar "rough"

Sunnyisland

Ballyfermot, never seems to have quitened down.

carlmango11

rollup wrote: »

Im scared to go near templebar, i have been verbally abused to many times after refusing to buy "c*caine"

This is not a common occurrence.

Lux23

It's never happened to me.

hfallada

I think unfortunately the government doesn't care about the state of Dublin city. It's a good city, that could be great. It kills me to see all the drug users all over the place and particularly in tourist areas. This is due to poor planning. Like having all homeless centres, soup kitchens and drug services in the city center.

I think there is very few unsafe areas in Dublin city anymore. You can walk home late at night to the suburbs with no problem. Although I wouldn't live in most of Dublin 1/7. I think if the drug problem was trackled it would be a safer city. Most problems are drug related.

Lux23

The vast majority of those people aren't dangerous though, they are just a nuisance.

Dravokivich

Ive been assaulted twice, but dont consider dublin itself to be particularly rough. Its just the nosiest crowd draws the most attention. Happens everywhere.

languagenerd

I don't know if "rough" is the right word... there are certainly a huge amount of junkies and aggressive skangers around Dublin 1 and Dublin 7 in particular, but for the most part, they're more of a nuisance than a violent crowd. I find them a bit intimidating, but 99 times out of 100, they're easy to side-step and avoid. Though maybe I'm just immune to it having studied and worked in the city centre every day for the last five years. I hate the Red-Line Luas with a passion though.

You mentioned Tallaght in the OP: it isn't as bad as it's usually portrayed to be. The place name "Tallaght" is used to refer to a huge area, most of which is fine. There are a couple of dodgy estates within that area, but there are many nice and normal estates too that tend to get lumped in with the bad ones, despite being miles away. I live in one part of Tallaght and the places always mentioned in the news aren't even in walking distance from my house...

cson

Lux23 wrote: »

The vast majority of those people aren't dangerous though, they are just a nuisance.

True, but I don't think anyone can deny that there's an edge to the OCS/Talbot St area.

I work around the IFSC so I'm around the City Centre a good bit and personally I haven't felt threatened anywhere in the City but I do feel more comfortable around the Graton St/SSG area. Can't explain it as I'd consider myself a Northsider at this stage but I'd tend to relax more on the Southside.

Hootanany

hfallada wrote: »

I think unfortunately the government doesn't care about the state of Dublin city. It's a good city, that could be great. It kills me to see all the drug users all over the place and particularly in tourist areas. This is due to poor planning. Like having all homeless centres, soup kitchens and drug services in the city center.

I think there is very few unsafe areas in Dublin city anymore. You can walk home late at night to the suburbs with no problem. Although I wouldn't live in most of Dublin 1/7. I think if the drug problem was trackled it would be a safer city. Most problems are drug related.

Where in D7?

dd972

Lived in the North Inner City and Finglas and hated them both, I think when people are describing 'tough' areas it's not the case as imagined that you need to be Chuck Norris or Mike Tyson to live in them, they're tough in the sense that living in them is a depressing f**king drag.

Tadgh1087

carlmango11 wrote: »

This is not a common occurrence.

Agree. If you feel scared then everything looks like a threat.

Marty McFly

rollup wrote: »

Im scared to go near templebar, i have been verbally abused to many times after refusing to buy "c*caine" or not giving somebody money for "the hospital" as if, thats just my opinion but i would consider templebar "rough"

I wouldn't consider it rough don't think I have ever been offered cocaine openly in templebar as for the people begging there a nuisance nothing more and if they do become to much of a nuisance usually a firm **** off sends them on there way.

hfallada wrote: »

I think unfortunately the government doesn't care about the state of Dublin city. It's a good city, that could be great. It kills me to see all the drug users all over the place and particularly in tourist areas. This is due to poor planning. Like having all homeless centres, soup kitchens and drug services in the city center.

Dublin is no worse than any other majorl city in world and a lot safer than a lot. Truth be known majority of people will go every day without experiencing anything or seeing anything happen. Keeping your wits about you and not being naive often helps prevent these things from happening. Sadly tourists often fall foul in every major city because they are easy targets unsure of there surroundings, naive etc.


As for having homeless centers, soup kitchens and drug services in the city center were would you suggest they put them? Of coarse there going to be put were the most badly needed which is the city center. Sure we just round them up and put them in a camp down the country so no one has to see such travesty and we can pretend this side of the world doesn't exist .

Lux23

Hootanany wrote: »

Where in D7?

I suppose Stoneybatter, Smithfield and parts of Phibsboro.

Tombi!

I dunno about high crime areas but it's not exactly rough to me.
There's a few places that I can think of that people think are "rough" but it's not really bad.
It's more of the fact that groups of skangers (read: skangers, not city people) have a sort of natural manner of just detecting fear and preying on it.

Obviously I wouldn't go wandering around places where I know there'll be large groups of them but for the most part day time isn't really rough to me. Dunno about high crime areas, really. As in proper crime and not a handful of people drinking on the street at 2am

superelliptic

rollup wrote: »

Im scared to go near templebar, i have been verbally abused to many times after refusing to buy "c*caine" or not giving somebody money for "the hospital" as if, thats just my opinion but i would consider templebar "rough"

When has this happened? recently? Templebar has been grand any time I've ever been there. Its a bit different alright with rep's hanging around outsite the resteraunts/pubs trying to pull the punters inside and all but I'v never had hassle around TB at all. Who are you talking to down there??? :pac:

As for myself, I'd say fairview at night can be a bit dodgy, and around amien street/5 lamps/Sherrif Street area the same but all in all, even these places are not so much dangerous as just run down and depressing.

Ole Rodrigo

I've been living in Dublin 1 for the past 10 years. I would agree it is not a rough place in the sense of being physically threatening, I've never had any problem with the local skangers and junkies nor have i witnessed them threaten anyone but each other. During this time, although I have learned about the history of inner city Dublin and gained some understanding of the way poverty and unemployment can take generations to correct itself, my empathy for some of those less fortunate than myself has been strongly tested. The attitude of junkies and skangers would wear down the most cheerful and tolerant of us and I wish to God somebody in Social Services or the HSE could do something about it. Its an indictment that modern Ireland has an underclass beyond any meaningful sort of help. So I would agree that parts of Dublin are rough in the sense that they are bleak and depressing, for a variety of reasons, but not violent. Terrible planning is just one of them. Many parts of Dublin look awful on a wet day anyway. Bleak misery is part of its character.

jimmii

I've lived in London and Edinburgh as well as Dublin and Dublin definitely has the roughest feel on the street but I don't think its any more dangerous.

This week I did have a guy try to rob my shop with an imitation gun (I think it was imitation anyway!) and a hammer but that stuff happens everywhere the odd time. He knew there were Gardai on the street when he did it too which was pretty mad.

maximoose

Lux23 wrote: »

I suppose Stoneybatter, Smithfield and parts of Phibsboro.

I've lived in a few houses in D7 for the last 6 years - Arbour Hill, Prussia Street, Blackhorse Ave, Phibsboro and now just off the NCR by the Park.

D7 is a cracking area.

Lawrence1895

Cycling past Christchurch Square/Cornmarket or Dorset Street (the council flats) after nightfall is no joy at all :mad:

SimonQuinlank

It's all subjective I suppose.I lived in St.Michaels Estate in Inchicore in the mid 90's during the heroin boom and didn't think it was rough,just very depressing seeing used needles,human waste and kids playing,all in the same area.The attitude of most of the people living there,and of the Gardai and health board who were tasked with trying to sort things out was just one of apathy.

Same with areas in Neilstown and Fettercairn in Tallaght back then,and the stuff that you see on Marlborough and Talbot St in town these days.

JordanG990

Have to say, I was out in Basin Street the other day, I always knew the place was a bit run down and had a big drug problem as I used to live there but seems to have just gone downhill recently.

Now, junkies and young fella's hanging around flats is a common occurrence in a lot of council flats around Dublin but I think Basin Street took the biscuit when I walked down and was greeted by a fella and his bird slumped against the wall (clearly out of their heads) with children playing around them, no older than nine or ten and not batting an eyelid.

There were two grown men roaring abuse at each from the balconies of they're flats while there children were looking on.

Another group of lads were drinking at the bottom of a stairwell and were eyeballing and making comments to a lot of people who walked past them.

I do honestly be embarrassed to tell people I am from that area but on the other hand, I would not like for people around there not to know me when I'm there as I would feel very uneasy and quite frankly, scared

Lux23

maximoose wrote: »

I've lived in a few houses in D7 for the last 6 years - Arbour Hill, Prussia Street, Blackhorse Ave, Phibsboro and now just off the NCR by the Park.

D7 is a cracking area.

I live in Stoneybatter and wouldn't describe it as rough, but some people see a dodgy looking character and nearly wet themselves with fear.

WoollyRedHat

I had a zombie jump out of me near Abbey street and shouted Braiiiins in my face. Except replace zombie with junke and brains wih skins.
In any case I was taken aback.

It's rough looking.

Seaneh

I don't think Dublin is dangerous but parts of the city are as rough as a bears arse.

The amount of Junkies Per Square Meter (JPSM :pac:) from Amiens street to Stonybatter is ridiculous, especially along the luas line. Just little gurriers all over the place getting in people faces and being annoying little toerags in general. I can see why some people would find it intimidating but I've never felt unsafe.

Dublin in general is just an ugly, dreary city in general and the JSPM ratio doesn't help matters much.

Big Nasty

Junkies are not pleasant to see and it's pretty embarrassing to see our capital's main street littered with them but for the most part junkies are too fvcked up to do you any harm. It's the tracksuit wearing, knife toting scroates I would be more wary of.

username123

Marty McFly wrote: »

Dublin is no worse than any other majorl city in world and a lot safer than a lot.

Having been in a number of major cities throughout the world I think that Dublin has a disgracefully high number of junkies/scrotes and a low police presence. Sure, there are scum in all major cities but Dublin has them unpoliced along the main tourist thoroughfares. There is quite a bit of intimidating threatening begging also. I don't disagree that it's probably safer than a lot of places but the junkie count is depressingly high and has been increasing in recent years IMO.

I have not experienced such high junkie levels along the main tourist spots elsewhere tbh.

Big Nasty

username123 wrote: »

Having been in a number of major cities throughout the world I think that Dublin has a disgracefully high number of junkies/scrotes and a low police presence. Sure, there are scum in all major cities but Dublin has them unpoliced along the main tourist thoroughfares. There is quite a bit of intimidating threatening begging also. I don't disagree that it's probably safer than a lot of places but the junkie count is depressingly high and has been increasing in recent years IMO.

I have not experienced such high junkie levels along the main tourist spots elsewhere tbh.

I love America but try driving down Hollywood Blvd.

Lux23

A friend of mine lived in Vancouver and he said that's the worst he's ever seen, they are all on meth though so makes them very aggressive. Let's hope they don't get into it here!

strandroad

Lux23 wrote: »

A friend of mine lived in Vancouver and he said that's the worst he's ever seen, they are all on meth though so makes them very aggressive. Let's hope they don't get into it here!

Oh no I always thought Vancouver is some sort of heaven on earth type of place...

Continental Europe cities can be quite scummy too. Not just junkies, but aggressive begging, scummy deals, threatening looking people. Drugs openly offered in Barcelona or Lisbon, a couple of main streets in Prague are distinctly shady, Amsterdam is sleaze central in places.
Germany, Austria and Scandinavia fare better.

Realtine

realies wrote: »

Ballyfermot, never seems to have quitened down.

Have to disagree, always feel 100% safe in Ballyfermot - honest.
But in town yesterday with my daughter, a place I don't go into much anymore and I felt like I had to keep watching my back all the time.
There just seemed to be so many dodgy characters hanging around by the GPO and O Connell St in general. Gangs of 5 or 6 lads who seemed to be giving signals (whistling and the like) to each other for what ever reason. I was standing outside cleary's while noticing this.
Glad to get out of it tbh. Having said that, I've never had anything too bad happen to me in Dublin in all of my almost 30 years living in the capital.

disco1

Try a night in the A&E in the mater hospital... Rough as f##k. Junkie city.

Wacker The Attacker

While it would be unwise to say that Dublin is perfect, when it comes to crime it does not seem to be any worse or better than most cities of comparable size.

Wacker The Attacker

disco1 wrote: »

Try a night in the A&E in the mater hospital... Rough as f##k. Junkie city.

Do you work in the A&E department in the mater?

If not, what were you doing there at night?

Realtine

Realtine wrote: »

Have to disagree, always feel 100% safe in Ballyfermot - honest.

I haven't had any trouble in Ballyfermot in recent times; the last time anything happened to me there was November 1995. Any recent trouble I've had has been in the city centre, especially around O'Connell Bridge. Someone kicked me in the back of the leg on O'Connell Bridge because I ignored him and walked around him.

languagenerd

Someone said to me recently that they feel much safer in the southern half of the city centre than the north and I though they were being dramatic... but since then I have really noticed the difference between both sides! Excluding Westmoreland Street (and Temple Bar at night), the southside has far less junkies than the O'Connell St-Henry St-Talbot St-Marlborough St area. Have rarely seen any trouble around "red town" (all the streets between Grafton St and Georges St, so Wicklow St, Exchequer St, Clarendon St, Sth William St, Drury St, etc) and Nassau & Dawson St are fine too... I realised that I spend most of my time over that side too without ever thinking about it.

Lux23

There's hardly any drug services on the southside of the city, well apart from the quays and James Street.

LOTD

Lived in Stoneybatter for a while really liked the place, though there are a lot of junkies/alcoholics they just seemed to be completely out of it, so not a hassle in threatening or violent behaviour but they caused a messed be it cans or excrement, really disgusting.

Dublin is a real nice place but it's problems are so prevalent and it's a relatively small city so it becomes more obvious.

SimonQuinlank

mhge wrote: »

Oh no I always thought Vancouver is some sort of heaven on earth type of place...

Continental Europe cities can be quite scummy too. Not just junkies, but aggressive begging, scummy deals, threatening looking people. Drugs openly offered in Barcelona or Lisbon, a couple of main streets in Prague are distinctly shady, Amsterdam is sleaze central in places.
Germany, Austria and Scandinavia fare better.

The downtown east side in Vancouver is like Marlborough or Talbot Street times a million.It had the highest rate of HIV infection outside of Africa at one stage.Open drug dealing and taking,as well as the associated violence.I was shocked when I ended up there one day when I went for a stroll.

They opened up a safe injection clinic in the area which has helped things dramatically,though last I heard the newly elected conservative government were trying to have it closed down.

power pants

Lux23 wrote: »

There's hardly any drug services on the southside of the city, well apart from the quays and James Street.

pearce st, used also for junkies that kicked off from their own clinic for whatever reason. Streets around inner city south side are as bad the north side just the streets are busier with normal people and more bustling so it doesn't look as bad

Lux23

power pants wrote: »

pearce st, used also for junkies that kicked off from their own clinic for whatever reason. Streets around inner city south side are as bad the north side just the streets are busier with normal people and more bustling so it doesn't look as bad

There's none on Stephens green shall we say!

Lux23

Out of interest, what is with this whistling thing?

languagenerd

power pants wrote: »

pearce st, used also for junkies that kicked off from their own clinic for whatever reason. Streets around inner city south side are as bad the north side just the streets are busier with normal people and more bustling so it doesn't look as bad

Maybe, but I've very rarely had any trouble in that set of streets between Grafton Street and Georges Street, compared to being accosted by junkies on an almost daily basis on O'Connell Street/Henry Street/Abbey Street etc. (And I pass though both areas every day when I'm working...)

Lux23

languagenerd wrote: »

Maybe, but I've very rarely had any trouble in that set of streets between Grafton Street and Georges Street, compared to being accosted by junkies on an almost daily basis on O'Connell Street/Henry Street/Abbey Street etc. (And I pass though both areas every day when I'm working...)

Actually, there's a few around there, although not so many.

adamski8

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

Do you work in the A&E department in the mater?

If not, what were you doing there at night?

You know people go into A&E that dont work there right? When they have an accident or emergency!