Is O'Connell street that bad?

cloud493

Just coming off the AH thread, is it that bad? I mean I won't lie and say I've never been hassled on it or its a place I'd want to eat my lunch on whatever, but I've never seen the 'hordes' of junkies or whatever people seem to imply there is, same with Henry street and Talbot street, the anti social aspect is totally blown out of proportion. Although I certainly couldn't deny more Gardai around wouldn't be a good thing.

steveblack572

if you are in dublin a lot you wont notice the junkies. Go on a long vacation, 1 month away from city center, when you come back, its WTF never noticed it before, a dublin based spin off of The Walking Dead.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Oh, its this again.. We haven't done O'Connell St, its environs and junkies in ohhhhhh 48hrs?.

It depends OP, whether you walk with a white stick or rose tinted glasses ~ or your eyes wide open. In which case it goes from 'nothing to see here folks, to 'not too bad really' to the reality that its an embarassing eye sore of a kip.

alastair

Is it that bad?

No.

Is it a bit of a kip?

Sure.

Depends on whether your focused on the optics or actual anti-social activity.

steveblack572

makikomi, rush fight academy, trains boxer and mma fighters. i think you would not be the kind to be worried by the low lifes, but what about the 99% who dont train to fight? They find it a dangerous kip

cloud493

Its not quite 28 days later yet :pac:

Hootanany

Im working around around there at the moment and i keep looking for all the Junkies and their is not that many that i can see Parnell end

spurious

Hootanany wrote: »

Im working around around there at the moment and i keep looking for all the Junkies and their is not that many that i can see Parnell end

They are all 'assisting' the country cousins with parking on the North Strand and Ballybough.

Jumboman

Its a disgrace that the main street of our capital city is such a kip.

I don't think there are many other countries were their main street happens to be one of the worst streets in the country.

quadrifoglio verde

Will you randomly get stabbed on o Connell st.
Probably not.
Is it the beautiful inviting avenue that it could be.
Em, sadly no.
It's a place that I choose to avoid unless necessary, mainly due to the in inviting nature of it, as well as the traffic on it. There's plenty of other streets heading north in dublin, why do we have to have smoky black diesel buses going up and down the street.
I really think if a pedestrian zone was created from grafton st to the top of o Connell st, except for the bridge and the drug treatment centres moved out to the suburbs, it'd improve the city so much.

Jumboman

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Will you randomly get stabbed on o Connell st.
Probably not.
Is it the beautiful inviting avenue that it could be.
Em, sadly no.
It's a place that I choose to avoid unless necessary, mainly due to the in inviting nature of it, as well as the traffic on it. There's plenty of other streets heading north in dublin, why do we have to have smoky black diesel buses going up and down the street.
I really think if a pedestrian zone was created from grafton st to the top of o Connell st, except for the bridge and the drug treatment centres moved out to the suburbs, it'd improve the city so much.

You would not want to walk down O'Connell after 10PM at night.

Ole Rodrigo

Jumboman wrote: »

You would not want to walk down O'Connell after 10PM at night.

Rubbish.

You may feel you can't, but that has no bearing on actual safety.

January

Jumboman wrote: »

You would not want to walk down O'Connell after 10PM at night.

Why not? I've often walked down it much later... no problems at all.

SimonTemplar

People who say it is a no go area are incorrect.
People who say it is perfectly fine are also incorrect.

O'Connell St and its environs (Abbey St, quays) are the default daily hang out places for drug dealers, drug addicts and the alcoholics. Often they are loud, obnoxious and unsightly which drags down the tone of the area and may cause people to feel unsafe or uncomfortable. However, they rarely bother ordinary people walking through the area. I think it is very much the case of the area's bark being worse than its bite.

Muggings and phone snatching can and do occur all over the city - not just O'Connell St.

That being said, the place still needs to be cleaned up, if only for aesthetic reason.s

Jumboman

January wrote: »

Why not? I've often walked down it much later... no problems at all.

Only a few weeks ago a Scumbag on O'Connell Street threatened to "smash my face in" because I wouldn't give him a cigarette and I don't even smoke.

This was during the day. At night the Scumbags on O'Connell Street are far worse if you have a run in with them they won't hesitate in pulling out a knife.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Jumboman wrote: »

You would not want to walk down O'Connell after 10PM at night.

Sure, not a bother.. I work a bar/nightclub door in the Templebar area and my advice to people is usually go out after 10pm because thats when most of the addicts and scum have done their thieving and fecked off home (or to their hostel) for a kip for the night.

Most of my problems with them are before 10.

Slunk

I think its just the abbey street end of o connell street that's full of junkies. Thankfully they've never bothered me nor have I seen them bother others apart fro the usual 'spare change bud'. That been said they are still a blight on the area. As for the scumbags who will pick a fight over a cigarette, unfortunately they are everywhere.

LionelNashe

cloud493 wrote: »

Just coming off the AH thread, is it that bad? I mean I won't lie and say I've never been hassled on it or its a place I'd want to eat my lunch on whatever, but I've never seen the 'hordes' of junkies or whatever people seem to imply there is, same with Henry street and Talbot street, the anti social aspect is totally blown out of proportion. Although I certainly couldn't deny more Gardai around wouldn't be a good thing.

A lot of the time when people refer to Talbot Street they really mean North Earl Street. For years there was a reasonable number of addicts around North Earl Street, but the cops seem to have moved them on to somewhere else lately. I don't like to look at them, but I can't say that I've ever been hassled, and I've rarely even been approached by any of them.

tayto lover

Don't know what all the fuss is about. Never had any hassle on it and never saw any trouble. I am there usually during the day though so can't comment on nighttime.

wiseoldelf34

never see anything going on there.just think that its blown all out of proportion as per

Jumboman

O'Connell street has become so dangerous that you don't even see gardas there at night anymore.

anncoates

Saying there's an undead style army of junkies is a bit OTT. As is saying it's really dangerous at night.

But there is a visible element of junkies and winos specifically around the Jervis and Abbey street Luas stops and at times the boardwalks.

Magenta

LionelNashe wrote: »

A lot of the time when people refer to Talbot Street they really mean North Earl Street. For years there was a reasonable number of addicts around North Earl Street, but the cops seem to have moved them on to somewhere else lately. I don't like to look at them, but I can't say that I've ever been hassled, and I've rarely even been approached by any of them.

They've moved to outside Londis on Westmoreland St now.

JuliusCaesar

The worst thing about O'Connell St IMHO - and I'm there frequently, mostly daytimes, but occasionally at night - is that bloody awful bagpipe busker outside Cleary's.

He can no more play the bagpipes than I can. It's about time DCC regulated busking, because he's a disgrace, Joe, my eardrums haven't been the same since, it's a danger to young people and babies with vulnerable ears. And anyone deaf is just lucky, in fact I've been thinking of going deaf as I pass him, it's a bleeding disgrace and it's just dizgusting so it is.







The junkies don't bother me, and I don't bother them.

cloud493

I thought they already regulated busking. On grafton street anyway.

Aard

ror_74 wrote: »

Rubbish.

You may feel you can't, but that has no bearing on actual safety.

Be that as it may, perceived safety is more important than actual safety in determining such behaviour (i.e. in this case whether or not people will walk down the street at night).

smellmepower

Magenta wrote: »

They've moved to outside Londis on Westmoreland St now.

Addicts have been congregating on the corner of Westmoreland Street/Aston Quay since the 90's.They use the phone box and the lanes behind the quay.

Most of the addicts that used to frequent the Talbot/Nth Earl/Marlborough St areas have been pushed down towards the Custom House by the brilliantly thought out Garda operation that doesn't actually solve anything.

Ole Rodrigo

Aard wrote: »

Be that as it may, perceived safety is more important than actual safety in determining such behaviour (i.e. in this case whether or not people will walk down the street at night).

There is some truth there - but I would say if you feel a place is dangerous, you may actually attract unwanted attention, which would confirm your original bias. Anybody is safe walking down O'Connell street at any time of day or night. However, street smarts will tell you not to stare at some people. Dublin is no different to any other major city in that regard. Random attacks and muggings are very unusual - most of that is kept amongst themselves. The worst is probably the taxi rank on a saturday night, never mind the junkies.

Garzard

Slunk wrote: »

I think its just the abbey street end of o connell street that's full of junkies. Thankfully they've never bothered me nor have I seen them bother others apart fro the usual 'spare change bud'. That been said they are still a blight on the area. As for the scumbags who will pick a fight over a cigarette, unfortunately they are everywhere.

Including O'Connell St, Abbey St, Aston Quay the worst areas with an addict problem must include Westmoreland Street as a whole & College Green. Being a frequent user of the bus stops around there, it's infuriating to have the same addicts + general beggars persistently hassling passers-by as well as people like myself waiting along the bus stops. It's partly the reason [as well as the ridiculous bus fares] why I've switched to cycling - shag all is being done about those streets.

Birneybau

Jumboman wrote: »

O'Connell street has become so dangerous that you don't even see gardas there at night anymore.

Haha!

Tombo2001

Its not that bad.

Its just highly disappointing in terms of its potential and in terms of what should be, and supposedly is, the capital city's premier street.

Dublin City Council has invested considerable sums on renovating O'Connell Stree. The Spire, the nice new trees and so on.

What it needs to spend more money on is clearing out all the crappy fast food outlets and newsagents, and bringing in some high quality shops.

There isnt one decent restaurant.

There isnt one decent coffee shop (say a Bewleys equivalent).

There isnt one decent clothes shop for men or women or kids.

There's no art gallery, there's nothing dedicated cultural space.

MJohnston

It'll be interesting to see what affect Luas coming through has on the street, and that general area. Rather than the guards simply chasing out the "undesirables" though, it'd be nice to have a concerted effort to properly tackle that problem at root. Otherwise you just leave another part of the city with a similar problem.

Muahahaha

cloud493 wrote: »

Just coming off the AH thread, is it that bad? I mean I won't lie and say I've never been hassled on it or its a place I'd want to eat my lunch on whatever, but I've never seen the 'hordes' of junkies or whatever people seem to imply there is, same with Henry street and Talbot street, the anti social aspect is totally blown out of proportion. Although I certainly couldn't deny more Gardai around wouldn't be a good thing.

You see that is where things get subjective. For you getting a bit of hassle and not being able to eat your lunch on the street is okay and doesnt bother you that much, fair enough, you're entitled to your opinion.

But for others of us here we see what could be a fantastic street, one of the finest boulevards in Europe, become a place where you cant walk down without getting some hassle. And defintely not a place you'd have lunch on a cafes tables outside on the street because you know well you'd be hassled for spare change or a cigarette or whatever they're after. For others of us here we don't want O'Connell street to be 'not that bad', the city deserves better than that IMO.

Probably my favourite place to eat on O'Connell Street is the upstairs area in Beshoffs. You can just sit there and take in the view of the GPO and watch life go by. But over the last couple of years I've been going there it offers a birds eye view of the hassle that many locals and tourists have to put up with on O'Connell Street. Much of this happens on the Talbot Side of the street all the while there is a Garda posted like a statue at the GPO and told not to move one inch from their position. But you can literally be sitting in Beshoffs watching beggars hassling tourists on one side of O'Connell St while on the other a Garda stands still all day.

Tombo2001

Muahahaha wrote: »

You see that is where things get subjective. For you getting a bit of hassle and not being able to eat your lunch on the street is okay and doesnt bother you that much, fair enough, you're entitled to your opinion.

But for others of us here we see what could be a fantastic street, one of the finest boulevards in Europe, become a place where you cant walk down without getting some hassle. And defintely not a place you'd have lunch on a cafes tables outside on the street because you know well you'd be hassled for spare change or a cigarette or whatever they're after. For others of us here we don't want O'Connell street to be 'not that bad', the city deserves better than that IMO.

Probably my favourite place to eat on O'Connell Street is the upstairs area in Beshoffs. You can just sit there and take in the view of the GPO and watch life go by. But over the last couple of years I've been going there it offers a birds eye view of the hassle that many locals and tourists have to put up with on O'Connell Street. Much of this happens on the Talbot Side of the street all the while there is a Garda posted like a statue at the GPO and told not to move one inch from their position. But you can literally be sitting in Beshoffs watching beggars hassling tourists on one side of O'Connell St while on the other a Garda stands still all day.

The last time I can remember eating in O'Connell St was in Burgerking about 15 years ago.

Fish and Chips wouldnt be my thing, unless it was in Kilmore Quay, but I'd consider going for a tea or a coffee in Beshoffs just to take in the scenery

slavetothegrind

it's not the same since Mandys closed down, quality eaterie that was........

Muahahaha

Jumboman wrote: »

Its a disgrace that the main street of our capital city is such a kip.

I don't think there are many other countries were their main street happens to be one of the worst streets in the country.

Interesting point. I can never remember getting any hassle or feeling in any way unsafe on Edinburghs Royal Mile, London's Oxford St, Manchesters Piccadilly, Paris' Champs Elyese nor Munichs pedestrianised shopping district. I can remember getting hassle on the Centraal Station end of Damrak in Amsterdam, funnily enough the further you go down Damrak towards the Royal Palace the hassle quickly ceases, I guess its okay for the tourists but not the Dutch Royal Family. The only other street in Europe that reminds me of O'Connell Street is Las Ramblas in Barcaleona which has just as much hassle as O'Connell Street and probably twice or three times the crime. At night the main street is basically a red light zone so thats really saying something. Conversely I cant remember getting any hassle on the streets of Madrid and remember seeing police about in almost too frequent a manner but maybe their density increases the closer you are to the Royal Palace.

smellmepower wrote: »

Addicts have been congregating on the corner of Westmoreland Street/Aston Quay since the 90's.They use the phone box and the lanes behind the quay.

Most of the addicts that used to frequent the Talbot/Nth Earl/Marlborough St areas have been pushed down towards the Custom House by the brilliantly thought out Garda operation that doesn't actually solve anything.

Just behind the Super Value on Aston Quay there is an alleyway that runs parallel with Aston Quay, I think its called Bedford Row. Anyway the council or Temple Bar Trust or some organisation ran a really good project there to make the alleyway accessible to tourists, it is in Temple Bar after all. The alleyway was done up as an open air muesum on Irish music arts, with murals on the walls explaining the careers or writers, musicans, etc. It didnt take long for the junkies to ruin it for everyone and a tourist going down that alleyway now really is very likely to see junkies shooting up or fighting or any of the other stuff they get up to.

But as usual we have this roundabout way with the Gardai, junkies and politicians. Customs House seems to be the new spot for them, the businesses in other areas will be happy but all it does is ruffle the carpet and sweep the problem elsewhere.

Tombo2001 wrote: »

The last time I can remember eating in O'Connell St was in Burgerking about 15 years ago.

Fish and Chips wouldnt be my thing, unless it was in Kilmore Quay, but I'd consider going for a tea or a coffee in Beshoffs just to take in the scenery

Yeah its a fab place even just for a tea or coffee, you could sit there all day and just watch life go by.

JupiterKid

O'Connell Street isn't as bad as some posters name out but it certianly could do with improving.

There are too many low end shops/outlets on the street and anti-social behaviour is commonplace. The building of the much vaunted shopping centre on the upper part of the street might help.

dede12

Just off O'Connell street was one of the first places I lived when moving to Ireland and I have to say, its not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. I always see people on here giving out that it makes Ireland look bad to tourists, etc & I've never thought that.

Sure it could certainly use some aesthetic cleanup & less chain fast food joints but I certainly wouldnt call it dangerous by any means. There are a lot of places I wouldnt feel comfortable wandering alone at night as a 5' foot tall woman but I've walked alone around O'connell street area both at night and during the day many times and never felt particularly wary or had any bother beyond a beggar or two asking for change. Right now I think it's main issue is that it looks like a rundown gentrified area.

Course that could be because in the main city near my home in the States theres plenty of places I wouldnt feel comfortable going in broad daylight for fear of getting shot or mugged due to rampant inner city gang violence. So by comparison O'Connel street doesnt even register to me as a 'dangerous' place.

To Muahahaha, I'm surprised you say you think the royal mile on Edinburg is nicer? I was there a few years ago & while its great during the day I quickly felt uncomfortable there during the evening. There were several homeless men camping out along there that clearly had either drug or mental problems and were acting very erratic. While I know most homeless people are not likely to be any threat, I quickly decided not to venture out alone at night in Edinbraugh there after a few uncomfortable encounters with them.

Muahahaha

dede12 wrote: »

To Muahahaha, I'm surprised you say you think the royal mile on Edinburg is nicer? I was there a few years ago & while its great during the day I quickly felt uncomfortable there during the evening. There were several homeless men camping out along there that clearly had either drug or mental problems and were acting very erratic. While I know most homeless people are not likely to be any threat, I quickly decided not to venture out alone at night in Edinbraugh there after a few uncomfortable encounters with them.

Admittedly Ive only been on the Royal Mile in the day time but found it grand then. I didnt know it was like that at night which surprises me as Edinburgh as a city relies so much on tourism.

In any case I'd nearly go as far as to suggest that O'Connell Street is safer at night time than it is during the day. The vast majority of the time that I walk the Talbot St side during the day I either get asked for change or see others being hassled. But then often I walk up the Henry St side of it circa 11pm to get a bus and never get any hassle at all. As Maikomi pointed out earlier all of that element are gone home by 10pm. Thats not to say you cant or won't see incidents on O'Connell Street after 10pm, its more to say that if you are minding your own business it is unlikely you'll be a part of the incident. Whereas during the daytime it can be a difficult street to traverse without seeing at least one beggar, if not a pack of them.

I agree with your overall point though. O'Connell St isnt any kind of warzone that some people make out. But it does have its problems and these problems are making tourists feel unsafe. It only takes five or maybe six tourists writing to guide books saying the same thing and suddenly the safety issue snowballs- in the same way guide books advise tourists to stay away from Las Ramblas in Barcelona at night time they could just as well advise tourists to avoid O'Connell Street during the day. Dublin doesnt want to go down that road because once you get a reputation as being unsafe then its very hard to shed it.

Ole Rodrigo

Well, I've been living close to O'Connell Street for over 10 years and am up and down it every day, and I can say the threat is exaggerated. But certain people do make it an uncomfortable place at times, there's no doubt about that.

Ultimately what's needed is for drug addiction to be classed as a public health issue - and that much is clear to most people - rather than a criminal one. Criminality only compounds the problem. I think thats the first step, although, its something that Ireland is probably years away from politically. Also, homelessness need to be more aggressively managed. Its not acceptable to have so many people without proper shelter in a western european country.

I'm as sensitive to what tourists think of my home town as the next person, but they do come back in their droves. Every weekend a fresh contingent walks by my window from a nearby hotel decked out in, colorful rain jackets and cameras. Theres is always a large amount in the city center at any one time, not too mention the Asian, Eastern European and South American migrant workers and students who take up the majority of rented accommodation in and around D1. In spite of O'Connell Streets problems, lots and lots of people come here from overseas on a regular basis. I find that encouraging and it confirms that the city center is a safe place. At times, I would like to see what they see though.

Theres also the Luas line and the planned regeneration of Parnell Square and Dominic Street, along with the shopping district at the old Carlton and Moore street. The future looks good. I think the best days are ahead of us and not too far way at that.

Kermit.de.frog

Only a matter of time before Dublin is blacklisted in a travel magazine for the state of the north side in particular. Maybe that is what it will take to see some action.

The methadone clinics have to go. It's that simple. That would solve 3/4 of the problems around O'Connell St and the Luas red line in my opinion.

I also think if something is not done than the new Luas line is a major blunder because there will be even easier access to Dublin city center and the clinics from the likes of Cabra and Broombridge.

I foretold what would happen with the red line, the areas it was going to and the amenities it was passing like the children's court and direct access to the clinics. Sadly that is exactly what has happened. As a result a lot of people find the trams intimidating and they think it is dangerous and many stopped using it. No foresight or cop on from anyone in this city.

The red line is transport for junkies and feral juveniles all converging on the city center. That is the result.

smellmepower

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Only a matter of time before Dublin is blacklisted in a travel magazine for the state of the north side in particular. Maybe that is what it will take to see some action.

The methadone clinics have to go. It's that simple. That would solve 3/4 of the problems around O'Connell St and the Luas red line in my opinion.

I also think if something is not done than the new Luas line is a major blunder because there will be even easier access to Dublin city center and the clinics from the likes of Cabra and Broombridge.

I foretold what would happen with the red line, the areas it was going to and the amenities it was passing like the children's court and direct access to the clinics. Sadly that is exactly what has happened. As a result a lot of people find the trams intimidating and they think it is dangerous and many stopped using it. No foresight or cop on from anyone in this city.

The red line is transport for junkies and feral juveniles all converging on the city center. That is the result.

Jesus Christ,what world do you live in?should only more affluent areas receive good public transport services so?

Luas red line is always busy and provides a vital and efficient service from the western suburbs into the city.Sure there are some un-desirables that cause trouble every now and then but ''transport for junkies and feral children'' is a ridiculously OTT blanket statement.

Where are the many addicts that are housed in poor quality B+B's and hostels in and around the city centre supposed to go if their methadone clinics are suddenly closed?there's a massive crisis in regards to public housing at is in this city,without adding them to the problem.Not to mention that residents of every area that a new clinic is proposed in will be met with huge, by and large ignorant,protest from NIMBY residents.

How did you come to your ridiculous ''its only a matter of time before Dublin is blacklisted by a travel magazine'' conclusion?sure only last month we were voted the 5th friendliest (up from 13th in previous poll) city in the world by one of your fabled travel magazines.

Sure all you have to do is take a stroll around town on a sunny afternoon and see for yourself just how many tourists of various age and nationality are obviously enjoying themselves.

Go on,I promise you won't be savaged by marauding drug addicts or feral teenagers,and you might even enjoy yourself (and the city) in the process!

Jumboman

Anyone who thinks O'Connell Street is safe is living in cloud cuckoo land.

Here is just some examples of the regular violence and anti social behaviour that takes place on that street.

Esel

First video above = fail. Not (at least at the start of the 'start', - didn't watch it) O'Connell Street.

Hang around outside Lidl on Moore Street either side of 2pm and watch the boss of the professional beggars give his 'pep talk'.

Imo, only emergency service personnel, and some social workers and medical professionals get to see the real underbelly of the city (equally of the country), and it is definitely not pretty.

Lots of reasons; lots of expensive cures; early intervention works (if it is possible). It is much cheaper to paper over the cracks and pass the problem on.

Evil is part of the human condition. O'Connell Street, your street, the house up the street. It happens in D4 and in Montenotte as well, maybe nowhere near as often, but nowhere is immune. Edmund Burke may have said it; we all have probably read it.

We have had many scandals come down the tracks in recent years. The current train in the station, departing soon, is Direct Provision. Which carriage will be opened first? First class: the owners. Second class: the staff. Third class: the residents.

First world problems - agonising about them is so easy.

alastair

Jumboman wrote: »

Anyone who thinks O'Connell Street is safe is living in cloud cuckoo land.

Here is just some examples of the regular violence and anti social behaviour that takes place on that street.

I'm not seeing the safety of anyone threatened there - bar the participants in idiotic (and hardly regular) fights. I'd suggest that O'Connell street (or indeed anywhere else) isn't safe if your choice is to fight your mates. Passers by seem remarkably unscathed by the idiocy. And the threat to anyone's safety from doddery junkies unable to stand up is pretty low - unless they happen to fall on you, which, given the speed they move, is easily avoided - even the woman with the crutch in the last video managed to neatly sidestep the tottering junkie.

Tombo2001

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Only a matter of time before Dublin is blacklisted in a travel magazine for the state of the north side in particular. Maybe that is what it will take to see some action.

The methadone clinics have to go. It's that simple. That would solve 3/4 of the problems around O'Connell St and the Luas red line in my opinion.

I also think if something is not done than the new Luas line is a major blunder because there will be even easier access to Dublin city center and the clinics from the likes of Cabra and Broombridge.

I foretold what would happen with the red line, the areas it was going to and the amenities it was passing like the children's court and direct access to the clinics. Sadly that is exactly what has happened. As a result a lot of people find the trams intimidating and they think it is dangerous and many stopped using it. No foresight or cop on from anyone in this city.

The red line is transport for junkies and feral juveniles all converging on the city center. That is the result.

As an FYI, I saw more junkies shooting up in a twenty minute walk around Oslo last year than I did in twenty years of living in Dublin. Dublin is not a bad place to live, by comparison with other international cities.

chopper6

Jumboman wrote: »

Its a disgrace that the main street of our capital city is such a kip.

I don't think there are many other countries were their main street happens to be one of the worst streets in the country.

Just got back from Athens...Omonia and Monesteriki are SWARMING with junkies,pickpockets,beggars and hookers.

O'Connell St is nothing by comparison...the irish junkies and alcos are actually quite benign.

Han534

I dont think its that bad.

Look at the positives alot of nice people.

Like all areas some good and bad people.

Tombi!

I've said it once and I'll say it again: the junkies aren't that harmful. They're annoying. Rude. And a bother, yes.
They're also a blight on the city's appearance, not just one street.
But they're generally not dangerous.

The most you'll get from most junkies is the "de ya have a smoke bud?". You say "no, sorry. I don't smoke/have none" and off you go.

Scumbags are scumbags but as the fights above show... don't get involved. Most times they'll pick fights with one another. The problem is that most people equate being loud with being trouble. Loud noises usually put people on alert. I dunno what's louder half the time when I'm walking around town: the kids reared in the inner city or some of the foreigners. But neither are more dangerous than the other.

There are certainly some areas I wouldn't walk but O'Connell street isn't one of them. Any time I've gone through there I've never felt bothered and I've often walked home from clubs on my own at 4AM after seeing a group of two people beat one another up outside on the street.

Jumboman

Heres another example of how dangerous the street is.

A group of Scumbags attacked a spar shop for over 20 minutes yet there was not a garda in sight.

I think people here are looking at O'Connell Street through rose tinted glasses. This simply would not happen in any other european capital were you have a group of Scumbags attacking a shop on the mainstreet yet the police are nowhere to be seen.


http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/outrage-after-racist-attack-in-heart-of-the-capital-30189997.html

A sickening racial attack on a Dublin shop in the country's main thoroughfare has caused outrage among business groups and the opposition.

Businesses say attacks on staff, including physical assaults and violent and threatening behaviour, are now commonplace and are particularly felt in the country's busiest streets, and some in broad daylight.
Gardai say they are investigating after the Irish Independent revealed shocking footage of a group of youths attempting to batter down the front door of a Spar retail outlet on O'Connell Street, in Dublin city centre, at 9pm on Monday night.
The violent scenes broke out after shop staff apprehended a man trying to steal some bars of chocolate.
- See more at: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/outrage-after-racist-attack-in-heart-of-the-capital-30189997.html#sthash.fWizuITw.dpuf
A sickening racial attack on a Dublin shop in the country's main thoroughfare has caused outrage among business groups and the opposition.

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Jumboman wrote: »

Heres another example of how dangerous the street is.

A group of Scumbags attacked a spar shop for over 20 minutes yet there was not a garda in sight.

I think people here are looking at O'Connell Street through rose tinted glasses. This simply would not happen in any other european capital were you have a group of Scumbags attacking a shop on the mainstreet yet the police are nowhere to be seen.


http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/outrage-after-racist-attack-in-heart-of-the-capital-30189997.html

I think the situation is that there are, very rarely it would have to be said, dangerous incidents on the street, that does not mean that the street itself is generally dangerous. You can't extrapolate from one to the other.

The fact that the Garda didn't show up for ages is a concern and shouldn't happen.