Dublin is an unadulterated kip

Tarzana2

John_Rambo wrote: »

So, like most of the people posting here, you haven't a notion what it's like.

I think people judge Dublin by the environs of Busáras and then Temple Bar. I don't think I've ever been in a city that didn't have a dog rough central bus station.

Tarzana2

booooring! wrote: »

Its a complete and utter kip compared to all the other beautiful cities, towns and villages around Ireland.

Most towns and villages in Ireland are very uninspiring architecturally and as a consequence are quite dreary. The cities fare better, with Dublin out in front. I haven't been to all the cities, but for me, Galway is the ugliest city in Ireland. Salthill is supposed to be a decent spot. Crap pebbly beach, and dreary housing. No red brick suburbs anywhere in the city (I think. Not many, anyway). A handful of nice old buildings in the city centre. That's it.

Billy86

booooring! wrote: »

Its a complete and utter kip compared to all the other beautiful cities, towns and villages around Ireland.

You watch your lip, or we'll stop carrying the economy for whatever other part of the country you're from!

Billy86

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Most towns and villages in Ireland are very uninspiring architecturally and as a consequence are quite dreary. The cities fare better, with Dublin out in front. I haven't been to all the cities, but for me, Galway is the ugliest city in Ireland. Salthill is supposed to be a decent spot. Crap pebbly beach, and dreary housing. No red brick suburbs anywhere in the city (I think. Not many, anyway). A handful of nice old buildings in the city centre. That's it.

Ah to be fair I love Galway, great spot - easily my favourite in the country for a quick getaway. Whenever I meet people abroad on their way to visit Ireland, always make a point to tell them to rent a car and travel about... and to make sure to get to Galway.

Wompa1

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Most towns and villages in Ireland are very uninspiring architecturally and as a consequence are quite dreary. The cities fare better, with Dublin out in front. I haven't been to all the cities, but for me, Galway is the ugliest city in Ireland. Salthill is supposed to be a decent spot. Crap pebbly beach, and dreary housing. No red brick suburbs anywhere in the city (I think. Not many, anyway). A handful of nice old buildings in the city centre. That's it.

Salthill hasn't been nice in a long time. The city is underfunded hugely. They were 15 million in debt and about to declare bankruptcy a few years ago. Most of the city has fallen into a state of disrepair...the only money is in the University and dickying up the place when the races are on.

There are red brick buildings out in Knocknacarra...though, red brick isn't exactly my idea of nice, either.

booooring!

It's really only people who are from Dublin think it's the best place to live in in Ireland. Anyone not from Dublin know it's a complete and utter junkie filled kip .

Billy86

booooring! wrote: »

It's really only people who are from Dublin think it's the best place to live in in Ireland. Anyone not from Dublin know it's a complete and utter junkie filled kip .

Which is why nobody from outside of Dublin ever moves there. :pac:

Tarzana2

Wompa1 wrote: »

Salthill hasn't been nice in a long time. The city is underfunded hugely. They were 15 million in debt and about to declare bankruptcy a few years ago. Most of the city has fallen into a state of disrepair...the only money is in the University and dickying up the place when the races are on.

There are red brick buildings out in Knocknacarra...though, red brick isn't exactly my idea of nice, either.

Well, I suppose all cities have dreary suburbs and rundown areas, but from what I can see, Galway has very little to offset that.

booooring!

Billy86 wrote: »

Which is why nobody from outside of Dublin ever moves there. :pac:

Unfortunately it's where the jobs are the and the cost of accodamation is double the rest of ireland.

Tarzana2

booooring! wrote: »

It's really only people who are from Dublin think it's the best place to live in in Ireland. Anyone not from Dublin know it's a complete and utter junkie filled kip .

I'm not from Dublin and I love the place. And I know lots of people who moved up and love it. Please don't speak for everyone, thanks. Do you realise how parochial you sound?

Tarzana2

Billy86 wrote: »

Ah to be fair I love Galway, great spot - easily my favourite in the country for a quick getaway. Whenever I meet people abroad on their way to visit Ireland, always make a point to tell them to rent a car and travel about... and to make sure to get to Galway.

People seem to like it for the atmosphere. Because it's really not that special, appearance-wise.

I think it depends on if you like a city feel. Dublin and Cork might not be huge, but they feel like cities. Galway just feels like a town and that doesn't appeal to me at all. But that appeals to a lot of people.

Wompa1

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Well, I suppose all cities have dreary suburbs and rundown areas, but from what I can see, Galway has very little to offset that.

Beautiful waterways, old cobbled streets, old underground cellars, the Spanish Arch, the long walk...there's lots of nice parts.

It isn't the worst place but it could be better with a tiny bit of effort. Unfortunately, the people who frequent the city don't seem to have any sense of community pride. There's dog sh1t all over the foot paths. Rubbish all along, out by the Cathedral. Rubbish bins overflowing and spilling out onto the street. Drunken w*nkers around constantly.

Salthill use to be the happening place in Galway. It was almost like a resort town in Ireland. That changed in the early 90's.

The Celtic Tiger era was a blessing and a curse for Galway. There's so many awful cheap buildings that sprung up during that era.

Galway would still be my favorite 'city' in Ireland but there's much nicer places like Westport and Dingle. That's the great thing. We're awful negative on this forum but whether you like or hate Galway or like or hate Dublin. There's plenty of lovely alternatives within a short distance so it's not all that bad

Wompa1

Tarzana2 wrote: »

People seem to like it for the atmosphere. Because it's really not that special, appearance-wise.

I think it depends on if you like a city feel. Dublin and Cork might not be huge, but they feel like cities. Galway just feels like a town and that doesn't appeal to me at all. But that appeals to a lot of people.

That's fair enough, it's all about perspective. For somebody who lived in New York city for their life or a huge urban sprawl. Dublin probably wouldn't feel too much like an actual city either. The city center\main attraction area is relatively small. I'm in Phoenix at the moment, I'd say the same for this place. It's a bunch of cities in one...It's hard to compare it to a city the size of New York.

Tarzana2

Wompa1 wrote: »

Beautiful waterways, old cobbled streets, old underground cellars, the Spanish Arch, the long walk...there's lots of nice parts.

I don't know of the underground cellars, but seriously, the Arch? Incredibly underwhelming. Couldn't believe it the first time I saw it, that this had been recommended to me to go see. Though of course, the historical element is interesting enough, I suppose. The long walk is pleasant enough but very unremarkable. Just very plain, bogstandard townhouses facing a not very pretty quay. If these are supposed to be among the highlights of the city, then I think that highlights my point.

Irish Steve

It's NOT just about junkies and chuggers, though they are part of the problems, it's about the feck ye attitude that means people don't give a fcuk about discarding their chewing gum all over the streets, or their dog ends where ever they are when they finish them, or their take away wrapping in whichever gutter is closest. or their bus/luas tickets on the ground as they get off the transport system. it's about election poster removers who leave the cable ties on the poles because they can't be bothered to clean up behind them, it's about utility companies that won't do a tidy job of installing service cables, and hang them randomly down walls without making them tidy and secure, it's about derelict building sites that don't have decent boarding on them, and that haven't been properly cleaned up and the debris removed,

It's about 50 year old redundant wiring that belonged or belongs to Telecom Eireann, or Eircom, or Eir, (or who the hell they are these days ) hanging off the walls of the buildings in the centre of Dublin because the company that put it there won't remove it when it's redundant, it's about things like rain water gutters and cast iron railings in places like Mountjoy Square rusting out because no one is willing to put a coat of paint on them, it's about Georgian Buildings that are covered in close on 50 years of unremoved grime, pigeon **** and the like, it's about an ingrained and inbuilt attitude that says "It's not my problem, Feck ye", or " why should I pay for that", it's about 50 year old rendered walls that have never seen a coat of paint or a jet washer since the day they were built, it's about a whole range of issues that need people to give a damn, rather than ignoring their own responsibility.

The result is a seedy, shabby, run down and overall nasty experience when with a little bit of attention to detail, and some proper enforcement of some real standards by the councils, it could look so much better than it does.

It can be done right, the local authority have just spent a LOT of money on the main street in Ashbourne, the project has taken over 12 months, and for the first time in over 25 years, it looks really good, and it's possible to walk from one end of the street to the other without falling into or over any number of potholes or raised curbs or other obstructions. It was LONG overdue, but despite all the work, and effort by a large team of people, it hasn't stopped some of the local asswipes from spitting their gum all over the new pavements, or the smokers standing outside the door of the pubs from fecking their dog ends on the ground, or the patrons of the local take aways dumping their rubbish all over the place,

It needs people to change so that the difference will be noticed. I'm not optimistic, given what I'm seeing locally, and the volumes of people in Dublin are making the problem bigger.

So yes, right now, larger areas of Dublin (and many other places ) ARE a kip, but it's up to the people who LIVE in those areas to bring about the changes that are needed.

Wompa1

Tarzana2 wrote: »

I don't know of the underground cellars, but seriously, the Arch? Incredibly underwhelming. Couldn't believe it the first time I saw it, that this had been recommended to me to go see. Though of course, the historical element is interesting enough, I suppose. The long walk is pleasant enough but very unremarkable. Just very plain, bogstandard townhouses facing a not very pretty quay. If these are supposed to be among the highlights of the city, then I think that highlights my point.

bog standard townhouses by who's standards? They townhouses painted different colors that are sitting atop the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean by an ancient port. The wall has been there for almost 500 years..to me, that's pretty cool. Even the Arthouse Cinema (which for it's purpose, I think is a huge waste of money) and the Museum look really cool with the contrast of the old and the new. What's not cool is the empty bottles of f'kin Buckfast thrown into the water beside them.

It's also cool seeing the Swans all gathered up by the clubhouse. It's beautiful to see a Rainbow or Sunset over the giant green area by the long walk.

If you walk just down past the Arch you get to the other side which is the Docks. They made a pretty nice job of the changes so far and it will be even better if the rest of the works go ahead. Having that Marina type of feel right in the city is pretty nice.

Being able to walk from say the Spanish Arch along the waterways all the way to the opposite side of the city is really cool. It's a great town to walk in.

Again, the times have caught up with it too, though. The Townhouse pub being closed takes a bit of the shine away from the Spanish Arch area. There's some awful eye sores as you come into the city from Dublin too, which doesn't help with the tourists.

walshyn93

ClovenHoof wrote: »

I lived in New York when it was a bit of a ****hole and it was great!

Now it is a soulless bland retirement home for millionaires.

I know it is very difficult for the Civil Servants on boards with their entitlements and inability to survive in the real world without Mr Government making the 'bad people and things go away', but a spotless clean and well run city is usually a soulless void. A high rise suburbia of blandness.

There is a lot to be said for cities with a dark and nasty side too. Womb of culture and all that.

You sound like someone who has "sampled" the culture not lived in it. Try getting hassled for change twice a day at the same spot where you spend 15 mins waiting for a bus. That's a rate of 8 beggars an hour.

Reiver

I still can't believe that metal monstrosity on Sackville Street has replaced the monument that commemorates one of Dublin's imperial heroes.

FloatingVoter

Wompa1 wrote: »

There's some awful eye sores as you come into the city from Dublin too, which doesn't help with the tourists.

An excellent piece on Galway and a town close to my heart. However that last sentence applies to anyone critiquing Dublin based on brief visits to O'Connell St. / Abbey St. Every Dub knows that the main street of the country needs an enema. That is no reason to call the entire city a kip. Its a small European city, nothing magical or diabolic about it.
James Joyce loved it so much he set up a cinema here then ****ed off to Europe to write books about it. Proper Dub behaviour that. And Dublin itself is full of boggers in an Egyptian river.

StonyIron

Dublin has its nice bits, but it really has major issues in parts of the city centre too.

The only other city that I've been in that has the same level of junkie problems and run down areas right in the city centre, is Brussels.

Things that confuse me about Dublin:

Smithfield - Insanely expensive rental apartments for where they're located, the shops are almost totally empty other than about 3 of them, the square is totally empty and all the streets next to it are absolutely falling apart until you get to Manor Street which is quite nice.

The level of dilapidation in parts of central Dublin is quite shocking at times. It really does need some kind of laws that force derelict buildings to be dealt with.

I don't understand why people are sitting on property that they can't maintain. They should be forced to sell it.

Cork had a situation in the 1999s where a poorly maintained building actually collapsed on top of someone and killed them. http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rubble-kills-woman-in-city-building-collapse-26130433.html It's only sheer luck that hasn't happened in some areas of central Dublin and Cork's generally been pretty dramatically cleaned up since those days.

Happened again though in 2009 during construction work : http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/lucky-escape-as-building-collapses-on-busy-city-street-26561669.html

FloatingVoter

StonyIron wrote: »

The level of dilapidation in parts of central Dublin is quite shocking at times. It really does need some kind of laws that force derelict buildings to be dealt with

Capital Gains Tax laws mean a lot of international property funds are sitting on derelict tracts until the time is right to sell or develop. In the meantime, shareholders from Tokyo to Toronto don't give a monkeys if Paddy Junkie is jacking up in full glare of the passing tram.

StonyIron

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Capital Gains Tax laws mean a lot of international property funds are sitting on derelict tracts until the time is right to sell or develop. In the meantime, shareholders from Tokyo to Toronto don't give a monkeys if Paddy Junkie is jacking up in full glare of the passing tram.

It's not good enough on behalf of our law makers that this kind of nonsense is allowed though.

If a building is falling apart, there needs to be some kind of ability to force a sale.

FloatingVoter

StonyIron wrote: »

It's not good enough on behalf of our law makers that this kind of nonsense is allowed though.

If a building is falling apart, there needs to be some kind of ability to force a sale.

Couldn't agree more...questions are being tabled, committees are being formed and lunches are being drank as we speak. You don't need to be from Dublin or talking about Dublin to recognise the apathy of the political classes.

Tarzana2

Wompa1 wrote: »

bog standard townhouses by who's standards?

By mine. If someone else likes them, great, but to my eyes, I don't like them. Or rather find them unremarkable. The townhouses in my nondescript hometown are exactly like them. How someone else perceives them doesn't change my perception. And the building that surrounds the long walk are absolute eyesores.

And of course Dublin has its eyesores, every city does. But there is SO much stuff to see in the city that offsets that.

Tarzana2

StonyIron wrote: »

Smithfield - Insanely expensive rental apartments for where they're located, the shops are almost totally empty other than about 3 of them, the square is totally empty and all the streets next to it are absolutely falling apart until you get to Manor Street which is quite nice.

I agree, though at the moment it would be getting those rental prices as it's fairly central.

StonyIron

Tarzana2 wrote: »

I agree, though at the moment it would be getting those rental prices as it's fairly central.

Just shows the disconnect though.

That whole square should be thriving if it had been priced correctly. If the retail units won't let, why aren't they dropping the prices?

I strongly suspect it's some daft NAMA calculation most likely using theoretical rents as a multiplier to get a valuation. By realising the real rental prices of the units, they'd devalue the property. So they're sitting on them as that way they don't rent at market value.

It's basically a big dead space.

emigrate2012

Dublin not safe to walk in at night? Only if your blind drunk, walking around with your €600 phone in hand head down in fb or a just an aggressive asshat yourself you'll be fine.

I regularly walk home from town(d2 area) after a rake of drink(to Santry ffs!) have done for years and never had any bother. It's like anywhere really, keep your with about and ye'll be grand.
Troublemakers are easy to spot and avoid. **** happens in busy cities all the time all over the place, if you're that timid, stay at home. Dublin rough in places but it ain't that bad, I fcukin love it! (Galway and ennis too, though the 2 times I was on the piss in ennis I got ****eha late at night offa scrotes, junkies looking for drugs at 3am!never had that happen in Dublin, so go figure, great town for a piss up though!)

Wompa1

emigrate2012 wrote: »

Dublin rough in places but it ain't that bad, I fcukin love it! (Galway and ennis too, though the 2 times I was on the piss in ennis I got ****eha late at night offa scrotes, junkies looking for drugs at 3am!never had that happen in Dublin, so go figure, great town for a piss up though!)

In Ennis!!? Jaysus...something must have changed big time in the last 5 years since I've been there. Last time I was there for a night out, it was pretty much a ghost town

emigrate2012

Wompa1 wrote: »

In Ennis!!? Jaysus...something must have changed big time in the last 5 years since I've been there. Last time I was there for a night out, it was pretty much a ghost town

Admittedly it was 10 and 7 yrs ago......

Billy86

One thing Dublin (and seemingly every town/city in Ireland) needs is more bins - a lot more bins. People give out about litter and it is true that there is quite an amount, but at the same time the authorities are not doing much to help when you can walk 10-15 minutes in the city centre without passing a single one, and well over a half hour outside of it.

Wheelie bins have been a hidden gem in this regard in residential suburbs - I've thrown crisp wrappers and the like in peoples wheelie bins sitting outside their garden probably 3-4 times more often than I have used a bin in these areas. Not to be rude to the bin owners or anything, but simply because there are no actual public bins to throw them in.

Several other counties are considerably worse for this, and I'm not talking about rural areas either. It's such an easy fix, but yet nobody seems to be f***ed because bins don't win elections, and clean streets can't easily be sold to the public by way of statistics. Another one of those situations where you have to wonder if the politicians/councils or the people/populace are more to blame.