Is Dublin really that bad ?

Valresnick

Looking at Dublinlive for instance . Everyday the stories get worse, some horrible gang terrorizing some neighborhood or some article about car jackings, endless antisocial behavior and gang activity in the capital. Is a true reflection or just click bait ? I like to keep informed about what’s going on in the City, but it just seems like a constant flow of misery and carnage lately.

Wonda-Boy

All true, but no more then any other capital city in Europe TBH.

It's a dismal grimy city. Just like so many British cities. It's going to go downhill with crime and other issues. Just gotta accept that's life now.

Valresnick

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It's a dismal grimy city. Just like so many British cities. It's going to go downhill with crime and other issues. Just gotta accept that's life now.

Yeah seems we are becoming overrun by the grey and black tracksuit brigade. I think the state, police and Judiciary have lost all authority now.

begbysback

Valresnick wrote: »

Looking at Dublinlive for instance . Everyday the stories get worse, some horrible gang terrorizing some neighborhood or some article about car jackings, endless antisocial behavior and gang activity in the capital. Is a true reflection or just click bait ? I like to keep informed about what’s going on in the City, but it just seems like a constant flow of misery and carnage lately.

Dublinlive survives on clickbait, do yourself a favour and put it on your ignore list.

Ah, the oul’ Dublin is a kip crowd will be out in force.

There’s a great road network out of the city lads. Safe travels. Say howayis to yer ma for me.

Valresnick

JayZeus wrote: »

Ah, the oul’ Dublin is a kip crowd will be out in force.

There’s a great road network out of the city lads. Safe travels. Say howayis to yer ma for me.

I don’t think it’s a kip, In fact parts of it have seen huge improvements since the 80s. What I’m saying is I think it’s getting more dangerous and more violent by the day which is a shame.

Valresnick

Valresnick wrote: »

What I’m saying is I think it’s getting more dangerous and more violent by the day.

It's really not.
It's a big city and some parts are not great, but so long as you have some common sense it's a grand city.
I'm living in Dublin since 93, and i have lived and worked all over it, it's grand.
Do yourself a favour, delete that website, it's terrible

Spanish Eyes

Dublin is a great place. Depends on where you live though, if you have a choice it is brilliant in some lovely areas. I live in one of them within the M50 ring and will be carried out in a box.

That doesn't mean that there are no issues at all, far from it, but that's life everywhere. Sure aren't the solo houses in country areas plagued with nomadic visitors up to no good, robbing dogs and worse.

Every place has it's pluses and minuses. But if you are a townie, Dublin is the best there is IMV.

mr_fegelien

Dublin is one of the few capital cities (if not the only one) of a developed country where the city centre is ****e and the best looking parts are an hour away.

New York, London and L.A. may have their grim parts, but any tourist who wants to avoid junkies and grim parts just has to follow the tourist map and stay within the good sides.

No such thing for Dublin. O'Connell Street looks like a rundown kip. Dublins image can only be appreciated once you drive towards Donnybrook and the N11 or Merrion Square.

Valresnick

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Dublin is one of the few capital cities (if not the only one) of a developed country where the city centre is ****e and the best looking parts are an hour away.

New York, London and L.A. may have their grim parts, but any tourist who wants to avoid junkies and grim parts just has to follow the tourist map and stay within the good sides.

No such thing for Dublin. O'Connell Street looks like a rundown kip. Dublins image can only be appreciated once you drive towards Donnybrook and the N11 or Merrion Square.

Won’t argue there. The boardwalk is like something from the Living Dead... The city center can be absolutely dog rough at times.

mr_fegelien

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Dublin is one of the few capital cities (if not the only one) of a developed country where the city centre is ****e and the best looking parts are an hour away.

New York, London and L.A. may have their grim parts, but any tourist who wants to avoid junkies and grim parts just has to follow the tourist map and stay within the good sides.

No such thing for Dublin. O'Connell Street looks like a rundown kip. Dublins image can only be appreciated once you drive towards Donnybrook and the N11 or Merrion Square.

Can you point out where in LA centre is a good side?

ChikiChiki

Parts of it are very bad. Parts of it are absolutely gorgeous. One thing is clear, the very bad parts are in constant deterioration. Each generation is worse than the previous.

Valresnick

We need a decent mayor that can clean the place up...

Thelonious Monk

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Dublin is one of the few capital cities (if not the only one) of a developed country where the city centre is ****e and the best looking parts are an hour away.

New York, London and L.A. may have their grim parts, but any tourist who wants to avoid junkies and grim parts just has to follow the tourist map and stay within the good sides.

No such thing for Dublin. O'Connell Street looks like a rundown kip. Dublins image can only be appreciated once you drive towards Donnybrook and the N11 or Merrion Square.

Merrion Square is in the city centre you know. Most of the South Inner City is really nice.

gmisk

begbysback wrote: »

Dublinlive survives on clickbait, do yourself a favour and put it on your ignore list.

Someone here described it as 50 percent click bait, 50 percent screeching. Pretty spot on.

I am from the country but lived here about 18ish years.
I find it in general an extremely safe place with the majority of people being decent and friendly. Certainly more than a lot of other european cities.
I was assaulted randomly about 7/8 years ago but it wouldn't colour my opinion of dublin and the people in dublin being in general extremely sound.
Clearly some not so nice areas but you get to know them pretty quickly.
I live in a real Dub terrace street, the neighbours could not be nicer, everyone will say hello and have a chin wag.
It's home for me now.

ChikiChiki

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Dublin is one of the few capital cities (if not the only one) of a developed country where the city centre is ****e and the best looking parts are an hour away.

New York, London and L.A. may have their grim parts, but any tourist who wants to avoid junkies and grim parts just has to follow the tourist map and stay within the good sides.

No such thing for Dublin. O'Connell Street looks like a rundown kip. Dublins image can only be appreciated once you drive towards Donnybrook and the N11 or Merrion Square.

You mean Donnybrook that is literally a 15 - 20 minute brisk walk from the door of Stephens Green.

An hour away my hole.

Spanish Eyes

Valresnick wrote: »

Won’t argue there. The boardwalk is like something from the Living Dead... The city center can be absolutely dog rough at times.

Certain parts of it are for sure. But not all of the city is rough at all. Blame DCC, blame the Gardai, blame whoever, there will always be parts of a large city anywhere in the world to be avoided. Everyone knows this.

I love Dublin, love the architecture, the squares, Stephen's Green and the fact that you can reach the sea and the mountains within a half an hour.

Love it and will never leave it.

Valresnick

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Certain parts of it are for sure. But not all of the city is rough at all. Blame DCC, blame the Gardai, blame whoever, there will always be parts of a large city anywhere in the world to be avoided. Everyone knows this.

I love Dublin, love the architecture, the squares, Stephen's Green and the fact that you can reach the sea and the mountains within a half an hour.

Love it and will never leave it.

I won’t blame DCC or the Gardai. They both do their best. It’s a mix of lack of investment - education and also at times just bad parenting. Our judiciary are also very soft on crime.

WesternZulu

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I love Dublin, love the architecture, the squares....

Tallaght Square is beautiful alright.

ChikiChiki

Live in Drumcondra myself. The whole way up from O'Connell Bridge through Summerhill and Ballybough can be pretty much considered a dive with plenty of ropey characters about.

Teenage bike gangs seems to be the latest thing.

Spanish Eyes

WesternZulu wrote: »

Tallaght Square is beautiful alright.

begbysback

gmisk wrote: »

Someone here described it as 50 percent click bait, 50 percent screeching. Pretty spot on.

I am from the country but lived here about 18ish years.
I find it in general an extremely safe place with the majority of people being decent and friendly. Certainly more than a lot of other european cities.
I was assaulted randomly about 7/8 years ago but it wouldn't colour my opinion of dublin and the people in dublin being in general extremely sound.
Clearly some not so nice areas but you get to know them pretty quickly.
I live in a real Dub terrace street, the neighbours could not be nicer, everyone will say hello and have a chin wag.
It's home for me now.

Drug addicts get a hard time because of how it makes Dublin City centre look, but it is for the most part aesthetic only, at worse they are bit of a pain asking for money or a smoke, and may argue with each other. But if you are assaulted in the city centre than the chances are that it’s by a young drunk lad, or a group of drunk lads.

Riesen_Meal

That website is up there with the Liberal, which is ran by the Iona Institute...

Seems to me it is absolute drivel and hearsay published on a page and shared via Facebook and Twitter as their brand of shock headlines look good...

Spanish Eyes

Valresnick wrote: »

I won’t blame DCC or the Gardai. They both do their best. It’s a mix of lack of investment - education and also at times just bad parenting. Our judiciary are also very soft on crime.

There has been so much investment in so called dodgy areas for years. Sports facilities, swimming pools, community centres, drug treatment and so on. But when you get things for nothing there is little appreciation, and more and more is always demanded from Community Activists.

Education is free for all up to secondary level. Don't get the issue there, maybe it is lack of enforcement of attendance or something.

Meanwhile those of us who actually pay for this get little back either.

But I don't care, I'm a rarity, a fourth generation Dub whose Great Grandad was born in Bride Street. And I ain't leaving. It is what it is, a great place to live.

dubrov

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Dublin is one of the few capital cities (if not the only one) of a developed country where the city centre is ****e and the best looking parts are an hour away.

New York, London and L.A. may have their grim parts, but any tourist who wants to avoid junkies and grim parts just has to follow the tourist map and stay within the good sides.

No such thing for Dublin. O'Connell Street looks like a rundown kip. Dublins image can only be appreciated once you drive towards Donnybrook and the N11 or Merrion Square.

That whole post is BS. Maybe stop reading the media articles and get out more.

AlphaDelta1

Nothing Robocop wouldn't sort out tbh OP.

Strumms

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Dublin is one of the few capital cities (if not the only one) of a developed country where the city centre is ****e and the best looking parts are an hour away.

New York, London and L.A. may have their grim parts, but any tourist who wants to avoid junkies and grim parts just has to follow the tourist map and stay within the good sides.

No such thing for Dublin. O'Connell Street looks like a rundown kip. Dublins image can only be appreciated once you drive towards Donnybrook and the N11 or Merrion Square.

In fairness there is a fix to o Connell st....

If we could ninja the majority of fast food places. Put nice things, nice amenities there, nice places to go.... instead of just Internet cafes, Carrols, fast food places, people Qing for buses, arcades....

In fairness the Clearys quarter redevelopment looks savage. Hopefully it can kickstart the potential and standards of the area into high gear.

amadangomor

If the Guards got off their arses and policed anti social behavior things would be a lot better. You could walk around the city centre all day and not see a Guard walking around.

Spanish Eyes

Strumms wrote: »

In fairness there is a fix to o Connell st....

If we could ninja the majority of fast food places. Put nice things, nice amenities there, nice places to go.... instead of just Internet cafes, Carrols, fast food places, people Qing for buses, arcades....

In fairness the Clearys quarter redevelopment looks savage. Hopefully it can kickstart the potential and standards of the area into high gear.

DCC have a lot to answer for here. O'C Street is just perfect with the wide pavements for outdoor dining and that, and it could transform the place big time.

But I suppose the punters would be plagued with the unwell tapping their way up and down the street.

Worth a try though, Covid restrictions permitting of course. There are lots of ways to gentrify run down places. The only imagination in DCC is cycle lanes AFAIS. But many of the councillors represent the unwell and the so called disadvantaged and so on, so will only vote through things that help their deprived communities. That has to change. The city is for everyone especially those who pay for it.

Donald Trump

Valresnick wrote: »

We need a decent mayor that can clean the place up...

Travis Bickle and a real rain more like

manonboard

Home after 2 years for a visit.

When walking with a friend in brick field park, a gang of youths tried to start something.
I grew up in the city so I know to keep walking, don't flinch, n start talking louder to my friend about something serious as it confuses them n ignores them at the same time.

I forgot this happens non rarely in dublin. It didn't happen once in the two years in helsinki. Im an immigrant there. I dont see anything like it there.
Dublin has had an ever increasing problem of youths with bad behaviour getting worse because consequences and monitoring have gotten less.

Strumms

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

DCC have a lot to answer for here. O'C Street is just perfect with the wide pavements for outdoor dining and that, and it could transform the place big time.

But I suppose the punters would be plagued with the unwell tapping their way up and down the street.

Worth a try though, Covid restrictions permitting of course. There are lots of ways to gentrify run down places. The only imagination in DCC is cycle lanes AFAIS. But many of the councillors represent the unwell and the so called disadvantaged and so on, so will only vote through things that help their deprived communities. That has to change. The city is for everyone especially those who pay for it.

10000%

Perhaps with the metro there will be less buses using it. Less transient footfall less people just going there to get away from there... and it can become more a place to go because it’s nice, safe, full of decent amenities.

hynesie08

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Dublin is one of the few capital cities (if not the only one) of a developed country where the city centre is ****e and the best looking parts are an hour away.

New York, London and L.A. may have their grim parts, but any tourist who wants to avoid junkies and grim parts just has to follow the tourist map and stay within the good sides.

No such thing for Dublin. O'Connell Street looks like a rundown kip. Dublins image can only be appreciated once you drive towards Donnybrook and the N11 or Merrion Square.

This is true, never once in new york have I been hassled for change by wannabe rappers in times square, homeless beggars in penn station or crack heads in port authority.....

Not have I been threatened by Jamaican yardies in Brixton, or spit at for not giving a homeless man change outside Leicester Square tube station......

Maybe I should have stuck to the map and avoided these out of the way areas......

FintanMcluskey

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Dublin is a great place. Depends on where you live though, if you have a choice it is brilliant in some lovely areas. I live in one of them within the M50 ring and will be carried out in a box.

That doesn't mean that there are no issues at all, far from it, but that's life everywhere. Sure aren't the solo houses in country areas plagued with nomadic visitors up to no good, robbing dogs and worse.

Every place has it's pluses and minuses. But if you are a townie, Dublin is the best there is IMV.

I love the place, the whole county.

Im not from there, Im what ye people call a bog monkey but from the city centre to south Dublin, the mountains, Dalkey, Dun Laoighre, Malahide, Phoenix Park, and the city Nightlife, not to mention Croke Park packed the the rafters on the big days it really is a gem of a county/city I think.

Hego Damask

Unadulterated KIP caller!!!!

Spanish Eyes

Strumms wrote: »

10000%

Perhaps with the metro there will be less buses using it. Less transient footfall less people just going there to get away from there... and it can become more a place to go because it’s nice, safe, full of decent amenities.

Yes O'C Street has so much potential.. Massive really.

Dare I say that it is surrounded by run down flats and Corpo housing down Talbot Street and Parnell and so on.

Disaster for the main street in a Capital City alright. Much as I love my city, the last place I would go is there or anywhere in the North Inner City. That is not right, but there we are. One crowd are shouting for MORE funds for their unwell, and businesses want footfall and a nice Main Street.

I don't know what DCC is about anymore really. But I live in hope.

Spanish Eyes

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

I love the place, the whole county.

Im not from there, Im what ye people call a bog monkey but from the city centre to south Dublin, the mountains, Dalkey, Dun Laoighre, Malahide, Phoenix Park, and the city Nightlife, not to mention Croke Park packed the the rafters on the big days it really is a gem of a county/city I think.

I'm a townie but love where my OH is from up North West too (in small doses lol).

Am very glad you found the lovely spots that us Dubs have known for yonks. Great place and thank you for the uplifting post.

Most messages about Dublin are so negative. Knee jerk I suppose.

FintanMcluskey

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I'm a townie but love where my OH is from up North West too (in small doses lol).

Am very glad you found the lovely spots that us Dubs have known for yonks. Great place and thank you for the uplifting post.

Most messages about Dublin are so negative. Knee jerk I suppose.

I think the best kept secret is the mountain's.

The view of the city from Ticknock is staggering.

Spanish Eyes

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

I think the best kept secret is the mountain's.

The view of the city from Ticknock is staggering.

Indeed it is. And another good one is from the Blue Light pub. Magnificent after a long walk when the OH will pick you up after a few lol.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.2545517,-6.2310569,3a,75y,55.98h,109.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sd1MEohcwdfCR-KFEHFxpXA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

dd973

I feel I'm in the real Dublin in the better suburbs like Clontarf, Glasnevin, Sandymount, Blackrock, etc.

Last time I was there the city centre felt like a gigantic tourist trap, on the Grafton St side it's combined with Dublin douchebags and poseurs, the O'Connell St side combined with prams, tracksuits and Roma. It has something of a globalised soulless Hiberno-London vibe to it these days.

Larbre34

How quickly we forget. When I was a nipper in the late 70s early 80s half the City within a 3 mile radius of O'Connell Bridge was literally derelict, great spots like Mountjoy Square and Charlemont Street, just rubble and the odd propped up facade with the sun shining through it.

Yes it has its problems like any City, but overall I'd choose to spend time in it a hundred times over the many properly grim and soulless cities I've been to. The key thing over the next 10 years is restoring residential life to the city centre, making it viable and vibrant 24/7.

I know I'm looking forward to the end of covid and a long saturday in the city centre from lunch to afternoon pints to a gig to a burger and a jo maxi home. What could be nicer.

kowloonkev

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

DCC have a lot to answer for here. O'C Street is just perfect with the wide pavements for outdoor dining and that, and it could transform the place big time.

But I suppose the punters would be plagued with the unwell tapping their way up and down the street.

Worth a try though, Covid restrictions permitting of course. There are lots of ways to gentrify run down places. The only imagination in DCC is cycle lanes AFAIS. But many of the councillors represent the unwell and the so called disadvantaged and so on, so will only vote through things that help their deprived communities. That has to change. The city is for everyone especially those who pay for it.

Would that be outdoor dining at Supermacs or Mcdonalds?

Seriously, O'Connell street is a nippy enough spot most of the year with not great amounts of sunlight. It would require major development to create an environment for outdoor eating but how many days a year would you get out of it? And this is Ireland so it would inevitably be outdoor drinking and smoking rather than eating and thus lead to even more anti-social behaviour.

I agree that there is a lot of space that should be put to better use. It is so sterile (apart from the junkies of course) and cold. The street should be lined with trees and plants for a start but the DCC approach is the less maintenance required the better.

seenitall

I don’t like Dublin, I never did. Its city centre buildings near the Liffey are very imposing but the general street layout and the traffic infrastructure give it all a very distant, disordered and unappealing vibe. The O’Connell street is a zoo. I am from central Europe, so I thrive in a city like Vienna (you can slot in here a whole load of other central European cities instead of Vienna, btw, and it holds true), ordered, pretty, in places of course grandiose but with much more of a humanistic feel to it, as the infrastructure and the amenities seem to somehow be on a more accessible level than in Dublin. Dunno, the way that traffic flows. The city buses are smaller, you have trams going everywhere, even the traffic lights seem to be closer to you somehow. In Dublin, everything seems to be built more to the measure of a city, rather than to the measure of a person, if you know what I mean. The only part that reminds me of home in any way is St Stephen’s Green and the area around it.

I also think that half of my bad perception of Dublin lies with the lack of investment toward making the city more attractive for the street level experience. Not all of it, but maybe half. Things could be improved with a bit of vision.

Before I get the “don’t let the door hit you on the way out”, I do not of course live in Dublin, haven’t in a long time. The west of Ireland is a different story altogether, where I don’t even look for a big city experience, as that would be nuts. I am prioritising some other stuff right now, and for that the wesht is perfect.

AllForIt

manonboard wrote: »

Home after 2 years for a visit.

When walking with a friend in brick field park, a gang of youths tried to start something.
I grew up in the city so I know to keep walking, don't flinch, n start talking louder to my friend about something serious as it confuses them n ignores them at the same time.

I forgot this happens non rarely in dublin. It didn't happen once in the two years in helsinki. Im an immigrant there. I dont see anything like it there.
Dublin has had an ever increasing problem of youths with bad behaviour getting worse because consequences and monitoring have gotten less.

Did they throw a brick at you?

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Yes O'C Street has so much potential.. Massive really.

Dare I say that it is surrounded by run down flats and Corpo housing down Talbot Street and Parnell and so on.
......

Larbre34 wrote: »

...... over the many properly grim and soulless cities I've been to. The key thing over the next 10 years is restoring residential life to the city centre, making it viable and vibrant 24/7.
........

Loads & loads of folk live in Dublin city centre..... By restoring residential life you must mean doing something with the current residents?

agoodpunt

it like a ghost town now i live in the centre miss al the tour open top buses lined along o connell st
Clerys is progressing nicely looking forward to their rooftop feature wish they would get a move on with the eyesore opp the greshem hotel
lot of the drug zombies gone off the street no loss begging thought is still everywhere (help me i am homeless) even though we have 70 homeless charities reg in dublin.
I think cv19 has reduced crime generally comon the dubs 6 in a row

MadYaker

With coronavirus there’s literally no reason to live there unless it’s the only place you can get work.

zell12

Joe Duffy says Dublin is an unadulterated kip

Klonker

I think this is a Ireland issue, not just a Dublin issue but the bigger the city, the bigger the problem.

The issue is our justice system. The amount of people who have 20 plus criminal convictions is crazy, they are going around causing havoc for all the law abiding citizens and get a suspended sentence because they had a hard upbringing. And of course when they have children they turn out the very same, what else would be expected and its even worse with the children because if they are under 18 they can get away with almost anything without punishment.

I think more guards on the streets would help. Its very rare you'd meet a guard walking around in Dublin in comparison to when you are walking around other cities around the world. But even at that you'd have to ask yourself why would the bother to burst themselves chasing some 15 year old who robs a bike or assaults someone as if they actually caught them they'd meet them back out on the street the next day probably doing the same thing.

francois

Been hearing the same crap about it going downhill for decades now.