Luke Kelly statue vandalised

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

I only ever saw that school from the outside looks like a prison with the high walls. :eek:

Sad state of affairs that things have to protected and locked away. At least you are from the area and can say it as it is. Since the regeneration a lot of the talk from the outside seemed to be sort of arty farty and idealism. Always talking things up, new hope, new dawn etc.

The Ballymun regeneration has been a clusterfvck from the start.

Any of the older Ballymun residents will tell you that apart from the anti social problems in the it still had a community. It had a shopping center with a bank & post office, two pubs in the SC (The Penthouse and The Towers) and a medical center but that's all gone now and now the nearest shopping center is the Omni in Santry, a very long way from most of Ballymun's residents.

But most important of all it had lots and lots of green area's, replaced by high density housing & CCTV camera's, which are surrounded by bollards and other security measures to stop them being destroyed.

If you go to any of the few Ballymun facebook groups you'll see the destruction the regeneration has brought to the community. Just counting the CCTV camera's around the Poppintree ring road there are over 30 (from memory I think I counted 36), and they haven't stopped hoards of teens and preteens wheelies scramblers and quads up and down Balbutcher Lane. Plus the CCTV cams have drove the drug dealing into the courts, go into the courts any day or night and you could be forgiven in thinking you're on the set of The Wire.

A Tyrant Named Miltiades, spend an evening in Ballymun or Sheriff Street (proper), you'd be eaten alive. They'd have you sussed in minutes and they've put a green light on you.

If people like you like statues like horses with young tracksuit wearing riders then try erect one in Foxrock or some of the other leafy suburbs and they too will eat you alive.

Anyone remember the Cows parade in 2003?.. LINK

Yup, they too had to be relocated because of mindless vandalism

The CowParade has run successfully in several other cities around the world, including London, Auckland, New York and Sydney. In no other city have cows needed to be relocated.

"In Dublin, they were damaged so quickly and so extensively," Mr Gerard Beshoff, the project director of CowParade Ireland, said. "The one on Liffey Street was beheaded. Someone needed a saw to do that; it was fibreglass.

"Both wings were torn off the one in Westmoreland Street. One was stolen, but later recovered. They all had graffiti on them within hours."

"It's so depressing, but not surprising," Ms Amy Wallace, account executive of CowParade Ireland, said. "The awful thing is, we were kind of expecting it in Dublin."

Right back to the Luke Kelly statue. Like most people I think its grotesque too, but it shouldn't be attacked, but it will be. This will be a continuing story.

SlowMotion321 wrote: »

Spent all of my youf growing up in the 70's and 80's between Finglas and Ballymun, taught in the comp a bit in the 90's and still live here, What he said!

I'm guessing teaching in The Comp had its challenges in the 90's?.

Heroin was hitting Ballymun particularly hard in the 80's and 90's. I was out of my teens by the late 80's and away from the blocks (but still living in Poppintree, but not around the blocks anymore. I'm sure if you were a teacher in the comp you'll get me).

I've long moved on from growing up in Ballymun and starting a family in Sheriff St and Eastwall, my children were the first in my family to move into third level education but my folks, brother and sister are still living in Ballymun and my roots are still there.

Growing up in the old Ballymun was fantastic, I've brilliant memories of 'the flats, 'the seven pitches, Santry woods etc.. All my family done well for themselves but we know 'the sh*t too so when people who haven't a clue what growing up in these area's telling us how we should see and thinking of ourselves they'll have to forgive me for thinking they're a little foolish, butt out of it because well, they'd have a green light put on them in these area's and eaten alive.

Right my last word on it, I wonder at the likes of the simple fool who is charged in vandalizing the Luke Kelly head, no doubt the asshole needs a slap or twelve up side the head.

Nice trip down memory lane all the same. Tough times but right now I wouldn't change it for a thing, I'm equipt to deal with any asshole who thinks he can step up to me and my community.

So teaching in The Comp, there must be a book in you

SlowMotion321 wrote: »

Did you read the same post as me? There was no mention of the scumbags who lived there at the time, the drug dealers, the vandals and the fact that if you didn't grow up there you were taking your life in your hands walking down certain roads! True! But there was no denial that they were there either! Rather there was reference to the great amount of good there was in those places too, friends and neighbors ready to help at the drop of a hat, the fact that there were lovely open spaces too for kids to grow up in and have adventures and skinned knees, I kissed my first girl on the seven pitches Misty eyed? Probably but so what? True? Certainly!

Don't know about you but I remember all the good of growing up where I lived more than I decry the bad!

The Comp?:D The tales I could tell:D

Hard Man? I have walked down many dark streets in many cities, I'm no hard man, but I am confident that I am competent enough to walk them without fear! (but with a big stick )

Yea Ballymun had its problems, a lot of problems in fact and made worse by the regeneration project.

Remember the Concerned Parents Against Drugs marches on dealers, the SF/IRA prisoner (they called them POW's) fund raising rallies in the field behind Coultry Flats and the strong NaFianna Eireann presence.

In the early 70's the flats became a dumping ground for the poor people of Belfast who were ran out of their houses, we called them 'the refugees', which they were of course.

I think Ballymun was fairly unique in that it was one of the first satelite towns to be built in the country and lots of mistakes were made, but like I said it had a great community too.

Anyway.

Luke Kelly, the horse in the comp and the cows parade.. All attacked by pricks with little else to occupy their time with.

Paddy Losty, the taxi driver.. I'm not a hard man by any stretch of the imagination. I'm fairly open about myself here and I'm a straight talker (which probably rubs some people up the wrong way but thats never my intention. I'm also one of the very few who has posted photos of themselves (you'll find them if you look), the Judo club I train in, where I run and swim (all easily found with a search). Now you make yourself look small (btw, I was in your taxi if you remember. You are a small little overweight lad) when you name call over an interest forum, grow a pair if you want to do that crap . Other than that I wish you the best, it can't be easy working a taxi during the virus. You didn't look the fittest or in great health so take it easy and look after your health.

Right, I'm just off for a nap. Being a hard man & a spoofer is damned tiring the older one gets

Mod Snip

Ah look it there's no point in carrying it on.

Give Luke Kelly's head peace

All joking aside it must be awful for Luke's family to see the constant vandalism, as awful as it is to most people its still a reminder of the great man he was.

Signore Fancy Pants wrote: »

Fcuking LOL! :pac:

Also, havent read the whole thread, is yer man that has been arrested allegedly responsible for all the vandalism of Lukes mush or just one count?

Just one account of vandalism, the last one.

Signed 'ardman of AH

A strongly worded speech by the judge will sort him out........maybe?