Why is Dublin such a shιtty city?

dublinman1990 · 19-10-2022 07:13AM

I did see the report about O'Connell Street on Prime Time last night. It filmed most things that were expected to be commonplace in Dublin like the beatings that were going around the city at night, the drug taking along the backstreets of Dublin CC etc.

My general thoughts of Dublin City Centre after seeing that report was that it does have it's problems which mainly stem from certain elements who live in the North inner city. It does seem that there are notable tensions from people who do see these incidents spring up in various parts of the city on a day to day basis.

We cannot really ignore it to make it become worse. We have to try and do something as a society to stamp it out for good. It makes visitors to the city who want to see O'Connell Street in it's full view see how the end product turns out right in front of their eyes.

It is not something that is regarded as good or pleasant. It should be treated as the complete opposite.

It is not an attractive thing to see this type of behaviour to occur at regular intervals when Dublin is being compared to other cities around the world. It makes people, who are not involved in criminality, relatively uneasy when they witness that behaviour from time to time.

O'Connell Street should be seen as a major gateway for a great time when you visit the rest of the City. But how could you make it go that way but most importantly how can you make that promise more worthwhile?

It is ironic to read things like that Ireland is one of the top 3 peaceful countries in the world when people's own impressions of Dublin City Centre do not reflect reality. We had a man from Switzerland who had probably lost his eyeball in a fight outside a take away after getting beat up by some scumbags with his wife nearby him giving him love and attention when near Dame Street last summer.

If that incident does not do something to indicate alarm bells ringing among lots of Dublin's inhabitants. What will happen next to make that feeling around the city to become worse?

What can we do as a society to prevent that kind of trouble from happening again?

It is a major question that has to be answered with some hard evidence to back it up to allow Dublin become a functional & safe city for all it's inhabitants again.

Cody montana · 19-10-2022 07:21AM

The only place I can compare it with is the Tenderloin over in San Francisco, aka skid row.

Nowhere as bad, but similar.

Beechwoodspark · 19-10-2022 07:45AM

Did anyone see that report on O’Connell street last night on prime time?

I remember as a child O’Connell st was a really nice bustling upmarket street with the likes of clerys department store.

my god. Is all I can say.

I wouldn’t be in dublin much but it seems to have detoriated majorly going by the report last night.

Scenes of Vicious fighting with no guards anywhere to be seen.

Full force Kicks to the head etc

tourists walking by and visibly shocked

Loads of open drug dealing and drug using.

and not “recreational” drugs. Heroin and seems crack cocaine is common now

The reporter even got offered a free sample of crack cocaine at 9 o’clock in the morning by a guy smoking crack.

I mean it was almost a farce.

then secondary issues like urination and the place full of litter and dirty

Beechwoodspark · 19-10-2022 07:46AM

That social worker type woman who was saying “street art” and maybe a few nice outdoor benches would solve the problems.

Ffs. It’s gone a bit far for that to be the solution.

Cluedo Monopoly · 19-10-2022 07:48AM

Did Prime Time do a program on Dublin? Was it any good? Did they offer solutions?

Edit: it's is being covered on Radio 1 now - the decline of Dublin city centre.

Gary Gannon (SD) spoke well and said that the execs and managers in Dublin city council were largely to blame, they they had blocked many initiatives advocated by political councillors.

Thelonious Monk · 19-10-2022 08:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119763273#Comment_119763273

It was pretty much the same as it is now back then, or worse even. I remember there always seemed to be fights when the bars closed, you don't see it these days. I was held up by two people with syringes in what must have been '96 or so as a teenager. They wouldn't target me now as much I'd imagine.

Anyway yes it has problems, but the hyperbole on here is ridiculous. Last time I was home we went out on the Saturday and the city centre was packed with people enjoying themselves. My parents go into town all the time with no issues and they're both around 70.

I saw a few things about other parts of Ireland in the news lately, teenagers in Cork being arrested for violence, a homeless man beaten to death there, a man on a stag beaten to death in Kildare, another in Meath somewhere. Some guy getting kicked in the head repeatedly in Letterkenny. Dublin has more people so has more of the same problems we have throughout Ireland. There was a TD or Counsellor on the radio this morning talking about supervised injection clinics for Cork. I was in the city for the first time ever a couple of months ago and there were addicts there too, I still found it a nice place.

Ireland and Dublin have issues but it doesn't take my enjoyment away from anything personally.

walshb · 19-10-2022 09:07AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119763697#Comment_119763697

I watched it last night.

I think these programmes are deliberately edited and created for shock value. Vast majority time absolutely nothing happens.

I do agree on the lack of gardai visibility, as well as the place needing a good shine and clean.

I am in an out of town every so often and see next to nothing that shocks me.

walshb · 19-10-2022 09:11AM

And the biggest obstacle to all this is the PC civil liberties brigade. Nobody wants to really be firm, because they’ll be railed on for being too heavy handed. And god forbid you say the “wrong thing.”

Dyr · 19-10-2022 09:28AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764061#Comment_119764061

Policing and prisons cost money that could be better be spent on NGOs that will bring vital employment to people the government want to pay back for services rendered. You want to keep critics quiet, you put them on the payroll.

gmisk · 19-10-2022 09:29AM

O'Connell Street and other areas of the city centre were bad...but from what I have seen they have got even worse since COVID.

I used to sit and watch the drug deals and people shooting up heroin beside the confession box in my lunch break.

Where...are...the...gardai? Get of your fat lazy arses and do something!

A street with bags of potential left to rot. The red line Luas Christ....

I do occasionally still go to Parnell street some cracking Asian restaurants.

But why would anyone want to go to O'Connell Street? The Savoy possibly..full of boarded up shops, drug addicts, it is filthy, simply not safe.

mumo3 · 19-10-2022 09:34AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119756791#Comment_119756791

Temple bar was the original O'Connell Street as far as bus terminus goes!!

The majority of buses started at fleet street, outside the massive ESB office which is now Tesco's. They then moved them to Aston Quay outside Virgin Media and now they all seem to have been moved to O'Connell Street.

As a Dubliner I really don't give much thought to the city centre as strange as that sounds.... I just take it for granted, do I feel unsafe at night in it, NO, I honestly don't, but I know my way around and am not likely to wander down some dark piss ridden alley!!

I was puzzled as to what the big deal is about pedestrianizing Capel street, personally I think that street has always been one of the dingiest dark streets, was always best know for pawn shops, but seems to have changed to porn shops!! It's the last place I would think of to go sit outside for a coffee.

I think they missed a trick with Wolfe Tone Square, but at the same time its a bit disrespectful to just have thrown the grave stones against the wall and leave them there, I don't even think there's a plaque explaining what was originally there!

Thelonious Monk · 19-10-2022 09:37AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764163#Comment_119764163

I think there's one sex shop on Capel St, never saw a pawn shop there, must be before my time. It's full of restaurants and bars nowadays, great spot.

Cody montana · 19-10-2022 09:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764044#Comment_119764044

How were they edited?

There was literally people smoking crack on video and openly dealing drugs.

Every time I’ve gone to Dublin I’ve seen fights or junkies roaring in the streets or people drinking on public transport in the morning.

I would never bring eldest family members to the city.

gmisk · 19-10-2022 09:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764181#Comment_119764181

Capel Street is now fantastic totally agree.

Bustling with restaurants and bars.

It has one sex shop who cares. It had Shauna's petshop and Shauna's sex shop for a long time...Shauna had varied interests!

Cluedo Monopoly · 19-10-2022 09:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764134#Comment_119764134

Where exactly did you go during your lunch break??

gmisk · 19-10-2022 09:45AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764216#Comment_119764216

I could see it...from my office...

It's not as if it was hidden...why would it be? Gardai doing nothing.

Tombo2001 · 19-10-2022 09:46AM

This thread is horse manure. Here are some fantastic parts of Dublin:

Grand Canal Docks

IFSC area around the 3 Arena

The whole new Grangegorman campus

Ballsbridge

Glasnevin

South Great Georges Street & Georges Street Arcade

Stoneybatter

Howth

Sandymount

Portobello

Merrion Square

Clontarf

Dollymount

List goes on and on.

Yeah, so O'Connell Street and its environ could do with a major shakeup, its a kip 100%.

This thread is just whingebaggery for the sake of it.

Thelonious Monk · 19-10-2022 09:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764234#Comment_119764234

Did you work for Dept of Education? Anyway yeah, Marlborough St has always been a gathering point for those less fortunate than us in life.

gmisk · 19-10-2022 09:50AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764242#Comment_119764242

I did indeed for 3 years.

One of the reasons I left.. it wasn't safe tbh.

I had a good friend come back to her office one morning. Drug addict asleep in her chair...

People held up with syringes, people shooting up on step on entrance on Talbot street. Human waste regularly, drug addicts trying to follow you in the door...list goes on and on.

Cluedo Monopoly · 19-10-2022 09:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764234#Comment_119764234

Yes I know but you mentioned a confession box? Sounded like you were in a church watching drug deals/use.

walshb · 19-10-2022 09:53AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764205#Comment_119764205

My editing point was that most the time nothing happens.....in any city there will be criminality.

gmisk · 19-10-2022 09:53AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764238#Comment_119764238

I don't think many people are saying all of Dublin is a kip.

As you say most of the above are fine...

But have you been in the IFSC after dark or at the weekend?! The boardwalks are shocking, red line Luas simply not safe. Most of Dublin is fine...but you are burying your head in the sand if you think there aren't some seriously rough parts even in CC.

Thelonious Monk · 19-10-2022 09:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764258#Comment_119764258

I must be the only person who finds it safe in Dublin, addicts or not

gmisk · 19-10-2022 09:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764261#Comment_119764261

The confession box...is a pub...

Thelonious Monk · 19-10-2022 10:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764270#Comment_119764270

Yeah my ex GF lives in IFSC on Mayor Square. I spent a lot of time there at night as does she obviously, she's like 45kg soaking wet, never any trouble. I think you're all just so dramatic when it comes to Dublin.

mumo3 · 19-10-2022 10:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764181#Comment_119764181

One pawn shop left at the top of the street, heading to Parnell street you should drop in its interesting, used to be a great one on Queens street.

I am a fan of the Asian restaurants up there, but still don't see the calling for pedestrianizing the street!! I missed last nights programme but I presume it was all about the shock factor!! Like an earlier poster said all city's and towns have problems of late, Dublin has more people therefore more issues!!

You'll notice above the door has 3 gold balls which is the indication of pawn shops, like the stripes for a barber.

Dyr · 19-10-2022 10:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764205#Comment_119764205

Oddly enough, every single fight or confrontation I've gotten into in the city centre was on or next to O'Connell Street and involved public transport.

You put a lot of public transport in once place and you attract the undesirables, just take a look at busaras.

Cluedo Monopoly · 19-10-2022 10:05AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764278#Comment_119764278

Ah I see. I haven't been out in Dublin since 2002! Lived there from 1995-2002 and enjoyed the social life but I rarely go back now unless its a work trip or match. I was in Heuston station recently and there much less 'walking dead' around than usual but it was lovely weather outside.

gmisk · 19-10-2022 10:11AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764303#Comment_119764303

Glad you haven't had any bother in the IFSC. But I know plenty of other people that have and a few who moved out after a while mainly due to anti social behaviour. It is perfectly fine office hours etc, but can be hairy late at night imo.

O'Connell Street and the boardwalks are not safe in my experience.

I don't think it's dramatic to say that, it is from first hand experiences as well as discussions with friends.

Look Dublin isn't exactly Fallujah but there are certainly rough areas and the fact O'Connell Street in particular as such an historic street has been left to go to wrack and ruin is a disgrace.

Thelonious Monk · 19-10-2022 10:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119764355#Comment_119764355

it's completely dead at night, like a ghost town for the most part. 1000s of young professionals live there nowadays, they're hardly all fearing for their lives.

Why is Dublin such a shιtty city?

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