Beggers on Dublin Streets

mikemac · 03-07-2006 06:04PM #1

Has anyone else noticed a lot of people begging around Dublin lately?

I walked from Easons on Middle Abbey Street up to Liffey Street Upper and counted five. This was at lunchtime today.

Three were 3 men in their late 20s or early 30's at a guess.
Other two were girls and I'd say they were no older than 16.
Everyone was sitting on the ground with coffee cups apart from the older girl who was walking up to people and asking for change.

Everytime I walk this street, there is usually at least one or two beggers but I was kinda shocked to see 5 within a 300 metre walk.

Is it because it's summer and there are lots of tourists around that caused this?
Also, if tthey were genuinly in need of money and decided to beg, why not go somewhere else and you won't be competing with 4 other beggers?
Is Middle Abbey Street the main place in Dublin for this because I haven't seen this elsewhere in Dublin.

Soory, that's a lot of questions.
Not looking for the rights or wrongs of giving money to beggers, just other's opinions on why so many in a small area.

Gone West · 03-07-2006 06:49PM

because homeless beggars aren't exactly at the top of the IQ tree.

SoupyNorman · 03-07-2006 06:53PM

Do yourself a favour and dont come to San Diego if that type of thing bothers you!!!!!

monkeyfudge · 03-07-2006 07:01PM

There does seem to be some sort of a system or beggars union in place.

I remember seeing an argument break out once as one guy was begging at an ATM when it was supposed to be someone elses shift at that machine.

Terry · 03-07-2006 07:06PM

the immigants took all the jobs selling the big issue.

magick · 03-07-2006 07:21PM

because homeless beggars aren't exactly at the top of the IQ tree.

and how would you know ? Not all beggers are mindless crack whores or scumbags , some may have been made homeless due to Special Circumstances.

Zapp Brannigan · 03-07-2006 07:26PM

magick wrote:

and how would you know ? Not all beggers are mindless crack whores or scumbags , some may have been made homeless due to Special Circumstances.

I don't know why but I laughed when I read the above post!

scop · 03-07-2006 07:26PM

You just happened to cover most of the best begging spots, the gauntlet of beggers begins on the Ha'Penny bridge so walking to there from Middle Abbey St,. you may see two, then under the arc as you walk to Temple Bar theres usually one, then under the arc towards central bank maybe two. Theres beggers everywhere in Dublin, all two tier societies have this, Ireland is just following London in the begger effect. Expect more as we become colder.

antSionnach · 03-07-2006 07:51PM

Do you know what I cant understand at all? How can they be so poor if they get social welfare. They must get social welfare? Im talking specifically about the ones who arent junkies etc. And doesnt everyone get a free house or something?

Lister1 · 03-07-2006 07:51PM

Expect more as we become colder.

Thought they'd have more sense and stay indoors...

monkeyfudge · 03-07-2006 07:53PM

antSionnach wrote:

Do you know what I cant understand at all? How can they be so poor if they get social welfare. They must get social welfare? Im talking specifically about the ones who arent junkies etc. And doesnt everyone get a free house or something?

I believe you can't sign on if you don't have a fixed address.

Zapp Brannigan · 03-07-2006 07:57PM

monkeyfudge wrote:

I believe you can't sign on if you don't have a fixed address.

Yup, no fixed address no dole money.

scop · 03-07-2006 08:01PM

Lister1 wrote:

Thought they'd have more sense and stay indoors...

Hilarious. :rolleyes:

biko · 03-07-2006 08:06PM

There's a lot of them currently in G city too.

stepbar · 03-07-2006 08:15PM

There's one begger I can see from my apt window on a regular basis. Do you know what he does? When the traffic light go red he staggers up like a chicken to every car looking for money, pissed out of his head, hand out looking for money. TBH this sort of begger (i.e the alco sort) pisses me off. Im not an advocate for violence but sometimes I wish I could just kick him up the arse. And hes not the only one, there is a regular group that hang around aungier st, pissed out of their heads. Nearly got hit on the head by a glass one eve walking up from the shop by one of the lads in the group. I would have planted him one but I was afraid the other would beat the **** out of me. Dont have much time for them TBH....

FranknFurter · 03-07-2006 08:19PM

Slurms wrote:

Yup, no fixed address no dole money.

And if I remember correctly, the housing list is about 4-6 years of being "on the housing list".
Meantime you would be probably talking hostels and B&B's if you can afford it (which most cannot).

http://www.simoncommunity.com/Why_People_Become_Homeless.php

b

ThrownAway · 03-07-2006 08:53PM

FranknFurter wrote:

And if I remember correctly, the housing list is about 4-6 years of being "on the housing list".
Meantime you would be probably talking hostels and B&B's if you can afford it (which most cannot).

http://www.simoncommunity.com/Why_People_Become_Homeless.php

b

I was looking for cheap accomidation [under 150 a week] a few months ago and even found a place for 25 euro/ week in Cork. If they get the dole which has to be more than 25 a week surely then they can actually afford a place to live.

monkeyfudge · 03-07-2006 08:55PM

ThrownAway wrote:

I was looking for cheap accomidation [under 150 a week] a few months ago and even found a place for 25 euro/ week in Cork. If they get the dole which has to be more than 25 a week surely then they can actually afford a place to live.

It's still not that easy. Landlords look for references and a current adresses.

ThrownAway · 03-07-2006 09:01PM

monkeyfudge wrote:

It's still not that easy. Landlords look for references and a current adresses.

and they'd actually refuse them because they didn't have a place to live at present

Lister1 · 03-07-2006 09:01PM

Can't they put it care of a relative/hostel or something?

Bit off topic but has anyone heard of a busker who plays off Grafton Street in Dublin, down the side street near the hotel(cant think of the hotel name but its at the back of the Gaeity) who is supposed to live in a massive house in Malahide somewhere. Had an arguement with people encrourching on his patch as well. Not sure if trure but someone told me about it once, didnt know whether to believe them...

DublinWriter · 03-07-2006 09:43PM

Lister1 wrote:

Can't they put it care of a relative/hostel or something?

I say this to all here that have been putting down these people; most homeless have come from very screwed up family backgrounds and most have mental health problems.

As for hostels, there isn't enough places in Dublin Homeless shelters because of a lack of resources.

Do yourself a favour and take a look around the city in which you live.

Not all were as lucky to have as good as start in life as you have had.

Yet you'll sit here, and happily bitch about them behind the comfort of four walls, a roof and a PC with broadband.

Some people judge the success of a country by how wealthy is it. I generally find that seeing how a country treats it's poor and vunerable to be a far more effective socio-economic indicator.

Zapp Brannigan · 03-07-2006 10:03PM

Lister1 wrote:

Bit off topic but has anyone heard of a busker who plays off Grafton Street in Dublin, down the side street near the hotel(cant think of the hotel name but its at the back of the Gaeity) who is supposed to live in a massive house in Malahide somewhere. Had an arguement with people encrourching on his patch as well. Not sure if trure but someone told me about it once, didnt know whether to believe them...

Well he's a busker so who cares? They're performing for money not just asking for some.

stepbar · 03-07-2006 10:08PM

Hold on here one moment no one puts a bottle of beer in their hand.....

Terry · 03-07-2006 10:46PM

stepbar wrote:

Hold on here one moment no one puts a bottle of beer in their hand.....

do you understand the concept of addiction?

nobody can truly understand this unless they have been addicted to something themselves.

Doctor DooM · 03-07-2006 11:15PM

There's a serious amount of ignoring flying in this thread.

stepbar · 03-07-2006 11:31PM

horse****, i stopped smoking 3 yrs ago. Thankfully I have a bit of willpower and pride in myself unlike some of the boyos I see on the street. They must have little value on life.
And I had no patches either....

monkeyfudge · 03-07-2006 11:35PM

Hey, if I was all out of options and hadn't the education or the ability to be able to pull myself back up out of the gutter then I'd definitely just waste my life away with drink.. what else is there?

Creamy Goodness · 03-07-2006 11:43PM

monkeyfudge wrote:

There does seem to be some sort of a system or beggars union in place.

I remember seeing an argument break out once as one guy was begging at an ATM when it was supposed to be someone elses shift at that machine.

this is the only thing that puzzles me about beggers.

right your out in town or where ever. ohh shoot i have NO MONEY, better go to the ATM.

off you go to the ATM where the minimum you can take out is ten euros (in notes)

you're hardly going to say take out 20 - 10 for you and 10 to give to the begger at the ATM - do they think they'll get a lot of money there?

monkeyfudge · 03-07-2006 11:44PM

Oh I know... It's the one place where I have absolutely no change to give away... and no way am I giving away paper money!

stepbar · 03-07-2006 11:45PM

Look, there are various genuine reasons why someone may turn out to be homeless, but Ill tell you something drink / drugs aint the answer and its these sort that I dont have much time for.... I certainly wont be giving them money to go buy another can of cider Ill tell you that much....

thebaz · 03-07-2006 11:57PM

the ignorance of some here on boards is unreal, i'd say there would be many who think beggers or homeless people should be executed, or imprisoned. The waiting list for social housing is over 5 years in Dublin, with rents at 900 euros a month for 1 bedrooms, and 300k for a bed flat to buy, it would be very easy to become homeless in Ireland, particularly with our newfound selfish attitude along with our material wealth. Maybe we should be gratefull and think , there go i but for the grace , if i was to split up with my missus .. instead of branding homeless as "Thicko junkies".

Beggers on Dublin Streets

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