Most miserable and grim towns and villages in Ireland

armaghlad wrote: »

If you want grim I defy you to find anything that can trump some of the cesspits in the north - especially this time of year. Larne, Ballymena, Coleraine, Antrim, Portadown, Lisburn, Carrickfergus, Newtownards, Portrush, Ballymoney, Kilkeel. In each town you’re likely to find the same uninspiring main streets complete with welcoming loyalist flags, pound shops and empty retail units. Each town has at least one or two paramilitary-controlled housing estates where pride of place on the bonfire sits the tricolour. And don’t get me started on the villages...

You could add Londonderry, Lurgan, Newry, Crossmaglen etc. to that list but that might not suit your agenda. :rolleyes:

Del.Monte wrote: »

You could add Londonderry, Lurgan, Newry, Crossmaglen etc. to that list but that might not suit your agenda. :rolleyes:

Never heard of it.

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Clonmellon isn't in meath

It's in westmeath

population = 1. the guy in the cow t shirt.

SmartinMartin wrote: »

Oldcastle, Meath. It's one of those towns on the way to nowhere, you have to have a reason to go there. Insular time warp.

I pass by sometimes and it seems a beautiful town honestly. And a lot of young people. Ballyjamesduff instead is depressing.

Guillermo Gentle Rationalism wrote: »

Starting to think you are the head of the local chamber of commerce.

I'm not saying Bray is the most grim town in Ireland, but if it didn't have the seafront, it would be close. The sheer volume of junkies in the town is unbelievable - openly dealing on the main street. A main street that has too many units boarded up, and even the units that aren't boarded up, arent great. A previous poster said it's like walking down a street in Dublin, that is kinda true, but you are talking Talbot Street or Meath Street - not Grafton Street.

It has a good selection of supermarkets, that's about the best thing I could say about Bray, if you exclude the seafront.

There are indeed some massive houses up the King Edward Road, but those folk aren't your typical Bray person.

Bray often gets criticised, generally by people who don't know it or not from there.

You cannot dispute it's positives as nothings just to suit your arguments.

The seafront is a major feature of the town and the views of Bray head and from it are stunning as is the Cliff Walk.

There some beautiful residential areas, more than King Edward Road. Try Novara Road, Florence Road, Herbert Road, Galtrim Park, Meath Road, Sidmonton Road, Putland Hill, Newcourt Road Vevay Road to name but a few.
All decent areas with nice houses and facilities.

The town has some fantastic restaurants, not just along the seafront and also a thriving pub scene.

Yes there are problems and some disadvantaged areas. Like many towns it suffered during the crash and many shops are closed due to the recession, changing shopping habits and in ability to compete with Dundrum.

New town centre will open this year and they're hoping for a revival.

Been on Main Street regularly and never seen a drug deal happening like you say but even so can you name a town in Ireland without drugs?

I don't know how Bray has gotten its reputation with some people. Been out and about in pubs regular and never see any trouble. I wonder do people base it on their daytrips and people they see coming out on the Dart?

Living here for years, love the place and wouldn't want to be anywhere else, as its positives outweigh its negatives by far.

Basically any town in south Armagh. A place that reeks of diesel sludge and incest. And there is always the sounds of duelling banjos being played over the entire area. Oh and Dungannon. It makes Basra look like Monte Carlo. Also Lisburn is a rubbish non city.

In the republic I would put forward Bundoran. It has a very depressing feel about it for somewhere so close to a nice coastal setting. I feel a lot of houses there have crying chairs that would be used frequently.

ArnoldJRimmer wrote: »

That is a fine collection of grim places, Newbuildings in particular, but with a notable omission, Roslea Co Fermanagh. Used to travel through it on the way to Donegal, and I always felt like Tommy Tiernan on the bus in Father Ted when Radiohead started playing

Here’s a new mathematical equation that cannot be disputed

Town born + Tommy Tiernan = most miserable unfunny c*’t and biggest sh*thole town in Ireland

armaghlad wrote: »

If you want grim I defy you to find anything that can trump some of the cesspits in the north - especially this time of year. Larne, Ballymena, Coleraine, Antrim, Portadown, Lisburn, Carrickfergus, Newtownards, Portrush, Ballymoney, Kilkeel. In each town you’re likely to find the same uninspiring main streets complete with welcoming loyalist flags, pound shops and empty retail units. Each town has at least one or two paramilitary-controlled housing estates where pride of place on the bonfire sits the tricolour. And don’t get me started on the villages...

I was up there last year just before the 12th and it really was like stepping back in time. Carrickfergus with its lovely castle and coastline and sectarian flags everywhere. Bushmills up the coast another place that was just as depressing in the middle of summer. There was a bit of life in portrush but that could have been to do with the open.

Higgins5473 wrote: »

Here’s a new mathematical equation that cannot be disputed

Town born + Tommy Tiernan = most miserable unfunny c*’t and biggest sh*thole town in Ireland

That doesn’t make sense, dude.

Better Than Christ wrote: »

A big playground for men in silly trousers.

And a few of us women in trousers play it also and what views and if you don’t want to follow the little ball around there’s a fab beach to walk

lalababa wrote: »

Any village or small town that is not on the tourist trail or on the way to somewhere or hasn't an industry or is not a 'sleeper' for a larger town/city will decline in population and services until the tumbleweed takes over. The way farming/modern procurement of services/big roads and decline in manufacturing and above all urbanisation is going then this is their future. The only way to change the decline is remote working/universal payments....with the pull of cheap houses/little traffic/more space quiteish village/countryside/cheap living.

This is it really. At one stage there was an organic reason a town sprang up. A river meets a main thoroughfare, a castle, a port whatever. In many places around the country that reason or the benefits of that reason are gone. Therefore said town should wither. There is no point in flogging a dead horse, easy said but a harder pill to swallow when ones home is said dead horse.