Too many Guards in Glenties

Glenman

I think that Glenties is the main Garda station for South West Donegal; I understand that there are approximately 30-40 guards based there. I presume that some of these are assigned to Ardara, Dungloe and the surrounding areas but it seems to me that there are too many guards with too little to do. I live in Galway and regularly drive to many parts of the country but I have never been stopped at a Garda checkpoint except for in Glenties where I have been stopped four times. Twice at 5am on a Monday morning on the way to work and twice breath tested on the way home from the Limelight on a Saturday night.
The numbers of gardai standing around the street after the Limelight finishes is unreal. There were 13 guards, 3 patrol cars and a transit van on patrol on the Saturday nights of the St Paddies & Easter weekends. They had nothing to do except to arrest a few drunken people to pass the time. Surely this is a waste of resources which would be better used elsewhere.
Also, on Easter Saturday night my 76 year old neighbour was driving 200 yards up the road from his local in the Glen of Glenties to his home in his 135 Massy Ferguson when he was stopped and breath tested by two waiting Gardai. He was a little over the legal limit and was taken to the station for a blood test and will now loose his license. OK, technically he was drink driving but I mean wtf. I suppose the more drink driving convection they get the better it looks on their CV but what harm was this old man doing to anyone.

whippet

as a resident of the pale I would have the opinion that road traffic enforcment was needed more in Donegal than most other places around the country as there seems to be a disportionate number of serious road traffic accidents in that area based on population.

The few times I have had to travel these roads I have witnessed some bizarre driving habits which were again disproportinate to other places I have driven. And I don't think I need to say to much about the number of NI reg cars in th area .... alot I would assume are beloning to Irish residents and VRT dodgers.

As for the public order problems, the guards were able to show in court recently that it is a problem in the locality.

Plus drink driving is drink driving even if it is in a tractor.

smashey

whippet wrote: »

And I don't think I need to say to much about the number of NI reg cars in th area .... alot I would assume are beloning to Irish residents and VRT dodgers.

Did proximity to the border ever cross your mind? Granted there are a few VRT dodgers out there but I drive a Northern car and actually live in Strabane. Check out Lifford Bridge someday. Upwards on 20,000 vehicles a day use it and you can be sure they aren't all VRT dodgers.

@Glenman, move to Lifford, the Gardai are never to be found unless something happens.

muffler

Probably a fair enough comment about the number of Gardai but bear in mind the number of towns like Letterkenny and Ballybofey that are crying out for more gardai at the weekends in particular.

donegalman1

I agree with the last two posters, in particular the need for more Gardai in other areas.

As for the Donegal drivers jibe earlier, the vast majority of road deaths in Ireland for the past six months have been in Co Galway, not just the past few weeks but a sustained bad period of accidents. A county that has rather bad roads too, but you don't see a huge public campaign of insulting drivers in that region like Donegal constantly gets.

JupiterKid

I was staying with friends up in Glencolumbkile over Easter (beautiful part of the world!) and was driving around Donegal. I have to say that I found many local drivers to be quite reckless -tailgating me at 100kph, overtaking on bends, crests of hills etc.

If anything, perhaps there isn't enough Garda enforcement of the rules of the road in Donegal.

blue shimmering

JupiterKid wrote: »

I was staying with friends up in Glencolumbkile over Easter (beautiful part of the world!) and was driving around Donegal. I have to say that I found many local drivers to be quite reckless -tailgating me at 100kph, overtaking on bends, crests of hills etc.

If anything, perhaps there isn't enough Garda enforcement of the rules of the road in Donegal.

I agree, there can't be too many of them on our roads, I am on the road seven days a week and have never been breathalized! I travel from Donegal Town over to Letterkenny everyday and at different times - from 8am to 12.30 in the afternoon depending on when I have to be in college!

By the way, I wouldn't fancy being run over by a 135 Massey and think this man irrelevant of his age shouldn't have been on the road! A tractor is even more destructive - heavier than hitting another car, it is unfortunate about him but he should have had the sense to taken a taxi home! They (the Gardai) do get to know everything and if he was leaving the tractor in a certain spot to get into later they eventually would have coped on to him, he was a very silly man taking such a chance with his and other peoples lifes!

Glenman

blue shimmering wrote: »

I agree, there can't be too many of them on our roads, I am on the road seven days a week and have never been breathalized! I travel from Donegal Town over to Letterkenny everyday and at different times - from 8am to 12.30 in the afternoon depending on when I have to be in college!

I agree, these guards should be located all over the county and not mostly in the Glenties area. I you drive frequently in the Glenties Ardara area it won't be long until you meet a chekpoint

Senna

Glenman wrote: »

Also, on Easter Saturday night my 76 year old neighbour was driving 200 yards up the road from his local in the Glen of Glenties to his home in his 135 Massy Ferguson when he was stopped and breath tested by two waiting Gardai. He was a little over the legal limit and was taken to the station for a blood test and will now loose his license. OK, technically he was drink driving but I mean wtf. I suppose the more drink driving convection they get the better it looks on their CV but what harm was this old man doing to anyone.

A few years ago i was driving from Ballybofey to Letterkenny at around 12am. As i was coming to rosie's pub in drumkeen, i had dipped my lights as another car was in the distance. As i got to rosie's a tractor pulled out onto the road, the tractor had no lights on!!. The tractor was going about 5mph, i was within 20 meters or less when he pulled out and all i could do was to serve onto the other side of the road before i hit him. Thank god the oncoming car was still a good distance away. The tractor driver was drunk and the Garda had a previous report of him driving home from the pub with no lights on. If i had of hit him, i doubt i'd be here today.
So i have very very little sympathy for your neighbor and i hope the judge throws the book at him.

i think you'll also find that drink driving convictions are not the same as speeding offenses, as with speeding, a garda can dismiss a speed of say 103kph in a 100kmp zone, but with drink driving, if your over the limit, your over the limit.

Finally on the topic of too many garda, there might be the right amount of garda in Glenties and not enough everywhere else.

deman

Glenman wrote: »

Also, on Easter Saturday night my 76 year old neighbour was driving 200 yards up the road from his local in the Glen of Glenties to his home in his 135 Massy Ferguson when he was stopped and breath tested by two waiting Gardai. He was a little over the legal limit and was taken to the station for a blood test and will now loose his license. OK, technically he was drink driving but I mean wtf. I suppose the more drink driving convection they get the better it looks on their CV but what harm was this old man doing to anyone.

If your 76 year old neighbour isn't fit to walk 200 metres to the local, I doubt he'd be fit enough to drive a tractor while over the limit. Serves him right.

il gatto

On balance, you're better off having loads of Gardai. Sometimes they're misdirected as to who to deal with, but if they was less gardai, there would be more hassle. It's a great deterrant as the feckers who wouldn't think twice about punching a member of the public or a bouncer tend to fear the uniform.
As for being breathalized, Donegal Gardai should take a leaf out of Sligo's book. It's all they do in Sligo. My tenth time last week, in a little over a year.:)

blue shimmering

il gatto wrote: »

On balance, you're better off having loads of Gardai. Sometimes they're misdirected as to who to deal with, but if they was less gardai, there would be more hassle. It's a great deterrant as the feckers who wouldn't think twice about punching a member of the public or a bouncer tend to fear the uniform.
As for being breathalized, Donegal Gardai should take a leaf out of Sligo's book. It's all they do in Sligo. My tenth time last week, in a little over a year.:)

I agree, the more the better because like children - we do need to see that if we do something wrong we are being watched and will get caught! Mind you there is plenty in Donegal Town late on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night too - but as I said before I have never been stopped or breathalized while coming out of the town late at night! My motto is: "Either DRINK or DRIVE but don't do both at the same time" so one of us drinks and the other drives! Easy isn't it, still I would like to find out what it is like to blow into the bag - I did hear that you need one big almightly breath!

kmick

From my experience of Donegal and the stories I have heard from an in law who lives in Donegal its more gardai ye need up there. The whole county think that the law does not aply to them and have been getting away with it for decades. The sooner you boys up there step into line and the 21st century the better.

smashey

kmick wrote: »

From my experience of Donegal and the stories I have heard from an in law who lives in Donegal its more gardai ye need up there. The whole county think that the law does not aply to them and have been getting away with it for decades. The sooner you boys up there step into line and the 21st century the better.

I'm sure the McBrearty family would agree with you. :rolleyes:

blue shimmering

kmick wrote: »

From my experience of Donegal and the stories I have heard from an in law who lives in Donegal its more gardai ye need up there. The whole county think that the law does not aply to them and have been getting away with it for decades. The sooner you boys up there step into line and the 21st century the better.

Don't really know what you are referring to here but I do think that Donegal in general is a fairly safe place to be - day or night compared to our larger cities and capital of Dublin! In most cases where there are scuffles its too much drink/drugs etc...

I think the problem of drink driving - if this is what you are referring to is a nationwide problem and more check points would make a difference in every county including Donegal!

By the way, don't listen to all the stories you hear because a lot of them are just people who are plain jealous of others having a good time! I can say that because I don't drink but still enjoy going out and enjoying myself - by the way I am not a pioneer either, if I want to have a once off drinking session and have arranged a way home I want to have that choice! I have nothing against drinking, going out and enjoying a night out but these people who get out of control spoil the night for others who then have to pick up the pieces!

So what exactly are you talking about and what stories did you hear, please enlighten us?

kmick

Diesel Laundering, Drink Driving, Sheebeens, Paying off councilors, Guys who left their friend to die in the van outside a sheebeen and then dumped him at the parents house in the morning. It snothing to do with the actual crime and how much less it is than Dublin but rather the attitude to the law I am talking about.

Red Soup

kmick wrote: »

Guys who left their friend to die in the van outside a sheebeen and then dumped him at the parents house in the morning.

Oh yeah, because they did this on purpose did they? Are you saying Donegal people are inherently lawless, because that's the way you're coming across.

muffler

smashey wrote: »

I'm sure the McBrearty family would agree with you. :rolleyes:

And the Shortt family

muffler

kmick wrote: »

Diesel Laundering, Drink Driving, Sheebeens, Paying off councilors, Guys who left their friend to die in the van outside a sheebeen and then dumped him at the parents house in the morning. It snothing to do with the actual crime and how much less it is than Dublin but rather the attitude to the law I am talking about.

I dont think Donegal hold exclusive rights to those activities.

Maybe if the Gardai led by example we could all change our habits and lifestyles.

And maybe you can back up the statements you made.

Glenman

blue shimmering wrote: »

but as I said before I have never been stopped or breathalized while coming out of the town late at night! My motto is: "Either DRINK or DRIVE but don't do both at the same time" so one of us drinks and the other drives! Easy isn't it, still I would like to find out what it is like to blow into the bag - I did hear that you need one big almightly breath!

On the night in question on Easter Saturday night I was breathilised on leaving Glenties at 3:30am. I had 2 bottles of Budweiser between 11:30 and 1:00and then switched to mineral for the rest of the night. So I was bricking it a little as I was giving my breath sample. The result came up zero. I was expecting a small reading, I was surprised it was zero.
As for one big almighty breath...yea you do...you need to keep blowing for about 3 sec until be tells you to stop, I think the machines beeps when it has a sufficiant sample.

smashey

Glenman wrote: »

I had 2 bottles of Budweiser between 11:30 and 1:00and then switched to mineral for the rest of the night.

The result came up zero.

That's budweiser for you.

deman

smashey wrote: »

That's budweiser for you.

LOL. You beat me to it

il gatto

3 seconds? More like 10 seconds I think. I just about run out when it finally clicks. Of course i smoke 20 a day so that may have something to do with it:D

Victor

donegalman1 wrote: »

the vast majority of road deaths in Ireland for the past six months have been in Co Galway

I think this is a gross exaggeration.

If you look here, you will see that the worst counties for accidents are the midlands, followed by rural Leinster, Kerry and Donegal. Wexford and the board counties are worst for serious injusry accidents. Maps page II and XIII. http://www.rsa.ie/publication/publication/upload/RSA_RCF_2006_v7.pdf

A county that has rather bad roads too, but you don't see a huge public campaign of insulting drivers in that region like Donegal constantly gets.

Nobody is insulting anybody, but there are some obvious deficiencies, be it education, engineering or enforcement.

blue shimmering

kmick wrote: »

Diesel Laundering, Drink Driving, Sheebeens, Paying off councilors, Guys who left their friend to die in the van outside a sheebeen and then dumped him at the parents house in the morning. It snothing to do with the actual crime and how much less it is than Dublin but rather the attitude to the law I am talking about.

Diesel Laundering, don't know of it happening anywhere in Donegal - that is not say is isn't but to the best of my knowledge there has been no convictions in Donegal! It is rampent all over the country so why single out Donegal?

Drink Driving is as above, happening all over the country not just in Donegal so why would the stories you are hearing be any different to anywhere else? Every weekend there are a handful caught in the county and unfortuntely some are involved in accidents etc.. but this is still no different than any other part of the country!

Sheebeens, unfortuntely are happening all over the country as well, so don't think they are unique to Donegal either! What would you call them in the capital or other larger towns because there seems to be a lot of private parties which are along the same line as 'The Bog Hotel' the only difference is that there seems to be more violence in these other counties compared to Donegal!

Bribes, paying off councillors to the best of my knowledge is not proven but I do accept that an RTE programme - Questions & Answers I think was pulled at the last moment and was supposed to involve Donegal in it! We have to draw our own conclusions on it and the answer is anyone's guess, but as with the others this seems to be occurring all over the country as well!

Your last comment doesn't seem to be very fair and not really backed up in any way! These fellas if they did what you are saying - which has not been confirmed in any newspapers, news reports etc as far as I know, did what they probably thought was right by taking him home and am sure if they realised the situation was so serious would have called an ambulance for their friend! I don't even know if this is the case so at the moment this story is hearsay and his friends should be given the benefit of doubt until the case comes to court!

Attitude to the law - what does this mean? What are we supposed to be doing up here that is so different to any other part of the country, to be honest I am at a loss to understand what you are referring to? There are drugs, drinking too much, unprovoked fights and so on - but this is still happening all over and is not confined to Donegal!

As I said before - don't listen to the stories, come up here and enjoy yourself as you can only do in DONEGAL! I do suspect that the storytellers are spinning yarns and you are buying them - we are very much renouned for storytelling.... lighten up a little and enjoy life!

kmick

blue shimmering wrote: »

As I said before - don't listen to the stories, come up here and enjoy yourself as you can only do in DONEGAL! I do suspect that the storytellers are spinning yarns and you are buying them - we are very much renouned for storytelling.... lighten up a little and enjoy life!

Problem is I do go up there three or four times a year to Donegal town and these are stories told to me by someone who lives there. But thanks for the suggestion - I have lightened up and feel much better.

As for the point that all this happens elsewhere in the country that makes it ok then does it?

blue shimmering

kmick wrote: »

Problem is I do go up there three or four times a year to Donegal town and these are stories told to me by someone who lives there. But thanks for the suggestion - I have lightened up and feel much better.

As for the point that all this happens elsewhere in the country that makes it ok then does it?

No it doesn't make it ok but that is life and we have to try and make the best of it - up in Donegal too! What I thought you were saying was that these 'stories' you heard were unique to Donegal only, maybe I picked you up wrong?

Anyway hope you have a good day where ever you are!