Pesky Drunken Kids

PWEI

Split from Paddy's Day Parade thread. HB

I took my daughter to the Skerries parade.It was a fairly good local parade.
with all the usual stuff,schools,clubs,local business's and the coast guard.Initially she enjoyed it but after about 15 minutes she turned round to be and said "this is not like the parade in Dublin,this is boring"...:eek:
On another note,I was shocked at the amount of teenage drinking going on in Skerries on Paddy's Day.I had to walk through a playing field to get back to my car and there was a group of teenagers 100-200 strong all drinking.They weren't in the 16-18 age bracket either,more like 12 to 15.When I was walking down to the main street there was a young girl about 13 or 14 outside the supermarket completely off her face shouting abuse at passers by.I know this sort of thing is going on all over the country on Paddy's day,I just hadn't experienced it in such a large scale before.

Unshelved

This problem has been around in Skerries for ages, but it's really turning into a huge one over the last couple of years or so. People seem to be coming to different areas of Skerries - the North Strand, the Ballast Pit, the Field near the Mills, Red Island - to get together and get out of their face. The numbers are really getting out of hand - perhaps because they're not only from the town but from Balbriggan and Rush also.

The only thing to do is to phone the Guards in Balbriggan if you see a large group getting out of control. I know that someone was very badly beaten up by a gang of teenage drinkers on the North Strand a couple of weeks ago, and the Guards have promised greater surveillance - so if you do see something that you're worried about, then do something about it and phone them.

The Hill Billy

Unfortunately, this behaviour isn't confined to St Patrick's Day. I used to live up by the Mills up until a few years ago & it was a bloody nightmare some weekends. Kids pi$$ed & stoned out of their heads shouting & roaring from 8 in the evening until late.

TBH - There's not a lot the Gardaí can do apart from move them on & try to confiscate their drink. WTF do the parents think that their little 15 yo angels are up to on a Friday/Saturday evening?

I see in the Fingal Indo that Townparks/Seacrest is having a real problem with this carry on at the mo.

Unshelved

Tell me about it! I've lost count of the number of times we've been on to the Guards over the last few years about incidents of vandalism on our road. Three times one summer we had relatives staying with us and had the wing mirrors on their car ripped off overnight.

To get back to the drinking thing though, there seems to be one particular Skerries off-licence where - judging by the amount of kids milling around there on Friday nights - getting served seems to be a lot easier than in other places. Other half was coming across the Ballast Pit at about 11pm last Friday night and said that there were kids there who were so drunk that they literally could not stand up. Not having any kids myself, I suppose it's easy to say "I blame the parents", but what kind of parents allow their kids to come home in that state? Don't they worry about what could happen to them in that condition - especially the girls? I just don't get it.

PWEI

Why was there a new topic opened with my "Paddy's Day Parades" post?
I was merely commenting on the amount of teenagers drinking in Skerries, didn't think it needed a topic of its own.

The Hill Billy

PWEI wrote: »

Why was there a new topic opened with my "Paddy's Day Parades" post?
I was merely commenting on the amount of teenagers drinking in Skerries, didn't think it need a topic of its own.

I split your post from that thread because while your post was slightly off-topic in relation to parade recommendations, it was a good one that I thought deserved a thread of its own. HB

dubmick

"Hilly Billy in first contentious mod decision shocker"

The Hill Billy

dubmick wrote: »

"Hilly Billy in first contentious mod decision shocker"

Pesky posters!

PWEI

Hill Billy wrote: »

I split your post from that thread because while your post was slightly off-topic in relation to parade recommendations, it was a good one that I thought deserved a thread of its own. HB

OK fair enough.

What shocked me most about it was the amount of teenagers there.
In Swords you often see teenagers drinking especially in the park behind
Swords Business Campus but its normally only a handful and I've never
felt intimated by them if I was running in the park.But I'd imagine if you were
trying to train near a group of 100+ drinking teenagers it would be very intimidating.

DubArk

I completely agree with all of you that; in Skerries this is getting out of hand. The kids are travelling from all quarters, Swords, Rush, Lusk and Balbriggan. Im led to believe that they’re organising the meetings through social web sites. They gather on the beaches in mass knowing that in numbers they’re less lightly to be confronted by an adult or the Garda

Noting the episode that happened on the North beach a few weeks back, is just one example of when an adult did confront them, they were set upon in a ferocious manner.

The Garda seem to be useless in confronting this and really need to rethink their strategy.

Zero Tolerance needs to be put in place. Such as NO DRINKING ALCOHOL in public places for all adults and teenagers, would be a good start. Fingal council needs to get involved too. This type of behaviour is chipping away on all our freedoms and quality of life. A hefty fine for doing so may make the kids think again, try telling ma or da that they have to pay €500 out and Ma and Da may soon find a sudden intrest in where little Mary and Johnny are at night time!!

The amount of vandalism in Skerries is just beyond belief, cars, windows, broken glass etc. I even witnessed three young guys attacking a green wheelie bin last week, as if by kicking it and trying to remove the lid was they’re right of passage. We all have been young but a green bin?? WTF:rolleyes:

Someone will get hurt very badly very soon in Skerries and that’ll be too late, if you ask me, one of these could be kids or an adult!!

Looking at these kids they have had more then any generation has had in the lifetime of this country. They just seem to have no respect for anything that people have had to work hard for.

Well their in for a big shock in the years to come, when they realise that the good times are over and the true value of peoples possessions.

ZERO TOLERANCE is the message that needs to be sent out loud and clear.

LeoB

This problem is nationwide, but I have noticed driving through Skerries on a few occasions the amount of young kids who were very drunk and very noisy. I have young kids and hope they wont go down the wild side, but I still wonder where are the parents of these 13-15 years olds who are falling about drunk. Why are the parents not prosecuted?
You cant really blame the local Gardai. There maybe 2 of them on duty and an army of drunk kids and there will only be one winner.

I have seen parents going into local station and giving dogs abuse to Gardai for trying to deal with with their ANGLE'S AND SAINTS (kids) while they (the parents) were in the pub.

I would suggest the first thing that needs to be done is Stop supermarkets selling alcohol. One problem is that kids working in supermarkets are being intimadated by these people to serve them and also people who are the legal age are being bullied into buying it or they get a few slaps. A lot of non-nationals are going in to buy 6packs for kids and their reward is a can of beer or €2. Then we need to look at the drinks cabinet in most houses. 20 years ago some bars didnt have such variety. Look at supermarket trollies and see how many will have wine or beer.

DubArk, Cant agree more hit Ma and Da for what Johnny and Mary are at.
As for the zero tollerance I dont think Fingal C.C or anyone else has the ba**s to enforce it.

The one thing we need to be clear about, despite someone getting a hiding, most of these kids are not agressive or thugs, intimadating yes.
There are more good kids around than bad kids.

el_tiddlero

where else is there for kids to go?
what else is there for them to do?
all they see from adults is that drinking is a legitimate passtime - no occasion is complete without a drink..

going to a match - meet you in the pub
going to a gig - meet you in the pub
having a meeting of a book club - sure we'll go for a pint after.
funerals, weddings, birthdays, graduations - all complete with alcoholic refreshment.

it's ridiculous that grown adults can't see a correlation between their own behaviour and that of young people.

Zero tolerance - get a grip. How about providing services and facilities for youth, where they can engage in sport, games and arts. Then you might find that with something constructive to do, they will disengage from the destructive behaviour you are all so shocked by.

Don't like that? didn't think so. Just go give out on the internet instead. It would be pointless to try and instigate any program for youth services, they're a lost cause right? arrogant and swelled with self-entitlement.

the attitudes of the posters here make me despair, for those attitudes will be merely passed down to those self-same drunken youths so that they, in turn, can condemn their own young in time to come.

The Hill Billy

el_tiddlero:

You make a number of valid points regarding the behaviour of adults & their children. However, it is a sweeping generalisation to make when you say "all they see from adults is that drinking is a legitimate passtime - no occasion is complete without a drink.. " That certainly isn't true of most families that I know. And those that would drink, by & large, take a responsible attitude to alcohol.

However, in relation to your points on youth activities/services - in Skerries anyway it is not like there is nothing for a teenager to do in the evenings. There are numerous (& I mean numerous) sporting & non-sporting activities on every night of the week (bar Sunday's maybe). All are easily accessible to any who want to participate & chances are they are cheaper to attend than a 6-pack of Dutch Gold.

LeoB

el_tiddlero wrote: »

where else is there for kids to go?
what else is there for them to do?
all they see from adults is that drinking is a legitimate passtime - no occasion is complete without a drink..

going to a match - meet you in the pub
going to a gig - meet you in the pub
having a meeting of a book club - sure we'll go for a pint after.
funerals, weddings, birthdays, graduations - all complete with alcoholic refreshment.

it's ridiculous that grown adults can't see a correlation between their own behaviour and that of young people.

Zero tolerance - get a grip. How about providing services and facilities for youth, where they can engage in sport, games and arts. Then you might find that with something constructive to do, they will disengage from the destructive behaviour you are all so shocked by.

Don't like that? didn't think so. Just go give out on the internet instead. It would be pointless to try and instigate any program for youth services, they're a lost cause right? arrogant and swelled with self-entitlement.

the attitudes of the posters here make me despair, for those attitudes will be merely passed down to those self-same drunken youths so that they, in turn, can condemn their own young in time to come.

WOW Do ya feel better now?
Before you make sweeping statements you should actually read the posts and quote people.
What is their for kids to Do? Open your eyes there is plenty for kids to do. I am not from Skerries but just off the top of my head there are 13 clubs in Skerries and probably more.

There is nothing wrong with parents having a drink you seem to know all the occasions, but there is a time and place for it and it does not give cause to these groups of kids to get drunk and make a nuicance of themselves.
As for Zero tolerance, why not? What are you afraid of? Do you have a child running the streets? Are you running around the streets or falling about drunk? We have laws and they should be observed, and for you to say "get a grip" is not very helpful.
You go and ask in your local club what job you can take on, or how can you help the club provide more for kids.
There IS plenty for kids to do but a lot of parents just drop their kids off and go have a coffee while a volenteer is minding their child free of charge

el_tiddelro Yes there is a correlation between what parents do and their kids do. Now does this not give creedence to my point hit the parents for what their little Angle gets up to in the park? Your local reps would not have the guts to flag something like this.
As stated I am not from Skerries but as Hill Billy said, There are numerous sporting and non-sporting activities on every night of the week in Skerries

You will notice I finished my last post with There are more good kid than bad kids out there. So now please enlighten us What is your solution?

Skerries has 15 clubs
Rush 17
Balbriggan 23
Lusk 14
and they all cater for young people

Moonbeam

What kind of clubs?
There is one youth club in Balbriggan and it is only in operation a few months. There was another one but to the best of my knowledge it does not exist anymore.

Moonbeam

el_tiddlero wrote: »

where else is there for kids to go?
what else is there for them to do?
all they see from adults is that drinking is a legitimate passtime - no occasion is complete without a drink..

going to a match - meet you in the pub
going to a gig - meet you in the pub
having a meeting of a book club - sure we'll go for a pint after.
funerals, weddings, birthdays, graduations - all complete with alcoholic refreshment.

it's ridiculous that grown adults can't see a correlation between their own behaviour and that of young people.

Zero tolerance - get a grip. How about providing services and facilities for youth, where they can engage in sport, games and arts. Then you might find that with something constructive to do, they will disengage from the destructive behaviour you are all so shocked by.

Don't like that? didn't think so. Just go give out on the internet instead. It would be pointless to try and instigate any program for youth services, they're a lost cause right? arrogant and swelled with self-entitlement.

the attitudes of the posters here make me despair, for those attitudes will be merely passed down to those self-same drunken youths so that they, in turn, can condemn their own young in time to come.

Get involved with the local youth,Make a difference:)

I am a great believer in not moaning about the lack of something unless I have made some effort to change it.

meditraitor

Personaly I dont blame the parents or the kids

Irish culture for this generation is geared around drinking(drugs) and for young adults/teenagers going out at the weekend and drinking whether it be cans or pints is very much the norm.
Paddys Day has been a knacker drinking day for many a year and I did it myself when I was a yungun.
The one thing I do notice thats different though is the complete lack of respect for the Guards or adults in general. When we up the canal or down the arches getting drunk as teenagers any sign of the guards would have us running for the nearest escape route. Now the kids like nothing better than antagonising and abusing Guards......
Maybe its the video game generation or maybe its the guards lack of social graces (One local Guard in the balbriggan area could disperse 20 teenagers with his presence in my day)

Personally I enjoyed the knacker drinking days but as I get older ans wiser the site of younglads falling around the local parks is somewhat disconcerting.

I cannot offer any words of wisdom or solutions but the blame lies with society as a whole not with the individuals that get swept up in it.



2c

meditraitor

Moonbeam wrote: »

Get involved with the local youth,Make a difference:)

I am a great believer in not moaning about the lack of something unless I have made some effort to change it.

+1


Theres not enough people like yourself out there Moonbeam, mores the pity.

The Hill Billy

Moonbeam wrote: »

What kind of clubs?
There is one youth club in Balbriggan and it is only in operation a few months. There was another one but to the best of my knowledge it does not exist anymore.

Moonbeam - I don't know about the other towns, but in Skerries on a Friday night the Sea Scouts meet, there's martial arts, soccer, GAA, rugby & they're just the ones I know about.

LeoB

G.A.A., Soccer, Hockey, Rugby, Bowls, Drama, Sea scouts,Basketball, Karate, Judo, Book clubs, Athletics, Golf, Cricket, Chess and I am sure music groups, as I said before I am not from Skerries there is probably more. I know 1 parent who started a particular club because his son had an interest and now the club has a rota of 6 or 7 parents sharing the load.

wow sierra

In Balbriggan we have
O'Dwyers GAA
Glebe North and Balbriggan FC Soccer
Bracken Boxing
Cricket and Rugby clubs
Scouting groups
Irish Dancing

The above are just a quick list off the top of my head, I don't have children so I am sure there are lots more. I assume there is an atletic club and Hip Hop dancing etc like most towns.

A fleeting glance at the St Patricks Day parade in Balbriggan would show you how many clubs there are.

I agree with you Moonbeam - people should become part of the solution by helping out with clubs instead of complaining about the lack of them.

Morpheus

My God... one youth club, dont give me that silliness.

I grew up in balbriggan and still live there, i spent my entire youth between Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers, Brass and Reed Band, O'Dweyers, Glebe North, Clonard celtic, Balbriggan FC, Ringcommon Wanderers FC, Black Raven Shoto Kan Club, Kempo Karate Club, etc...

what a silly silly and uninformed thing to say "what have they to do with themselves?" the poor dears.

When we knacker drank we absolutely sh*t a brick if an adult or gardai came anywhere near us. (yes i still managed to fit a little bit of sitting on a green drinking cans of illegally acquired [INSERT CHEAPEST BRAND HERE] - even though I was in all that stuff)

And why doesnt same effect occur when an adult or garda strolls around now??

Here are my opinions and theories:

There is a lot to be said for the lack of respect shown by the youth to authority figures nowadays and personally i blame the fact that as a society of plenty and one used to getting its way, we have single-handidly PC'd ourselves into this situation.

Some of these kids need a strong hand to guide them at home and by the authorities. Zero Tolerance is one aid to a complete solution but making parents accountable for their kids actions as well as stiff sentences and on the spot fines is definitely a way forward, but without regular policing and properly enforced ASBOs that wont happen.

By being more PC with the younger generation, we have now effectively erroded some of the social freedoms we ourselves grew up with.

When I was a kid, if I got in trouble, i came home to a wooden spoon or a sharp smack around the ears with the threat of ill tell your father.

Kids nowadays arent treated like that, we are effectively treating an undisciplined (as they have never known discipline) child as a disciplined adult. BUT generally adults are more disciplined than kids, whether through upbringing or life experience.

Now, people are afraid to be any way physical with their own kids in case they end up in hot water. I dont condone physical abuse at all, but at the same time the way I was brought up hasnt led me to go around smacking people around or being violent. Plus, discipline, is (or was in my day) taught in karate, football, scouts etc it was indoctrinated into you to treat elders and authorities with TOTAL respect.

It should be encouraged more nowadays for children to join up to some form of social club (and I dont mean facebook) it should be seen by society as a right of passage for children and youths to actively participate in these clubs in their localities, these kids who are out causing mayhem, some of them at least had a lack of club membership while growing up and we have dared to say stupid things like "oh thats because they were part of the MTV/Console Generation" - but thats a cop out and instead we should be saying "oh thats because their folks werent pushing them enough to engage in clubs and societies".

Their parents SHOULD have said (like mine) you can play your xbox for 1 hour and then you have football training, and when that bleeding hour was up the plug was ripped from the wall, saved game or not, I was lifted off my backside, thrown my football boots/ scouts uniform/ karate gear/ etc and told to move my ar*e.

I think week in week out i have probably had maybe a handful of weeks (other than holidays) from the age of 6 to ... well until today ... that I DIDNT participate in SOMETHING like that, even now im involved in 2 sports clubs.

ALL IN BALBRIGGAN - and I know for a fact that Skerries, Rush, Lusk AND Swords have clubs just as good, plus if the little darlings are willing to travel to skerries to get hammered, then theyve no excuse to travel elsewhere to join clubs.

Theres plenty to do, but I am sorry, parents get a large proportion of my blame and as they get older more of that is aportioned onto the youths themselves.

blastman

I'd tend to agree with that. I was listening to a story this evening from a mate who coaches a kids football team where one young kid on the team called the ref a fat c__t after a game recently, in front of his (the kid's) parents, who didn't say anything to the kid, much less discipline him. I hear more and more people saying it, and the signs are definitely there. Dear God, I've become my father!

Heard another story of an incident in Skerries where someone was set upon a bunch of kids the night the Leaving results came out last year. It's not pleasant.

The Hill Billy

blastman wrote: »

one young kid on the team called the ref a fat c__t after a game recently, in front of his (the kid's) parents, who didn't say anything to the kid, much less discipline him.

There's also the flip side of that coin where the parents on the sideline are also known to shout abuse at the match officials & opposing players. Not exactly a good example to be giving the kids.

blastman

Oh yeah, I've heard a few of those stories lately too.

Purple Gorilla

I'm gonna butt in here considering I am a 16 year old who does drink every so often (Not weekly..only like once every 2 weeks on the weekend) and I'm in Malahide.

There's quite a bit of generalisation going on here... Just because you drink, doesn't make you a scumbag or anything like that. I'd like to consider myself a good student in school...got all honours in the JC, 5 As and 6 Bs etc.
I'm a nice person and don't ever try to intimidate the Gardaí and neither do any of my friends. If our drink is taken off us, we'll be a bit mad about it but other than that, the night just goes on as normal.

Everyone here is talking about there being loads of activites for us to do and loads of clubs, when in actual fact there isn't really. Sure there are loads of sports clubs etc. but who wants to spend their Friday and Saturday nights playing GAA? or doing karate? They are fun after-school activites, but GAA isn't exactly the best socialising activity. Even during the Summer, during the day, we have little to do...we just hang around the park and talk and play some football...

Hill Billy wrote: »

Moonbeam - I don't know about the other towns, but in Skerries on a Friday night the Sea Scouts meet, there's martial arts, soccer, GAA, rugby & they're just the ones I know about.

The Hill Billy

Fair comment there Purple Gorilla. Thanks for your perspective.

From my own point of view - It is only the kids who get pissed up & cause trouble that bother me.

Hauk

Yeah, I was out for my walk on Friday night and I had to run from a bunch of them. And yes they were typical scummers. Hoodies, trousers tucked into runners etc.

Luckily, they were drunk, and I outran them.

Go me \o/