What the hell is happening in Ennis???

Claregirl

I got to go out in Ennis last night for the first time in ages. Fancied a change of scene from my usual local and headed to O'Keeffes having heard about the new refurb. (Lovely job they've done especially with the smoking area)

Anyhow bit hazy on this coz of the few drinkies but I think about 2am or 2.30ish a young girl was beaten up outside. She was approached by three young girls a woman and a man who asked her for a fag when she said sorry I don't smoke she was punched to the ground and kicked in the head while on the ground. I didn't see the event happen but a friend did. I saw the after effects on the poor girl after she was brought inside her face was a state god love her. It turns out this was the sixth attack last night.

What's going on??? Is this a regular occurrence?

BLITZ_Molloy

Regular would probably be a little bit of a stretch but a pretty serious incident usually crops up every few years. There's always been a violent element in town. I've friends from all over the country that have had similar incidents in their towns too. I don't think it's THAT common but you can be unlucky, even if you do your best to avoid inciting any violence.

I myself got punched walking home on the Kilrush road two years ago. Got asked for a cigarette outside the county council offices and I said I'd just smoked the last one, which I had, and walked on. The guy interpreted this as me being cheeky and punched me in the face breaking my glasses. He didn't hurt me particularly but I was down 350 euros. Now I buy cheaper pairs.

These people always target people on their own. I was outnumbered so retaliating wouldn't have ended well. I'd say the best insurance for anybody going out at night is always stay in groups. And be careful about how you tell someone dodgy looking that you aren't giving them a smoke.

drunken_munky52

Was this the O'Keefes from across the courthouse? If so, then those knackers should be put straight into it and get what they deserve.

I wouldnt look into this too much, its just a sign of the times we live in. More and more nastiness in people generally, more availibility of drugs and alcohol is warping young minds earlier and earlier. As a result, they hate to hear the word "no" because that means they can't get what ever hit they can take, including a cigarette. Best advice in those situations is to pretend like you didnt hear them and ignore them completely > walk away and let them insult you if they want. If you say "no" or "i don't" thats been negative, which they hate.

Theres always going to be a low eeb of scumbags in the town, but thats just a confirmation that as a society, we are all guilty of fanning the flames. Just becuase you see people happy becuase they are drunk, does not mean we are a happy people. Our whole attitude to alcohol has to change in order to wash out these rats, becuase the more normal people live the high life the more behaviour like this is tolerated.

BLITZ_Molloy

Saying younger people are worse, or there's more drugs around isn't exactly the answer either. There was plenty of violence around in the 80's when everybody was skint and couldn't afford to get really drunk or high. Some people are just pricks whatever the circumstances.

drunken_munky52

Out of all these types of incidents I have heard of, gangs of hooded late teen to early twenties will attack you if you just in the wrong place at the wrong time, that sets a stereotype for me anyway, sorry to offend young people! I can't imagine 30, 40 odds doing this on such a random scale. Little boy scumbag wannabies are another catagory then, just hearing what comes out of the mouth of one of these children is enough to give anyone the chills, especially about the fact that they will grow into adults.

Cushla

It must happen more regularly than people think.Happened my friend near Brandons on a Sunday nite two weeks ago.He now has 3 broken teeth to get fixed.Again he was on his own, being sensible by going home early. I think the cops knew who the lads were because they'd done a similar unprovoked attack earlier that eve. They're on cctv but nothings happened as yet.
I often walk home but it really would make you think twice..

MickDundee

A big problem here is there is little or no Garda presence in the town at the weekends.

If there were Gardai patrolling the streets at the weekends (one assigned to O'Connell St., one assigned to Abbey St., one assigned to Lifford and so on) there would be less violence on the streets.

Prevention is always better than cure.

BLITZ_Molloy

The government is cutting back on Gardai in most rural areas at the moment so you can kiss that idea goodbye. Ennis probably won't suffer too badly but all the other garda stations in Clare are going to go away. Kilrush will go to the dogs.

I didn't mean to say that the violence isn't being carried out by young people. I meant to say that young people in past generations were just as bad. Violence, drugs and excessive drinking have been a feature of Irelands towns for decades.

drunken_munky52

Less guard's aint the problem. To prevent this sort of behaviour for future generations, education needs to be the piller of the solution. We cant do much to change the bad eggs that around now, but we sure as hell can try and make sure the dont poison their children with the same life waster attitudes, i.e. living on the dole, dropping out of school, etc. This needs to be shown as "uncool" for these little knackers if they are going to be productive law abiding citizens.

Just saw this RTE arty, beleive me there is a direct link:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0720/drugs.html

Teadrinker

Agree that education is the answer. But with all the cutbacks on special needs and learning support teachers now, the situation with these kids, many of whom who need enormous amounts of support in school, is not going to happen.

I know this will annoy a lot, but what is the use of the name-calling? Labelling someone a 'knacker' might give us a chance to let off steam but does nothing about solving anything. I am in a situation where I come across some of these kids regularly and there is an age at which, like every other kid, they are a great, spirited bunch who respond well to just being talked to. I think the main downfall for them is that they are bored to death. The telly is on all day. They have little or no access to books. Noone talks to them much. There's no swimming, so summer camps, just offloaded on the relatives for parts of the summer. They have to take care of younger siblings. There's little expectation at home that they will amount to anything academically. They are often frightened because of what goes on in their home or their extended family, really traumatised by it and they harden up to cope and then just follow the pattern. What choice do they have. We all know kids who find themselves in with a bad crowd and know what it's like weaning them away from them, letting them learn their hopefully-not-too-severe lessons and then divert them off to the tennis club, football, the youth club, learning to play the guitar or whatever, but where can these kids go?

It's very depressing. You think now of all the teachers out of work and probably social workers too and even people out of work who would be fantastic at helping these kids. If some of them, us, could find a way to use the time on their, our, hands to do work with these kids, then maybe this bloody recession might yield up something valuable, something which the years of plenty totally failed.

seachto7

if there were severe penalties for it, it may happen less..the law is too soft...

golfball37

That side of the bridge is rough out late at night. The crowd coming out of the Barge and Pockets are mostly riff raff and are only looking for trouble.

4Sheets

I got an unprovoked headbutt walking home on the Kilrush Rd one eve..
I think the problem is on the routes to certain estates wont name names but yes I think Ennis is a relatively dangerous spot and I Wouldnt be walking on my own at night there..

Keano

As a Clare man, Ennis has always had an underlying anti-social problem. I gave up going out in Ennis a number of years ago as walking down the street alone to get a taxi could easily land you in trouble. Lovely town during the day but at night its not for me.

4Sheets

Well teachers and social workers made little impact on these estate kids in the good times so maybe its money saved...

The Cycle as you describe is ingrained for generations,its depressing but this is how these people live and unless they themselves want to change or go against the grain as some do ..the rest are a waste of space that throwing resources at is pointless..
Maybe a reducation in social welfare would be far more benefical,get the parents out working for a living instead of relying on a state supported doss..


quote=Teadrinker;61228406]Agree that education is the answer. But with all the cutbacks on special needs and learning support teachers now, the situation with these kids, many of whom who need enormous amounts of support in school, is not going to happen.

I know this will annoy a lot, but what is the use of the name-calling? Labelling someone a 'knacker' might give us a chance to let off steam but does nothing about solving anything. I am in a situation where I come across some of these kids regularly and there is an age at which, like every other kid, they are a great, spirited bunch who respond well to just being talked to. I think the main downfall for them is that they are bored to death. The telly is on all day. They have little or no access to books. Noone talks to them much. There's no swimming, so summer camps, just offloaded on the relatives for parts of the summer. They have to take care of younger siblings. There's little expectation at home that they will amount to anything academically. They are often frightened because of what goes on in their home or their extended family, really traumatised by it and they harden up to cope and then just follow the pattern. What choice do they have. We all know kids who find themselves in with a bad crowd and know what it's like weaning them away from them, letting them learn their hopefully-not-too-severe lessons and then divert them off to the tennis club, football, the youth club, learning to play the guitar or whatever, but where can these kids go?

It's very depressing. You think now of all the teachers out of work and probably social workers too and even people out of work who would be fantastic at helping these kids. If some of them, us, could find a way to use the time on their, our, hands to do work with these kids, then maybe this bloody recession might yield up something valuable, something which the years of plenty totally failed.[/quote]

Insulting_Bitch

To anyone here who thinks that there is no problem in Ennis or that this happens everywhere:

Driving onto the maid of erin roundabout today I could not believe my eyes when I saw 3 or four scumbags fighting at the Lahinch exit. One was wildly waving a shovel around the place screaming f*uck off i telled you. Not only a threat to motorists but also to basic grammar. He shovel weilding sh*thead was walking backwards out onto the road which if you were to ask a five year old is not a good idea and the entire roundabout was completely blocked up. I have no problem with this cnuts if they stayed fighting in their own patch but this guy was intimidating nearby motorists with his trusty knacker weapon.

My boyfriend is from one the roughest parts of Dublin and when I told him he was stunned and said he has never seen anything like that so don't try to argue that these things happen everywhere.

Mass sterilisation is the answer is my frank and honest opinion. If these people cannot control themselves in normal society they should not be allowed to spawn. I could go on but for fear I would be considered fascist I will keep the rest of my ideas for the extermination of this vermin to myself.

Ennis has always had it rough elements but dear christ does that make it acceptable for events like this to start taking place?

drunken_munky52

Insulting_Bitch wrote: »

To anyone here who thinks that there is no problem in Ennis or that this happens everywhere:

Driving onto the maid of erin roundabout today I could not believe my eyes when I saw 3 or four scumbags fighting at the Lahinch exit. One was wildly waving a shovel around the place screaming f*uck off i telled you. Not only a threat to motorists but also to basic grammar. He shovel weilding sh*thead was walking backwards out onto the road which if you were to ask a five year old is not a good idea and the entire roundabout was completely blocked up. I have no problem with this cnuts if they stayed fighting in their own patch but this guy was intimidating nearby motorists with his trusty knacker weapon.

My boyfriend is from one the roughest parts of Dublin and when I told him he was stunned and said he has never seen anything like that so don't try to argue that these things happen everywhere.

Mass sterilisation is the answer is my frank and honest opinion. If these people cannot control themselves in normal society they should not be allowed to spawn. I could go on but for fear I would be considered fascist I will keep the rest of my ideas for the extermination of this vermin to myself.

Ennis has always had it rough elements but dear christ does that make it acceptable for events like this to start taking place?

Take it down a few notches biatch, are you from the show grounds road or something, coz that would explain why you literally look down on people.

_Arctic_

I was attacked lately because I wouldn't give money to some scumbags. One fella had his hand around my throat, and when I pushed him off me, I got a couple of boxes in the face. And this was in the middle of the day in Ennis. Knackers nearly stole my phone a few weeks ago too, in town.

drunken_munky52

Like I think I said before on another post, Ennis or anywhere in Ireland aint nothing compared to some of the places I have seen around the world with my own eyes. Seriously kids, consider yourself lucky that we live on an island on the west of Europe, buffered from most drifters that end up on the conteinant. Lets not go into the fact that our women are immune from war rape and our children don't have to grow up limbless.

Insulting_Bitch

Insulting_Bitch wrote: »

Not only a threat to motorists but also to basic grammar.

LMFAO

livinginkorea

Usually you would be careful at night and watch where you are going and always be with a couple of mates but by the sound of things, it's not that safe in the day time either.

Insulting_Bitch

drunken_munky52 wrote: »

Take it down a few notches biatch, are you from the show grounds road or something, coz that would explain why you literally look down on people.

I don't look down on people. Those in question are not people they are leeches. Why wouldn't I look down on those that fight in the middle of a busy junction in broad daylight with shovels? What part of that makes these people normal? Until these people can behave themselves and act with some level of decency in society I wil continue to look down on them from my throne of money, hygeine and PhD's. (I wish.) Can you honestly say that those that engage in this type of behaviour are anywhere close to being deemed respectable?

Clearly you also have a chip on your shoulder about the showgrounds road...no I do not reside there and never have.

Teadrinker

Insulting_Bitch wrote: »

To anyone here who thinks that there is no problem in Ennis or that this happens everywhere:

Driving onto the maid of erin roundabout today I could not believe my eyes when I saw 3 or four scumbags fighting at the Lahinch exit. One was wildly waving a shovel around the place screaming f*uck off i telled you. Not only a threat to motorists but also to basic grammar. He shovel weilding sh*thead was walking backwards out onto the road which if you were to ask a five year old is not a good idea and the entire roundabout was completely blocked up. I have no problem with this cnuts if they stayed fighting in their own patch but this guy was intimidating nearby motorists with his trusty knacker weapon.

My boyfriend is from one the roughest parts of Dublin and when I told him he was stunned and said he has never seen anything like that so don't try to argue that these things happen everywhere.

Mass sterilisation is the answer is my frank and honest opinion. If these people cannot control themselves in normal society they should not be allowed to spawn. I could go on but for fear I would be considered fascist I will keep the rest of my ideas for the extermination of this vermin to myself.

Ennis has always had it rough elements but dear christ does that make it acceptable for events like this to start taking place?

And a post celtic tiger princess gets a taste of the real world and shouts "Off with their heads".

Teadrinker

drunken_munky52 wrote: »

Like I think I said before on another post, Ennis or anywhere in Ireland aint nothing compared to some of the places I have seen around the world with my own eyes. Seriously kids, consider yourself lucky that we live on an island on the west of Europe, buffered from most drifters that end up on the conteinant. Lets not go into the fact that our women are immune from war rape and our children don't have to grow up limbless.

Would make a good sign for the entrance to town:

Ennis: Not nearly as bad as Darfur

golfball37

Unemployment benefits should be linked to contraception use imo.

drunken_munky52

Teadrinker wrote: »

Would make a good sign for the entrance to town:

Ennis: Not nearly as bad as Darfur

"nearly"?

drunken_munky52

Insulting_Bitch wrote: »

I don't look down on people. Those in question are not people they are leeches. Why wouldn't I look down on those that fight in the middle of a busy junction in broad daylight with shovels? What part of that makes these people normal? Until these people can behave themselves and act with some level of decency in society I wil continue to look down on them from my throne of money, hygeine and PhD's. (I wish.) Can you honestly say that those that engage in this type of behaviour are anywhere close to being deemed respectable?

Clearly you also have a chip on your shoulder about the showgrounds road...no I do not reside there and never have.

Have you ever seen the film "Crash" with Matt Dillon or "American History X"? I advised you to, as it shows that what goes around comes around.

Why do you care if they are fighting with shovels in broad daylight, its none of your business what they do. If they want to make asses of themselves then let em off, I wouldnt lose any sleep over it.

I don't think that just becuase you may have a few rotten eggs in the town that it makes the place bad in general, your forgeting the other 99% of sound folk that live there.

I have a chip on my shoulder? LOL, I don't think I need to explain why I laughed when I read that

REPSOC1916

Insulting_Bitch wrote: »

To anyone here who thinks that there is no problem in Ennis or that this happens everywhere:

Driving onto the maid of erin roundabout today I could not believe my eyes when I saw 3 or four scumbags fighting at the Lahinch exit. One was wildly waving a shovel around the place screaming f*uck off i telled you. Not only a threat to motorists but also to basic grammar. He shovel weilding sh*thead was walking backwards out onto the road which if you were to ask a five year old is not a good idea and the entire roundabout was completely blocked up. I have no problem with this cnuts if they stayed fighting in their own patch but this guy was intimidating nearby motorists with his trusty knacker weapon.

I used to live in Ennis and I've never seen anything like that. If it's true then the town has gone even worse.
I wonder if the drug poblem is still the same (i.e. not great) or has it even gotten worse. A friend of mine from Sinn Fein told me a lot of heroin is being dealt in Ennis now. Does anyone care to comment?

Clareman

There is a terrible drug problem in town, I didn't think that's a secret and by the look at a lot of people around there has to be heroin, they should just play Trainspotting over and over in the square at the weekends

Claregirl

drunken_munky52 wrote: »

Seriously kids,

Aren't you a college student??:D

Kradock

Ennis is a lovely town with the same problems most areas with any large populace has , no more and definately no worse. 99% of people are genuine going around living their lives. The 1% though ,I would imagine it is along way less but since I don't have the census results to hand, are people who have found themselves "on the wrong side of the tracks" .

I spent a lot of time in Ennis through my school years and after ,while socialising and one thing that was apparent to me was that a lot of the problems back then were compounded at the weekends when the masses congregated in the town . There has always been a drug problem in Ennis as there is in every town in Ireland .

Also these attacks on people , whether during the day or the night are nothing new , this was going on back in the 80's also. What still astounds me is that people are surprised by them. There are people everywhere who have a mentality that can at best been described as lacking , this is a cycle that few seem to be able to break or get out of .

Ennis has its social problems , there are people in Ennis who because of their address never had a chance from day one . I witnessed the compounding of this throughout my school years by teachers who " left students behind" because of their family and financial circumstances , most of these people later became social misfits plagued by drink and drug issues , some sadly it was all they knew in their short lives.

To hear that Sinn Fein are saying there is a heroin problem in Ennis also doesn't surprise me , they talk the talk but actions are sadly lacking . With a population the size of Ennis and it being the central town in Clare whose numbers increase massively at the weekends why wouldn't it become a target for drug dealers , there is a market . Ecstasy is rife in Ennis and to many many people the drug of choice for a Friday and Saturday night . It is only natural that Coke and Heroin will follow. I would bet that there are a percentage in Ennis who have gratuated to heroin , but I will also bet that the majority of these are not the weekend party people who have to return to work on a Monday morning , they are the next cycle of misfits who have been " left behind " excluded from the society we have become .