Is Limerick a safe place to stand out?

MissHoneyBun

The statistics you're basing your post on refers to convictions only Amazo. People on this forum and indeed elsewhere have long since criticised the amount of unconvicted crime that occurs in Limerick, largely due to inadequate policing and also a fundamentally flawed judicial system.

EDIT: Just to clarify, my posts and this thread was referring to Limerick and safety issues there, not Ireland in general so please don't change your argument to suit your agenda. Your comments on Ireland being a generally safe place are irrelevant and not really pertinent to what was being discussed.

Amazotheamazing

MissHoneyBun wrote: »

The statistics you're basing your post on refers to convictions only Amazo. People on this forum and indeed elsewhere have long since criticised the amount of unconvicted crime that occurs in Limerick, largely due to inadequate policing and also a fundamentally flawed judicial system.

EDIT: Just to clarify, my posts and this thread was referring to Limerick and safety issues there, not Ireland in general so please don't change your argument to suit your agenda. Your comments on Ireland being a generally safe place are irrelevant and not really pertinent to what was being discussed.

Here's the most recent reports I can find, feel free to go through them. I'm putting Limerick in a national context, repeatedly Limerick is shown to be on a par with Cork, Waterford or Dublin so why pretend it's any worse?

http://www.cso.ie/releasespublications/documents/crime_justice/2008/gardacrimestats_2008.pdf

I've no interest in presenting false stats, if you want to post stats that back up your perceptions, go for it.

MissHoneyBun

MissHoneyBun wrote: »

The statistics you're basing your post on refers to convictions only.

Again, let me point out one major flaw in the statistics you cited.

Amazotheamazing

MissHoneyBun wrote: »

Again, let me point out one major flaw in the statistics you cited.

Not so, the stats include detection rates and relevant proceedings rates, so they aren't based on convictions.

Do you mean "reported"?

Anyhow, the stats are there, Limerick is by no means crime-free, but it's not massively worse than Cork or Waterford and is substantially safer than Dublin. Odd how bad Carlow seems to be.

bullets

I've had far less hassle in Dublin then I've had in Limerick when it comes to walking down the street, going out, clubbing etc. Used to goto a club in dublin that
had goths and very androgynous looking poeple on one floor and a bunch of scumbag raver types on the next floor of the same building, when the clubs ended both types of people spewed out into the streets and there was never any trouble, people would not even bat an eye lid with the
way you looked or dressed. Walking down the streets of Dublin have never been hassled even from beggers.

Down here in Limerick when I used to dress in black/gothy up until a few years ago, and stood out when walking down the street. Used to get constantly verbal abuse from scumbags screaming one word sentences such as Matrix, Batman, Crow and me Mrs used to get the whole Morticia Adams family comments. Comments
which you heard over and over again you learned to ignore
as if you retorted with a comment of your own you would either need to be prepared for a fight of just bring on more
hassle from simple minded neanderthals who were dragged up rather than brought up.

Any time I've been in Cork, Galway, Dublin I've never
had any comments from anyone or I've never had any
hassle from any scumbag or vagrent.

I've personally felt LESS safe walking the streets in my own home town than any place else in Ireland. Cork/Dublin/Galway and other places I've felt more safe when walking down the street. Limerick has a distinct Lack of Visable Garda presence on the streets compared to other places
in my opinion.

In Limerick
I've had friends attacked at night when only going to McDonalds for simply accidently making eye contact with some scumbags.

I've been attacked (when I was a teenager) while walking on the Ennis Road for absoutly no reason whatsoever other than a gang of lads thinking it would be fun to randomly
sourround and hit someone into the face.

Have had thugs try and start fights for no reason on the streets.

Have had some nutjob psycho from moyross stalk my girlfiend and spread rumours about how he would kill me
which resulted in going to the Gardai who were bloody well useless.

Have witnessed lots of violence on the streets of Limerick
where I was not involved but saw from a distance. And Honestly I've wanted it to stay that way! since Limerick.

Plenty of other Negative experiances with very few Postive ones! (but I'm a the glass is half empty type of guy)

What differs in Limerick when you compare it to other places. (In my opinion and not based on facts) is that
the focal point where people tend to congregate and mix
is very small compared to other cities.

You have Brown Thomas /Easons area which is considered the center point of Limerick. Where poeple go and frequent most spans out a very short distance from here.
William Street, Thomas Street, Catherine Street, and Denmark street are all very close by. And the main shops
during the day and clubs during the night tend to be packed into a small area.

Interestingly enough a very weird thing I've noticed about
Limerick Knackers/scumbags is they seem to be scared sh1tless of openly camp and flamboyent gay people as if being gay was something Contagious they tend to run a mile.

When it comes to statistics I think they are all bollox.
If people try and do maths and quote numbers and percentages per capita etc with
regards to crimes I think its all nonsense. Regardless on what the statistics are
its down to how safe an individual "feels" they are in the City.
edit:(Not attacking Amazotheamazing's post since I only read it after I posted this!! and have always
been of this opinion before he started quoteing stats
You may have people that have never ever ever had a bad thing happen to them
and you have others that have had nothing but bad luck.


~B

Amazotheamazing

bullets wrote: »

You may have people that have never ever ever had a bad thing happen to them
and you have others that have had nothing but bad luck.


~B

That seems to be the crux of it, I've no issue with anything you posted but honestly myself or any of my mates have never experienced anything like that and we're just regular guys from Caherdavin, Ennis Road etc.

RonMexico

I have to agree with Raiser and Bullets here. As a 27 year old male I have no problem admitting that I feel uncomfortable walking around Limerick City on my own.

I have never been mugged thankfully but in the past year or two I have noticed that it is almost impossible to walk around town without getting hassled by junkies. I am not comfortable with this at all. Some of them are very aggressive. One time outside the train station a junkie got in my face demanding money so he could inject himself. I've never set foot in the area on my own since.

Now some people here might have the opposite opinion but I do know a LOT of people who do not feel safe walking around Limerick. I know people who have been mugged, stalked, stabbed and harrassed by scumbags in areas all over the city centre. I have also witnessed multiple incidents around the streets over the years that are frankly shocking.

As I don't drive however I have little choice but to walk through the city on a daily basis. As Raiser has already pointed out, I avoid eye contact, keep my head down and try not to draw attention to myself. I'd be very wary of even using my phone when walking through the city.

Now to answer the OP. I think people who look different are magnets for scumbags to pass remarks/harass or do worse. I don't think it is necessarily an anti-gay thing, just a manifestation of the cretin intellect that many of these people possess.

talkingclock

Oh God, please! Not f*cking statistics again!!

the_syco

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

"honestly if you are in Limerick City Centre at any time of the day or night keep your head down, keep moving and don't draw any attention to yourself for any reason"

Does that sound the way an adult should behave in any city in Ireland?

It's how some people walk around Ballymun. The place has a fairly bad rep, just like Limerick. Like Limerick, it has its bad parts. And like Limerick, if you have lived there, it's not really a bad place.

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

we're just regular guys from Caherdavin, Ennis Road etc.

Like you. You have lived there. Would you walk through Ballymun alone at night?

Amazotheamazing

the_syco wrote: »

It's how some people walk around Ballymun. The place has a fairly bad rep, just like Limerick. Like Limerick, it has its bad parts. And like Limerick, if you have lived there, it's not really a bad place.


Like you. You have lived there. Would you walk through Ballymun alone at night?

No, I wouldn't be too gone on walking through Southill either at night alone, however, Limerick city centre as a whole can't be compared to Ballymun, imo. Before you ask why I'm comparing them (Southill and Ballymun), both were picked out for massive regeneration and both are considered among the worst areas of the respective cities. I don't know either area well enough to say I'd be comfortable in either. I know Limerick city centre very well though and feel as safe there as I would in Dublin city centre or Cork city centre.

Southill is just one part of Limerick as Ballymun is just one part of Dublin. Would you feel safe walking down O'Connell street in Dublin at night? Or through the Liberities, Coombe etc? For the record, I would (and frequently have).

Ireland is a safe place, the number of truly dangerous criminals in Ireland is very low but I'm interested in why people perceive places like Ballymun, Southill, Limerick or Northside Dublin to be verging on lethal. It's interesting that you yourself equate the entire of Limerick city centre to one of the worst areas of Dublin, what did you base the comparison on?

I genuinely think Irish city centres are safe places.

RonMexico

I lived in America for a year. Denver and San Francisco. Walked around all kinds of places over there late at night, including so called "bad areas". Not once did I ever feel intimidated or uncomfortable and I have to say the reason is because the streets are crawling with police. Ireland however has a very poor police presence on city streets.

I wouldn't consider any city or town here to be safe to walk around at night.

Freiheit

I personaly relate to what Bullet said in that Limerick City Centre for me feels very small,just a few main streets and everything feels very concentrated.

Raiser

I lived in the City Centre for a while and in the Suburbs for another while after that - But probably more to the point I have been out drinking and socialising in Limerick for a long, long time.

- I've seen bricks, chains, broken bottles, knives, rocks and scrap metal used in anger. I've walked home manys the night and marvelled at blood spatters on walls and paths and literally followed trails of some poor Souls type O negative on my way home.

I used to have Friends and acquaintances that disagreed with me about the odds/likelihood of encountering all of this but over the years they each had their own introduction to it and now see things a little differently.

I've seen a knife pulled on Teenage Girls outside SuperKnacks simply because one of them was felling a little sick, I've seen 4 Gardaí slow slightly and beep at a vicious Assault and keep driving, I've been to casualty on 3 occasions with People who were walking home alone and Victims of unprovoked attacks by Groups and sat for 3 or 4 hours waiting for them to be stitched up - Once it was Christmas Eve/Day.

I've seen an assault where the Scum simply walked half a block away as they had no fear of being caught - When the Gardaí were called they eventually drove down stayed 5 minutes and just told both parties to fcuk off home.

I've seen assaults where somebody was being kicked half to death and several 999 calls were not acted on at all - Once was when I called in broad daylight on a Bank Holiday Monday to report a vicious uneven brawl - Nice to know who's got your back when you are being kicked around the Street in Limerick isn't it - Your life is in your own hands......

I've seen a Nightclub Manager refuse to call the Gardaí/Ambulance after someone was bottled in the face and haemorrhaged all over the Nightclub, stairs and entranceway - They only gave in when threatened with bad press and then the Emergency Services arriving.

I've seen a heavy glass ashtray broken off someones head so hard that a glass splinter cut someones face at my table 15 feet away. (9-10 pm 'respectable' Pub near Michael St.)

I know someone who was assaulted on Cruises St. at 10pm - Again the Gardaí refused to bring the aggressors to justice and just drove off, the Person had to run into McDonalds and then call a Cab to escape their 3rd hiding that evening.

For me its fairly simple, drink, Scumbags, and busy Streets with absolutely no real, actual, meaningful Policing is a recipe for a disaster - If I had an 18 year old Son that was going to head out drinking in Limerick a few nights a week I wouldn't be relaxed until they were back inside my front door.

P.S. Limerick by day never used to have the shítty, scummy air it does now but it is deteriorating by the day - I'd rather visit almost anywhere on earth before it.

P.P.S I have lived in other Cities abroad and I have seen how they are Policed, perhaps People on here have low standards, expectations or simply don't realise that its not normal for Scumbags to run large Urban areas without any fear of repercussions.

MingulayJohnny

I've had my fair share of physical and verbal attacks rural and urban , aggressors usually spot sensitivity in certain people and being cowards this is why they single these people out. I was roared at from a car on the quays by a crowd of scobies on Friday night , the old 'cut your hair' classic. The car then had to stop at a red light , you should have seen that skangers face turn white when we started to move towards the car. I know for a fact that I could go to my local rural pub and actually make some of the patrons blood boil just by sitting at the end of the bar having a pint never mind saying something that they wouldn't agree with ( which would be a lot ).

Not everyone has the physical and mental makeup to be confident in the face of aggression. For some people it comes naturally and for others they need to work on their protection in various ways such as gaining confidence through martial arts. Some people are just afraid of confrontation it doesn't mean that they're weak they're usually just a bit more sensitive and they may find that if they get the right training and discipline they can overcome their fear.

Amazotheamazing , fair play to you for avoiding getting mugged for so long , you obviously have what the Native Americans would call 'Good protection' or just thick skin or look like a 'Hard chaw' as they say down home and you don't get targetted. I'm 6' 2" , well built and able to handle myself in most situations if needs be. This wasn't always the case and I still am a bit wary in cities and towns. The ugly truth is the scum are getting more brazen and aggressive for some reason. Like I said above we all have different makeup and some people are obviously more vulnerable because of their makeup and possible nervous issues arise if unwanted attention is sensed. Doesn't matter if you're straight or gay , just try to understand that just because some people can ward of trouble by keeping their head up some of us have a different disposition be it genetic , upbringing or whatever.

That said nobody deserves to have their space interfered with and I'd strongly recommend that the OP seek out a martial art that will give them a sense of confidence that they can handle themselves in a real life situation if the need arises. Sometimes just getting hit in a safe sparring situation can release a lot of the fear of confrontation. Unfortunately I don't think it's as easy as holding your head up high as this tactic won't work for everyone.

MingulayJohnny

Sorry , I misread. The OP maybe could suggest to their friend to get some martial arts training.

Amazotheamazing

MingulayJohnny wrote: »

Amazotheamazing , fair play to you for avoiding getting mugged for so long , you obviously have what the Native Americans would call 'Good protection' or just thick skin or look like a 'Hard chaw' as they say down home and you don't get targetted.

Maybe I do, walked home through a pack of wild dogs in Thailand once and they just parted for me. Strangest thing, they were barking like mad as a approached them, stopped as I walked through and started barking again when I'd passed them. Good vibrations.

MingulayJohnny

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Maybe I do, walked home through a pack of wild dogs in Thailand once and they just parted for me. Strangest thing, they were barking like mad as a approached them, stopped as I walked through and started barking again when I'd passed them. Good vibrations.

Well there you go!! , there's very little difference between a pack of skangers and a pack of wild dogs. They have their hierarchy , pack mentality and regular bitches also , lol. .

Amazotheamazing

MingulayJohnny wrote: »

Well there you go!! , there's very little difference between a pack of skangers and a pack of wild dogs. They have their hierarchy , pack mentality and regular bitches also , lol. .

I sense a Steven Seagal movie about this coming in the very, very near future.

You're right though, as a kid I used to be very nervous around dogs but eventually learned that dogs, like people, respond to confidence. If you shy away from a dog he's reading your body language and recognising your fear, if you stand up to a dog (unless it's a trained dog or a particularly vicious breed) they'll back away from confrontation.

Course, I tried teaching scumbags things by hitting them with a rolled up newspaper, just ended up ruining the paper...

notonlybutalso

i would have to say that limerick for its size and population has a far larger element of scum in it compared to dublin. Thats not to say dublin doesnt have its scum too. I just think that for a city of 1.5 million compared to 80,000. There is a far more scum per capita in limerick. But then there is the fact that it is easier to stand out in limerick because there are less people.

LoganRice

Raiser wrote: »

Its the fear of punishment/repercussions that prevents Scumbags form acting on their urges.

- That fear is just not present in Limerick, honestly if you are in Limerick City Centre at any time of the day or night keep your head down, keep moving and don't draw any attention to yourself for any reason whether its because of valuables, cause you look like a soft target, you are not Irish or you are in any other minority that our Scum would consider fair game.....

....

....what are you 12? You don't have to walk around with your head down every day. That's just bad, almost like putting a sign on you, wherever you go, saying "rob me rob me!". There are a huge amount of settlements in the world that are a lot worse than Limerick. My god..

Raiser

LoganRice wrote: »

....

....what are you 12? You don't have to walk around with your head down every day. That's just bad, almost like putting a sign on you, wherever you go, saying "rob me rob me!". There are a huge amount of settlements in the world that are a lot worse than Limerick. My god..

Where the fcuk did you come out of? Did you even read the thread?

- Newbie Part-timers :rolleyes:

RonMexico

Yeah Raiser, I mean like you know Limerick is dacent kid, it wouldn't be half as bad as that Iraqistan place.
:pac:

johnnyryan89

From my experience of Limerick i think its more trouble will find you if you go looking for it. Have been out on the town many of nights drinking with lads from different troubled estates and myself live in one too and had no problems, alot of people just wanna have a drink and a laugh. But thens theres always that one person who starts something then everyone gets invovled. Have to agree with some of the comments about the junkies in around the city, dont feel threatend by them but they can be quiet scary for some people espcielly Annie Fitz haha but there terribly annoying...

Gneez

Wow I stroll around in my slippers looking at the sky like someone with autism, I wander around at night going for long walks with my headphones in completely oblivious, and I've been doing this since I was 14, am 28 now and in the 14 years of being an oblivious nerdy looking nightowl wandering about the place nobody has ever said so much as boo to me.

Raiser

Gneez wrote: »

Wow I stroll around in my slippers looking at the sky like someone with autism, I wander around at night going for long walks with my headphones in completely oblivious, and I've been doing this since I was 14, am 28 now and in the 14 years of being an oblivious nerdy looking nightowl wandering about the place nobody has ever said so much as boo to me.

Take out your headphones and experience the joys of 'c'mere I wancha'

notonlybutalso

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Ok, do you think it's how an adult need act in Ireland?

Irish cities are very safe places. Ireland in general is a very safe place.

Edit here's some stats to show how Limerick compares with other Irish cities.


The safest spots in the nation, based on headline crimes per 1,000 of populace, are

Roscommon/Galway East - 8.27
Donegal - 8.4
Clare - 8.4
Mayo - 8.77
Cork West - 8.93
Cavan-Monaghan - 8.95

The most dangerous spots, as would be expected, are in Dublin's inner city.

Dublin - North Central - 124.00
Dublin - South Central - 97.49

After this, the trouble spots in Dublin fall off hugely.

Dublin - Eastern - 23.84
Dublin - Southern - 23.80
Dublin - Western - 23.22
Dublin - Northern - 19.64

Cork City 20.93,
Waterford/Kilkenny at 20.05.
Limerick at 16.75

So Limerick comes after all of Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Kilkenny. By comparison, inner city Dublin is positively lethal.

I think you will find that for a city of such a small population that limerick fares worst. How many people live in central dublin compared to limerick city. I still reckon limerick is the most dangerous city in the country.

Amazotheamazing

notonlybutalso wrote: »

I think you will find that for a city of such a small population that limerick fares worst. How many people live in central dublin compared to limerick city. I still reckon limerick is the most dangerous city in the country.

It's per head of capita, so population is taken into account.

zuroph

lol

Chris Doherty

All you need is one ass hole to give a place a bad name, it makes no difference if there is a population of 5000 or 5000000. one scum bag one victim (gay straight it dont matter)

Freiheit wrote: »

A lesbian friend was recently attacked, on Bedford Row on the basis that she stood out by wearing a suit and a short back and sides haircut.

I know Mr Gay Limerick a few years ago said he felt safe holding hands with his boyfriend walking down the street....but.....

based on my friends experience, I'm not sure how safe Limerick is.

What do others think?.

Cityslicker1

I think Galway, Cork and Dublin are much more cosmopolitan than Limerick. Dublin obviously due to it being the capital with over 1m inhabitants. However, similar sized populations such as Cork and Galway are still way more cosmopolitan. You also notice a presence of tourists in those cities which Limerick lacks big time.