Mardi Gras 2011!

Insect Overlord

I know The Bitter End had a reputation, but a lot of the kids in town last night were too young even to bluff their way in there.

Amazotheamazing

Insect Overlord wrote: »

I know The Bitter End had a reputation, but a lot of the kids in town last night were too young even to bluff their way in there.

Every street party attracts drunk kids, always has, probably always will. I daresay a few of us here had the odd drink underage too. I saw a lot of leery kids but not that many scumbags. Pubs were fine.

code name paul

TestTransmission wrote: »

Was it that bad?

maybe my opinion of a scum bag varies to others. obviously there was a lot of kids and little knackers around the place, as all things that happen in all city's in Ireland. There was no serious trouble and being at last years aswell, there was a lot more serious element of nacker then as there were being served at the cuckoo box.

Was at all areas of the event and people description of wall to wall knacker is a bit OTT.

We don't need negative press and opinions from other people around the country, we have enough ourselves here in Limerick!!!

All the business did well from the event and there were no serious incidents, how about taking the good points from it.

MissEmcee

I was quiet amazed to see the owner of Smiths Bar quoted in the Limerick Leader saying he was encouraging "families" to attend. How is a adult orientated event like a Mardi Gras supposed to be a place to bring kids too. It was a disaster and the event was poorly planned and managed (gougers running under floats) not helped by the alcohol consumption on the streets. My sister was at an event also organized by the man quoted above a few years ago in a pub in Annacotty during a Rugby final big screening and that ended also in numerous arrests for Public Order.

RonMexico

code name paul wrote: »

maybe my opinion of a scum bag varies to others. obviously there was a lot of kids and little knackers around the place, as all things that happen in all city's in Ireland. There was no serious trouble and being at last years aswell, there was a lot more serious element of nacker then as there were being served at the cuckoo box.

Was at all areas of the event and people description of wall to wall knacker is a bit OTT.

We don't need negative press and opinions from other people around the country, we have enough ourselves here in Limerick!!!

All the business did well from the event and there were no serious incidents, how about taking the good points from it.

GARDAI MAKE 22 ARRESTS ON BUSY NIGHT IN LIMERICK CITY
03 July 2011
It was bedlam on the streets of Limerick City last night according to Gardai who made 22 arrests.
In one incident on Robert Street a large group of women were involved in a fight at 11.30 last night.
Most of the 22 arrests were for public order offences and were dealt with by way of on-the-spot fines.
Thousands of people flocked to the city last night following the Limerick-Wexford hurling match at the Gaelic Grounds and to enjoy the Mardi Gras Festival.
Organisers of the festival put some of the trouble down to boisterous teenagers who had consumed alcohol before arriving into the city.
However, they say the trouble was minimal given the scale of last night's event.

The organisers are clearly in damage limitation mode.

It was far more than "boisterous teenagers".

Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy

for once I go no hassle from scumbags, raging I missed the parade what was it like?
Freebies were the best part for me.

anyone know this guy? he was an absolute legend of a dancer :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h93HRuGKWIQ

Amazotheamazing

code name paul wrote: »

maybe my opinion of a scum bag varies to others.

I'm fairly sure some on here describe scumbags as virtually anyone who doesn't fit into their narrow description of friendly. It was like Leaving Cert night last night, no worse, imo.

Now, that's a separate issue, who's to blame for teenagers drinking?

code name paul

Sera wrote: »

for once I go no hassle from scumbags, raging I missed the parade what was it like?
Freebies were the best part for me.

anyone know this guy? he was an absolute legend of a dancer :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h93HRuGKWIQ

Hey Sera,

He's Jack Mc Carthy of the furniture place...

Like the jacket off loop, NICE!!!!!!!!!

code name paul

Munster Images have some nice pics up....
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.214592001911218.47556.136945626342523

RonMexico

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

I'm fairly sure some on here describe scumbags as virtually anyone who doesn't fit into their narrow description of friendly. It was like Leaving Cert night last night, no worse, imo.

Now, that's a separate issue, who's to blame for teenagers drinking?

Were the 22 people arrested teenagers? Should I include people with convictions the length of my arm screaming abuse at people on the friendly list or not?

It was billed as family friendly. I wouldn't send a family within a mile of what I saw last night.

Half the problem in Limerick is the "certain element" who behave like animals. The rest of the problem is the "certain element" who stick their head in the sand and pretend there is nothing wrong.

A LOT of people were disgusted with last night. How many of them do you think will go to the same event next year?

Amazotheamazing

RonMexico wrote: »

Were the 22 people arrested teenagers?

I've no idea, do you?

How many were arrested for public order offences or how many for assault, or for criminal damage?

A drunk teenager is an annoyance, nothing more, imo. Like I said earlier, most of the messy people I saw were teenagers.

billox

i think its a good idea in theory but it just wasnt done right last night..the streets were full of scum both young and old and i'm shocked there wasnt more trouble..think i lasted bout 20 mins on the street before we went into nancys.. doubt they'll be left have this again

bigpink

code name paul wrote: »

maybe my opinion of a scum bag varies to others. obviously there was a lot of kids and little knackers around the place, as all things that happen in all city's in Ireland. There was no serious trouble and being at last years aswell, there was a lot more serious element of nacker then as there were being served at the cuckoo box.

Was at all areas of the event and people description of wall to wall knacker is a bit OTT.

We don't need negative press and opinions from other people around the country, we have enough ourselves here in Limerick!!!

All the business did well from the event and there were no serious incidents, how about taking the good points from it.

Your a O'Connells rep here?Cuckoo box cant be blamed for all of it last year,being honest you had a few rough diamonds in last night aswell

Im told im negative here,i say things so people may listen and change from them

code name paul

bigpink wrote: »

Your a O'Connells rep here?Cuckoo box cant be blamed for all of it last year,being honest you had a few rough diamonds in last night aswell

Im told im negative here,i say things so people may listen and change from them

Who said anything about ALL of it last year, STOP mis quoting people and suggesting they said something when they didn't!!!!!

bigpink

Well im sorry if i wrote ALL,however i see that you named Cuckoo Box

Berty

It was a good event ruined by our local "elements". People should not be surprised by this. They were always going to turn up.

Is success measured by how much the publicans make or how much people enjoyed it?

bigpink

Prob a bit of both,it was to make money for the pubs it was far from a family event

It was good but they need to take all feedback on board and re plan big time

langdang

Beer Baron wrote: »

It was a good event ruined by our local "elements". People should not be surprised by this. They were always going to turn up.

They should organise a separate event at a separate location so both markets are catered for. A combined "awful-tweety-bird-sounding-remix" type dance DJ, combined with a "How Chrome Can You GO?" competition for Passats, and maybe a Pajamas jumble sale would siphon off many of these elements. If you could hold it in a half built ghost estate or abandoned shopping centre site you would have free demolition as the Dutch Gold count increased. Of course, there might be some injuries but....

RonMexico

Beer Baron wrote: »

It was a good event ruined by our local "elements". People should not be surprised by this. They were always going to turn up.

Is success measured by how much the publicans make or how much people enjoyed it?

It appears that some of the publicans involved don't give a damn about feedback now that the event is over. It will be their loss in the end as a lot of customers that went this year will avoid it like the plague next year (if it even goes ahead).

You only have to read the feedback from last years event in this thread to see the difference between what went down this time.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055949482

SnoopyGunner

I did have a great night and thankfully didn't see any trouble. However, we did stay in the pub but the live music they had was really good! Would have liked to have seen the parade but when we looked outside the pub there were way too many dodgy looking people around.

It'd be a shame if the Mardi Gras doesn't go ahead next year, yes there needs to be better organisation and security judging from comments. Limerick is so quiet during the summer compared to other cities which have numerous events happening.

Kess73

SnoopyGunner wrote: »

I did have a great night and thankfully didn't see any trouble. However, we did stay in the pub but the live music they had was really good! Would have liked to have seen the parade but when we looked outside the pub there were way too many dodgy looking people around.It'd be a shame if the Mardi Gras doesn't go ahead next year, yes there needs to be better organisation and security judging from comments. Limerick is so quiet during the summer compared to other cities which have numerous events happening.

So what you are saying is that you chose not to go to the event itself because of the type of people you saw out there?


I really hope the organisers pay heed to what is being said in this thread by people who were saying only good things after last year's event, and then take steps to ensure the same scum element does not get such a grip next year.

Kind of defeats the purpose of an outdoor event with a parade if people have to stay inside the pubs to avoid a certain element.

Here's to a thread this time next year with people saying that things have improved at the event to a huge degree.

SnoopyGunner

Kess73 wrote: »

So what you are saying is that you chose not to go to the event itself because of the type of people you saw out there?


I really hope the organisers pay heed to what is being said in this thread by people who were saying only good things after last year's event, and then take steps to ensure the same scum element does not get such a grip next year.

Kind of defeats the purpose of an outdoor event with a parade if people have to stay inside the pubs to avoid a certain element.

Here's to a thread this time next year with people saying that things have improved at the event to a huge degree.

Yes, I wanted to see it but sadly didn't feel comfortable enough to venture outside onto the street. I assumed there would be a better atmosphere but too many scumheads around. It's annoying the way anything positive in Limerick gets taken over by idiots like that. Every city in Ireland has them but are the others better at controlling them?

hightower1

RonMexico wrote: »

customers that went this year will avoid it like the plague next year

Defo, count me out for one.
Trouble is t be expected at large events like that but simply looking at the ratio of norms Vs scobes was depressing and enough to turn me off tbh. Stayed for the boxing in the office then 1 in small flannerys and went home. Will just give it a miss next year altogether.

.

Kess73

SnoopyGunner wrote: »

Yes, I wanted to see it but sadly didn't feel comfortable enough to venture outside onto the street. I assumed there would be a better atmosphere but too many scumheads around. It's annoying the way anything positive in Limerick gets taken over by idiots like that. Every city in Ireland has them but are the others better at controlling them?

I think the answer to that is yes.

Cork and Galway have their share of scumbags yet seem to be able to have street events and bigger events without the scum getting such a grip.

Was also down at the Tall ships thing in Waterford for one of the days it was on, and scum did not have a grip on that.

I think a few things come into play in Limerick. One is that the scum population is bigger in terms of it's % of the city's population than it is in the other cities I named, and the second is the security and Garda presence seemed to be too small/stand offish going by many comments made.

irishproduce

I went into the kebab shop on Ellen Street at about 8ish.
I first had to get money at the ATM across from arthurs quay (I think it is NIB bank). There was an entrance into the parade route there anyway. There were 2 male and 1 female security officers at the gates.
Approx 8 scummers about 15 years old with the white socks over the adidas pants and baseball caps walked up the entrance fence and one of the security men told them, forget it lads, ye can't come in here.
i swear to God, no joking, they started firing stones or whatever was in their hands at the security guys, told them f**k themselves and just leapt over the fence - all 8 of them.
I got my cash and in fairness, the security guys did catch and pull about 2 or 3 of them back out but I was left thinking, where are the rest of them and what is one supposed to do when met with total disregard for authority by so many scumbags at once?

Anyway, I carried on up to get a kebab. I had to wait about 15 minutes for it do I chose to stand at the door having a look around. it was actually good craic looking around, I mean to say the young wans about 13 - 16 were like absolute tramps, it was embarrassing to think how they got out of the house like that. Of course they were hollering and screaming at each other about beads and such.

it was only about 8ish, I could already tell how the night was going to be overrun by them.

I wrote a post here about 2 years ago also about how PINK in the middle of her concert had to tell young scummers to stop fighting in the crowd or she would have to stop the concert.
I wish people would stop the head in the sand business...there is a serious scum problem in this city!

krudler

Kess73 wrote: »

Kind of defeats the purpose of an outdoor event with a parade if people have to stay inside the pubs to avoid a certain element.

It really does, its meant to be a street party, not feeling like you're better off staying in a pub because two drunk cretins are battering each other out on the street.

anyone I know who went either left early or stayed in pubs once the Haye fight ended, kinda defeats the purpose of a street party night when you dont feel safe on the street.

DOC09UNAM

krudler wrote: »

It really does, its meant to be a street party, not feeling like you're better off staying in a pub because two drunk cretins are battering each other out on the street.

anyone I know who went either left early or stayed in pubs once the Haye fight ended, kinda defeats the purpose of a street party night when you dont feel safe on the street.

They really should have charged an entry fee or policed it Better, even a dress code of some sort to keep the scum out.

I wouldn't really be against barring under 18s Either, if it would improve the crowd.

Txatxu Urki

Was with some friends having a few quiet pints uptown and we decided to wander down to see the Mardi Gras.
This was about 11.45 pm. Got to Nancys entrance and told no one getting in by the door staff. Turned my back and saw two fights outside Smyths and the gardai (about 6 of them) restraining and pinning a guy to the ground.

The atmosphere seemed very edgy i have to say , although we went into O'Connells and it was much better there. Very glad to get out of the area for a finish, which is not a good indicator of the whole thing. Thumbs down i'm afraid

RonMexico

Have any of the bars involved resppnded to this thread anywhere? The silence is deafening.

SnoopyGunner

RonMexico wrote: »

Have any of the bars involved resppnded to this thread anywhere? The silence is deafening.

I heard on the Limerick 95fm news that Tony Enright said there were no arrests during the Mardi Gras itself. Seems to be saying that the 22 arrests were made afterwards :rolleyes:

Here's a link, hope it works

http://www.live95fm.ie/news/news-item/organiser-of-limericks-mardi-gras-says-their-event-was-trouble-free/1c36c1a9-1088-4ecd-9cf3-02bc9f084873