Galway Races- people with "that" attitude

skelliser

What is with these people that come to the races?
You know the type; suits, shoes and wads of cash.
For the ladies; dolled up to the max with huge heels.
They both have one think in common, a stuck up nasty attitude.

Now this rant will only resonate with the galwegians and blow-ins to galway. Ye all know who im talking about.
And im no prude or killjoy either, there is just something about the crowd during race week which i dislike.
Maybe its the shock of going from the laid back relaxed attitude of the arts festival to the beer and vomit of race week.

This nasty streak wasnt always there as well, maybe its a product of the celtic tiger?

rant/

discuss...

hoody

Bit of a sweeping generalisation don't you think? Plenty of Galway fellas will have been in there in suits with wads of cash, plenty of Galway girls will have been in there dolled up to the max with huge heels on.

I can see where you are coming from about the attitude, I have two theories, the first being that people have been looking forward to this big event for a long time, and are adamant they are going to have a good time, so they will react badly to anything that they perceive as going against that, including (and maybe especially) other people.

The second is that they are just generally that way, day in, day out, but it's still not down to the suits or the heels.

Zillah

There's something pretty ironic about seeing a gang of lads dressed up in fine suits acting like obnoxious thugs. I was ordering a pint last night, only one girl behind the bar on her own, and the asshole next to me thought it would be hilarious to smack the spill-tray off the bar onto the floor beside her and then look away as if nothing happened. Felt like giving him a smack. The bar-girl just stopped and stared for a few seconds, really embarrassed and obviously kind of nervous (there were about twenty of them and had been roaring at each other for the last hour).

Lads, I know ye think you're mad and brilliant and all, and I know it's the races, but we have to live here and you're acting like five year olds on coke.

Diabhal Beag

Nothing wrong with 99.9% of the people dressed up nicely and they mean no harm to anybody. They are also helping put some much needed money into our economy. Sure some people will act the smug gob****e but you'll get them at any big event. It just comes with the popularity of such a big event.

Jim

I have to walk home from work through this

http://www.thecladdagh.com/cam1.php

ben.schlomo

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Nothing wrong with 99.9% of the people dressed up nicely and they mean no harm to anybody. They are also helping put some much needed money into our economy. Sure some people will act the smug gob****e but you'll get them at any big event. It just comes with the popularity of such a big event.

Well put. Think the op has branded too many with the brush. Arseholes will be arseholes any night out not just raceweek.

discodiva92

Zillah wrote: »

There's something pretty ironic about seeing a gang of lads dressed up in fine suits acting like obnoxious thugs. I was ordering a pint last night, only one girl behind the bar on her own, and the asshole next to me thought it would be hilarious to smack the spill-tray off the bar onto the floor beside her and then look away as if nothing happened. Felt like giving him a smack. The bar-girl just stopped and stared for a few seconds, really embarrassed and obviously kind of nervous (there were about twenty of them and had been roaring at each other for the last hour).

Lads, I know ye think you're mad and brilliant and all, and I know it's the races, but we have to live here and you're acting like five year olds on coke.

you a guy?did you not help her out?

thesandeman

Strangely enough I found them to be better behaved this year than usual (possibly because of the Rag Week thugs and I was expecting more of the same). I got talking to quite a few of the suited/skirted types and they were definately more into having the craic than BEING the craic. I probably just got lucky with the ones I met.
Only thing that pissed me off was that I was talking to the connections of the Hurdle winner the night before but they never told me who they were :-(

inisboffin

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Nothing wrong with 99.9% of the people dressed up nicely and they mean no harm to anybody. They are also helping put some much needed money into our economy. Sure some people will act the smug gob****e but you'll get them at any big event. It just comes with the popularity of such a big event.

While I agree that it's not everyone, the a**hole percentage is WAY more than .1%!:mad:

Had to walk home through town tonight after a long day and travelling, and just counting the number of 'incidents' that I witnessed, the numbers go way up. Don't get me started on the looney drivers tonight, got a taxi and we had to swerve to avoid *two* U turns and one dead stop in the middle of the road:eek:. Cars full of suits and hats with feathers/pomp

Percentage of people wise, way less a**holery for the Arts Festival and Film Fleadh. Different crowd, different behaviour.

Zillah

discodiva92 wrote: »

you a guy?did you not help her out?

And what would you have me do, start an argument with a gang of drunk lads looking to show off? I'm sure that would make her night easier.

Rinker

Maybe its the shock of going from the laid back relaxed attitude of the arts festival to the beer and vomit of race week.

This has always been the way. The change in atmosphere between the arts festival and the races is mirrored by the change in dress code. Although its a broad generalisation, the boys and girls in the suits and heels are less well behaved and the stuck up nasty attitude is definitely more a feature of the races.
In a way its like comparing the atmosphere at a festival to that of a wedding.

ben.schlomo

inisboffin wrote: »

While I agree that it's not everyone, the a**hole percentage is WAY more than .1%!:mad:

Had to walk home through town tonight after a long day and travelling, and just counting the number of 'incidents' that I witnessed, the numbers go way up. Don't get me started on the looney drivers tonight, got a taxi and we had to swerve to avoid *two* U turns and one dead stop in the middle of the road:eek:. Cars full of suits and hats with feathers/pomp

Percentage of people wise, way less a**holery for the Arts Festival and Film Fleadh. Different crowd, different behaviour.

Of course there is much less, as there aren't an extra 20000-30000 on the streets all drinking during the Arts Fest or Film Fleadh. Spent all of last night around the Bunch of Grapes part of High St and no incidents all night. Much larger Garda presence around too, found the atmosphere to be a lot better and less messy than recent years.

SparKing

Race week is anathema to most Galwegians, I had the pleasure of walking through Cross St. last night at about 11 and was reliably informed that an ambulance had come and gone 6 times at that point, it reminded me of what I imagine Oxegen must be like. I would disagree that most people were acting like assholes however, but there was no consideration shown and far too much drink had been consumed by a lot of people.

ben.schlomo

SparKing wrote: »

Race week is anathema to most Galwegians, I had the pleasure of walking through Cross St. last night at about 11 and was reliably informed that an ambulance had come and gone 6 times at that point, it reminded me of what I imagine Oxegen must be like. I would disagree that most people were acting like assholes however, but there was no consideration shown and far too much drink had been consumed by a lot of people.

Was standing on the Cross St/High St junction from about 8pm and the ambulance came around 1130pm and was outside Buskers area for about twenty minutes so i'd question just how reliable your info was

thesandeman

Yep. Only one ambulance followed by some other flashing type vehicle which I presume was just an escort to get it through the crowds.

skelliser

maybe im generalising abit, il admit that but i cant help it!

and its great that local businesss capitalises even if its a little too much!

but a few of my friends agree, there is something undesirable about some of the people that come for the races.

something about drunken fights in suits and girls in heels hunkered down outside o'briens newsagent urinating that sticks in brain!!

WallyGUFC

Galway businesses need Race Week and other festivals to survive. If a few fools from the back of beyond dressed in suits want to cause trouble, it's a small price to pay. Any Saturday night is the same just on a smaller scale.

galwayrush

2 builders out my area, they both owe me and quite a lot of other people a lot of money, were able to hire a mini bus to bring themselves and families to the races every day so far.

loser2old4board

Alcohol. in general, makes people more boorish, particularly young people who are not as well able to handle it. What you are seeing is the same as rag week, multiplied by maybe a thousand. The fact that they are dressed in 'suits and skirts' just makes it that bit more bizarre. Interesting to see what it would be like if no alcohol was available for just one day.

achmairt

thesandeman wrote: »

Yep. Only one ambulance followed by some other flashing type vehicle which I presume was just an escort to get it through the crowds.

Why drink so much you can't even remember whether you enjoyed yourself or not ?? The women are worse than the men. Boasting about how much you drank the night before is so stupid - get a life

discodiva92

Zillah wrote: »

And what would you have me do, start an argument with a gang of drunk lads looking to show off? I'm sure that would make her night easier.

Im a girl and work in a bar part time and have had male customers help me out/stand in a few times

thesandeman

achmairt wrote: »

Why drink so much you can't even remember whether you enjoyed yourself or not ?? The women are worse than the men. Boasting about how much you drank the night before is so stupid - get a life

WTF??? Think you quoted the wrong post. Or else you're having a few pints yourself lol.

inisboffin

ben.schlomo wrote: »

inisboffin wrote: »

While I agree that it's not everyone, the a**hole percentage is WAY more than .1%!:mad:

Had to walk home through town tonight after a long day and travelling, and just counting the number of 'incidents' that I witnessed, the numbers go way up. Don't get me started on the looney drivers tonight, got a taxi and we had to swerve to avoid *two* U turns and one dead stop in the middle of the road:eek:. Cars full of suits and hats with feathers/pomp

Percentage of people wise, way less a**holery for the Arts Festival and Film Fleadh. Different crowd, different behaviour.

Of course there is much less, as there aren't an extra 20000-30000 on the streets all drinking during the Arts Fest or Film Fleadh. Spent all of last night around the Bunch of Grapes part of High St and no incidents all night. Much larger Garda presence around too, found the atmosphere to be a lot better and less messy than recent years.

I did stress *percentage of people wise* for a reason. There are definitely more people for race week, but arts fest does bring a smaller surge. My point was that there is a larger *percentage* of a**hole behaviour during race week than the other festivals, and I still believe that. Even MORE after all the sh*t I witnessed this week.

daithi55

was in galway thursday night
i used to live there and return to see the mates every once in a while
we went into town at 10 oclock and what a mistake it was
most of the people in there were locked drunk falling around the place
pissing and getting sick all over shop street
any tourist that was in galway will no doubt never return to it

ben.schlomo

daithi55 wrote: »

was in galway thursday night
i used to live there and return to see the mates every once in a while
we went into town at 10 oclock and what a mistake it was
most of the people in there were locked drunk falling around the place
pissing and getting sick all over shop street
any tourist that was in galway will no doubt never return to it

i saw loads of tourists having drinks on the street and enjoying it, taking photos of the large crowds as this sort of large scale open air drinking/festival atmosphere is not found everywhere.

ben.schlomo

inisboffin wrote: »

I did stress *percentage of people wise* for a reason. There are definitely more people for race week, but arts fest does bring a smaller surge. My point was that there is a larger *percentage* of a**hole behaviour during race week than the other festivals, and I still believe that. Even MORE after all the sh*t I witnessed this week.

i agree with you but in fairness there is no comparison crowd wise or even just logistics wise between the races and anything else in town so obviously there will be more trouble, a lot of the people are 'blow-ins' too and they tend to take advantage of the relaxed attitude to everything. There is no open air drinking during the Arts fest so therefore it cant happen.

citycentre

I think the atmosphere has been a lot better this year than the last few, however the attitude of a lot of the race week crowd stinks. One relatively minor thing that really gets to me is the growing trend for lads to literally piss anywhere, seemingly the more visible and obvious to passers by the better... Just one symptom of a total lack of respect and consideration for anyone else. A few more bookings for indecent exposure needed...

ben.schlomo

citycentre wrote: »

I think the atmosphere has been a lot better this year than the last few, however the attitude of a lot of the race week crowd stinks. One relatively minor thing that really gets to me is the growing trend for lads to literally piss anywhere, seemingly the more visible and obvious to passers by the better... Just one symptom of a total lack of respect and consideration for anyone else. A few more bookings for indecent exposure needed...

I live in town and see this every Sat night, any doorway or wall becomes a toilet when they see fit.

inisboffin

ben.schlomo wrote: »

, a lot of the people are 'blow-ins' too and they tend to take advantage of the relaxed attitude to everything. There is no open air drinking during the Arts fest so therefore it cant happen.

Arts Fest and Fleadh crowd have just as many blow-ins!:)

There's open air drinking *every* night;) but yes, not on the 'endorsed' scale.

Nope, can't be convinced, it's just the type of crowd it draws. People wanting different things in a week out. That's just the way it is.
Hope local businesses are happy and their staff can chill a bit now!

Mrs OBumble

Remember back to the Volvo ocean race in 2009: Huge crowds, but afterwards we were commenting here about how much nicer they were than the race week crowds.

(If I wasn't so lazy, I'd even search for the thread!)

snubbleste

It's just a glorified rag week..