What do you like/hate about Dublin?

con1421

Hey,
A lot of people that I know are emigrating either to Australia or Canada. I was just wondering why people hate Dublin so much?

I don't mind living here (for now anyway) but I would prefer if there were more opportunities here for students or graduates

It's a shame why we are all certain to emigrate at some stage

On a positive note what would people miss most about Dublin?

carlmango11

Well first of all Irish people and media have a habit of painting the nation in a negative light. If you actually look at the statistics you tend to see a different story about Dublin and Ireland.

But anyway I actually can't put my finger on what I love about Dublin. I enjoy even just even walking around the city centre, it's strange. It's diverse, it's lively, it's friendly, it's big enough to have something for everyone but it doesn't give off the same negative vibe that I sometimes get off the likes of Paris or London (and don't call me prejudiced, I love London).

What I don't like is the fcuking junkies. It's just gotten so bad in the last few years it's actually incredible. That and homeless people but I'm not *as* bothered by homeless people who just sit on the street or whatever but it's a problem I wish we could fix. It just doesn't look/feel great when there's 2 homeless people on every street.

Oh also the transport. The bus has definitely gotten better in the last few years (well on my routes anyway...) but integrated, efficient and cheaper transport would be nice. I can definitely feel that there are people trying to achieve this (real time/leap card/bus maps/info boards etc) so maybe in time we'll have a decent system.

hfallada

I love that it's compact. That you can walk to all the important things in the city. I like the fact even through your in a capital city which has so much traffic you can go to a square like st Stephens green or merrion square and chill without hearing the cars as if you were in the country.

I hate the fact that the city doesn't have a noticeable skyline which gives city a character eg NYC, frankfurt Germany, London etc. I hate the fact that all social housing apartments block look the same. Those 5 storey red brick ones which are all over the city look so dull. I hate the congestion which has worsened in the last year ( the Dublin economy is improving then). A journey which took 10 mins when the arse fell out of the economy now takes 45 mins and in 2006 took 70 mins. It takes 45 mins to travel 4 km on a bus

Lovely Bloke

Like - Phoenix Park, Dublin People

admiralofthefleet

public transport, the lack of

ProudDUB

Likes.

Dublin wit. Can't beat a good slagging match with a fellow Dub.

Dublin mountains. Oh ok, so most of them are in Wickla, whatever !

Me mammys coddle.

Henry St on Christmas Eve.

Living by the sea, and the spectacular views over Dublin Bay and over to the mountains, but being able to be in the heart of the city centre in 20 mins.

Hill 16 when the Dubs are playing. And anyone who's last name is Brogan or Cluxton really.

Stephens Green on a summers day.

The Phoenix Park. The Jewel in our Crown.

Heffo. He was God. End of.


Dislikes.

The handful of real gurriers on Hill 16 who give the rest of us a bad name.

The methadone clinics in the city centre that has it riddled with junkies. And the complete lack of balls on the powers that be who are unwilling to do anything about it.

How run down the north inner city in particular is.

Bewleys on Grafton St just isn't the same anymore.

Far too many culchies coming up here and taking all our jobz and our wimminz (I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding.....;) )

starviewadams

Like

Like the pubs and restaurants I frequent.

Stephens Green on a summers day or a crisp winter morning.

The people for the most part.

The auld wans on the stallls on Henry Street and on Meath Street.

The grounds of Trinity and summertime drinks in The Pav

The dead zoo

Dislike

The shoddy public transport,especially the lack of nightime PT.

Lack of public toilets.

Temple Bar

Lawrence1895

Likes:
Shels and Tolka Park, the CoOp at Newmarket Square and the weather (really, I can't deal with hot weather, healthwise)

Dislikes:
Cycling through the city centre after dark, especially passing certain housing estates/council apartment blocks, junkies on the street, traffic jams

Tipperary animal lover

Love the city and most of the people, one thing drives me mad is the dubs seem to think there's feck all outside the dublin county border and the price of beer is crazy!!!

WoollyRedHat

Like: Trinity on a nice summers day, releaxing on the green.

Hate: Our restrictive licensing laws that shuts down nightlife after a certain hour ( Not just a Dublin issue obviously, but as the capital city and all, compare with the other metropolis citys, and its pretty ****ty)

ProudDUB

It's not that we don't think that there is feck all outside Dublin, its just that there aren't many things that we can't do/experience in Dublin, that we have to travel outside The Pale for... nice scenery, rivers, lakes, sea side, mountains, check we have those too. Sporting events, check, got them all. Good shopping, check, that's covered. Castles and historical stuff, we're good for those too. Concerts, plays, events and what not, check. Transport links and the countries busiest airport & ferry ports, check again.

English people probably say the same thing about Londoners and French people say it about Parisiennes, so this is not really a Dublin specific mind set imo.

Love Dublin myself but as a Dub agree with the statement that a lot of dubs dont travel agree the country when there are some lovely spots to be seen. Regularly travel around Ireland for holidays and the scenery in the likes of clare, kerry, cork we cant compete with in Dublin.

Janneke

Like? Love:

The sense of humour.
The style (the good, bad and the ugly - believe me, you miss it when you live in Belgium!)
Knowing the streets like the back of my hand.
The parties.
Free museums (you also miss that when you go abroad)
All the little pop-up shops, galleries, markets and parties that have been happening lately
The sea.
The wide open sky (due to low-rise skyline)
My family.
My friends.
Phoenix & St. Anne's Park.
Sound taxi drivers.

Hate:

The shouting.
The litter.
Obnoxious drunks.
Scarcity of good coffee.
Lack of good job opportunities.
Moaning about the recession.
Resentment towards emigrants.
RTE
Moany-ass taxi drivers.

gugleguy

Likes: guinness in the old style tulip glass
LUAS Green Line
Dislikes: crap times the movies are on at in dublin cinemas
LUAS Red Line
guinness served in the new style glass. I don't know the name of this glass but it looks an accessory for a rugby fan more than a soccer fan or gaa fan.

SebBerkovich

Love:
A white coffee in the basement of Simons.

Having a drink with people you've just met.

Everywhere you need to go is in cycling distance.

There is always something discover, a market, a band or a park.

It starts to Feel like a small town after a while.

Hate:

Junkies (it's been said, but it truly is the worst part of Dublin)


There are a few things i don't like all that much - but i think to be honest i can't think of anything else about Dublin i can say i "Hate".

Mr.Saturn

-I like the general makeup and size of the place. The fact, once you're based near the centre, that you can forego taxis for short-enough walks is a big boon. The segues into a dislike too once you're out to the suburbs, as your night is hindered by the lack of decent transport options after 11.30pm.

-The coastline on the South-East is amongst, if not, the most beautiful I've ever seen. There is nothing quite like taking in a pint in Bray or Dalkey on a good day.

-The locating of a methadone clinic in a city-centre was a pretty shortsighted move in hindsight.

-Parts of the city itself wears its history quite openly, from its time as the second city of the UK, all the way through to its moves towards independence. It can be quite gorgeous to behold. Be it Merrion Square or in the thicks of the outskirts.

liffeylite

The one consistent on this thread is the methadone clinics in the city centre and the associated problems.

I do find it staggering that the government doesn't sell on these buildings and build cheaper clinics in the suburbs.

On the positive side, Dublin is big enough to have everything you need, but small enough to remain personable and friendly. Its natural geography, by the sea, the countryside and the mountains is simply outstanding.
you don't get seaside harbours for suburbs in London!
Great entertainment and a multicultural populous make for a vibrant city.

The Georgian squares and the general Grafton St area on a warm summers night take some beating.

The recession has reduced rental rates and so many pop up shops have sprung up, giving the city a unique blend of eateries, bars and retail.
Take a wander around any UK city bar London and they all become clones of themselves. Dublin has a real unique blend.

The one thing it is missing that could easily be introduced is a large street market, akin to Portobello road. Smithfield square would be perfect!

AsianDub

Hate:
Heroin addicts
Scumbags
D4 heads
Run down parts
litter
Rental cost
No skyscrapers

Love:
Coast
Mountains
Pubs
In general people are nice
North and South Georgian areas
South Docklands in the summer
Parks
The contrast between the Northside and the Southside

GrumPy

Relevant: Clicky

dfx-

Dislike:

The lack of 24hr public transport
Dublin GAA
The lack of a skyline

Like:

The renovation around the Docklands/Ringsend
The Spire
The coast road from Portmarnock to Malahide
Any view of the city from its approaches. Howth Hill, the M7 near Baldonnell, Cardiffsbridge Rd

MrScootch

Like:
Dublin wit
Running into people you know

Dislike:
Junkies
Boom babies

selekta

Where do I begin? I am a foreigner living here for years, here's my perspective, I mean my rant

Night life
First time I came here music in pubs was so loud you had to scream to be able to have a conversation. It has changed since but only a bit, most pubs still play it absurdly loud.

Dublin weekends can be awesome but city centre at 3am is a depressing view. Scrapping pub closing hours would be a good idea.

Transportation
You need to know where your bus stop is in the centre, they're so spread and signage for them is bad (or non-existent). If you're a tourist, finding your bus is a scavenger hunt. The buses seem to be moved around every couple of years for added difficulty.

This one I will never understand: Nightlinks only pick up people in the centre and then plow ahead towards their destination, only stopping to let people out. This is dumb already but the best part comes right after: buses come back to the centre empty, taking no passengers at all. To me this has always been a classic example of resource wasting typical for the region.

Taxis are over-regulated and because of it there's too little competition. There should be more taxis allowed and they should compete cost-wise. I can hear voices saying "it's hard for the drivers as it is". Come on, it's not a career job. It's a low-end job whose only qualification required is driving licence and the ability to operate a GPS. I know, my father was a taxi driver for two years, only out of necessity and got out of it as soon as he could.
I don't mean to disrespect the drivers, it is hard work. I am, however, a consumer and when a market is regulated like this, I am the one who gets ripped off and I don't like it.
I often paid more for the airport taxi than my airfare out of Ireland was — how's that for an indicator of how expensive they are?

Housing
The carpets, the separate cold/hot taps (often even in recently built housing), the poor thermal insulation, the lack of proper vertical ventilation even in modern apartment complexes, the omnipresent mould, heating with an on-off switch with a timer (or even without a timer) that overheats water/radiators when on and ensures the house (or water) is cold when off — instead of a simple thermostat that would keep it always warm and energy-efficient.

Another brilliant idea often encountered in Dublin: electric heaters that accumulate heat during the night when it's a tiny bit cheaper but you don't need it hot, then keep the apartment warm when you're at work and you come back to a cold place in the evening. Come on! Raise your hand who didn't live with this "invention"!

Dublin suburbs looking all the same, depressing rows of identical charmless houses.

Ah, did I mention water tanks that every house has because Dublin pipes can't deliver water with a proper pressure? The ones with dead rats and bacteria colonies that flavour the water you use for brushing your teeth?


Miscellaneous
Public benches in the centre. Dublin probably wins as the European capital with the fewest of them, there's just nowhere to sit down. I presume it's only pragmatic—the junkies would've claimed them in minutes like they did with The Liffey banks.

Jaywalking. I'm not sure if it's a positive or negative. I kind of like it when I'm guilty of it


I'm sorry if my negatives seem too negative. I love it here and every place in the world has it's pros and cons — I am just offering a few cons plucked out to see

Surveyor11

selekta wrote: »

Where do I begin? I am a foreigner living here for years, here's my perspective, I mean my rant

Night life
First time I came here music in pubs was so loud you had to scream to be able to have a conversation. It has changed since but only a bit, most pubs still play it absurdly loud.

Dublin weekends can be awesome but city centre at 3am is a depressing view. Scrapping pub closing hours would be a good idea.

Transportation
You need to know where your bus stop is in the centre, they're so spread and signage for them is bad (or non-existent). If you're a tourist, finding your bus is a scavenger hunt. The buses seem to be moved around every couple of years for added difficulty.

This one I will never understand: Nightlinks only pick up people in the centre and then plow ahead towards their destination, only stopping to let people out. This is dumb already but the best part comes right after: buses come back to the centre empty, taking no passengers at all. To me this has always been a classic example of resource wasting typical for the region.

Taxis are over-regulated and because of it there's too little competition. There should be more taxis allowed and they should compete cost-wise. I can hear voices saying "it's hard for the drivers as it is". Come on, it's not a career job. It's a low-end job whose only qualification required is driving licence and the ability to operate a GPS. I know, my father was a taxi driver for two years, only out of necessity and got out of it as soon as he could.
I don't mean to disrespect the drivers, it is hard work. I am, however, a consumer and when a market is regulated like this, I am the one who gets ripped off and I don't like it.
I often paid more for the airport taxi than my airfare out of Ireland was — how's that for an indicator of how expensive they are?

Housing
The carpets, the separate cold/hot taps (often even in recently built housing), the poor thermal insulation, the lack of proper vertical ventilation even in modern apartment complexes, the omnipresent mould, heating with an on-off switch with a timer (or even without a timer) that overheats water/radiators when on and ensures the house (or water) is cold when off — instead of a simple thermostat that would keep it always warm and energy-efficient.

Another brilliant idea often encountered in Dublin: electric heaters that accumulate heat during the night when it's a tiny bit cheaper but you don't need it hot, then keep the apartment warm when you're at work and you come back to a cold place in the evening. Come on! Raise your hand who didn't live with this "invention"!

Dublin suburbs looking all the same, depressing rows of identical charmless houses.

Ah, did I mention water tanks that every house has because Dublin pipes can't deliver water with a proper pressure? The ones with dead rats and bacteria colonies that flavour the water you use for brushing your teeth?


Miscellaneous
Public benches in the centre. Dublin probably wins as the European capital with the fewest of them, there's just nowhere to sit down. I presume it's only pragmatic—the junkies would've claimed them in minutes like they did with The Liffey banks.

Jaywalking. I'm not sure if it's a positive or negative. I kind of like it when I'm guilty of it


I'm sorry if my negatives seem too negative. I love it here and every place in the world has it's pros and cons — I am just offering a few cons plucked out to see

So, when are you going home?:)

For me:

Dislikes:

Scumbags - anti-social problems a plenty here
Petty crime - if it's not nailed down it'll be lifted
derelict building, sometimes in prominent areas
Litter
Public transport - getting better, but still behind euro norm

Likes:

Amenities like parks, the sea
Georgian Dublin
Dublin pubs - no better place to be with a pint of plain in your hand

selekta

Surveyor11 wrote: »

So, when are you going home?:)

Fair play, fair play to you