Balbriggan Beach

kaisersoze

Anyone see the state of the beach? Its full of discarded can, bottles, nappies etc.
Is this normal when weather is great?
I was on my way down to beach yesterday and on my way thru the tunnel there was a few guys in front of me carrying pints from the pub!

Eoineo

Considering the clean up teams finish before 5pm everyday I'd say it's pretty bad until they start again in the morning.

kaisersoze

You would think the people using it would just bring their own rubbish home..its not like there are a huge amount of bins on the beach. As for the cans and pints? I would have thought the gardai would make a pass a few times a day..obviously not

Eoineo

kaisersoze wrote: »

You would think the people using it would just bring their own rubbish home..its not like there are a huge amount of bins on the beach. As for the cans and pints? I would have thought the gardai would make a pass a few times a day..obviously not

I'd say they did make a few passes but a few would hardly police the drinking & pints.

There are words to describe the dumping that would get me a forum ban!

This is precisely the reason why we don't use the main beach in good weather unless early in the morning. I know we're one of many local families who wouldn't dream of bringing kids there on a sunny day.

Morpheus

beach was full of gangs of scumbags (i.e. kids and young adults with f**k all respect) at half six last night

kids drinking beers and one teenage duo practically having sex under an umbrella at one stage.

If Id a son or daughter of that age id have dragged the little sh*theads home for carrying on like that in public.

cans and rubbish strewn all over the place, and in the middle of it all, families trying to enjoy themselves with their kids.

Everyone has a right to enjoy the beach, but some people need to have more respect, both for themselves and for others.

we've turned into a nation of embarrassing people.

CorsendonkX

What did Balbriggan Garda say when you rang them?

Khannie

CorsendonkX wrote: »

What did Balbriggan Garda say when you rang them?

Ah that's some fine passive-aggressiveness right there. Just fine.

kaisersoze

Its a real shame. On a normal day the beach is a nice place..
C

Morpheus wrote: »

beach was full of gangs of scumbags (i.e. kids and young adults with f**k all respect) at half six last night

kids drinking beers and one teenage duo practically having sex under an umbrella at one stage.

If Id a son or daughter of that age id have dragged the little sh*theads home for carrying on like that in public.

cans and rubbish strewn all over the place, and in the middle of it all, families trying to enjoy themselves with their kids.

Everyone has a right to enjoy the beach, but some people need to have more respect, both for themselves and for others.

we've turned into a nation of embarrassing people.

Morpheus

all beaches along the east coast are becoming an area to avoid on good days.

check here
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/historic-thatched-home-saved-after-arson-attack-29408492.html

and read this comment at the end:

I live in Malahide, I'm neither rich nor posh, just live there. The locals value the area for it's nature, wildlife and beauty, but we know it belongs not to us, but to all the people of Dublin and beyond for recreation. But, honestly, we dread good weather. The velvet strand in Portmarnock is taken over by feral thugs, leaving it litter-strewn with their bottles, cans, crisp bags etc., and it is not just young people, parents leave dirty nappies and picnic waste on the beach - what kind of filthy parents would do that? The kind who raise feral thugs who rampage and litter, and so it goes on..........Same goes for Malahide itself and Howth. We are the filthiest, dirtiest, roughest people in Europe. I have worked in 4 other EU countries, as well as the US and have never encountered the roughness and filth I have in Ireland anywhere. In any other country those setting a beautiful thatch roof on fire would be arrested immediately and punished. This is not "craic", we are just so used to feral behaviour that we don't see what outsiders do - a roughness found nowhere else other than maybe parts of the UK - always a great role model....

CorsendonkX

Khannie wrote: »

Ah that's some fine passive-aggressiveness right there. Just fine.

Did the Garda really say that when you rang them?

It's important to highlight these issues to the relevant authorities such as the Garda so the problem is recorded and action plans and action can be put in place to reduce this sort of anti-social behaviour. I doubt the SuperIntendent in Balbriggan will view the license application of a publican that allows customers to walk off with full pints in a good light.

Where did these underage teenagers get drink? If the Garda have a record of reported incidents of underage drinking it makes there job a lot more easier when it comes to cracking down on businesses that sell drink or adults(including parents) who buy drink for underage teens.

dfbemt

Getting the train to work yesterday evening and a few lads on the platform were throwing their empty cans over the wall onto the beach. I would have loved to grab them by the throat and throw them after the cans but not a chance.

Ask them to stop and I'd come to their attention and God know what could happen. Tell the station staff and get funny looks. Call the Guards and damn all would happen.

Agree 1,000,000% with the Malahide quote above. We really are a disgusting nation with little regard for anything. Balbriggan beach is a lovely little spot. In any other country it would have a small cafe, some seating, some picnic benches and be clean.

Just look at what we have had the last couple of weeks

Prefer to go to the little cove at the bottom of Lambeecher myself but too many cars getting damaged down there.

Best to avoid the beaches altogether during the good weather

tatli_lokma

Glad to say we were down there today and there was no trouble or stupid carry on at all. Mostly families and the majority of people were just there to chill out one enjoy themselves. There were a few groups of teenagers but none that were particularly troublesome.

wobblemouth

dfbemt wrote: »

Best to avoid the beaches altogether during the good weather

That's such a depressing statement.

But not without validity.

BalbrigganGirl

It is a depressing statement but I feel it's true at this stage.
I'm not a fair weather beach walker - I'm down there in all weathers all year around and never have a problem.

The last couple of weekends - totally different story - my VERY deaf 14 year old dog was hit by a drunk grown man for walking passed him. He could clearly see me walking behind her and clapping at her.

The place is full of dog sh*t - one couple actually thanked me for picking up !
Teenagers having " relations " ! out in the open- drinking , just general bad behaviour.

Sick of it !
Why can we not just enjoy the sun without having to annoy everyone else.

Love2love

Was there yesterday and happy to say nothing like that was going on. In fact, I was surprised at how few people were there. There was a little broken glass on the grass but other than that, it's was clean and quiet.

bumper234

I live near Malahide but yesterday decided to head further up the coast to Skerries. It was like arriving on a different planet, No scrotes drinking on the beach, No rubbish (that i could see) and generally nice clean and pleasant.

LowKeyReturn

It's slightly better at at Dollymount strand as you need a car to get to it, so there tends to be less drinking going on. That said the typical Irish attitude of there isn't a bin withing 3ft of me so I'll just leave it here prevails, it's the same with the dog ****.

I really don't get why people have such a blasé attitude to their surroundings here. Sometimes I have to admit I've had words with people doing it outside my gaffe, throwing stuff into the communal bushy area outside the apartments.

BTW smokers, this includes you... fag ends are just as much rubbish as a beer can.

I completely avoid beaches that are getable to by public transport.

tatli_lokma

Although there is mess left due to people generally being inconsiderate of others, Saturday at least the beach was grand. In fairness, a few extra bins wouldn't go amiss, but there is still no excuse for people not collecting their rubbish before they leave.

At the moment however, the jellyfish infestation is making it an unswimmable beach. Saturday and Sunday the red flag was up, and the lifeguards were actively preventing people from swimming. Caused by the man o'war (or bluebottle) jellyfish which are pretty nasty. Lots of the little jellies washed up on the shoreline too, but they are relatively harmless by all accounts.

Kintarō Hattori

Little Ted wrote: »

Although there is mess left due to people generally being inconsiderate of others, Saturday at least the beach was grand. In fairness, a few extra bins wouldn't go amiss, but there is still no excuse for people not collecting their rubbish before they leave.

At the moment however, the jellyfish infestation is making it an unswimmable beach. Saturday and Sunday the red flag was up, and the lifeguards were actively preventing people from swimming. Caused by the man o'war (or bluebottle) jellyfish which are pretty nasty. Lots of the little jellies washed up on the shoreline too, but they are relatively harmless by all accounts.

Ahh good question and I'm clueless on these matters. I was at Gormanstown beach yesterday with the missus. There were lots of small jellyfish, around the size of a tennis ball. Are these harmless?

tatli_lokma

Don't quote me on it, but according to the lifeguard on duty they will probably swim away from you, rather than try to sting you. If you do accidentally become acquainted with one, it will sting but more like a nettle sting rather than a bad sting. It wasn't due to these little ones the beach was closed.

Having said that, if you are unfortunate enough to be allergic to the sting, I don't think it would matter how small the sting is!

If in doubt, check with the lifeguard on duty. Better to be safe than sorry.

Benjy

This from the Irish Times
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/fingal-collects-3-000-bags-of-rubbish-from-beaches-in-two-days-1.1464570

Fingal County Council crews collected some 3,000 bags of rubbish on beaches last weekend as littering soared in line with the high temperatures.

Normal summer collections would yield a few hundred rather than a few thousands bags, a council spokeswoman said.

The local authority is among several coastal councils that have had to put extra beach clean-ups in place as the warm weather continues. It is set to last for at least another week.

The north Dublin council deployed 24 extra cleaning personnel over the weekend as it collected rubbish equating to some 10 large skip-loads. Cleaning crews began at 6am, taking three to four hours twice daily, much longer than normal.

Some people were burying the rubbish rather than putting it in bins, the spokeswoman said. She urged sunseekers not to leave bottles, barbecues, nappies and uneaten food on the beaches and to dispose of rubbish properly.

blastman

People are scum. I know it's over-simplifying, but it's true. I'm sick of people dumping stuff wherever the hell they like. My parents always drilled it into me to put rubbish in a bin or bring it home and that has always stayed with me. If I wanted to walk in or pick up dog sh!t, I'd get a dog. As for broken bottles on the beach, that takes effort, who the hell puts effort into making the place into a (dangerous) dump?

Khannie

blastman wrote: »

People are scum

I think the opposite actually. I believe that the vast majority of people are nice. I believe that even nice people do inconsiderate things occasionally (and mostly by accident), I believe that sometimes people do things out of character and I believe that a very small percentage of the population are out and out scum.

Overall though, I think Ireland and the people in it are both pretty super. I certainly can't think of a better place to raise my children. Sure we can't even moan about the weather any more.

LowKeyReturn

Khannie wrote: »

I think the opposite actually. I believe that the vast majority of people are nice. I believe that even nice people do inconsiderate things occasionally (and mostly by accident), I believe that sometimes people do things out of character and I believe that a very small percentage of the population are out and out scum.

Overall though, I think Ireland and the people in it are both pretty super. I certainly can't think of a better place to raise my children. Sure we can't even moan about the weather any more.

I agree to certain extent, but we could learn a lot from some of the other European countries, especially in relation to children. It's a joy sitting in a Spanish restaurant late at night with families. The kids sit and eat, generally quietly, and aren't running around with the parents taking the attitude, 'they're kids what do you expect'.

Somewhere like Berlin or Cologne does have crisp packets and discarded cigarette end every where and the English seem to have this uncanny knack of walking around with constantly bumping into one another because they aren't looking where they are going.

I wouldn't go as far as to say people are scum, but there is an awful lot of laziness ans selfishness in the Irish way of doing things.

tatli_lokma

LowKeyReturn wrote: »

Somewhere like Berlin or Cologne doesn't have crisp packets and discarded cigarette end every where and the English seem to have this uncanny knack of walking around without constantly bumping into one another because they aren't looking where they are going.

I wouldn't go as far as to say people are scum, but there is an awful lot of laziness ans selfishness in the Irish way of doing things.

I am assuming you meant the bits I bolded in your post? I'm which case I totally agree particularly in relation to lazy parenting.

Having said that there are other idiosyncracies that other nations have, and other forms of bad manners that are just as offensive to me. One thing I genuinely do find in Ireland is the willingness to chat, pass the time of day with others. It isn't as common as it once was, that's true, but it is still there if you are prepared to be the one to make the opening comment.

blastman

Khannie wrote: »

Overall though, I think Ireland and the people in it are both pretty super. I certainly can't think of a better place to raise my children. Sure we can't even moan about the weather any more.

Course we can, I've heard a few people moaning about it being too hot already