Townsend Street, Dublin - Good Area?

galwayjohn89

Thinking of renting an apartment on Townsend Street and was wondering is it a good enough area? I'll go visit there tonight to see what is like but would like other peoples opinions too.

convert

I lived there about 3 years ago, and it was fine at that time, but I did feel it was becoming a little rougher when I was leaving, probably because the kids who hung around were growing a little older and became a little more capable of causing trouble (not all kids, I must stress, just some).

There's not that many amenities around there - a spar shop, the Wind Jammer pub - that's about it. Grafton St or Jervis St are probably the closest places if you want to do a 'big' shop.

It's definitely not the worst area, but I suppose it depends on where exactly you're looking at.

galwayjohn89

I go to College in Trinity so location wise its perfect.

I'm just worried about coming home from nights out and stuff, just don't want to be hassled/feel uncomfortable.

gurramok

You're more likely to get hassled during the daytime than nighttime as the junkies go home to the burbs when it gets dark. I've often walked on Townsend st heading from town to Ringsend when I lived down that way and it was fine. As usual just have your wits with you like anywhere else.

Qualitymark

I'm not sure if this is still so, but the next street parallel, Pearse Street was at one point the street with the largest number of thefts from tourists.

Victor

The end by the Garda station should be safe most of the time. That said, I think there is a methadone clinic by Spring Gardens Lane.

I would be more worried about traffic safety, traffic noise and sirens (fire and Garda stations).

Mr. Loverman

gurramok wrote: »

As usual just have your wits with you like anywhere else.

I gotta say I hate this about Dublin.

I live in China and the idea of "having your wits about you" is non-existent. Same in Korea and Japan.

When I try to explain to Asian people that Ireland is a soft country... but people will try to **** with you on the street or aggressively get money from you... they just can't comprehend it.

We tolerate scumbags way too much in Ireland.

Qualitymark

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

We tolerate scumbags way too much in Ireland.

Hate that unkindly word. At the risk of thread creep, are there no addicts or drunks in China? This surprises me.

Back to Townsend Street and safety; I have to say that I'd be rather mediated about living there if I were going to be rolling home drunk and singing late at night.

I think, OP, if I were you I'd take a wander into Pearse Street station and get a passport form or something at a time when it's not too busy, hoping to get a chatty guard, and get talking to him/her about the football results, the county they're from, etc, and then casually mention that you might soon be a neighbour of the station, you're thinking of moving in around the corner in Townsend Street.

If you ask any garda directly for advice about a street, they'll be discreet and not give it, but if you already have them chatting, you'll know by their reaction.

Same thing with the local shops. And of course you can always google the name of the street and 'court' or 'fight' or 'robbery'.

If you do decide to move in, you're going to be in the centre of town, near the nice Markiewicz swimming pool and 'leisure centre', excellent libraries (Pearse Street is great), museums, theatres, cinemas and other fun.

djimi

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

I live in China and the idea of "having your wits about you" is non-existent. Same in Korea and Japan.

I dont believe for a second that there is any city in any part of the world where you can walk around completely carefree without having to be even a little bit cautious.

Mr. Loverman

Qualitymark wrote: »

Hate that unkindly word. At the risk of thread creep, are there no addicts or drunks in China? This surprises me.

In comparison to Ireland, hardly any.

As I said, China, Korea and Japan just doesn't have that anti-social culture we have in Ireland. (The UK and other countries have it too, of course).

It's a different culture.

o1s1n

Lived just off there on Gloucester St for two years, still miss it!

Never felt in danger at all during the night. Was fantastic not having to get taxis home from town.

Mr. Loverman

djimi wrote: »

I dont believe for a second that there is any city in any part of the world where you can walk around completely carefree without having to be even a little bit cautious.

Go to Japan...

I spent a month there and you see women walking down dark alleys at 3 in the morning.
I remember walking down an alley in the early hours of the morning and I asked a lonesome female for directions. She didn't have any sort of defensiveness about her.

Really... come to East Asia and you will see. Something has gone seriously wrong in the Western World.

Anyway this thread is going off topic.