Junkies on O'Connell St and sorrounding area *READ MOD NOTE POST #1 AND #11*

Lux23

I know plenty of people who drink and take drugs every weekend. They rarely end up harming anyone than themselves. Well in public, anyway.

Kermit.de.frog

petronius wrote: »

I do blame the lack of visible presence of gardai in the city centre yet even a few meters from Pearse Street and from Store street garda stations you get openly junkies plying their trade and intimidating the public.
I have recently had foreign colleagues visit me and meeting them in town in Mulligans of Poolbeg street, and the embarrassment of them being terrified accosted by junkies, walking from tara street Dart station, or walking from Grand Canal Dock down pearse street(my colleague requested a stiff drink after it). I think they had an interesting visit to dublin, they had visited the Guinness Storehouse the day before, and commented on street-people beggars, alcos and junkies they seen. (i took them for a meal in howth on their last night so as to give them a different view point).
I was also asked by a former colleague who is visiting dublin should he stay in the Clarence Hotel with grand plans of going for an evening or morning jog along the river? I have suggested a hotel on North wall quay and go for a jog on the quays there instead.

This. Friends from abroad visiting. It is embarrassing. I have suffered it on a few occasions. I won't accompany foreign friends in to Dublin city center anymore. I advise them to avoid it. Mostly they listen.

And it is sad that I have to do that in my own city. But as I said before no one gives a fcuk - not the guards or the locals. Junkies, drunks and feral teenagers have the run of the place. And I will not apologise for my advise to tourists because I know what town is like.

Kermit.de.frog

Lux23 wrote: »

I know plenty of people who drink and take drugs every weekend. They rarely end up harming anyone than themselves. Well in public, anyway.

Your argument is not valid. We are use to this crap. Tourists and visitors are understandably terrified.

Ask yourself - if you were a foreign tourist on a visit to Dublin would you come back again? I wouldn't. To be harassed and intimidated by little gurriers, junkies and alcos? Not to mention the city's intimidating feel is only added to by that lot. This is hugely damaging to the city and Ireland by extension because most tourists visit Dublin first.

This is our capital city ffs.

Lux23

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Your argument is not valid. We are use to this crap. Tourists and visitors are understandably terrified.

Ask yourself - if you were a foreign tourist on a visit to Dublin would you come back again? I wouldn't. To be harassed and intimidated by little gurriers, junkies and alcos? Not to mention the city's intimidating feel is only added to by that lot. This is hugely damaging to the city and Ireland by extension because most tourists visit Dublin first.

Well, I don't think you really think understood what point I was making. But to answer your question, I was harassed by an alco/junkie in Paris and I would go back there in a second.

Dublin really isn't that bad, lots of cities have the same problems. But I guess I might be hardened to it, I was walking with a friend recently and he started shaking walking by a few drunks. They wouldn't have registered his existence, yet he assumed they were out to get him. To me that's a pretty sad way to live your life, refusing to go somewhere because of a perceived threat.

RedemptionZ

loyatemu wrote: »

who cares whether they're drunk or on drugs - the problem what they're doing, not what they're on (and the fact that the guards and authorities in general don't seem to care).

Well not quite, the problem we should be looking at is what's causing the drug and alcohol abuse and then address that thus stopping the junkies from becoming junkies in the first place. Of course it's not very simple(or cheap) to address the problems, but make no mistake, most of those heroin addicts out there wouldn't be doing what they are if they weren't addicted to it.

Some people think of it as an excuse, but it's not. If you acknowledge that drug/alcohol abuse is the problem then you can tackle that problem and stop the resulting behaviour from being drunk or addicted to smack from happening. In theory anyway.

drumswan

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

This. Friends from abroad visiting. It is embarrassing. I have suffered it on a few occasions. I won't accompany foreign friends in to Dublin city center anymore. I advise them to avoid it. Mostly they listen.

And it is sad that I have to do that in my own city. But as I said before no one gives a fcuk - not the guards or the locals. Junkies, drunks and feral teenagers have the run of the place. And I will not apologise for my advise to tourists because I know what town is like.

What a load of hysterical nonsense. Dublin is much safer than Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome etc.

'Feral teenagers' do not have the run of the place either, thats just your prejudice seeping out. What is it with the boards poster that they despise working class children so much? Its disturbing.

old hippy

An Claidheamh wrote: »

Here here.

It seems as if it's par for the course these days when appearing as a faux liberal to throw in the canard about drugs, almost to excuse their behaviour - domestic abuse, muggings, harassing tourists, attacks, etc.

Nobody is asking for their behaviour to be excused. Rather a bit more understanding of what may drive them to addiction and the actions taken afterwards.

drumswan wrote: »

What a load of hysterical nonsense. Dublin is much safer than Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome etc.

'Feral teenagers' do not have the run of the place either, thats just your prejudice seeping out. What is it with the boards poster that they despise working class children so much? Its disturbing.

It is very much so. There is a strong prejudice against the working classes, people on welfare, single parents, those struggling to survive harsh economic times. But try to draw attention to inequality & injustice and you are a liberal do gooder, a bleeding heart and so forth.

Aard

I highly doubt tourists are put off en masse by junkies in Dublin. First of all, tourists fonts spend a whole load of time on the Northside. Only to visit O Connell Street and then they're done. Maybe Connolly Station, but then again train stations around the world are known for being in rough areas. Otherwise, most of our tourists will have come from Europe or the US. Most Eupoeans live in cities, so they know the score. I get the impression that it's people who aren't used to city living that are most up in arms, i.e. rural folk and suburbanites. American cities have a much higher crime rate than Dublin, and Americans would expect a higher incidence of crime than is the reality.

old hippy

Aard wrote: »

I highly doubt tourists are put off en masse by junkies in Dublin. First of all, tourists fonts spend a whole load of time on the Northside. Only to visit O Connell Street and then they're done. Maybe Connolly Station, but then again train stations around the world are known for being in rough areas. Otherwise, most of our tourists will have come from Europe or the US. Most Eupoeans live in cities, so they know the score. I get the impression that it's people who aren't used to city living that are most up in arms, i.e. rural folk and suburbanites. American cities have a much higher crime rate than Dublin, and Americans would expect a higher incidence of crime than is the reality.

I dunno, there's the Botanic Gardens, Howth - plenty of lovely places to visit on the Northside. But yeah, there's a certain amount of panic and exaggeration going on...

wahesh32

Aard wrote: »

I highly doubt tourists are put off en masse by junkies in Dublin. First of all, tourists fonts spend a whole load of time on the Northside. Only to visit O Connell Street and then they're done. Maybe Connolly Station, but then again train stations around the world are known for being in rough areas. Otherwise, most of our tourists will have come from Europe or the US. Most Eupoeans live in cities, so they know the score. I get the impression that it's people who aren't used to city living that are most up in arms, i.e. rural folk and suburbanites. American cities have a much higher crime rate than Dublin, and Americans would expect a higher incidence of crime than is the reality.

My sister visited from the US for the first time last week, and we spent 3 days walking everywhere in and around the Dublin city centre. She works in the downtown of a major US city, and was actually shocked at the low number of homeless/junkie population in Dublin's city centre compared to what she sees every day.

Aard

old hippy wrote: »

I dunno, there's the Botanic Gardens, Howth - plenty of lovely places to visit on the Northside. But yeah, there's a certain amount of panic and exaggeration going on...

I meant to say north city centre.

The Wild Bunch

Aard wrote: »

I meant to say north city centre.

Garden of Rememberance, Hugh Lane Gallery, James Joyce Centre, Phoenix Park etc etc

Aard

That's great, but tourism is still more centred south of the river.

Sobanek

I work as a Security Guard on Merchant's Quay, and there's plenty of them around here. It's not unusual for them to enter the multi storey car park on my site, but in fairness didn't have many aggressive ones there. Most leave after asked to.
There was one older fella who I would've met every Monday morning around three months ago, who'd ask for a quid or two and get himself a coffee.
Some of them are a nightmare to deal with though.

old hippy

Aard wrote: »

That's great, but tourism is still more centred south of the river.

National Museum, Croke Park

An Claidheamh

old hippy wrote: »

Nobody is asking for their behaviour to be excused. Rather a bit more understanding of what may drive them to addiction and the actions taken afterwards.



It is very much so. There is a strong prejudice against the working classes, people on welfare, single parents, those struggling to survive harsh economic times. But try to draw attention to inequality & injustice and you are a liberal do gooder, a bleeding heart and so forth.

Give me a break!

It's usually the working classes, the less wealthy and single women who are the victims of thugs.

The Wild Bunch

chopper6

An Claidheamh wrote: »

Give me a break!

It's usually the working classes, the less wealthy and single women who are the victims of thugs.

Exactly...because they dont have the option to hide in gated communities or drive everywhere.

Most liberal do gooders dont know what the hell they're talking about and quite alot of them are unemployed middle-class idealists.

it's easy to feign social concern when you're contributing nothing.

old hippy

chopper6 wrote: »

Exactly...because they dont have the option to hide in gated communities or drive everywhere.

Most liberal do gooders dont know what the hell they're talking about and quite alot of them are unemployed middle-class idealists.

it's easy to feign social concern when you're contributing nothing.

I don't drive, I have 2 jobs and live on a very average street. The other week I found a needle but I don't see it as the end of civilisation.

Your theories on "do gooders" is well off the mark, sounds like you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

I'd rather be a liberal than a scaremonger prone to wild exaggeration.

sabat

Aard wrote: »

I highly doubt tourists are put off en masse by junkies in Dublin. First of all, tourists fonts spend a whole load of time on the Northside. Only to visit O Connell Street and then they're done.

There are more hotel beds and other tourist accommodation on the northside of the city...

mcmoustache

drumswan wrote: »

What a load of hysterical nonsense. Dublin is much safer than Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome etc.

'Feral teenagers' do not have the run of the place either, thats just your prejudice seeping out. What is it with the boards poster that they despise working class children so much? Its disturbing.

why do people assume that feral == working class?

This happens any time someone complains about scumbaggery. Someone always chimes in with an accusation that the poster has an issue with working class people - as if scumbags and the working classes were the same thing.

It's nonsense. The vast majority of working class people are decent people. To see words such as "scumbag" or "feral" and immediately think of the working classes speaks pretty loudly about their own prejudices tbh.

chopper6

old hippy wrote: »

I'd rather be a liberal than a scaremonger prone to wild exaggeration.

Where did i wildy exaggerate anything?

I said there were fewer junkies in some parts of town than there had been previously.

What would you know about it anyway? You tell anybody who'll listen that you live in London...getting mugged at knifepoint almost every day if we were to believe you.

Helfyre

I couldn't tell you what "class" I am. I'm a foreigner, I just don't fit into the system... so to speak. But I was with my boyfriend in Dublin about two weeks ago, saw a bunch of them near the bridge (near forbidden Planet). But they weren't bothering anyone. I asked one of them for a lighter and they were decent to me... (unlike the posh looking ones who ignore me and act like I don't exist if I ask for a lighter or even directions), so personally you know, as long as they don't bother me I'm okay with them. I knew a fair few who were into drugs a while ago, generally they were decent. The ones I know, still are.
Only place I have a problem with in Dublin really is Emo Square... *shivers*.

I am coming here with my football team in November. I have some holidays so am visiting now, just to see what is fun here for our visit.

There are many more "junkies" in Dublin than in other European cities. It is surprising to me an not the image of Ireland we have. I don't see why you tolerate this. The only good thing I can say is that they are not aggresive.

old hippy

chopper6 wrote: »

Exactly...because they dont have the option to hide in gated communities or drive everywhere.

Most liberal do gooders dont know what the hell they're talking about and quite alot of them are unemployed middle-class idealists.

it's easy to feign social concern when you're contributing nothing.

chopper6 wrote: »

Where did i wildy exaggerate anything?

I said there were fewer junkies in some parts of town than there had been previously.

What would you know about it anyway? You tell anybody who'll listen that you live in London...getting mugged at knifepoint almost every day if we were to believe you.

The 1st quoted post shows how you're prone to wild exaggeration.

I've lived both north and south of the river & experienced a few bad things (but mostly good). It's not that Dublin is teeming with junkies. No more so than any other major city.

Yes, I live in London - where did I say I'm getting mugged every day here? Please link.

I suspect more of your wild exaggeration :rolleyes:

chopper6

Westmoreland St is teeming with them of late..saw two foot patrols of Guards searching people yesterday.

sabat

Yeah it's the brilliant joined-up thinking from Dublin's gardaí that's causing all the sh1t to move to the south quays. Store St have cleaned up the northside, leaving the problem for Pearse St. I feel really sorry for the staff at that Londis at O'Connell Bridge- last week a female Spanish staff member of about 22 was basically guarding the door against a mob of junkies crowding around their unconscious od'ing friend on the ground outside. About a month ago there was about 6 seperate yet identically coloured (a distinctive luminous green) piles of vomit in various spots between Fleet St and the river. At the last one in a doorway beside the Londis I saw 2 junkies sifting through it, looking for their regurgitated tablets. Both these occasions were at about 8PM, with hundreds of tourists walking past.

onethreefive

I'm very uninformed about the whole problem in Dublin but how is it that there are so many junkies in central Dublin? Surely they can't all live in the city center?

AnonoBoy

onethreefive wrote: »

I'm very uninformed about the whole problem in Dublin but how is it that there are so many junkies in central Dublin? Surely they can't all live in the city center?

They come in to get their medicine and hang around for the day in their elite social cliques.

onethreefive

AnonoBoy wrote: »

They come in to get their medicine and hang around for the day in their elite social cliques.

How can they afford to go in every day! I lived in dublin for 6 months and there was no way I could easily afford a bus fare everyday