Dangan Area Warning

niell919

Hey everyone, so over the past 2-3 weeks now I've been noticing small groups of people hanging around by the Dangan sports pitches and forests during the day looking fairly dodgy to be honest, I don't mean to stereotype people but they have abit of rough look about them and they approached a group of us this evening to ask what we were doing, no trouble came of it but they were following us abit and looking fairly shady before leaving.

Anyway just be careful if around this area, although it is a very popular area with joggers and walkers and is generally considered safe.
I've noticed the college security vans monitoring the area more often so it's being dealt with.

wiseoldelf34

the lads might have a grow going around the forest there.or they might be picking muses there.

Lapin

Junkies.


From the City Tribune -

Heroin addicts in Galway are taking over one of Galway’s most picturesque walks, along the banks of the River Corrib.
Members of the public were shocked recently to see intravenous drug abusers openly ‘shooting up’ on a scenic walkway at Dangan Sportsground.
And last week, despite a complaint to NUI Galway – which owns the land – some drug paraphernalia was still strewn in the undergrowth.
The well-known beauty spot overlooks the Corrib and Menlo Castle.
One horrified passerby who witnessed the drug users openly ‘cooking up’ heroin last Wednesday week told the Galway City Tribune: “There was a man and woman there, and they looked like they were doing something suspicious. It was as busy as the Prom on a sunny day.
“Loads of people were out and saw them, but I don’t think people realised what they were doing because they were so blunt about it.

Full article.

I doubt they'll pose too much of a problem long term. As winter begins to kick in they'll look for somewhere warmer to shoot up.

Sad to see it happening at all of course. Its an awful existance.

niell919

Thanks Lapin, I've just started working in Galway and had heard of it being a peaceful and generally relaxed city but seeing them out there made me wonder abit.

Terrible to hear that though, I know it's a big problem in Dublin city but I wasn't aware of it being so bad in other parts of Ireland.

Lapin

Every city has its drug problems but Galway has less than most.

It is generally peaceful and safe.
Despite having the third largest city in the state, County Galway features in the lower half of the list of criminal acts reported per county in Ireland and the city is the safest in the country. 2012 survey.

The fact that these individuals are using this quiet remote area in Dangan to get wasted means they probably want to be alone themselves and don't want others bothering them. They probably won't bother anyone else either.

But now that their rendevouz has been made public, the authorities will more than likely move the on and they'll find somewhere else to hang out.

I wouldn't worry too much about them but wouldn't approach them either.

leeroybrown

niell919 wrote: »

Thanks Lapin, I've just started working in Galway and had heard of it being a peaceful and generally relaxed city but seeing them out there made me wonder abit.

Terrible to hear that though, I know it's a big problem in Dublin city but I wasn't aware of it being so bad in other parts of Ireland.

For years Galway didn't have a heroin problem. There were a small number of addicts (approximately 50), very little supply and typically heroin users moved here because they wanted to get clean. In the last 12-18 months that number has anecdotally quadrupled (the article says 100 addicts but the number I've heard locally was 200) and an active supply has turned up. Bad news!

leeroybrown

Lapin wrote: »

The fact that these individuals are using this quiet remote area in Dangan to get wasted means they probably want to be alone themselves and don't want others bothering them. They probably won't bother anyone else either.

But now that their rendevouz has been made public, the authorities will more than likely move the on and they'll find somewhere else to hang out.

Hopefully they get moved on sooner rather than later. Campus security have already had a number of run ins with them that weren't exactly a safe or pleasant experience.

Lapin

leeroybrown wrote: »

Hopefully they get moved on sooner rather than later. Campus security have already had a number of run ins with them that weren't exactly a safe or pleasant experience.

Thats not good. Sounds more like a job for the Gardaí if there is hassle. Campus security can only do so much and in fairness to them, this isn't something they should be dealing with.

Frightening to think there are so many heroin users in Galway now. Like you said above, Galway had historically low levels of the problem in relation to other cities.

youngrun

Train regularly in Dangan and have seen quite a lot of drug users/activity and garda/security also recently, including the unusual sight of cars driving round pitches to collar some lads. Its a shame to see in such a superb setting , hopefully things can be monitored regularly and addressed .

Squeeonline

Glad it's being seen to. I have too many friends that use that area to feel comfortable about hearing this.

Hopefully a good cold winter will kill them off :P

Of course, ideally, drug addiction should be treated as a disease not a crime.