Drug use & crime in city centre

DaveNoCheese

I've lived and worked in and around the city for the last 7-8 years, I've always found the city centre very safe.

Having said that, I've had the apartment broken into by a junkie before, I've seen people shooting up in the stairwell of another 'secure' apartment block I lived in. I've lived beside a drug dealer who wasn't very subtle about it.

Drugs are a major issue around the city but if you're not looking for it, it's very easy to miss. I'm not sure if a higher Garda presence on the streets would have any affect on this but it would surely make the majority of the populace more comfortable.

zulutango

Some amount of decriminalisation, legalisation and regulation is probably the most effective way of dealing with the problem, as international research suggests. That's not going to happen any time soon though.

Vladimir Poontang

Silentcorner wrote: »

That's probably where you are going wrong...

Do you think they were made up? I've personally witnessed heroin use and reported two racist attacks to the Gardai in recent weeks myself for starters.

kilburn

DeWinterZero wrote:

How many people die or are horribly injured by drugs in Ireland/Limerick every year vs traffic accidents?

Not sure what your point is or if you have one ?

But i think everyone from limerick gets mine.......

Silentcorner

Vladimir Poontang wrote: »

Do you think they were made up? I've personally witnessed heroin use and reported two racist attacks to the Gardai in recent weeks myself for starters.

No not made up....amplified...in this city, all manner of assaults are reported in local press completely unnecessary...its never changed anything...apart from terrifying readers...

Vladimir Poontang

I'm more bothered by the things I've witnessed first hand than anything I've read in the Leader.

While certain parts of town are quite pleasant now, others, such as the Cruises Street/Denmark Street/Market Quarter area seems to be in a downward spiral.

It's dirty, grotty, full of beggars and junkies and dodgy as fcuk after dark.

brianregan09

Parked today just around the corner of Smyths outside Angel Lane and had some junkie bang on my window and spout a load of ununderstandable dribble , told him to F off and off he went banging on the door of that Lyric Fm place across the road , Lucky I had my doors locked

City is ridiculous and why I avoid it most times

landmarkjohn

There are certainly black spots.... at the bridge near Grove Island my daughter was mugged at at 15:00 walking home for her phone and purse and at the same spot a few years later my son came across a bunch of feral scum as he walked home in the early hours and ended up getting 57 stitches from being brought to ground stabbed repeatedly with a broken glass bottle. Absolutely random.

Only for his friend who had initially ran away came back when he saw how badly he was getting done, and in fact knew some of the perpetrators, and managed to pull him out of it he was a goner. Both fit strong rugby players but if you come across the wrong people late at night it's bad news. No prosecutions, threat of repercussions and intimidation suggested chalking it down to experience was the better route.

Stops me socialising in the city apart from the odd gig in Dolans.

Phoenix Wright

landmarkjohn wrote:

There are certainly black spots.... at the bridge near Grove Island my daughter was mugged at at 15:00 walking home for her phone and purse and at the same spot a few years later my son came across a bunch of feral scum as he walked home in the early hours and ended up getting 57 stitches from being brought to ground stabbed repeatedly with a broken glass bottle. Absolutely random.

Sorry to hear that, it's scum like those that drag Limerick down. Was that the Athlunkard Bridge or by the Pa Healy Road?

landmarkjohn

Phoenix Wright wrote: »

Sorry to hear that, it's scum like those that drag Limerick down. Was that the Athlunkard Bridge or by the Pa Healy Road?

Athlunkard Bridge. That area is a cross route between town and Corbally and the Island.

As I say a dangerous area by our experience, especially late at night and to be avoided on foot.

zulutango

That's a horrific experience. I know a young lad who was badly beaten in that very same spot a few years ago and had his phone robbed for good measure. Right by the bridge. So, it does seem to be a blackspot for it alright. By contrast, I think the city centre is pretty quiet. I'm living here and thankfully have never come across anything violent like that. But there is a large increase in begging from folks with addiction issues. I'd say your experience is more a case of young lads in groups picking on easy prey both for sport and to get hold of a phone worth five or six hundred euro. They may well be high on something but I wouldn't imagine they are robbing to feed an addiction.

kilburn

They hang out beside the boat club on the river walk path its an easy escape route with no CCTV.

Sadly Corbally is starting to go downhill lately and the increase in anti social behaviour is worrying.

Vladimir Poontang

More random attacks

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/293201/group-of-friends-attacked-while-queuing-for-taxi-in-limerick-city-centre.html

Mc Love

Vladimir Poontang wrote: »

More random attacks

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/293201/group-of-friends-attacked-while-queuing-for-taxi-in-limerick-city-centre.html

The one on Robert St was probably due to drink seeing as it was close to the closing of the late bars and clubs in the area. Hard to say if it was random if the attacked victims had done something to the other crowd.

The other on Little Ellen st is random though, fecking knacks

Cityslicker1

Must be the pony I mentioned in a previous post

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/banter/watch-boy-rides-shetland-pony-into-limerick-bookmakers-as-shocked-punters-look-on-36507202.html

I think a major problem with Limerick is the amount of social housing

The city centre is surrounded by dodgy areas - by the train station, by the castle, Roxborough rd, near the jail, back of Frank Hogan cars on the Dublin road, by Thomond Park etc etc - Just everywhere

The only area I would consider living that is of close proximity is around Mary I - other than that I would choose one of the suburbs Castletroy or Dooradoyle

Every town & city has a couple of rough estates but for a city the size of Limerick it has way to many council estates in every direction - The demand was obviously there

zulutango

This is all pretty bad. If the city doesn't get a handle on this kind of thing it will severely damage it. It's one thing to have a bad reputation, it's quite another to have a bad reputation that can't be refuted.

dominatinMC

landmarkjohn wrote: »

There are certainly black spots.... at the bridge near Grove Island my daughter was mugged at at 15:00 walking home for her phone and purse and at the same spot a few years later my son came across a bunch of feral scum as he walked home in the early hours and ended up getting 57 stitches from being brought to ground stabbed repeatedly with a broken glass bottle. Absolutely random.

Only for his friend who had initially ran away came back when he saw how badly he was getting done, and in fact knew some of the perpetrators, and managed to pull him out of it he was a goner. Both fit strong rugby players but if you come across the wrong people late at night it's bad news. No prosecutions, threat of repercussions and intimidation suggested chalking it down to experience was the better route.

Stops me socialising in the city apart from the odd gig in Dolans.

Christ, that story is horrific, sorry that you had to experience such an ordeal. You'd be tempted to set-up a vigilante group to deal with these scumbags! Sometimes the law just isn't enough

seachto7

landmarkjohn wrote: »

There are certainly black spots.... at the bridge near Grove Island my daughter was mugged at at 15:00 walking home for her phone and purse and at the same spot a few years later my son came across a bunch of feral scum as he walked home in the early hours and ended up getting 57 stitches from being brought to ground stabbed repeatedly with a broken glass bottle. Absolutely random.

Only for his friend who had initially ran away came back when he saw how badly he was getting done, and in fact knew some of the perpetrators, and managed to pull him out of it he was a goner. Both fit strong rugby players but if you come across the wrong people late at night it's bad news. No prosecutions, threat of repercussions and intimidation suggested chalking it down to experience was the better route.

Stops me socialising in the city apart from the odd gig in Dolans.

I know this same thing was said to people by the Gardai. The feral scumbags should be shot. The law know who it is, but can't seem to prove it, or be able to do anything about it.

zulutango

seachto7 wrote: »

I know this same thing was said to people by the Gardai. The feral scumbags should be shot. The law know who it is, but can't seem to prove it, or be able to do anything about it.

Or they're possibly not motivated to do anything about it.

Brian Lighthouse

Cityslicker1 wrote: »

Must be the pony I mentioned in a previous post

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/banter/watch-boy-rides-shetland-pony-into-limerick-bookmakers-as-shocked-punters-look-on-36507202.html

I think a major problem with Limerick is the amount of social housing

The city centre is surrounded by dodgy areas - by the train station, by the castle, Roxborough rd, near the jail, back of Frank Hogan cars on the Dublin road, by Thomond Park etc etc - Just everywhere

The only area I would consider living that is of close proximity is around Mary I - other than that I would choose one of the suburbs Castletroy or Dooradoyle

Every town & city has a couple of rough estates but for a city the size of Limerick it has way to many council estates in every direction - The demand was obviously there

I'm surprised you can still enter the town at all without some feudal lord demanding a tithe from you with the description you've given.

You've just taken one big tar brush and dragged it around the entire city.

Well done you.

Cityslicker1

Brian Lighthouse wrote: »

I'm surprised you can still enter the town at all without some feudal lord demanding a tithe from you with the description you've given.

You've just taken one big tar brush and dragged it around the entire city.

Well done you.

No I haven't - I was referring to the areas of closest proximity to the city centre

It can't be denied - Anyone with two eyes can see that

Brian Lighthouse

Cityslicker1 wrote: »

No I haven't

Yes you have.

Cityslicker1 wrote: »

- I was referring to the areas of closest proximity to the city centre

Yes. you referred to all those areas as 'dodgy'

Cityslicker1 wrote: »

It can't be denied - Anyone with two eyes can see that

What exactly, cannot be denied?

Cityslicker1

Brian Lighthouse wrote: »

Yes you have.



Yes. you referred to all those areas as 'dodgy'



What exactly, cannot be denied?

That there's way too many rough areas around limerick for it's size

Sin City

Iv lived here all my life and Iv walked that bridge in corablly at 1 2 3 4 5 and 6am

Never have I been mugged or threatened

seachto7

I wouldn't say there are way too many rough areas. Society in Ireland/UK seems to more and more indulge scum that get away with this stuff. It's not unique to Limerick.
I often feel far safer in cities in Spain and Italy, who it could be said have a higher proportion of dodgy people than we do.

Brian Lighthouse

Cityslicker1 wrote: »

That there's way too many rough areas around limerick for it's size

Thanks for proving my point.
You've taken out the tar brush again, however, I feel that you don't even realise you're using it.

I'm not going to delve into a discussion, or argue with with you. I just wanted to point out that you are sweepingly stating nonsense.

All the best.
Brian

Vladimir Poontang

Brian Lighthouse wrote: »

Thanks for proving my point.
You've taken out the tar brush again, however, I feel that you don't even realise you're using it.

I'm not going to delve into a discussion, or argue with with you. I just wanted to point out that you are sweepingly stating nonsense.

All the best.
Brian

He's not though, and the crime statistics prove it.

Limerick is surrounded by social housing estates that are beyond refute "dodgy". The dogs in the street know it so trying to deny it is pure head in the sand nonsense.

Vanquished

seachto7 wrote: »

I wouldn't say there are way too many rough areas. Society in Ireland/UK seems to more and more indulge scum that get away with this stuff. It's not unique to Limerick.
I often feel far safer in cities in Spain and Italy, who it could be said have a higher proportion of dodgy people than we do.

I would tend to agree. A degenerate underclass seems to have been allowed to develop and fester in this country and the relevant authorities are either oblivious to it, are ignoring it or are entirely unwilling to confront it.

The upsurge in random violent attacks across the country in recent years is a cause for serious concern. This first came to the fore properly when RTE highlighted the attacks by teenage gangs in the Temple Bar and Dame Street areas of Dublin. Just recently there was a near riot involving dozens of teenagers in Cork city centre on a Saturday afternoon. There are also ongoing problems in the Wilton area

Clearly ineffective policing is a major problem. The lack of a Garda presence on city centre streets is now almost an accepted norm. What really irritates me though is the ongoing campaign by the bleeding heart brigade which emcompasses some political parties and members of the judiciary also, to constantly make reference to "'the most vulnerable in society" almost as a means of excusing violent, criminal behaviour. They somehow seek to portray scummy, dysfunctional perpetrators of crime as victims of an unequal society or an uncaring state. It's little wonder that these issues have become so evident considering the tolerance and stupidity that exists in some quarters!

Silentcorner

It should be pointed out, that when it comes to assaults, especially drink fuelled assaults, which are the most common form of assaults in our cities, are committed by every class of individual....very often the sons of our "can do no wrong middle class"....the problem isn't a class thing...it is a drink/drugs thing, and in this part of the world along with Britain we are heavy binge drinkers and heavy drug users...

zulutango

I don't think there's any very quick fix. But there's a lot that we can do that will lead to a gradual reduction in the problem. It's proven beyond any doubt that early intervention represents the best bang for the State's buck when it comes to solving social issues. We don't do that well at all.

Also, people generally don't link planning to social problems, but there's a very direct link. In Limerick's case, we facilitated a middle class flight from the city centre from the 1970's onwards and this has resulted in segregation and ghettoisation and a lot of the city's problems in turn stem from that. If you abandon whole areas and leave only the poorer and less well-educated people behind, what do you expect will happen? We can turn things around easily enough (within 5 - 10 years) by building high quality residential areas in the city centre. This would result in a re-balancing of the demographics of the city centre and that will solve a lot of the social challenges.