A Saturday Night out in Dublin

**as_i_say** · 29/10/2006, 10:55 PM

[We make the odd exception to people avoiding the language filter, but this isn't one of them. I've sent your original post via PM so you can edit it if you wish; if you're not going to let me know so I can bin the thread. You might want to think about the irony of your post too btw. Calling people "scum", "nacker" (the word is "knacker"), "ars*hole", etc isn't exactly social behaviour. --adam]

**Dodge** · 30/10/2006, 3:57 AM

Originally Posted by as_i_say

Anyone else agree at all or am I over-reacting?

Massive over reaction IMO/. Been out literally thousands of times in town and have seen less than 5 fights. None of which frightened me.

**mypost** · 30/10/2006, 4:39 AM

It doesn't matter whether you're in Dublin or Dallas, the way to avoid trouble anywhere is to keep your head down, and don't attract attention. If you go looking for trouble, you'll find it very soon.

**Ringo** · 30/10/2006, 7:50 AM

A Saturday night in Ballymun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpdyU408TCk

**Dr.Nightdub** · 30/10/2006, 5:57 PM

Originally Posted by as_i_say

Anyone else agree at all or am I over-reacting? It shouldnt be a lottery having a night out on the town.

That's a complete Evening Herald-type caricature of Dublin you're painting As I Say. I've been drinking in the city centre for over 20 years and never had any bother, and that includes pubs in some of what might be described as the seedier parts of town (e.g. the Welcome Inn - Parnell St, the Dice Bar - Queen St). The overwhelming majority of people go into town for exactly the same reason you do - to have a good time.

The only city-centre knife fight I've ever seen was in Amsterdam, not Dublin. I'm not saying it doesn't happen in Dublin as well, but it's hyped out of all proportion - hysteria sells papers. I've actually seen more rows in suburban locals, where people tend to know each other more and grudges can build up over time. I s'pose some of the naffer meat markets have a lot of "alpha male" behaviour going on as well but you should avoid them anyway on grounds of taste, not security.

**dahamsta** · 30/10/2006, 8:01 PM

Can't speak for Dublin but I hear about the dangers of walking around Cork at night all the time, and I've only experienced it myself or heard about other people experiencing it a few times in all of my 34 years. (Some of them were horrendous, granted, but you get that everywhere.) Either I and everyone I know are very lucky, there are some very unlucky people out there, or people actually believe what they read in the Star. I'm pretty sure it's the latter.

adam

**paul_oshea** · 31/10/2006, 10:08 AM

haven't lived in dublin in over 3 years now, but lived there for 5 and a half, so saw the student fights and the city-centre fights over time. have to say there is one place worse ive been after a night out ( thats supermacs in galway, because there is such a big group of people in one area, lost of drink etc i spose its bound to happen), but have been more worried myself in dublin than any other city. don't care what people say about keeping your head down, ive done that and fellas have still come up to me/my mates, "knacks" from the inner city generally and starting something....

i absoloutely hated the last few times ive been out out in dublin, and having to cross from south of the river, walk up along o'connell street towards parnell street and home. too many people descending on one area. the last few times ive been in dublin ive seen fights. the last one being around thomas street where this fella proceeded to stamp on this other fellas head till i pulled him off ( or tried too anyhow!!! ). he could have killed him if he had kept going....

so moral of "my" story is, i avoid dublin city centre late at night on a friday or saturday night if i can.....

**pete** · 31/10/2006, 11:14 AM

Never been involved in anything in Dublin. As earlier poster said keep your head down & don't stop for trouble. I think will help if you not so drunk that can walk unaided.

In my younger days in the early 90s in Cork was raraely any trouble on the city centre streets. Could definitely see a change by the late 90s. Is this solely because we have more money?

**as_i_say** · 31/10/2006, 12:22 PM

Having looked at my original post-fair enough, i could have been more diplomatic but at the time i was just so angry with what i had seen the previous night that my foul mouth got the better of me

Point is that minding your own business and looking for a good time and a good time only in town on a sat night doesnt mean you will avoid trouble from these "people" to which i referred to earlier.

How far do you go to protect yourself in the act of self defense? I see serious fights in town regularly when I'm out at the weekend.

**Dodge** · 31/10/2006, 12:39 PM

HOnestly where do you see them? I haven't seen a serious fight in years. And even then it was across the road and never a threat to me

**Danny** · 31/10/2006, 12:51 PM

funniest fight ever on sunday nite in break for the border
bloke dressed up as scooby doo fighting a bloke dressed up as a bird...
took about 5 bouncers to get scooby out...looked like something off trigger happy tv

**Kingdom** · 31/10/2006, 12:54 PM

I think a lot of it has to do with cop on and using yer loaf. Paul O'Shea I generally agree or understand the things you post, but walking down Thomas St after a night on the booze isn't the smartest thing to do. Having said that if you don't know an area then fair enough.
I've been going out in the city centre for 8 years and I've never had any hassle. The only time I've had hassle has been down the county towns.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 31/10/2006, 1:00 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

( thats supermacs in galway, because there is such a big group of people in one area, lost of drink etc i spose its bound to happen )

Some fella wearing nothing but a dressing gown threathened to rape me there, but I wasn't sure if he was being serious or not.

**paul_oshea** · 31/10/2006, 1:02 PM

Paul O'Shea I generally agree or understand the things you post, but walking down Thomas St after a night on the booze isn't the smartest thing to do.

kingdom, agreed with ye there, ( maybe its the country outlook on things why we agree quite often?!?!

), i wasnt actually on thomas street now that i think of it, i was on the corner of thomas reads( the pub, i assume its still called thomas reads?) i.e. parliament street, i was walking up towards thomas street as my sister lived in reginald street which was near cork street. you are right i shouldn't be walking that area, and i wasnt but i was actually trying to get a taxi, so i realised i would probably get one quicker if i walked up the hill as there would be less people up there and taxis coming back in towards dame street. as i plodded my "merry" way along these two fellas stopped and one said something to the other, a fight erupted, it looked like one was trying to be all hard in front of his girlfriend, anyhow no one was stopping it, and i thought something serious was going to happend as he knocked your man out and still was at it, so i then went into pull him away ( i probably shouldnt have ) and he then legged it off with his girlfriend realising what happened, before departing he ushered these wise words "i want him fcuken dead, ****en dead" to which i replied, "no you dont want him dead, cos if he was you would be up for murder" and even though he didnt nod in agreement he knew i was right and said no more and ran off.

the thing is shouldnt you be able walk in any area without it "not being the smartest thing to do"?!? isnt that half the problem with dublin. so many areas you can't bloody walk around.......

**Macy** · 31/10/2006, 1:25 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

the thing is shouldnt you be able walk in any area without it "not being the smartest thing to do"?!? isnt that half the problem with dublin. so many areas you can't bloody walk around.......

It's just the scale though. Every town in Ireland has dodgy areas, even if it's just one street (or "Terrace").

I lived in Dublin city centre for 5 years, including over a year living on the corner of Parnell and Gardiner. That was when O'Connell Street was supposedly a no go area at night, and yet I didn't see one fight despite walking home in the early hours several times a week. I can't think of seeing one fight in the whole time tbh, and if I did certainly nothing bad enough to stick in the memory. I've seen more aggro down the country tbh.

I personally think that these incidents can generally be avoided - not going to chippers after night clubs would go long way to avoiding trouble imo. I also think some people just have bad luck when it comes to these things as well. Whether that's genuine bad luck, or not paying enough attention to what and who's around I don't know though.

**paul_oshea** · 31/10/2006, 1:35 PM

I also think some people just have bad luck when it comes to these things as well. Whether that's genuine bad luck, or not paying enough attention to what and who's around I don't know though.

as i said, touch wood, and thankfully i have never been involved in a fight, i think the difference here that you are getting at is, there are the zombie people who walk home nad notice nothing and don't pay attention to anything. and wouldn't even notice a fight in front of them. I don't fall into that category. I fall into the one, that I am always alert and keeping an eye out that no one comes up from behind etc and/or if i see a fight in front of me I try to stop it, generally if its serious, which i have been told is stupid, which it is, but i wouldn't like to think that someone was killed or seriouslly injured when i could have stopped it. and trust me you would be surprised how easily a serious injury can be caused from any type of fight.....

i think the "down the country" ( not wicklow macy ) is probably a fair point, especially if you are a dub going down ( its not fair but its the case ) the country, but at the same time i would much rather be "down the country" and in that situation than in dublin, two reasons, I feel that coming from the country you can judge your fellow culchies and what they might do or when they might do it than those you meet in dublin.....secondly, I think if its an area you are used to or from/go out in, you will know a lot of the people, not necessarily the right people, but you know how to avoid it. I, personally, don't get this feeling of comfort when in dublin. probably any big city but dublin particularly.

**Dr.Nightdub** · 31/10/2006, 8:17 PM

Paul, in fairness, that stretch of Thomas St (from the Cornmarket up as far as Vicar St) is probably one of the areas you definitely SHOULDN'T go walkabout in - it's notorious for the open smack dealing that goes on (the bus stop opposite the Thomas House pub should have a syringe sign over it instead of a Dublin Bus logo), so you're probably likely to come across a much higher per-capita concentration of people who are strung out, desperate, skint or a mixture of all three.

**mypost** · 31/10/2006, 9:40 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

I lived in Dublin city centre for 5 years, including over a year living on the corner of Parnell and Gardiner. That was when O'Connell Street was supposedly a no go area at night, and yet I didn't see one fight despite walking home in the early hours several times a week. I can't think of seeing one fight in the whole time tbh, and if I did certainly nothing bad enough to stick in the memory.

I've been in O'Connell Street after midnight loads of times, and in the centre of other cities around Europe too, never had any bother. The fact that I'm as dry as the Sahara helps.

If you use common sense, and mind your own business, no one will disturb you, no matter where you are, day or night.

**Conor H** · 01/11/2006, 7:50 AM

Paul granted supermacs can be very volitile at times but in general it's usally alright.This is because the Cops simply park outside the place to deter any sort of trouble.With the majority of people in the same place they can police the city alot better.

**paul_oshea** · 01/11/2006, 9:12 AM

Paul, in fairness, that stretch of Thomas St (from the Cornmarket up as far as Vicar St) is probably one of the areas you definitely SHOULDN'T go walkabout in - it's notorious for the open smack dealing that goes on (the bus stop opposite the Thomas House pub should have a syringe sign over it instead of a Dublin Bus logo), so you're probably likely to come across a much higher per-capita concentration of people who are strung out, desperate, skint or a mixture of all three.

i know, it didnt happen there though!!! read where i said! it happened around thomas reads pub.