Rubbish – St Patricks Day
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Well the first physical manifestation of appalling Irish ignorance to it’s built surroundings to affect the Spire has taken place, the whole site around it’s base is littered with the crap from the parade that the public have tossed over the railings and hoardings. Not even finished yet and damaged…
It is a shame people don’t think before they stuff their rubbish in the nearest tree protector, flowerbed, water feature, road works or national monument that it would be far easier to clean up if they just threw it on street. Kinda sad really, as one would assume they think they’re doing the right thing when there isn’t a litter bin to hand.
I know this is going a little off-topic, but I’m convinced we should have a disposable-fast-food-container tax like the plastic bag tax. It would clean up O’Connell Street within a week!
James
It’s a fact of life when you have large public gatherings that there will be litter left behind.
I really find that sometimes the people on this board are being too harsh.
I was in Dublin for Patrick’s Day in 99 and I was impressed that as soon as the parade was over that the council began the clean-up straight away with a very large cleaning team.
Also, don’t be thinking that the rest of Europe is always better. I now live in Holland and you should see the state of this whole country after New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Finally, of course the Irish can see how O’Connell St has declined over the years but that is hardly surprising considering the economic stagnation in Ireland in the 70’s & 80’s. Any foreigners who I have been to Dublin with have found it a pretty impressive and beautiful street. Also, I am just glad to see the Council are taking positive improvement steps with the Spire being just the beginning. I’m sure that in a few years O’Connell St will be more breathtaking than ever.
Litter is a problem alright, but any designer should just see this as a challenge, and rise to meet it. I’ve seen some great solutions to the litter problems that have been listed above- it’s up to the council to have some foresight.
“It is a shame people don’t think before they stuff their rubbish in the nearest tree protector, flowerbed, water feature, road works or national monument that it would be far easier to clean up if they just threw it on street”
its a shame people dont think before they wander home throught streets like moore street and piss and puke all over the place. its a shame but inevitable after their 10 paddys day pints before dinner. you’re irish. we live in ireland. we’re drunkards. its a shame
Well, I can’t see the spike being susceptable to litter when it’s finished. I think the complaint was that people threw rubbish over the railings, which should be gone once construction is complete.
I agree that rubbish is to be expected at large gatherings, but it would actually make the clean-up easier if people just threw it on the street and not try to hide it by throwing it over railings (of course taking it home with them would be even better, but I don’t expect a miracle).
But a major contribution to the amount of rubbish is the array of fast food outlets on the street. I don’t have any objection to the restaurants, but if they were made pay for the rubbish they create, they would have an incentive to reduce the amount they produce. A charge of 15c for each carton, paper cup, plastic lid and drinking straw would add 75c to the cost of an average meal. Reataurants would fairly quickly see the benefit of providing washable plates and glasses for eat-in customers, and customers would think twice before ordering take-away if they have to pay extra.
It worked for plastic bags.
James
I agree, walking around the city centre the next morning, although dirty, I was really surprised at how little litter there was, indeed virtually none at all, and of course large amounts of litter will always accumulate at major events.
However, the point I made earlier about the Spire site, the fact is people went to the effort to throw their crap over the hoardings into the newly finished site and it’s this that I find appalling.All of the city centre streets are covered in the inevitable layer of mud and dirt, presumably these are to be pressure washed?
I walked through the city centre early on the day after Paddys Day and I agree the streets where pretty clean and so they should be. But why don’t the DCC also wash/hose down the streets, removing the stickiness etc.
I think they do this in temple bar but it should be extended to the rest of the city centre esp. on occasion such as Paddy’s day. Some continental cities do it on a nightly basis like Les Rambles in Barcelona.
I observed the DCC power washing Capel Street bridge last Saturday morning… do they do this regularly?
yes but only because its new, I saw the same on the millenium bridge, its cleaned rather less now than it was in the year it was opened.
If you think litter in the city is a problem its worse in the countryside. It seems that where ever you see a “No Dumping” sign there is always a fridge and somebodys old bed dumped beside it. Do they dump on these spots on purpose or does the CC come along afterwards and errect a sign without taking the rubbish away??? Also people who while driving decide to clear out their car by neatly depositing all ther in car rubbish in a plastic bag, tie the top and throw it out the window! The mind boggles, wouldnt it be as easy to bring it home and pop it in the bin? We seen to have a seriously lax attitude to rubbigh, litter and waste management in this country and something needs to be done fast.
To me it doesn’t matter if the city had less litter than Barcelona or Prague or wherever, we should have no rubbish at all, Its not difficult to throw a can in a litter bin, is it?Well its a week and a half on and our predictions have been confounded. Westmoreland St’s pavements & other areas haven’t been touched in the way of cleaning, they’re still manky from Patrick’s Day.
Also, Merrion Square & Merrion St which are kept in an immaculate condition by their users/frequenters is now covered in cigarette butts from the same day’s carnival/funfair, typical ignorance of visitors from, dare I say, ‘other areas of the city’. And it hasn’t been cleaned since.
God I’m sick of moaning, come on City Council!
Ah sure – it rained today, that’ll get the street clean. Actually has anyone noticed the upsurge (if you’ll pardon the expression) in puke around the town – it’s everywhere
I don’t think it’s an upsurge… as long as I can remember Dublin has always had this much puke on the pavements (ahhh – the joys of walking to work in the spring!).
Lads, I think by moaning about the litter you’re trying to fight the tide – this is IRELAND and most people are obviously happy to have O’Connell St (or any other main publin area) looking the way they do (what other explanation is there?). Imagine the fun they have looking down at new paving as the gum drops from their mouths, or checking out a modern style bin as the litter gets left between the railings!
As for fast food joints – charging extra wont make a difference – if you’ve been drinking in dublin all evening – you’re used to rip off prices – what good is 75 c going to do? If the levy encourages the use the use of “proper” plates and glasses – then we’re not really talking a cheapie fast food joint with just a counter. And all the plastic bad levy did in reality was to make every shop bar Dunnes and Tesco switch to paper bags (still free).I’m not saying I wish it wasn’t different – I do… I just think we have ourselves (i.e. public at large) to blame for these things. Or… do what they do elsewhere get mean and nasty with littering. In the (not so) sunny South CCC send wardens out and they dish out €150 fines on the spot – I know several people who this has happened to – the pedestrian equivalent of getting your car clamped. So if that keeps up everyone will be terrified to even THINK about chucking rubbish.
o’connell street looks filthy whether there’s litter on it or not … those flags have been there for years, dug up several times and are now a browny yellow colour … (with the exception of the central median) they discolour faster than granite and should have been replaced years ago.
I have noticed more vomit everywhere, indeed only today there was a long suffering man outside the Central Bank bleaching it away. I saw another man doing the same the day before.
@Rte interactive wrote:
Calls for Patrick’s Day alcohol sales limit
07 March 2005 17:08
The Lord Mayor of Dublin has asked off licences in the capital to consider remaining closed until 6pm on St Patrick’s Day.Cllr Michael Conaghan made the call in a bid to prevent a re-occurrence of what he described as disorder and a sense of menace on Dublin’s streets following last year’s parade.
The Lord Mayor met officials from the National Off Licence Association and the Licensed Vintners’ Association this morning to discuss how excessive alcohol consumption can be avoided on St Patrick’s Day.
He also called on publicans to monitor their business carefully
A spokeswoman for the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, said he has told the Lord Mayor that he does not have the power to curtail the period of opening hours of licensed premises on any day.
He added, however, he would be happy to participate in a joint appeal to the licensing trade to exercise restraint and caution when selling alcohol on St Patrick’s Day with a view to enhancing overall enjoyment of the day’s events for everyone.
Any thoughts?
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