Rubbish – St Patricks Day

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 walked down O’Connell Street on Monday evening, and the pavement was unbearably “sticky”. Ugh.

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?

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.

@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?

Eminently sensible
but of course its one of their busiest days…would a turkey vote for christmas! last year town really was horrible after 6…

Hello there,
I have just moved into Dublin, Actually I can see the spire from my window. I just wanted to say hello to everyone out there. I have moved over here from Canada. I have worked in architecture for quite a while now and have thought of opening my own firm up however, my background in history is compelling me to write a book first! So here I am to introduce myself. I was given a heads up actually to meet some people that a friend of mine knows from Kildare!
If you know of anyone in Celbridge Kildare, please let me know. I know my friend gave me their names and addresses however, for the life of me and all this packing I can not find a thing.
Hopefully there is someone out there that will be able to assist me.
I am looking forward to St pattys day ( dont make fun of me) I loved it back in Toronto and am soo excited to be where it is truly a day of drinking!
Seeing as I am new here and very lonely! I am 24 years old, renting a loft in the city, yes I am single! No job as of yet as I am looking forward to finding my footing before I settle with a job. I dont want this to sound like a dating line, but I am tall, long blonde hair, and I think I am quite fit! SO if any of you know of great places to go and see please do let me know! As of now I have been enjoying tours on my own! Would love to find someone to sit and have a guiness with! (must admit I miss my labatt blue!) Also clubs? I dont know where to go that is good?
Hopefully I will hear from someone with some advice. I would also like to update my laptop with a few of your programs as I have found a few cad programs to be different so far.
Thank you soo much
Jill

@Jill in Canada wrote:

I am 24 years old, single… tall, long blonde hair, and quite fit!….Would love to find someone to sit and have a guiness with!

Wh-wh-wh-wh-why of course! Th-th-th-there’s a nice place just across from where I work…(gibber)

ok I know it was cliche, but its nice to see people whom I can actually discuss my work with! Obviously I would love to meet people who are willing to be nice to a Canadian and take her out to see the sights!

To change the subject completely, any thoughts on the request/demand to remove the LUAS wires across O’Connell Street 😮 to allow higher floats through?

The argument is that RPA has raised this as an issue ages ago, but had the Patricks Festival commitee objected at that stage would the wires be any higher now? It’s claimed three days are required to remove and reinstate the wires. If this is the case the limitation is understandable, I’d prefer the LUAS on Friday thanks. But if it’s a case of “how many corpo men does it take to dig a hole”…
What is current practice abroad where trams are in operation?

@Graham Hickey wrote:

It wouldn’t have been a case of making the wires higher at design stage as the type of floats that are problematic are 3 storeys tall plus headroom. Adjusting the permanent height to that level presumably wouldn’t have been an option…

I saw one float with an inflatable cow on the top that was about 8 metres tall, when it came to the overhead wires a rope was used to adjust the height temporarily. Just brilliant 🙂

Too Bloody right Graham.
As your pic so elequently states its not about the Street but it`s something deeply embedded in our culture that appreciates wallowing in CRAP.
But on a more serious note if the Photographer had turned a little to one side on the central median where the Pic was taken from he/she would have been able to inspect the JC Decaux AdFrame which DCC presumably had erected there to facilitate making announcements to it`s adoring citizenry.
For quite a while this wonderful piece of late 20th C street furniture contained a poster for a Pat Liddy exhibition in City Hall which had long passed its Hang-By date.
Having become totally pixxed off with seeing this long outdated notice still on display I wrote a letter to Madam at the Irish Times questioning DCC`s committment to this entire Boulevardization process,at least North of the Mason Dixon line (O Connell Bridge).
The rapid reaction from City Hall proved to me that God did actually exist,but lived in fact in Fleet St rather than Heaven.
Sadly however God appears to require regular updates as the Frame now contains a rather fetching Advert for Christmas on Ice in Smithfield…….Last Christmas of course…!
It`s somewhat simplistic of me I know but can I take this as evidence of any given level of Official Interest in the concept of a “Living City”…….Living in the last Ice Age perhaps !!! 😮

Alek, I remember the Liddy ad. I used to wonder if it was possible for it to still be there by the time that Tara Street building was actually built. Although, now I am not sure if that building is to go ahead or not!

The other item that somehow jars my well trained Archi-eye is the very engaging blockhouse which has been revealed on the centre median due south of Abbey Street.
Having gone to some extent to facilitate a Circular theme with the O Connell St project…IE: The Spire,The New Litter Bins……and even the Circular Torc at the base of the spire,our City Council then emits a wild whoop and pulls the tarpaulin back to reveal ………a VERY functional looking structure indeed resembling an outside toilet cubicle circa 1930`s Local Authority Housing.
A very good description of the device was thrown into my mind the other night when watching a very old episode of “Till Death Do Us Part”…..When pool oul Alf Garnet had to rush for the ” Kharzi” as he delicately put it….
Did the City Council`s artistic theme budget run out before they got to here..????

Hundreds arrested in wave of public disorder

18 March 2005 13:42
Gardaí have said extra patrols will be on standby over the weekend following a spate of street violence and drunkenness that led to hundreds of arrests throughout the country yesterday and overnight.

The disorder stretched the resources of gardaí and the emergency services, and has prompted one MEP to call on the EU Council of Ministers to address the problem of binge drinking.

The number of people arrested for public order charges in Dublin over the course of the St Patrick’s Day festivities now stands at 252.

The figure applies to the period from 6 am on St Patrick’s morning to 6am this morning.

There were several violent incidents on the DART yesterday including an assault, vandalism and fighting. Two trains had to be taken out of service after windows were smashed.

Gardaí and the ambulance service were also called to break up a fight between around 25 people on an evening train.

In Cork, gardaí from the Bridewell made over 60 arrests arising from drunk and disorderly behaviour.

And in Limerick city, more than 60 people were also arrested overall with seven taken into custody after a fight broke out at a bar in the city centre.

22 people were arrested for public order offences in Waterford city in relation to the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, while four arrests were made in Tramore in the county.

Accident and Emergency Departments reported a big rise in admissions. Tallaght and Beaumont hospitals in Dublin are said to have dealt with 400 patients overnight.

Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle said binge drinking was one of the most urgent challenges facing European health ministers. She said the ready accessibility of alcohol must be looked at very seriously.

That is unreal! I heard something the other day about off-licences being closed for St Paddy’s day from now on. I dont know if that would work, given the Irish tendancy to search out booze when it cant be had! (eg, Good Friday)

Has anyone noticed how many views this thread has had? It is over 36,000. It is fifth most viewed thread in this discussion forum! What brings people to it? Putting ‘Rubbish’ (as in the filth left over afterwards) and ‘St Patricks Day’ in to a search engine? Or, people who think St Patricks Day is rubbish. I would say it is the former.

Talking of things transport

@Marko on the [url wrote:

http://www.platform11.org[/url%5D site:] The word is one train lost 25 windows basically 2 total coaches, but it was a new unit so they where caught on CCTV, nice new digital 4 cameras per coach CCTV

Have a look at the sample shots http://www.tokyu-car.co.jp/eng/rs/cctv/config.html

As I said in another thread IE made no effort at all to protect there stock or passengers yesterday it was a free for all

How patriotic!

Smash up trains, throw litter everywhere, piss and vomit in the streets!!!

Can we please throw these scum out and let a few more descent immigrants in??

Updates **

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to come forward after at least four young men smashed up to 25 windows on a DART train at Howth Junction in Dublin at teatime yesterday.

Gardaí and the ambulance service were also called to break up a fight between around 25 people on an evening train. Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

In another incident in Bray, Co Wicklow, two security guards were assaulted.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0318/stpatrick.html

It was actually much worse yesterday. The 252 people arrested were for specific public order offences. In total almost 500 people were arrested in Dublin yesterday and even then you have to take into account that the vast majority of incidents were not reported to the police. I’m sorry to say this but there is an underclass in Ireland and it’s gripped by a boiling rage.

From Boards.ie

Quote

“Walking up Grafton St. today I felt like i was in some different city or a parallel universe, almost everyone was drunk, people were drinking out of cans or bottles, people were either falling around the place or being held up by their friends and others were trying to pick fights with passers-by! Meanwhile the Guards stood by just waiting for something to happen…which it did a number of times! In the space of 3 hours I saw an ambulance on Grafton St. 4 times and I saw people being handcuffed by the Guards 5 or 6 times!
Myself and my friend decided to see if Temple Bar was as bad as Grafton St! We were Just crossing Dame St. over to the Bank of Ireland when we saw a group of 5 girls (no more than 17 years of age) getting into a fight with 2 other girls…..several men stood by cheering and another man was recording the whole thiing on his camera!! One of the girls was being kicked and when her friend tried to help her she was turned on by the group of 5 girls, punched in the face and thrown against the gates of the bank!
Eventually the 2 girls got away! At this stage we had gotten across the street(the lights had been red) and we were walking behind the 2 girls towards the Temple Bar area! Myself and my friend realised that neither of them were Irish! We stopped them to ask if they were ok,one of them was crying her eyes out and the other was in complete shock! They had been set upon by the 5 for NO reason! One of the thugs stuck a sticker on one of the girls backs and she took it off & threw it on the ground, when the group saw her throwing the sticker away they started to hit her!! This was the ONLY reason…the girls had just been walking along looking for somewhere to go for food!! We brought them into the toilets in the Bank bar to get them some ice for their badly beaten faces and to calm them down a bit! The 2 girls were Canadians in Ireland for the week specially for St. Patricks week! These girls will not be back! Im sure our attempts at telling them that this is not the norm fell on deaf ears! They are here until Monday and will not be back into town…they are going to stay around Clontarf (where their B&B is) for the next few days! We stayed with the girls for around an hour and got a taxi for them!”

IsI,the description U quote SHOULD be released worldwide by any Irish Citizen worthy of the title.
The events of St Patricks Day were perhaps the best advertised and fortold Public Order offences ever in the City.
It is worth bearing in mind that the average Garda is highly reluctant to use his/her power of arrest.
Several reasons dictate this,paperwork,time,the immediate probability of a court appearance and of being treated as an oppressive thug by the JUDGE !
However probably the single greatest reason for the Gardai`s “A sure he`s from a good family” attitude is that once placed under arrest the miscreant is now the TOTAL responsibility of firstly the arresting member and then the Station Officer as the arrestee is processed.
Most of the “Regulars” on the City Centre circuit are totally conversant with the workings of the Gardai and usually on rirst name terms with many of the Members themselves.
Some particularly concientious re-offenders even have preferred Gardai whom they actually like being arrested by due to quirks in the Members character which allows for a simpler or more rapid processing thus allowing for a more efficient use of the young criminals time.
Last year whilst in Paris for the 14th July parade and fireworks I was struck firstly by the far lower amount of Underage/Adolescent drinking in Public but also of a somewhat different and far more clear cut relationship between the Citoyens and the Polis.
Whilst standing along the entrance to the Pont D`Alma underpass we (The Crowd) were prevailed upon by members of the Parisian Police to move back from the kerbside and onto the footpath proper.
Many of the Foreigners were unable to undrerstand the request and were reluctant to move from a good vantage point .
Their reluctance was reinforced by some locals who argued the toss with the youthful “Flic” who returned several times,each time becoming more agitated at the refusal of the ever emboldened group.
Eventually one of the senior officers came along and spoke sternly with the locals who argued passionately back.
The issue however was decided quite rapidly in the end by the Senior officer telling the Parisian Lady who was leading the resistance that he was having no more of this nonsense and was instead handing it over to the CRS. who are a very different kettle of fish inded it seems.
The arrival of several brutish and paramilitary looking middle aged CRS officers prompted our Jeanne D`Arc to whisper to us that it is better now to move back without further delay.
Mind you she continued to mount a strong verbal resistance but she had lost the day….
It was obvious that few of the locals had any great liking for the CRS,and judging from the cut of the members that was entirely a reciprocated feeling BUT …….There was a very rapid change in mood from one of gay banter and ignoring of the ordinary Police request to a rapid compliance with the same request made with a mailed fist rather than a velveteen glove.
Michael McDowell is on record last year registering his dislike for the trappings of a “Military Looking” police force.
This sort of ethos is very desirable indeed IF the relevant Minister can point to a degree of effectivity by and respect for the Normal Police.
For far too many “Ordinary” poor bloody taxpayers the most commonly heard Garda response to a plea for assistance is along the lines of ……”Ye had it insured had`nt ye”………
Anyway Roll On Saturday………..24 Hrs R`n R shuld be enuf for any gouger…. 😀

Updates:

714 people were arrested for public order offences throughout the country over the course of the St Patrick’s Day festivities.

Most of the arrests were in Dublin, but gardaí also detained a number of people in Cork, Limerick and Waterford.

I totally agree on the CRS issue Alek, it is known by people of all classes in France that the CRS are there to restore order and not to discuss issues, that is what the police are for in France, I was in Lille a few years ago and a distrubance broke out near where we were drinking, the gendarme politely informed us that the CRS were on route and that it was their advice to off the street . Unfortunately too many thugs in Dublin are quite aware that no deterent like the CRS exist for public order offences and general street crime/ anti-social carrying on.

Unfortunately the disproportionate use of force by Gardaí against middle-class twentysomethings at the reclaim the streets rally several years ago has led to a severe reluctance to use nightsticks. How many verbal warnings do you think are appropriate before an ERT should use his baton? I’d say three.

Is there any indication of how many of these arrests were drink related? Have the Gardai released any statistical data in this regard?

No but Dublin City Council estimate that 25 tonnes of rubish were generated by the 500,000 people who attended the event. The Gardai refused to give any breakdown on the number of gardai on duty nor the cost of the operation.

The reason I asked is because discussion about having a CRS style force in operation is futile as long as our culture is so orientated around alcohol.

25 tonnes of rubbish is pretty substantial alright.

@phil wrote:

The reason I asked is because discussion about having a CRS style force in operation is futile as long as our culture is so orientated around alcohol. .

I always think of a freind who used to get very drunk very often until one night he tripped over a footpath and shattered one of his knees, he has never been over his limit again. I think that many young thickos get drunker than they should safe in the knowledge that there is little chance of a meaningful sanction being imposed upon them. In France people who have a little too much to drink are generally advised by their freinds to calm down rather than being encouraged to misbehave.

@phil wrote:

25 tonnes of rubbish is pretty substantial alright.

It certainly is

Next from the Greens:

Pope: fond of Catholicism
Bears – “well I’m afraid its the woods for us”

Any major event in any country is effected by this not just “aren’t the Irish dirty”

Was in Cardiff for the rugby last weekend, in the area where the big screens were the place was knee deep in litter and as for “Fast Food Alley” the less said the better, anyway there was only about 10,000 Irish so I doubt it was us.

A famous case was the Pink Floyd concert in St Mark’s Square Venice a few years ago Rubbish was 1ft deep throughout the square

So It’s not just us

Any foreigners who I have been to Dublin with have found it a pretty impressive and beautiful street.

Thank god there’s one person not moaning about O’Connell!!