Gang of youths wreak havoc during Halloween
By Aideen O'Flaherty
ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour issues in Drimnagh over the course of Halloween were “decidedly worse” compared to last year, as a gang of youths wreaked havoc by throwing stones and fireworks at pedestrians and houses in the area.
Most of the anti-social behaviour occurred on the Benbulbin end of Brickfield Park and neighbouring streets in the run up to Halloween and on Halloween night.
Tidy Drimnagh took to the streets to clean up the area
The Tidy Drimnagh group took to the streets to carry out a post-Halloween clean-up, where they paid particular attention to Benbulbin Road and Rafter’s Road as these were the areas that were worse affected.
Eoin Neylon from Tidy Drimnagh told The Echo: “The feeling of the community on the ground is that [problems during] Halloween this year were decidedly worse than last year.
“There’s been a troublesome group of around 20 to 30 teenagers causing issues, which in no way represents the people of Drimnagh.”
Describing the anti-social behaviour, Mr Neylon said: “In the week running up to Halloween there was always stuff being lit on fire in Brickfield Park.
“Branches had been cut down from trees, wheelie bins were being stolen from houses in the area and then being set on fire.
“Rocks and fireworks were being fired at pedestrians and houses.
“It’s not a tolerable situation for residents to be living in fear in their own homes.
“It hasn’t been as bad in the past. This is definitely a new development, and it’s an undesirable one.”
Mr Neylon added that there was a garda presence in the area during Halloween, and that “it would’ve undoubtedly been a lot worse in the area without them.”
‘I’d appeal to parents to take responsibility’
Vincent Jackson, an Independent councillor for Ballyfermot-Drimnagh, told The Echo: “Parents and families have to take some responsibility for what their children are up to.
“I’d appeal to parents to take responsibility for where their children are.”
A garda spokesperson told The Echo: “Local Garda Management closely monitors the allocation of Garda personnel in the context of crime trends, policing needs and other operational strategies in place on a District, Divisional and Regional level, to ensure optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided to the public.
“Senior Garda Management is satisfied that a comprehensive policing service continues to be delivered and that current structures in place meet the requirement to deliver an effective and efficient policing service to the community.”
On Saturday, November 3, a group of 24 volunteers then came together to get involved in the Tidy Drimnagh clean-up, to clear away the detritus that was left behind after Halloween.
Over 20 bags of rubbish were filled by the Tidy Drimnagh volunteers, and the rubbish was then promptly collected by Dublin City Council.
Mr Neylon said the volunteers who helped to clean up the rubbish “shows the great community spirit we have in Drimnagh.
“Hopefully everything will go back to normal now after the Halloween chaos.”
Tidy Drimnagh hold monthly clean-ups in the area.
