by Alan Jacques
alan@limerickpost.ie
ELDERLY residents in Garryowen are being terrorised by a mob of up to 100 drunken teenagers that congregates in the area at weekends.
One man who has lived in Garryowen for over 50 years told the Limerick Post that swarms of boys and girls, aged between 14 and 18, have made life a “living hell” for older residents.
At weekends they gather on green areas from around 9pm and sometimes don’t leave until 6am the next morning.
Up to 30 wheelie bins were stolen and burnt out by the teenage mob during one recent rampage and residents fear that graffiti, such as “Garryowen is getting it”, may suggest gangland undertones.
“I’m afraid and I need to protect myself, but the community is in trouble here and people are very angry,” he claimed.
Other local residents say the gang organises to meet on social media and come from all over the city for drinking parties at the weekends. Once they’re moved on by the Gardaí, they create similar mayhem in other residential neighbourhoods along the Dublin Road.
“Old people living in Reidy Court are terrified,” one local said.
“Teenagers come in their front gates to have sex on their doorsteps. Old people, who are out of their minds with fear, occupy most of these homes. Doors have been kicked in and people are being intimidated. We’ve had enough of this carry on.
“They organise to meet up on Facebook and they come from all over Limerick. When they arrive, cars come in to sell them alcohol. I’ve gone out and asked these kids to move on. They come here from Moyross, Ballynanty, Weston, and all over the place,” he said.
Fianna Fail TD Willie O’Dea, said it is no surprise to him that Garryowen residents are suffering from this type of anti-social behaviour adding that there is a shortage of Gardai to deal with this “scourge”.
“Since 2011, there has been a drop of 61 Garda personnel in the Limerick Garda Division. Yet, anti-social behaviour is rife throughout Limerick, much of it going unreported as people believe the Gardaí won’t have the time to take this type of crime seriously.
“Communities like Garryowen are crying out for extra Gardaí to deter this anti-social behaviour, but senior Gardaí tell me they just don’t have the personnel to patrol these areas as regularly as is required. We need a highly visible Garda presence in all parts of Limerick to reassure citizens that they can live in peace in their own homes. It’s time we started to reclaim our streets from people who have no respect for the rule of law or society as a whole”.
Deputy O’Dea has undertaken to call to people’s homes in Garryowen to hear their concerns regarding anti-social behaviour.
According to Sinn Fein councillor Maurice Quinlivan, the situation in areas like Garryowen and Thomondgate is getting out of hand. He has called for a focused and determined response from both the Gardaí and the Council.
“People have a right to expect to live in their homes without fear of crime or anti-social behaviour. Street drinking of often very low priced alcohol combined with misusing prescription drugs is causing mayhem and havoc. This has been going on for years and needs to be sorted”.
“While I welcome the recent appointment of the new Superintendent Derek Smart to Limerick City North district, which includes Henry Street and Mayorstone Garda stations, it is essential that one of his first priorities has to be tackling the anti-social behaviour that is plaguing parts of the city and especially the Garryowen and Thomondgate areas,” he added.
A spokeswoman for Limerick City and County Council said, that as a housing authority, it was committed to taking appropriate action to prevent, reduce and respond to incidents of anti-social behaviour in or within the vicinity of dwellings it provides under the various Housing Acts.
“The Council investigates complaints of anti-social behaviour and breaches of tenancy agreements in a fair, impartial and objective manner. Limerick City and County Council has received no complaints in relation to anti-social behaviour regarding its tenants in the Singland area or with regard to any new families in the Garryowen area”.
The Council says it is aware of some anti-social behaviour complaints around the issue of horses in the South Claughaun and Reidy Court area of Garryowen and claims these have been resolved.
“Complaints of a criminal/public order nature should be referred to An Garda Síochána,” the Council spokeswoman concluded.
