While decent traditional Celts on the Emerald Isle and in many other countries were celebrating Samhain (see my entry below), Irish gurriers - mostly tanked up with alcoholic drinks - were 'celebrating' the fake Americanised 'Halloween' in their own antisocial, violent and destructive way.
The estimated cost of damage caused during their outrageous and unacceptable 'Halloween' is expected to run into millions of Euros. This is just what we need in Ireland, as we are in economic recession and even the government is now very short of money!
The worst excesses of the antisocial behaviour took place in Dublin.
During a night of violence three buildings in the capital - a factory at Castleforbes Road close to the Point Depot, a number of derelict apartments in O'Devaney Gardens near the Arbour Hill in the north inner city, and the 'Western Inn' off Mountjoy Square - were set alight.
More than 50 cars were also set on fire and burned out all over the Dublin area, including in Lucan, Clondalkin and Cabra.
Dublin City Council estimate that the clean-up operation alone will cost them close to € 1 million.
The emergency services in Dublin dealt with fires as well as attacks on Gardaí (police officers) and fire officers throughout the whole night.
Two Gardaí were taken to hospital after they were injured following an altercation with a group of people in Dublin. The Gardaí were out on foot patrol when they were attacked by a group of people just after midnight on Dorset Street. Ten people were subsequently arrested at the scene.
In Sherriff Street, in the north of the inner city, a fireman was injured and a fire engine was attacked by a gang of youths as the emergency services tried to put out an extended bonfire there at around 9 p.m.
The fire officer received an eye injury and was later admitted to hospital, and the windscreen of the fire engine was smashed in the attack.
The Dublin Fire Service were called out to over 800 incidents in the capital during that night alone. Their headquarters reported 15 knife attacks on fire officers, and that 40% of calls related to assaults, many of them resulting in head injuries. The Ambulance Service received more than 500 calls.
Dublin's Lord Mayor Eibhlin Byrne (left) called for more stringent punishments for those who attacked the emergency services, a call also backed by Fine Gael's Justice spokesman Charles Flanagan.
Well, it is always the same. When bad things like these antisocial and criminal activities happen, some politicians come out and condemn them. That's alright.
But the same politicians and many of their colleagues who prefer to stay silent allow the conditions for this antisocial behaviour to exist in the first place. They do nothing to educate young people in the right spirit of November 1st, an no politician has ever even attempted to ban the sale of ridiculous 'Halloween' costumes and other related articles and items, including fire works.
The present government - in power now for over eleven years - has created a lawless Ireland without proper policing.
Feckless gurriers and other antisocial elements in our society are either ignored by the State and the Garda Siochana (police force), or treated with kid gloves. They know only too well that they get away with most of their violence and criminal damage, so they carry on with it at an ever higher rate of incidents.
The more gurriers see politicians, bankers and so-called 'celebrities' get away with (non-violent) criminal and antisocial behaviour, the more they are encouraged to carry on in their more brutal and aggressive fashion. The incompetence of our government is visible in many areas. But in no other field is it so damaging to the nation as a whole as in crime and law enforcement.
As much as the direct blame for the violence, vandalism and destruction has to be put on the perpetrators, a share of it must be laid firmly on the doorsteps of Government Buildings and Leinster House.
And another share of the blame also rests with parents, teachers and shops. If they would not allow and support the ghoulish subculture of 'Halloween' and promote instead the peaceful and spiritual traditions of Samhain, we would not have all these problems.
There has been not one incident at a Samhain celebration. There is no violence, no aggression and no hyping up of stupid people with lots of alcohol. Samhain celebrations are beautiful and reflect more than 5000 years of our Irish tradition. And - to mention that as well - not a single of the many Samhain bonfires got out of control. There was no call for the Gardai, fire brigades or ambulances from any of the numerous celebrations traditional Irish Celts held during the night.
Meanwhile, the Gardaí were called out to an incident at Bianconi Drive in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, where a bonfire got out of control.
Up to 30 youths were at the scene there, and four Gardaí were assaulted during the incident.
A female Garda was treated at Waterford Regional Hospital with a fractured eye socket and three of her male colleagues suffered lacerations to their bodies, but have since been released.
The Fire Service also reported bales of hay being dragged on to a road in Co. Monaghan and set alight.
In Northern Ireland several police officers were attacked with petrol bombs and fireworks in Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh during drunken and violent 'Halloween' night 'celebrations'.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) also says it believes a fire at a tyre depot on the Corrody Road in Derry was started deliberately.
The Fire Service of Northern Ireland said that its regional control centre in Lisburn received a call approximately every minute during the night.
This sort of behaviour has to stop, and I am waiting with great interest for the first politician who will call for a public re-branding of the day and night - away from the fake American 'Halloween' and back to our own traditional Samhain.
The Emerald Islander
The estimated cost of damage caused during their outrageous and unacceptable 'Halloween' is expected to run into millions of Euros. This is just what we need in Ireland, as we are in economic recession and even the government is now very short of money!
The worst excesses of the antisocial behaviour took place in Dublin.During a night of violence three buildings in the capital - a factory at Castleforbes Road close to the Point Depot, a number of derelict apartments in O'Devaney Gardens near the Arbour Hill in the north inner city, and the 'Western Inn' off Mountjoy Square - were set alight.
More than 50 cars were also set on fire and burned out all over the Dublin area, including in Lucan, Clondalkin and Cabra.
Dublin City Council estimate that the clean-up operation alone will cost them close to € 1 million.
The emergency services in Dublin dealt with fires as well as attacks on Gardaí (police officers) and fire officers throughout the whole night.
Two Gardaí were taken to hospital after they were injured following an altercation with a group of people in Dublin. The Gardaí were out on foot patrol when they were attacked by a group of people just after midnight on Dorset Street. Ten people were subsequently arrested at the scene.
In Sherriff Street, in the north of the inner city, a fireman was injured and a fire engine was attacked by a gang of youths as the emergency services tried to put out an extended bonfire there at around 9 p.m.The fire officer received an eye injury and was later admitted to hospital, and the windscreen of the fire engine was smashed in the attack.
The Dublin Fire Service were called out to over 800 incidents in the capital during that night alone. Their headquarters reported 15 knife attacks on fire officers, and that 40% of calls related to assaults, many of them resulting in head injuries. The Ambulance Service received more than 500 calls.
Dublin's Lord Mayor Eibhlin Byrne (left) called for more stringent punishments for those who attacked the emergency services, a call also backed by Fine Gael's Justice spokesman Charles Flanagan.Well, it is always the same. When bad things like these antisocial and criminal activities happen, some politicians come out and condemn them. That's alright.
But the same politicians and many of their colleagues who prefer to stay silent allow the conditions for this antisocial behaviour to exist in the first place. They do nothing to educate young people in the right spirit of November 1st, an no politician has ever even attempted to ban the sale of ridiculous 'Halloween' costumes and other related articles and items, including fire works.
The present government - in power now for over eleven years - has created a lawless Ireland without proper policing.
Feckless gurriers and other antisocial elements in our society are either ignored by the State and the Garda Siochana (police force), or treated with kid gloves. They know only too well that they get away with most of their violence and criminal damage, so they carry on with it at an ever higher rate of incidents.
The more gurriers see politicians, bankers and so-called 'celebrities' get away with (non-violent) criminal and antisocial behaviour, the more they are encouraged to carry on in their more brutal and aggressive fashion. The incompetence of our government is visible in many areas. But in no other field is it so damaging to the nation as a whole as in crime and law enforcement.
As much as the direct blame for the violence, vandalism and destruction has to be put on the perpetrators, a share of it must be laid firmly on the doorsteps of Government Buildings and Leinster House.
And another share of the blame also rests with parents, teachers and shops. If they would not allow and support the ghoulish subculture of 'Halloween' and promote instead the peaceful and spiritual traditions of Samhain, we would not have all these problems.
There has been not one incident at a Samhain celebration. There is no violence, no aggression and no hyping up of stupid people with lots of alcohol. Samhain celebrations are beautiful and reflect more than 5000 years of our Irish tradition. And - to mention that as well - not a single of the many Samhain bonfires got out of control. There was no call for the Gardai, fire brigades or ambulances from any of the numerous celebrations traditional Irish Celts held during the night.
Meanwhile, the Gardaí were called out to an incident at Bianconi Drive in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, where a bonfire got out of control.Up to 30 youths were at the scene there, and four Gardaí were assaulted during the incident.
A female Garda was treated at Waterford Regional Hospital with a fractured eye socket and three of her male colleagues suffered lacerations to their bodies, but have since been released.
The Fire Service also reported bales of hay being dragged on to a road in Co. Monaghan and set alight.
In Northern Ireland several police officers were attacked with petrol bombs and fireworks in Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh during drunken and violent 'Halloween' night 'celebrations'.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) also says it believes a fire at a tyre depot on the Corrody Road in Derry was started deliberately.
The Fire Service of Northern Ireland said that its regional control centre in Lisburn received a call approximately every minute during the night.
This sort of behaviour has to stop, and I am waiting with great interest for the first politician who will call for a public re-branding of the day and night - away from the fake American 'Halloween' and back to our own traditional Samhain.
The Emerald Islander
