A lot of this "Cork is a no go zone" and "the city isn't safe" stuff is completely over the top. Yes, there are problems, yes there's a lot of obvious drug dealing and plenty of messing but how many innocent bystanders are assaulted every week in the city centre especially during the day?
Are there more murders, assaults and intimidation of the public going on now than 10 or 20 years ago? Are the statistics showing Cork City is a more dangerous place to live, work or visit now or is it just the perception that it's more dangerous because if anyone so much as raises their voice in the city now there are a dozen people, 50% most of them working for CorkBeo, standing around the "incident" live streaming it on social media.
I'm old enough to remember the 90s and town was dog rough at night. You were guaranteed a scrap a minute at the Fountain after the clubs. Fellas beating all shades of shite out of each other. Most of it went unremarked and certainly wasn't meticulously documented on camera phone and uploaded to the internet for all to see. I often think if that stuff was uploaded to social media now it would make Irish cities look like a war zone.
I'm in the city centre multiple times a week both day and night and while I see a bit of drug dealing here and there, some organised begging, I generally find it a nice pleasant place to be. I definitely think there should be more cops visible to deter the druggies but tbh they almost exclusively keep to themselves bar asking you for a few bob....and all you have to do is smile politely and say no and they always move on. I spend a bit of time in Dublin and I would be on my guard way more up there.
