Locals are real Temple Bar bane

It has been stereotyped as a haven for rowdy, drunken, brawling stag parties from the UK.

But new figures show that when it comes to troublemakers in Temple Bar, we have only ourselves to blame and not weekend visitors.

For, it is the Fightin' Irish who are responsible for most of the problems, statistics reveal.

And, in fact, British nationals on boozy lads' weekends are rarely ever arrested for being drunk and disorderly, or being involved in fights on the cobbled streets of Dublin's famous party zone, according to security sources.

Irish nationals made up almost 80 per cent of arrests for public order offences, according to crime figures for the area for last year.

Statistics on Public Order offences from the Pearse Street district -- which covers the Temple Bar area -- show that, of 1,011 arrests for public order offences made last year, 793 of them -- 78 per cent -- were Irish nationals and 218 (22 per cent) were listed as non-Irish.

The figures were obtained by the Garda Press Office and though there is no breakdown of the non-Irish category, security sources say British stag party revellers are rarely -- if ever -- arrested.

They say the image of brawling British stags rolling into Temple Bar and causing havoc is now a completely inaccurate one.

One said: "It is hard to recall even one arrest of a UK national over the past number of years in Temple Bar. Irish people make up the majority of arrests for public order offences."

The numbers tally with surveys on the area that show stag party numbers have dropped significantly.

Martin Harte, managing director of TASCQ -- an organisation representing Temple Bar traders -- said it is the final nail in the coffin for the Cultural Quarter's perception as UK stag party central.

He said that the stag trade has tapered off in recent years, with at least 15 parties of 10 arriving per day in the area in the late Nineties, but perhaps only two or three small parties arriving now.

TASCQ's efforts and campaigns to reclaim the good name of the area are working, he believes.

Said Mr Harte: "At one point, not only was the perception of Temple Bar bad, the reality was bad too. But we have been working hard over the past five years to address that and there have been significant changes.

"I think these figures should shatter any remaining myths of Temple Bar as some kind of place for boozy English boys on tour."

Mr Harte emphasised that TASCQ did not want to lose the spirit of Temple Bar in its endeavours to make it less rowdy and more cultural.

"Yes it is the cultural quarter of Dublin, with theatres and music venues and art galleries, but it is about contemporary culture too, bars and pubs and restaurants," he said.

"But you won't be greeted by an orchestra, it is supposed to be fun, a mini-Ireland in Dublin."

Larissa Nolan
Irish Independent

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