r/AskIreland • u/CuboCurioso • 1d ago
Education What's going on with teenagers here?
I just wanted to let this out because it happened just a few minutes ago. I had just finished my shift and was heading home on the DART. I saw a group of teenagers shouting and play-fighting with each other, and at first, that was it.
Then they started whispering to each other, and all of a sudden, I felt a small hit. I thought they were throwing ice at each other or something, but then something else hit me again. I was the fucking target. For a second, I wanted to confront them and ask them directly what their problem was or what they wanted, but then I realized I would be the one screwed if something happened (I'm the fucking immigrant here). If they punched me or something, I definitely would have fought back, so I just grabbed my stuff and moved to another carriage.
Was that really the only thing I could have done? I wanted to hear from you all: what's going on? Why are things like that normalized? I mean, they only threw M&Ms at me this time, but I've seen teenagers do much worse things. Why is this so normalized? Thanks, everybody.
Edit:Thanks everyone for your comments. I just wanted to get it out and hear some of your experiences and advice. I wouldn't have done anything, you know? It was just an intrusive thought, haha. To clarify, the minority group I am in is Latino, and NO, I'm not a fucking bot farming aura xdd. Thanks again!
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u/sphinxofblackquartzj 21h ago
This is why whenever I see group of teenagers, regardless of what they're doing, I just make sure to avoid and be far from them as much as possible. I will always assume it's trouble.
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u/seronlover 11h ago
That's certainly the logical option, the question when you actually have to step in ? Animal abuse? Theft?
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u/iamanoctothorpe 18h ago
What an odd assumption to make, when it's trouble in a minority of cases. I get that if people are getting a bit rowdy, it's time to go, but it's a bit prejudiced to be like that about teens simply existing in public.
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u/sphinxofblackquartzj 17h ago
I'm sure I'm not hurting them by avoiding them. I'm not taking the risk since I have a handful of experience. Now being prejudiced is if I'm taking extra mile for them to not exist in public spaces. That's not what I'm doing. They're free to exist there as much as anyone else.
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u/iamanoctothorpe 17h ago
Think about whether you'd make that comment on Reddit about any other group
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u/CRoOkedBunNY 15h ago
Teenagers are not a race you dumb fuck. XD don't even try to bring in "any other group"
A group of teenagers are dangerous if they choose to go down that road. I don't blame Chemical for needing to avoid them. Yes, it's not all teenagers but it's still teenagers.
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u/madrarua2020 21h ago
Report them to the transport security. They should be banned from the DART
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u/EarlyHistory164 20h ago
Ah yes. The ubiquitous transport security. Or the teeny tiny signs at either end of the carriage with instructions on how to report issues.
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u/Michael-flatly 20h ago
Like what are the Dart staff supposed to do?
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u/BreastAficionado 19h ago
Staff? Not much, security though is a different story.
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u/GerbertVonTroff 19h ago
Im wondering though is this one of those stupid situations where technically security have no authority to detain or even touch these pricks? Powerless essentially?
You often see it with scumbags, they get away with murder and then when someone finally does something you hear "legally only the gardai can do x, y, z, those security guards/good samaritans are fucked" etc
May not be the case but always seems dickheads/criminals are way too protected from any actual repercussions
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u/JohnWick9910 19h ago
That is very true in Ireland especially. I work as security in store and you can't touch minors even though you know they stole something. So if they decide to run or cause havoc in a place all you can do is ring Garda which is useless 9 out of 10 times because by time Garda shows up little shits are already gone.
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u/GerbertVonTroff 18h ago
Yeah its ridiculous, the laws need to change. I know some will say "but what if a security guard goes too far and hurts one of them, they have human rights". Im sure sooner or later a security guard would take it too far, but it would be rare, much rarer than these scumbags attacking innocent people, who also have human rights not to be assaulted/intimidated etc btw
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u/Ok-Morning3407 16h ago
Staff on rail, both Irish Rail and Luas have more extensive powers than typical retail security. Unlike retail, rail is owned by the government and they have specific legislation and bylaws that cover it.
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u/EarlyHistory164 20h ago
Assuming the station is staffed, if they see a large group of teens boarding, they can give a heads up to central control to keep an eye on CCTV. If the group is known to cause trouble, they can notify security.
DART staff are not security. All they can do is report.8
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u/Alarmed-Theme5343 14h ago
Police maybe? Sounds like an assault to me.
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u/AshleyG1 11h ago
Which raises the question of why we don’t have Transport Police. Two guards on every DART and trains would sort this.
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u/ItalianIrish99 17h ago
This is not a problem that can be solved with a 'top down' approach. For minor misbehavior like this, everyone around these little shits (especially locals and especially men over 6 feet tall) needs to stand up and let a roar at them. They'll stop once they realise their behaviour is socially repugnant and unacceptable. And if they escalate or get violent (they won't if they immediately see they're in the minority btw - that's just how bullies work), that's where you need DART security to be available at the end of a phone.
I say this as a 6'4" man who has intervened a bunch of times and a loud and gruff "What the fuck do you think your doing?" has been sufficient twice. I am also pleased to report that once bystanders realise what's happening they seem happy to stand up also. Most people just need someone to move first and take the lead (and I understand that can be hard).
I'm also the person who sits beside someone and says "Excuse me, perhaps you didn't realise but everyone can hear your phone and you're in a public shared space" (there is a particular government office waiting room I am frequently in where I have to say that about once every two weeks).
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u/tanbot_er 19h ago
Most people seem to agree it's unacceptable, but there's no political/cultural will to do something about it.
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u/2L84T 17h ago
What Ireland needs is is the "Clip Around The Ear Act (2027)" which allows any adult in good standing in the community to give a snotty little scrote a good clip around the ear.
End impunity, end impudence.
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u/BillyBobby_Brown 14h ago
I whole heartedly agree. And although this could and likely would be taken advantage of, I'd rather that issue than the one we have now
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u/Techno_Gandhi 20h ago
I got a nappy full of shit thrown at me on the bus by 2 teenage girls from the travaller community. I lost the head and went straight up to them screaming at them and calling them every name under the sun. I was then started on by 2 junkies sitting down the back who started defending them. I just left the bus before having a go at the driver who basically ignored me saying there's nothing he can do. I'm also 6 foot 3 and not exactly skinny so you'd think I wouldn't be a target for things like this. The point of this story OP is there's nothing really you can do, the teenagers in this country are untouchable.
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u/weezer3 14h ago
The thing that shocks me the most is the complete fearlessness and gall that these kids have. No amount of shouting or standing up against them or even threatening to call the guards makes them back down. I was on the bus the other day and a bunch of kids probably 12/13 were running around the bottom deck (one actually ran right at me, keep in mind I’m a young woman and there was an elderly gentleman behind me who also had to dodge this kid). They were leaping on and off the bus through the doors, almost like playing chasing? Then the driver put on the alarm signalling the bus was under attack. People were screaming at these kids to stop and to just fuck off, and in response the kids were taunting them saying ‘call the fucking guards.’ The bus tried to drive off but one of the kids was holding on to some button or something which meant he couldn’t move. It was appalling. I saw later on my local community Facebook page that they had ran in to the local newsagents and stolen a bunch of stuff.
Like let alone that that behaviour in itself is degenerate and disgraceful, it’s the lack of fear from the kids at people standing up against them, or even facing the guards. They just do not care. I actually fear them. They live in a world without consequences, both at home and in society.
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u/weezer3 9h ago
Also just to add to this;
The bus driver did eventually get through to the guards after the kids were gone (I forgot to also mention they were throwing things at the bus and banging on the windows, it was actually a bit scary). He had mentioned to the guards over the phone that he had had a similar experience the previous night too. He also said that one of them had cut up one of the back seats of the bus- made me wonder if they had a knife or a razor or something.
This isn’t my first (or probably last) experience with kids like these. I tend to just completely ignore them if I can because they’re provoking you for a reaction. They know you and nobody else can do anything about their actions because they’re children by law, no matter how hard they want to act. In a way it’s irrational to be afraid of children who are probably 10,15 or 20+ years younger than you, but they’re still frightening because they see themselves as untouchable, and I suppose by law they technically are. Regardless though, a 13/14/15 year old boy would still probably be able to overpower myself, or somebody elderly. The whole ‘they’re just kids’ palaver falls flat when you recognise they can do real harm.
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u/Prestigious-Sweet711 19h ago
This was the biggest cultural shock for me when i moved here. Teenagers rule Ireland and everyone is too scared to do anything. I have literally heard people say only Jesus can help us at this stage instead of doing anything about it
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u/NotXenos 19h ago
Right? Heaven forbid the adults say something to them. Instead, people here go into their homes and peek out through the curtains to see who the kids are going to mess with next.
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u/lavender_locus 19h ago edited 18h ago
Have you seen the numbers of how many times Irish teens have committed assaults leading to murder or manslaughter charges lately? Perhaps that's why people don't want to engage when they feel threatened. Report that shit to the gardai. Not everyone can be a hero when there are knives involved.
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u/HairyEarphone 15h ago
Absolutely this. I spoke up against a group of about ten teens in the Jervis Centre a few years ago. They ended up gathering the rest of their little feral group and followed me, screaming that they were going to slice my face up. I'm a 5'2" woman, being followed by approx twenty 15-17 year olds. Nobody intervened on my behalf.
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u/NotXenos 18h ago
Right so stand back and watch them assault someone else. Sums up the mentality here.
I was getting on the Luas at Stephens Green once. There were probably 100 people there waiting to get on. An intoxicated man and a woman were in an argument and it was getting physical and I could tell he was going to punch here. So I jumped in the way and got in his face. I wasn't going to sit there and watch this guy punch a woman, I would rather get punched myself.
I was the only one that even moved toward the confrontation.
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u/lavender_locus 18h ago edited 18h ago
Did you miss the part where I said to contact the gardai and that thugs might have knives on them? There is only one thing to do if a knife is involved and it's to disengage. I'm a woman, I am not volunteering to get physical or make myself a target with someone getting violent.
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u/Smooth-Bread-576 17h ago
The women usually jump to their abusers defence in those situations. Speaking from experience.
Fair play for doing something though.
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u/FunkLoudSoulNoise 16h ago
Very true. They choose to be with these guys as they are of the very same mindset.
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u/notyetacatlady 14h ago
I suppose it's because they live with that person, they fawn for survival. That doesn't doesn't diminish that you did the right thing in standing up against it. Sometimes you just don't get laurels for doing the right thing. Surely you didn't do it for the laurels anyhow.
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u/Impressive-Focus-172 10h ago
Me too! I try to describe it to people at home and they honestly don't believe the poor teenagers in Ireland yield, and how scared society is of them.
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u/commit10 14h ago
You must be in Dublin?
Dublin isn't Ireland.
I've never seen anything even remotely like this and I regularly take public transit in and around Cork. The closest I saw was a few older teens vaping belligerently and ignoring the bus driver's warning -- he threw them straight off the bus in the rain in a village. Several passengers shamed them on their way out. They didn't look like they'd be trying that again.
In the country, especially, someone will give a wannabe bully a smack and a warning even if they're a teenager. Adults will turn a blind eye and the teens know better than to snitch. I've seen this happen a handful of times, but not on public transit.
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u/likeasleepyblueocean 16h ago
Teenagers definitely don’t rule Ireland, but yes, sometimes a certain cohort of them can be a bother and more. This sounds like quite an anxious response to me. Plenty that can be done about this issue
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u/Katm43 21h ago
We don't have any security on public transport and our garda are sitting in offices not patrolling the streets. You were right to walk away as they prob would have taken a video of you reacting then posted it on social media and you would have looked like an aggressive foreigner. You can also Text "TRAIN" to 5144 and describe what's happening and where but if it makes any difference is doubtful. One latest thing I see is teens throwing stuff at cars as they drive by. Gangs teenagers hang out local centra intimidating people I ring garda all time when i see them. Staff at the shop say garda do nothing to help them. The presence of a garda car few hours per evening would make all difference. And the darts need to have security men. Sorry this happened to you. It happens to lots of people.
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u/Ronaldbinge 18h ago
I got threatened with a bottle by a scumbag on the Luas because I had a face like thunder when he was making racist rants targeting non-white passengers. I reported this to three gardaí loafing around the GPO but nothing happened as a result. The result is that our own homegrown scum can act as they like with no consequences
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u/Human_Initiative1538 18h ago
You can handle it, use the power of reason.
"Look , I know it must be difficult, being a kid, not a lot of ... schemes. But I'm not the Borough. I wish I was! I'm just a man, so can't we just...?"
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u/sergeant-baklava 18h ago
“Ah well why didn’t you say so me ol’ partna’ - we was thinkin’ your one of those stinkin’ rich snobs! Now we know your a simple lad like us, we’ll keep an eye out and you be sure to tell us if anyone bothers you”
Wow, can’t believe this worked
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u/Happyuser777 13h ago
You could take a photo from a sads distance report it to the gardai Kids are harrassing some people maybe indian immigrants non white people cos they think its funny I think its a bad idea for an adult to hit a 16 year old better to move to another carriage not worth getting into a fight on a train
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u/Friendly_Two_4682 9h ago
Its amazing how we pretend scumbag teenagers are a new thing. Which is weird because i remmeber in 2000s they were around and im sure they were before that
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u/aggrohuahua 8h ago
You're not wrong but I feel like they're more pervasive now
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u/NefariousnessOld7737 4h ago
I feel like that's because every stupid little incident gets paraded up and down on social media, as opposed to, I don't know 20 years ago or further back.
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u/PresentSupermarket53 19h ago
These as a specific type of teenager (we all know exactly how they were dressed and what accents they had).
You’ll get better at spotting them sooner and be able to avoid them. It’s one of the worst aspects of Irish day to day life but will never change sadly.
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u/KermitingMurder 17h ago
Yeah, some people in the comments are acting like this is literally all teenagers but let's be real if you've been living here long enough you can see the ones who are potentially trouble from a mile off, the rest are usually fine
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u/naclocha 17h ago
Yeah, I know, it's always those gonzaga boys throwing skittles at people. They know their daddies will bail them out if they get into trouble.
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u/Unhappy-Channel8501 21h ago
There’s a post like this every week if not more often. That should answer your question
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u/Fun-Alternative-6804 19h ago
I've avoided them but the past year or so if they do things like this I've genuinely just punched the most sketch looking one right on the nose and tell them they'll get more if they want to keep bothering me and they typically settle down. And before anyone says it, fuck off they deserve it every time.
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u/Ok_Temperature1502 16h ago edited 15h ago
u/Fun-Alternative-6804 That's probably your wet dream and it definitely never happened
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u/Ok_Cryptographer8537 14h ago
In ireland the government have decided that anyone under the age of 18 should not be criminalised, except in the most serious cases ie. Rape, murder, serious assault.
What this has led to is a generation of children, teens and young adults, mostly young boys/ men having a pretty much no consequences for any of their actions.
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u/Significant_Pop_5337 19h ago
Most teenagers are absolutely fine. Please don't tar all of them because a few of them are arseholes
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u/iamanoctothorpe 18h ago
Yes and I'd like if some people in this sub also remembered that the main victims of these gangs are their teenage peers who are trapped with them in school or also live in the same areas as them.
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u/KermitingMurder 17h ago
I really don't get why this is being downvoted, I swear most of the time I see these posts they're from Dublin anyway, this seems to be a bigger problem in Dublin than any of the other cities, nevermind out in the countryside. Walking around Cork you can walk past hundreds of teenagers just fine, I doubt Dublin is so bad that literally every teen you encounter is going to harass or assault you
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u/Dear_Agent2692 17h ago
Absolutely fine when alone. Not in groups
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u/Significant_Pop_5337 16h ago edited 15h ago
Not true either. Plenty are fine in groups. There have been gobshites for decades. This isn't a recent phenomenon
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u/Scinos2k 17h ago
It's genuinely the result of decades of inaction by both the state and parents.
Hell I'm in my 40's now but I remember teenagers even when I was a shitty kid being shitty. Fights in Patrick Street, stolen cars, abuse on buses and trains.
The problem is those shitty kids grew up and had their own shitty children who have gone on to be just as shitty. The state has always been slow to punish young people, I assume because they don't want to spend the money on it.
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u/Sad-Bluebird-2244 16h ago
I was taking the train from Dublin home a few weeks ago and a kid that couldn’t have been more than 14 was vaping, right in front of me across the table. I stared him and said “I have a lung condition (I don’t lol) could you please stop” and he looked at me like a deer in the headlights and he stopped. 9 time out of 10 they’ll knock it off if you confront them
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u/Smallcauliflower112 15h ago
Hey, not sure why some people’s comments are weird but unfortunately the teenagers specifically, in Dublin have been an issue, there’s no denying that. Yes teens will be teens anywhere in the world, but it feels particularly…off…when there seems to be no repercussions to any of their behaviour. Throwing M&Ms is annoying yes, but it’s what happens when you, especially an immigrant, confront them. You’ll be harassed, they’ll spout racist shit at you. They want a reaction. They know the adults can’t do anything, immigrant or not. There’s tons of posts on ireland subreddits that discuss the ongoing issues with teens. Its one thing about teens being annoying, its another about teens physically assaulting strangers on the street, throwing rocks, eggs at cars (i saw this myself and one of the drivers was a mom who had a very young child in the car with her and she was so terrified), repeatedly breaking and entering people’s properties, aiming fireworks at people walking on the street, all reported to the Garda, but it all continues to happen regardless and no one is able to intervene because any liability ends up on the adults. As much as you can, avoid them. If they do something annoying, ignore them. Don’t engage, it’s not worth the trouble, it’s not worth your time. Sorry you had to go through this after a shift. If you do see any antisocial behaviour on public transport, there is a number you can text/call.
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u/Alpah-Woodsz 15h ago
They were raised with the whole world in there hand endless information at just the tip of a button and it has corrupted them.
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u/anywhereanyplace 15h ago
Yes I’ve been taunted. One will say something as I walk by the group then they all repeat the same taunts. I ignore but I wish I could do more.
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u/Jamnusor 14h ago
I'm very sorry this happened to you, please report it to Irish Rail and the Gardai if you can. Nothing changes if we say nothing.
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u/Responsible-Tie-5736 13h ago
This man is not from here remember, so it's easier to look at his experience from a white Irish perspective!
The public need to rally together again any threat or disrespect towards anyone else in public.
Perhaps it is just a Dublin thing as I've seen it a lot there
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u/sensitiveclint 8h ago
every country in the world has problems with teenagers so its a bit of a generalization to only apply it to ireland.
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u/Severe_Thought_8727 21h ago
There is no punishment for those that break the law in Ireland. Our government has chosen to fund temporary accommodation for asylum seekers instead of extra prison space. Judges cannot therefore correctly sentence the scum that lives in our country. It really is simple as that.
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u/PresentSupermarket53 19h ago
The country is awash with cash, no one chose ipas centres over prisons, new prisons have never been even up for discussion. And the anti immigration mob don’t seem to be so passionate about punishing white Irish for some reason
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u/phazedout1971 21h ago
So you've soun this tale of trouble psome teens into your own excuse fir a racist rant, well done good sir
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u/Severe_Thought_8727 21h ago
If you label everything racist, the word racist loses its meaning. are you really that dim to not realise the asylum industry in Ireland is an efficient funnel of public money to private hands? a fool you are.
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u/NormativeTruth 20h ago
You’re definitely racist though.
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u/Severe_Thought_8727 20h ago
buzzword!
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u/NormativeTruth 12h ago
You could have made the same point with greyhound funding or TD salaries or brown envelopes. But you chose asylum seekers. You’re definitely very racist.
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u/champ19nz 21h ago
What's your excuse for kids beings cunts in the 90s and early 00s?
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u/Severe_Thought_8727 21h ago
Again, a lack of funding for prison spaces and lack of deterrent, but then we were poor and actually couldn’t afford it.
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u/JuggernautSuper5765 20h ago
I'm not sure teenagers throwing m and m's at someone deserves a lengthy prison sentence.... Nor is it tangibly linked to asylum seekers or immigration or homelessness.... Have a look at yourself!
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u/Stressed_Student2020 Not a Mod 13h ago
The 115% of capacity prison population figures would beg to differ.
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u/OhMyGodImTall 21h ago
Ignore them every time as they are looking for a reaction
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u/beatthatsnaketodeath 20h ago
True, but how much can you really ignore? Why should we sit around and take shit from these little bastards, let them do what they want without consequence? They will only do something worse the next time because they know now they are untouchable.
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u/go_neiri_leat 19h ago
Absolutely pathetic, people like you who are too afraid to stand up for yourself are the problem.
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u/OhMyGodImTall 9h ago
and get beaten up for speaking up. Yeah, good advice
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u/go_neiri_leat 6h ago
Well better advice than not doing anything, best of luck being a push over for the rest of your life.
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u/Stressed_Student2020 Not a Mod 18h ago
Your post suggests that teenagers everywhere else are angelic in comparison.
Teenagers push boundaries. Which is universal.
So, I'm sorry some immature kids threw small bits of food at you to annoy you for a reaction.
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u/Grand-Cup-A-Tea 20h ago
Other than defending yourself there is nothing that will come of calling the gardai
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u/Ok_Temperature1502 16h ago
I thought these kind of karma farming bot posts were dying away but obviously not.
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u/Hefty-Restaurant4767 19h ago
To be fair, and I'm gonna be downvoted but realistically, that's incredibly tame in the grand scheme for things.
Yes they're little shitebags and yes they shouldn't be doing it but they're just messing in the end of the day. I don't condone it but like, it's an M&M.
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u/Carcul 18h ago
It's not about the m&m. They are testing the waters and are only likely to escalate. The vulnerable person sitting there, with everyone else looking the other way, has no idea how far they'll take it. It is a frightening situation to be put in and there should be zero tolerance for it.
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u/Hefty-Restaurant4767 18h ago
Hard disagree.
Like I said, I don't think they should be doing it, I don't think they should get away with it, it's not something I think is "ok"
But this is not a sign that society is collapsing and we live in total anarchy.
We're not talking about the teenagers involved in drug gangs, stabbing each other, pushing people in front of the train.
This is a few teenagers being bold that need to be grounded for a week.
Like pick your battles mate. This is just a probably 14/15 year old kid dared his mate to throw an M&M at someone. That doesn't mean they're testing the waters and looking to escalate to a full scale violent attack.
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u/Carcul 11h ago
I'm not suggesting society is collapsing but your 'but like, its an m&m' is incredibly dismissive of the fear an immigrant must have felt in the moment when they had no idea where it would lead.
I am not afraid of groups of teenagers in most places in the world, including Ireland and even Dublin. But a group of them on a bus in Dublin who start throwing things at a complete stranger? I think I'd feel fear wondering how far they would take it.
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u/Hefty-Restaurant4767 10h ago
All I'll say is, if I was trying to build a case for how youth crime seems to be getting out of control, teenagers are getting worse, this intimidating behaviour is being normalised, people feel fear in public from gangs of youths, etc.
"Someone threw an M&M at me" is not an example I would include.
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u/salaryman1969 18h ago
I think the problem is no consequences. Mainly no consequences at home but also from society in general. I know if my son behaved like that and I found out he'd be in a world of pain (not physically but his freedom would be seriously curtailed). I can practically guarantee that those muppets on the Dart haven't had any sort of proactive parenting for quite some time. Then if they do get caught by the Guards they will most times just to get a slap on the wrist, if they do get in front of a judge, the most likely outcome is they will walk free.