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    Una Mullally: Si scatenerebbe l’inferno se agli irlandesi fosse consentita qualche lattina nel parco?


    Una Mullally: Si scatenerebbe l’inferno se agli irlandesi fosse consentita qualche lattina nel parco?

    https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026/05/11/all-hell-wouldnt-break-loose-if-irish-people-were-allowed-a-few-cans-in-the-park/

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    39 commenti

    1. Outside-Monk-3399 on

      We virtually are allowed a few cans in the park though?

      I swear some people who write these things don’t leave their house.

    2. Meldanorama on

      Its not illegal though is it? Had guards ask us to quieten when students but once youre behaved its fine?

    5. HarryEastwoods on

      I’d rather spend me money on a few cans than pay to read an article in the Times.

    7. SeanB2003 on

      Like the laws around possession of personal quantities of cannabis, the status quo exists just to give the Gardaí an excuse to stop and pester, search, or detain a particular type of person that we can all imagine in our heads. The kind of person who walks around smelling of weed or drinking a can in public.

      That’s the real barrier to removing them too. They’re practically useful for the guards.

    8. AnyPossibility5232 on

      Well look at Portmarnock beach on a sunny day! Fairly chaotic when the sun is out and you get every low life and scrote drinking on the beach

    10. Seargentyates on

      Who doesn’t welcome lads in tracksuits with bags of cans to the neighbourhood? I think we can all agree that fun and japes will be had by all!!

      Furthermore, would all hell break loose if Irish people were allowed to shoot up in the park?! I think not!

      I guess i picked the wrong week to give up sniffing glue.

    11. its_brew on

      If there was a can recycling machine in said park it could be lucrative for all involved

    12. MrBulwark on

      We need to be less of a nanny state and allow people to enjoy individual freedoms. I would love to be able to smoke a joint legally here too.

    13. Pure-Ice5527 on

      Unfortunately we Irish have a habit of taking advantage of things, so I’d suggest that it would become an issue yes. Lot of decent people would treat it with respect, but have a look at the articles that pop up every year about the level of rubbish left on our beaches after sunny days.. we have a bad culture on that front sadly

    14. Nearby_Swimmer374 on

      I can tell you from experience that all hell will definitely break loose. It happens a lot.

      You mustn’t confuse us with civilised people on the continent. It’s not the same here.

    17. sarcasticmidlander on

      I don’t think its the people who show up with 3 bottles who are the problem. Its the people showing up with 12 bottles and a wireless speaker

    18. IBB_98 on

      Sorry was there not a whole thing that Leo ‘The Leak’ Varadkar was having cans in phoenix park and everyone thought it was illegal, only for them to come out and say it was perfectly legal and he wasn’t doing anything wrong?

      What am I missing?

    19. Irishman4000 on

      Ah lads drinking cans in the park is class! A can walk with your partner is top notch!! Especially on a warm summer night. Me and my now wife loved doing this in the summer when we first started dating. A backpack, a few stubbies out of the offo (small cans stay cooler and are less conspicuous) and go for a walk through a valley park beside us and go walking around random housing estates chatting and laughing away. We’d bring the dog too and he would have a blast, a 4 hour walk, he’d be delighted!! Ahhh those were the days.

    20. TeoKajLibroj on

      In some cases, having a few beers on the grass is good fun that doesn’t harm anyone. But in other cases, it is clearly anti-social and makes other people uncomfortable. The problem is there is no easy way to define the law to have a clear line between social and anti-social drinking.

      Leaving it to the discretion of the Gardaí would lead to allegations of abuse and discrimination because there’s no easy way to define anti-social drinking so it just boils down to “they looked dodgy”

    21. the_sneaky_one123 on

      You must only spend money in the approved locations

    22. FearTeas on

      Well it’s one way to ensure we don’t end up with a mountain of rubbish at nice spots the morning after a nice day.

      If we could be trusted to clean up after ourselves I’d have no issue with it. But we clearly lack the sophistication as a society to do it, so we shouldn’t be allowed.

      And I also don’t agree with a few bad eggs for ruining it for everyone, but when you see the amount of rubbish, it’s clear the majority simply don’t give a fuck.

    23. wrghf on

      It’s one of those things that should be totally fine in a decent and respectful society.

      Sadly, I don’t really trust the public at large to behave that way if it was ever allowed. You’ll have a few cunts that ruin it for everyone else as always.

    24. Prize_Figure_4122 on

      You’re allowed to drink in public anywhere where I’m living, place is left quite clean. Guys come around collecting empty tins to return them, so a small money stream for them.

      I’ve been here 9 years now and I still love the novelty of it all, nice walking beer, sitting beside a canal in the summer, parks, or even just a random bench. Does be great altogether.

    25. Apprehensive_Ratio80 on

      There was a video going round in Cork of a fight breaking out at the darkness into light walk last week sooooooooo yeah the risk of people becoming aggressive and antagonistic towards others can happen in almost every environment alcohol just increases the likelihood.

      It can be fine with great weather people are in a good mood but in Ireland can’t ignore the fact people will see it as free reign to go wild rather than just having a few casual cans

    26. svmk1987 on

      Of course there are risks about public getting unruly with intoxication, and there’s the cleanup issue. But I can’t help but feel that the stakeholders who are really pushing to qwell this are pubs. It wouldn’t have such a huge issue which got so much attention in the past few years without this.

    27. Gemini_2261 on

      If there’s one thing that Irish society needs it’s more boozing.

    28. my_mum_thinks_im_gr8 on

      It’s a case of that 90% would be fine, but the 10% would ruin it for everyone else.

      I lived near phibsboro during Covid and enjoyed a few tins by the cross guns bridge, and the atmosphere was excellent – there wasn’t any anti social behavior in a disruptive capacity (asides from the drinking and smoking) – the Bernard shaw even incentivised people to pick up cans/bottles in exchange for money/a free drink token (s) which helped with the mess aspect

      The issue started when people started with the big Bluetooth speakers and the excessive levels of drinking – full 24 pack crates of beer, generally being disruptive AND leaving their rubbish everywhere.

      I am afraid the behavior of the few would destroy it for many

      Edit: I also do think the recycle scheme would incentivise people to pick up their rubbish and get a few bob back, but maybe I’m being optimistic

    29. Melodic-Chocolate-53 on

      In “plenty other European cities” maybe people have a bit more civic responsibility and cop on?

      Here outdoor areas are treated like a combined house party, dumping ground and toilet. “Leave no trace” and respect for others and the area are strange concepts here.

    31. Specific-Nebula-2637 on

      Visiting Amsterdam some years ago and we went to a park, There was a group of Homeless people sitting at a bench drinking away, Every so often one of them got up and took the empties to the bin and dished out another round. I asked was this the usual and was old if they didn’t do it they would be kicked out. I thought it was great.

    32. t3kwytch3r on

      I literally do not care if I’m allowed to do it or not. If I want to, I’ll do it.

      Little bit of respect and taking my rubbish away with me is all the license necessary.

    33. jacqueVchr on

      A big thing for me is how blatantly commercial the by-laws are on this.

      Banning drinking at the canal unless you’re buying pints from the barge.

      Can’t be having people drinking on the street unless they buy pints from Keogh’s.

      Indicative of the fact that there’s nothing in the public sphere in Dublin unless you’re spending.

    34. Accomplished-Boot-81 on

      A few cans in the park isn’t allowed? Since when

    35. Craicriture on

      A lot of places unofficially relaxed the enforcement bylaws during Covid and it didn’t turn to chaos tbh.

    36. Boulder1983 on

      Rules generally/unfortunately aren’t made for the 99% of people who will have a bit of cop on.

      Up until that point, nobody needed the rule until a few ballbags left rubbish/started fighting/being tramps, then all of a sudden rules are put in place because a few people can’t be civilised.

    37. wascallywabbit666 on

      If someone has a few cans, behaves themselves, brings their rubbish away with them, goes into a pub to use the toilet, then of course there’s no problem.

      However, it’s a problem when:
      – People get drunk and act antisocial my
      – Cans and other rubbish get left on the ground or thrown in a canal
      – People piss in corners or front gardens, making everywhere stink of piss

      The problem is that a minority do the latter, which means that rules have to be applied to everyone else. It’s also a matter of limited Garda resources – I personally don’t think that policing drunkards on the street is not a good use of their limited time

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