Fallon's Town Talk: Violence in Dublin contrasts with local joyful events

The turning on of the Christmas Lights is one of the highlights of the year in Roscommon Town. People who went as youngsters with their own families to see the turning on of the lights now bring their own children to meet Santa, to look at the decorative shop windows and revel in the wonder of the lights. That is the essence is tradition.

Last Sunday evening the weather was unusually mild for late November and that contributed to the large crowd who thronged around the Square and Main Street to watch Santa perform his official duties.

Afterwards, many members of the crowd adjourned to the local hostelries to maintain another integral part of the ritual of the switching-on ceremony.

It’s likely that most of the children who attended the turning-on of the lights had stayed up on Friday night to watch the Late Late Toy Show where Patrick Kielty perform with aplomb as he made his debut hosting the national institution.

On Friday night, I was among the approximate 300 guests who attended the Hodson Bay Hotel for the audience with Jim Gavin organised by Club Rossie. Jim was more relaxed and less guarded than when he was building his legend as Dublin manager. He regaled the crowd with some great stories and spoke of his immense admiration for the late Dermot Earley.

All those happy events made life feel normal and joyful. And yet this is a week when that cheerfulness has been counterbalanced by the stabbings of three school children and crèche worker Leanne Flynn, who bravely tried to shield the children from their attacker, in Parnell Square last Thursday.

The knife attack was followed later that night by an eruption of rampant violence in Dublin city centre. These terrifying, apocalyptic scenes were a throwback to riots in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, or reminiscent of images from the USA throughout 2020, Washington DC in January 2021 or France, Belgium and other parts of continental Europe in recent years.

Irish people have looked at other cities aflame around the world, shaken our heads in disbelief and reassured ourselves that similar horrors could not happen here. That all changed last Thursday when our complacency was shattered and exposed as delusion.

The initial attack outside the school stunned the nation; it was almost too grim to take it. Only the heroism of decent citizens, who reflect the vast majority of Irish people and who leapt to the defence of the children, prevented an even more appalling tragedy.

What happened next was the online mobilisation of a mob who proceeded to wreak havoc on the centre of our nation’s capital. Through social and traditional media, people in Ireland could watch aghast as Garda cars, trains and buses were torched and businesses vandalised.

One of the lasting, indelible images of the rampage was of fires blazing and smoke billowing around the iconic statue of Daniel O’Connell, the Liberator whose political philosophy had non-violent protest at its core. To see some of the hoodlums claiming to be standing up for the rights of Irish people as they wreaked havoc in the shadow of O’Connell was galling.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was among those who branded the rioters as far-right protesters. While it is clear that far-right agitators organised and whipped up the frenzy, as was mentioned by many on social media, the far-right must be very fond of runners and other sports gear. Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe, articulated public scepticism accurately when he said, "Stealing from Arnott's isn't a political statement."

While the far-right lit the fuse, the mob was mostly made up of looters and disaffected youths looking to cause disruption and destruction. The scale of the violence meant the original heinous crime of the children and the crèche worker being knifed was almost overshadowed The stoplight now rests on the government and the Garda authorities to ensure there isn’t any repeat of what happened last Thursday. The Gardai need resources and also need to be able to do their jobs without having the fear of their actions being dissected on social media and criticised by opportunistic politicians.

An increased Garda presence on the ground – in rural areas as well as the major cities – would be a boost to the confidence and morale of the public. A crucial element of any recruitment drive is that young men and women continue to see joining the Garda Síochána as an attractive career option.