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Is this the way to Celebrate?

Samantha Libreri
St. Michael's SS, Finglas West

St. Patrick's Day in Dublin brings a colourful array of vehicles clad as floats on to the streets to commemorate our national day. St. Patrick's Day in Finglas on the other hand yields an array of stolen and "scrapped" cars congregating for what has now become an annual alcohol fueled event.

Scribblestown plays host to a dangerous derby where intoxicated teenagers rule the roads with their illegally acquired automobiles. Purchased or stolen on the days prior to the event, these vehicles often lack essential fundamentals like adequate steering and brakes, which results in an even greater threat to the public and to their pubescent drivers. The teens take to the road from the early hours, wreaking havoc on the Scribblestown hinterland with reckless racing, drunk driving and general attempts to acquire local "hard man" status. The more anarchic the better.

This years activities were made worse as people flocked to see the event which had been heavily publicised the evening before by various sectors of the media. The spectators witnessed the uncontrollable endeavours of the anti-social teens, who, realising the superstar status they had acquired, rebelled ruthlessly for hours. Police helicopters circled the sky in an effort to act as reinforcements to their colleagues who were being rammed and stoned below them. Local vigilantes, who tried to intervene, were met with violent resistance in the form of bricks and brutal threats. It took hours before the authorities could bring a halt to the activities.

On a day in which we commemorate a man who allegedly expelled the snakes from Ireland we should also lament the fact that there are worse elements that defy expulsion.

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