A chara, - Halloween really has become a dreadful time, especially in working-class areas. It has lost its real meaning as a time to celebrate the end of autumn. Instead, aggressive teenagers congregate around illegal bonfires, getting drunk and engaging in what can only be described as savage behaviour, firing rockets not only at each other, but at innocent passers-by.
A few women friends and I, who live in the areas of Finglas, Cabra and Drimnagh, all decided to telephone Dublin City Council's parks department in these areas to ask them to remove the wood that was being stockpiled in various public greens. We telephoned from 11 am right up to 3 pm, but found it impossible to get through.
Meanwhile, parks staff could be seen driving around in their vans, observing the bonfires getting bigger and bigger, but on no occasion did they make any attempt to remove the wood.They drove away, allowing the illegal bonfires to go up in smoke.
But the real anger and blame has to directed at the parents of the children who build these bonfires, and anyone who supports them by using Halloween to get rid of their household waste because they are too mean to dispose of it otherwise. The mentality of some people who live in these areas becomes so evident around Halloween. They have plenty of money to change the beds, wardrobes and even kitchen units in their homes, but are too lazy and stingy to spend about €20 to bring the discarded material to a recycling centre.
The old phrase "help the Halloween party" and the collection of fruit treats have been replaced by "Trick or Treat" and the bad American habit of giving sweets to already fat kids with bad eating habits. I spent quite a few euro on really sweet fruits such as mandarins, apples and grapes, as well as popcorn, peanuts and toffee apples, only to be told by rude children at my doorstep that they didn't want fruit. The next morning I found one of my toffee apples, minus the toffee, on the road.
I used to enjoy Halloween and I always made a big effort to make it fun for the children. But I think I'll join the legions of people around Dublin who no longer open their doors on this dreadful night or go away around this period.
As the ad says, "I've had enough." - Is mise,
ANN STAFFORD, New Ireland Road, Rialto, Dublin 8.