Playing football on grass areas

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MandaC

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Does anybody know the position with people playing football on common grass areas.

I live facing a large green area, and recently groups of people have been coming into the area (actually driving in cars) who dont live within the area and playing football on the green. They are shouting, littering and clogging up the parking areas.

They are also quite intimidiating. My partner spoke to them when he saw the ball belting off someones car - and he was met with racist abuse.

Another neighbour saw the ball belting off someones else's jeep and leaving a dent. These are not kids, they are fully grown men. My neighbour who used to use the green to play with his child, now wont go out to it at all. He was also afraid to approach these people when he saw the jeep getting whacked, as he has a teenage son and is afraid he will be bullied.

Thank God the dark nights are starting to come in.

Any advice would be much appreciated.
 
If it is zoned public space, I'm not sure what can be done to prevent them from using same-be aware that even in private managed developments (i.e. where you pay for maintenance of the common areas and refuse collection etc. and the local authority do nothing), green areas may be zoned public space (i.e. open to all).

Of course intimidating/threatening/racist behaviour and criminal damage can/should be reported to the Gardai, and I suggest your voice your conecerns to them for starters.
 
I have actually spoken to one of the neighbours this evening further on this. What it appears to be is that this is an organised team - and they will be coming here to "train" on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

There are a number of residents objecting, and what I intend to do is speak to our local councillor and see what the position is. There is actually a football pitch nearby which I think they may have used up to a few weeks ago, but now that the football season has started, the "real" teams have bagged the pitch for training and this lot are homeless.

I will broach the subject with one of our Councillors and see how I get on.
 
Who is maintaining it? If it is the management company then perhaps letting the grass grow long for a few weeks (subject to safety concerns) might encourage them to move elsewhere.
 
We dont pay management charges and the estate has recently been taken in charge by South Dublin County Council. They were packing up tonight about 9.45 (Tuesday's Training) and the noise was unreal. I dont even know how they could see the ball as it was dark.

The council actually were in today, cutting grass etc, and the place looked great, but now already its littered with plastic bottles, etc.

I will check what the Councillors say.
 
if you have a resident's association then get them to complain on your behalf and also if this is an organised team then they probably are formed as a club and therefore you should also have a club chairman/secretary to write to..
push the littering and the noise level as well as the abuse as the point for getting rid of them
i wouldn't mind it being kids but grown men is ridiculous
 
Speak to your Community Garda and explain that you and your neighbours feel threatened by the racist abuse etc. and that local families are no longer able to use the green when these guys are around. Make sure to mention the damage to the cars also.
 
Organised dog walking. It's harder to initimidate a group of people with dogs that it is to chase away kids.
 
How about getting permission to plant a few strategically positioned trees in the open area. This may not only add to the beauty of the open green but it may inhibit the flow of play for a foot ball game!!
 
The Green is actually full of trees which are being broken down. Anyway the council are going to get involved as there are insurance issues, etc. However, before they got a chance to call out, one of the other neighbours called the police as the noise was unbearable.

I am waiting to see if they show up again.

Many thanks,



MandaC
 
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