Verbal abuse from young clowns

As part of the recent bike week events I participated in a guided tour of the city of Cork by bicycle, one wet evening.

This event was most interesting and enjoyable, not to mention informative, and did I mention the rain? The only part of the tour which caused any concern to me was as we assembled to listen to our guide outside the Firkin Crane, Butter Exchange building in the Shandon area.

A small group of teenagers, boys and girls aged about thirteen or fourteen were gathered there, ‘hanging out’, as they say, on the steps.

If I say that the verbal contribution or abuse to which we were subjected by these youths was appalling, it would be to understate the facts.

Ripe and offensive comments and the occasional personal remark, followed by ribald laughter, were the order of the day. I must say I was only glad that our group (mostly Irish) were not impressed by the locals.

Thank goodness this was not a group of tourists who would probably have been intimidated or would have thought the whole episode to be part of the tour, and incredibly bad street theatre, preformed by a group of young clowns. Just what was needed to enhance the evening, I must say. Oh, did I mention the rain?

John Harvey

Ballincollig

Co Cork