Episode 83: Why There’s A Riot In Dublin

Rendezvous with Jamie McGlue

Tragedy upon tragedy. A brutal stabbing of children today has sparked a massive riot in the city of Dublin, with police being attacked, vehicles burned and shops looted. While the core of this violence and criminality is surely hooliganism and young impoverished people looking for some mayhem and an enemy they can enjoy fighting, equally we would be wise to see that deeper issues have fuelled this riot and indeed Irish politicians must look themselves in the mirror and assess what they can do to begin addressing the underlying reasons for grievance, distrust and anger among the Irish public. This crisis demands all rational observers do their utmost to see as many sides of the story as possible, to come to a place of understanding upon which genuine healing and stability can be built. The truth is Ireland has been treated poorly by its government for a long time, and this played a crucial part in allowing this terrible, inexcusable violence to unfold. Children are wounded and one child is in grave danger; so may we focus on positive thoughts and wishes for them and upon that pure energy lay the groundwork for dialogue, honesty and self-examination.