Arklow...The Demise of a Main Street

[@michaelhalpin28]

Peter Power, a real man of the people... never a bad word said about that man!

[@CailinRuaAnChead]

I've a cousin who grew up in main street, the summers we spent together there playing in Nana's garden, walking up the river to feed the ducks (and getting chased by the geese!), going to the bay hotel as a treat and exploring the grounds, even the odd mass in "the bong church". Some of the happiest days of my life. My grandad still lives there on main street and it's sad to see how much it's changed.

[@aaroncummins2752]

Yes a sound man" ✌️loved walking the dog ,, where I came across him, 🦅 a pleasent soul.

[@JohnJackson-px5vv]

thanks for your comments,, we had the time of our lives, two weeks away from our family we left home as children aged 13 and came back as adults..

[@dogoboi]

Shockin to see that i didn relise that many shops has shut down in the town we all love so well an i walk up it nearly everyday.. Good song

[@loristurgess6341]

When looking for more information about this little town my love and I drove through i was surprised to see this footage...good news is that it is not so downtrodden as it is depicted in this video- not anymore- I was there for St Patties Day last year- 2015. I plan to go back soon and hope to find even more regeneration- we will certainly do our part!

[@visuallena8730]

Lori Sturgess living here is not as lovely

[@2b2tpecoorddrops]

@@visuallena8730 but it still isn't bad

[@xyzllii]

Thanks for your comment Pad...and love to the city I love...London. Mind you, the sun was shining over the river and harbour/marina here today and it all looked great.

[@barryb90]

Unfortunately the problem in Arklow, besides Bridgewater, is we've never had an elected TD and the TDs we elect don't care about the town. The other issue is the one family own a good portion of the buildings on the street. Gorey is thriving because their chamber of commerce give the little businesses every break they can.

[@xyzllii]

Oh come now. That's a little drastic....Arklow is set in a beautiful spot...and could be fantastic...and hopefully will be , in time.

[@mollyoneye]

Haha I doubt that, half the fuckers down there are dead and mostly drug or drink related

[@liamrokocoko]

paradise...

[@xyzllii]

Yes Jasper....I am not passing judgement on things....just commenting on change and how it comes about that a town has to rethink and re-invent itself... Thanks for you comment...

[@JohnJackson-px5vv]

My school in Liverpool would have holidays in Arklow in the 1950s. Hardly any traffic down the Main Street. We stayed at O'Neals farm, I remember Joe Garveys whipped ice cream. Fond memories of stealing apples from the monastery orchards ( we had never seen an Apple tree before) We got found out and had to return and say sorry, after we washed all the monks dishes....

[@xyzllii]

Apples are very biblical. Surprised the Monks did not see it that way! These days you'd cheer a child who stole an apple ! Thanks for your comment.

[@xyzllii]

The thing that intrigued me was the rapidity with which the change came. I , and I think most of us, would agree that change has always been with us...all is always on the move. The main street now needs to re-invent itself. We need a good seafood restaurant on the quay, and more made of the lovely harbour etc. Hopefully it will all happen in time...Thanks for your comments..

[@xyzllii]

Thanks for your comment...there surely have been HUGE changes...in a very short period of time...that is what is amazing....how fast things change...but I know, they who lived/live thru' wars, know this in a worse way.

[@aidau20021]

R.i.p Peter

[@kerryrussell5722]

my Great Great Grandfather lived in 10 Coomies Lane back in 1901 with his son in law and two nephews. I hope to head to Ireland in the not too distance future to look into finding long lost relatives. their surnames could be Breslin, Woolahan or Byrne. Look forward to hearing from someone before I get over there. cheers Kerry from Camden in Sydney Australia. 

[@kyzuufml7265]

Not to break bad news but I live in the town and coomie Lane is a druggie lane now, if u go there chances are u will come out with a knife in your smothach

[@1980GERALD]

Great to see Peter P on there, a class jazz guitarist himself, and a great character...... sadly one of the very few left!

[@lightleague]

Very sad story. What a pretty town it had been.

[@xyzllii]

I agree with all you say....I was just filming it...to show how quickly stuff changes...Did not like the mafiosa in the Centre however...NO FILMING !! Bit like the NO-GO area along the junkie riverwalk...NO-GO !! Innit ?

[@xyzllii]

Thanks for your comment...the sound was taken off this (Van Morrison)because of Copyright so there is a version 2 with narration if you are interested.

[@taraann7753]

Unbelievable, just Heartbreaking 😢.

[@glonglad]

This video is only the tip of the iceburg, I moved out of Arklow to college 4 years ago and I have to say everytime I go back i'm saddened by how bad its been getting, its not just the main street, The whole town needs a facelift a bit of culture.

[@xyzllii]

Alas , Arklow does not look much better at the moment...but it will again, when they have opened the Library and a few more of the shops have re-opened . It is lovely down by the open air gym..the sea walk path and the small lake where the swans/ducks are.

[@xyzllii]

Thank you for that....it seems you are from Poland, but your English is perfect !! I love the song !

[@xyzllii]

@1980GERALD Thanks for watching...! You can hear Peter talk in the other version..

[@tanukibrahma]

Sad. Sucks you couldn't film in the mall, though the town';s more interesting anyway. Is Arklow really in demise or just on a downturn? How old is Arklow anyway?

[@xyzllii]

@steffproductions Thanks dear Steff

[@ellesbells10]

My hometown ❤ arklow x

[@xyzllii]

Thank you for watching...!

[@xyzllii]

I have just checked version 2 and the sound is THERE . So ?? Don't know why you can't get it...Try again ?

[@xyzllii]

See above response if you want to hear dialogue.

[@christianjwright]

There is a huge diference between a security guard doing his job and a few junkies shooting up infront of a 4 year old as he fed the ducks.Most of us hate change but looking what we have and what we had,Bridgewater is a good thing.This is a neat vid but it doesn't show the full picture.

[@benzo80o.c82]

christianjwright .theres drugs in every town and village in Ireland. Not just arklow .I'm from gorey but work in arklow. and believe me when I say theres plenty of junkies and scum bags here in gorey..and every other town in this country.....the problem with arklow is the people don't give a shit about the town..they never did..a handful try to make it more presentable..that's it..also the arklow council got moved to Wicklow town..so literally the housing estates and town is falling apart ..theres no community spirit..and nobody gives gives a flying f,,,k..so arklow would need some miracle to get it on track..I feel sorry for the thousand of teens walking around the town with literally nothing to do..there's obvious no one running the kip..it there was how could it get so bad...jeez arklow get it together..look how beautiful gorey is .that's because the people care..and gorey allows stuff to be built..it's a progressive and vibrant town..and loads of free stuff for teens to participate in.arklow should take advise from the people who run gorey..they might learn something...Arklow R I P..

[@xyzllii]

Thanks....a lot.

[@xyzllii]

Got ANY IDEAS ?

[@xyzllii]

Thanks for that !! How come you live in Bolivia ??

[@xyzllii]

OK OK...I changed the music but the prob is...I have very little choice cos I have to take a KZbin offering and there are not many over 6mins long....this one I thought quite good ?? But it is a shame not to hear the people involved talking...so if you want to hear them go to my channel...xyzllii...to find 2nd version...

[@xyzllii]

@CharmedQuarkZ99 It is a nice audio all right...thanks..

[@xyzllii]

Thanks Faery

[@xyzllii]

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE NARRATION TO THIS...SEARCH VERSION 2 !! Thanks...inconvenience due to Copyright Issues..

[@CiaraFitzgerald1972]

Please change the music, I know you have Van Morrison and had to change but for goodness sake thats just dreadful. Brilliantly shot video and i want to promote it on my Facebook Arklow site, but not with that sound..you say you have another with narration???

[@seacrest66]

Bloody music , can't understand why you added it .

[@VidsMegan]

if you put up a 2012 video of arklow it would

[@steffproductions]

Ah ..so that´s the one..the music works good! Nice to get some impressions from an irish city!

[@xyzllii]

It has got worse since I filmed this a few weeks ago...it seems even more is boarded up now..

[@paaki1910]

Lets start the debate of how to solve this problem, ideal time with a local election coming up. Suggestions please.......

[@dombatts]

Astral Weeks is older than me BUT what an album!!!!!!!!!

[@xyzllii]

Its the freebe music from youtube ...

[@xyzllii]

@liamrokocoko Thanks Liam

[@Karl_with_a_K]

There has been a significant population explosion in Arklow over the past 5-7yrs, its encouraged the development of the BridgeWater SC. This has brought about many changes to the economic and retail landscape of the town. The old shops will never compete with the retails giants in the SC. This is nothing new, its been happening across the UK for the last 50yrs and Ireland for the past 15yrs. Whats needed is to study examples elsewhere where this has happened and learn how to turn it around.

[@xyzllii]

SWAP OF MUSIC IS PENDING....!!??

[@xyzllii]

Just go to my channel...click on ALL VIDEOS...and it is the latest upload...now after ALL that...don't expect too much. It is just a modest little video...but thanks for your attention...

[@tinawilliams3284]

👍👍👍👍👍🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

[@THATSMELLLLSS]

mine too

[@xyzllii]

I have left the above comment in, as an indication, that racism in hail and hearty still in this land. I apologise to any English...or Irish married to English, of which there are MILLIONS...for this overt ignorance.

[@xyzllii]

Ha !!

[@VidsMegan]

nicer

[@CiaraFitzgerald1972]

Great visual, jsut a shame about rthe ABSOLUTELY DREADFUL music...come on, I know copyrights have messed you around, but this very well shot video will be stopped by many because of that dreadful poano stuff.what's the link for your other version with narration? I want to promote video on my facebook site, but not with that sound!!!!!

[@martinmolloy7979]

dickhead!

[@snrdmnd]

Whole town looks like a war zone, absolute disgrace. Public reps should be ashamed of themselves.

[@y0106e]

Wow, it looks like rural soviet union

[@christianjwright]

A bit sentimental. The cinema and a few of those buildings was closed well before the centre came . The river has always been a disgrace, littered with drunks and rubbish making a stroll with the family incomfortable. I rarely went to Arklow because (and lets be honest) it has always been a kip.I would have to make an extra 30 minute journey to Dublin. Bridgewater is a good thing.