Foul stench of urine on Galway City’s streets

Bradley Bytes – a sport of political column with Dara Bradley

The stench of urine around Galway City is quite something.

It’s not everywhere, but every now and then while walking the city’s streets, you’ll turn a corner and be hit with this pungent odour. It makes your nose crinkle and eyes nearly water.

The hot weather doesn’t help with the smell. Nor do Covid-19 restrictions.

Galway City Council has provided some portaloos at various points in the city centre.

Ugly and all as they are – and boy they are ugly, ruining the views at beauty spots such as Spanish Arch – the temporary toilets are a necessary evil.

But the bigger problem right now is not the aesthetics of them, or their impact on the streetscape, it’s that there aren’t enough of them. And that means that a great number of people are getting caught short while out socialising in town.

When they can’t find toilets, they improvise. This – judging by the smell on certain streets – means many people are just peeing in public, mostly up against buildings, street corners, parks, beaches and along the waterways.

It is not gender-specific either – both sexes have been seen ‘toileting al fresco’.

It’s not ideal. And obviously we’d prefer if people didn’t do it. But given that it is happening, and it stinks and creates ugly stains on footpaths, could the City Council hire someone to power-hose the streets?

It’s really not a good look.
This is a shortened preview version of Bradley Bytes. To read more, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.