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There's a new sex shop opening in Dublin next to a national school, and some people are not happy

Kilkenny-based adult store Playblue is expanding to the capital.

AN IRISH ADULT store is set to open an outlet in Dublin about 50 metres from a national school, and local residents are not impressed.

Playblue, an adult shop based in Kilkenny for the last three years, is to open its first Dublin shop in the leafy northside suburbia of Drumcondra.

St. Patrick’s Boys’ National School is situated roughly 150 feet away on the campus of St. Patrick’s College.

As the unit the shop will take over from was already a retail outlet the passing of the torch to Playblue is completely legal from a planning point of view,.

It is this that local councillor Noel Rock thinks is most problematic.

“While no laws are being broken in relation to this proposed location, residents feel it isn’t ideal to have this kind of retail unit along local school children’s daily route to and from school,” he told TheJournal.ie.

The Fine Gael councillor, who also lives locally, said that the Kilkenny Playblue store is “not quite comparable” as it is located discreetly up a laneway.

It seems outdated that a shop unit could get permission to be an audio retailer (as is the case here), but then convert to a sex shop without residents being able to voice their concerns. This should be addressed.

playblue The proposed site of the new adult store in Drumcondra Google Maps Google Maps

On a national level, this calls into question whether there should be regulations whereby an adult shop is categorised differently to a regular retail store with more stringent regulations.
I think it would be worthwhile for the Minister for the Environment to both publish the findings of the Special Task Force established in 2007 to examine this issue and also to bring about specific regulations governing the location of such shops in the future.

One concerned local resident, who preferred not to be named, told TheJournal.ie that “the likes of these shops should be in designated areas”.

I’m concerned that kids will be passing by every day. There’s a number of establishments like this on (nearby) Dorset Street, but none so close to a school.
Look, it’s happening for sure, but it’s frustrating that there’s nothing anyone can do.

For his part, Richie Cullen (46), the proprietor of Playblue, told TheJournal.ie that the new store is “just another shop”.

We won’t be in people’s faces, the shop will be quite subtle and low key. We’re more upmarket than your average adult store.
Most of our business is done online so the new store will act as more of a warehouse than anything else. You can’t see into the store, it’ll be over-18s only, and no-one else will be allowed in.

When asked why he has chosen to expand in such a residential area, Cullen’s answer was very to the point.

“There’s 80,000 cars up and down that stretch of road every day. That is going to drive traffic to the shop,” he said.

Everyone has a right to an opinion, but I don’t see what the problem is. Where we are in Kilkenny, it’s a smaller town and there’s schools situated all over the place.

So what do you think?

Is the location of this new adult store inappropriate?


Poll Results:

No (2963)
Yes (2447)
I'm not sure (503)

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79 Comments
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    Mute Liam Brophy
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:18 PM

    kids pass Ann Summers on O’Connell street daily without so much as a second glance.

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    Mute David G
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:25 PM

    That’s a clothes shop though.

    53
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    Mute The Todd
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:26 PM

    People love wearing dildos alright

    400
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    Mute David G
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:30 PM

    I know I do…..

    163
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    Mute Ally O'Rourke
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:32 PM

    Hahaahahaha, you have to get comment of the week for that

    62
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    Mute molly coddled
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:44 PM

    Clothing and….’accessories’ David G. ;)

    69
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    Mute Liam Brophy
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:04 PM

    David G you just proved my point, if you cant tell what a sex shop is how are these kids supposed to.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Jun 10th 2015, 6:37 PM

    Do they sell sex……

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    Mute L-Plate
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    Jun 10th 2015, 6:47 PM

    You’re right, more than two glances

    8
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:12 PM

    I’m sure that what they see on the outside of the shop is nothing compared to what they see on TV and the internet.

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    Mute Qwerty
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:31 PM

    Irish society has gone downhill since the referendum.

    131
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    Mute James Joseph Superior Power
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:42 PM

    ya the gays are to blame for it just like bad weather cancer and ever thing else that is bad. are you one of those religious nuts from the bible belt in America

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    Mute Al coholic
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:47 PM

    Says the man named superior

    84
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    Mute Ron North
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:53 PM

    Fair play James and Qwerty, I’m glad to see I’m not the only one surprised with the lovely weather we have today what with the gays and the referendum and all that.

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    Mute Qwerty
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:56 PM

    My troll comment worked.

    39
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    Mute James Joseph Superior Power
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:57 PM

    I don’t see how my user name is relevant Al coholic. Please explain.

    28
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    Mute Ken McCarthy
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:57 PM

    The loud & proud Yes voters are worse for entertaining those comments. Ye’re on it like a fly around shite! It’s like there’s ppl just sitting there waiting for someone like ur man above to comment. Just leave it. The result is in. We don’t need to hear the campaign all over again. Grinds my gears!

    46
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    Mute James Joseph Superior Power
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:18 PM

    Hi Ken. After being abused spat at beaten up ect for who we are through out our lives. I think we are allowed our few weeks of glory.

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    Mute Wexford pikeman
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    Jun 10th 2015, 7:12 PM

    Donkey hole !

    21
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    Mute Wexford pikeman
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    Jun 10th 2015, 7:13 PM

    Qwerty

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    Mute Michelle Corry
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    Jun 11th 2015, 6:17 AM

    I’m moving back to Ireland from Holland this summer, and it’s comments like this that make we worry if I’m doing the right thing. Here in Holland, where sex shops, prostitutes etc are all the norm, residential areas and schools are taken into account. How on earth would young kids see inappropriate stuff on TV and the Internet if their parents didn’t let them see it. I’m really disappointed the attitude that ah wee, there’s nothing we can do about it seems to be so prevalent.

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    Mute Kian
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:25 PM

    It’s not as if they’re going to lure the kids in and then strap dildos to their foreheads.

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:11 PM

    Beano, Bunty..Bare Arse Monthly

    85
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    Mute [REDACTED]
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:20 PM

    “I think these kinds of shops should be in designated areas”. Designated areas = Where she doesn’t have to look at them. These kinds of shops are presumably going to operate age restrictions so it’s not as if some first year can walk in and spend their lunch money on a range of sex toys. Would these people be as vocal if a chipper opened up in the same spot and those school children spent every lunchtime in there eating greasy, fatty food for most of the school year? I doubt it. Snobbery personified.

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    Mute John Dowd
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    Jun 10th 2015, 8:07 PM

    God bless chubby brown

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    Mute Oisín Ó Cuilleanáin
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:19 PM

    Misses Lovejoy “I don’t think we are talking about love here, we talking about S.E.X., in front of the C.H.I.L.D.R.E.N. ”

    Kursty: “SEX CAULDRON!!! I THOUGHT THEY CLOSED THAT PLACE DOWN”

    There is a simpsons quote for every occasion.

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    Mute Judy PlayBlue
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:03 PM

    Hi PlayBlue Here!
    We’d love the chance to reassure locals in Drumcondra that the new shop we are opening will be at the very modern high end. Anyone with any dealings with PlayBlue will know we are a million miles removed from the traditional seedy image of adult stores.
    Our shop will be totally covered from the outside, with plants outside and the only things visible will be our name PlayBlue over the shop, our logo and the over 18s sign on the door.
    We are very strict in only allowing over 18s and err on the side of caution.
    We would hope locals wait to see the new shop open before they pass judgement and I’m sure they will be pleasantly surprised.
    In Kilkenny hundreds of school kids pass our shop without incident daily.

    185
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    Mute J's Back
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:57 PM

    You should be ashamed of yourselves setting up so close to a national school.

    27
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    Mute molly coddled
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    Jun 10th 2015, 6:32 PM

    just say a decade of the rosary J’s back…you’ll be grand.

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    Mute Sam
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    Jun 10th 2015, 6:37 PM

    J there’s worse on Mtv.
    These guys are far from seedy and I’m sure they have put a lot of thought into how the shop will look on the outside with the restrictions in place.
    If this wasn’t in the media I’m pretty sure this would have gone unnoticed.

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    Mute Cupid Stunt
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    Jun 10th 2015, 6:45 PM

    j every time I pass a church I’m reminded of all the horrific stuff the church and clergy did to Irish citizens.

    92
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    Mute Ron North
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    Jun 10th 2015, 7:10 PM

    Every time I pass a sex shop I’m reminded I haven’t been laid in 2 years.

    91
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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jun 10th 2015, 10:16 PM

    J you made me feel so guilty I but myself 50 time with a piece if would with a rust nail and said 5000 hail Marys. …thanks I’m saved from the filth now

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    Mute Rod_TenⒸ
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:11 PM

    They will have stiff competition

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    Mute Bridget
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    Jun 11th 2015, 12:05 PM

    I guess nothing is inappropriate for some journal readers

    3
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    Mute David McShite
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:21 PM

    They will see more on the top shelf of the local newsagent than in the front of this shop, let alone the universe of adult porn available on their smartphone.

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    Mute Bill Jones
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:27 PM

    Let’s sweep sex under the carpet and make sure everyone feels shame and guilt about it again. Good ol’ church tactics!

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    Mute Alien8
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:15 PM

    Isn’t there already a hardware shop on the other corner? If they don’t have an issue with the many pubs and fast food joints currently available in the area, then there isn’t a problem with adult shops.

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    Mute Gerard
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:37 PM

    This whole American obsession with sex is ridiculous. Because let’s not kid ourselves, much of our recent moral standards have been heavily influenced by prevailing trends in the US. American moral standards: guns, violence, blood all perfectly fine for children. The idea of two adults having sex, or that sex is even a thing: outrageous, obscene.

    There are worse things in the world than sex.

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    Mute Daniel R
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:18 PM

    So true

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    Mute Stephen Fagan
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:14 PM

    Unfortunately kids have access to waves and waves of graphic material on the internet these days. So I’m not sure if it would have too much of an impact on the,.

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    Mute Daniel R
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:25 PM

    ‘Only 12 schoolchildren permitted at any one time’

    73
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    Mute helixjo1
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:40 PM

    Lets just ban everything from areas where there are schools. Wouldn’t want kids growing up with any sense of how the real world works.

    I don’t have kids, but when I do I expect they will live with me until they are 40 because Im certainly not going to burst any little bubbles of reality for them. Santa presents for a 39 year old might get expensive but it should be worth it to raise a socially inept man/woman-child.

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    Mute James Joseph Superior Power
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:53 PM

    If those people who complain could take their minds out of the bedroom for five minutes they would realise that young children don’t think about sex all day. like they do. half of them won’t even recognise the shop.

    33
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    Mute helixjo1
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:59 PM

    I agree completely.

    Perhaps they are afraid the other half might, god forbid, ask a question regarding the nature of such a shop. It would be terrible to be put on the spot like that, having to come up with an explanation for a basic part of human life.

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    Mute molly coddled
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:01 PM

    True James, I grew up not too far from Soho, to me as a kid they were just shops, and unless they sold penny bars I couldn’t give a flying fiddlers.

    42
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    Mute Beano
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:40 PM

    Surely a school near a pub or fast food outlet would be worse?

    56
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    Mute Nollaig Kelly
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:39 PM

    Down with this sort of thing

    But not as down as there low low prices

    It’s just a shop that sells adult toys doesn’t matter where it opened people will complain till some else comes along to wrap their fragile little minds

    39
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    Mute David Farrelly
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:16 PM

    Make it handier for when they want to teach sex education

    37
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    Mute Ewan Scott-Douglas
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:41 PM

    Hiding kids from sexuality isn’t really going to work is it? I mean we have done that for centuries and look at what happens, girls get pregnant at teenage, STDs etc.

    Expressing and exploring your sexuality in a safe way is part of being healthy , I don’t get why some people want to shame someone for going into a sex shop etc.

    I mean they aren’t going to allow in a 13 year old are they? Presumably its an 18+ establishment

    35
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    Mute David G
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:23 PM

    Anyone who knows the area will know its no place for a sex shop. The locals won’t put up with it so there is no way it is going to happen.

    28
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    Mute Matt Donovan
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:48 PM

    Typical NIMBY mentality from wannabe snobs. counsellor Rock needn’t worry about moral fibre as practically every teen has a smart phone with net access & nearly 80% of Web content is sex related. More nit picking by people with nothing to do. sure a good orgasm would probably kill them.

    26
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    Mute Juan Venegas
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:26 PM

    In The Netherlands you can buy nude magazines in the supermarkets, next to the gossip and pc magazine. I’m not talking Zoo, I’m talking real porn, get a grip, nothing will happen.

    19
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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:34 PM

    Kids aren’t going to be going in there, so it’s fine. Such a non issue. It’s not as if a sweet shop is selling porn.

    18
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    Mute Tom Doherty
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    Jun 10th 2015, 7:06 PM

    Jesus no. People might actually have to talk to thier kids about sex! Can we get the opinion of a bishop please?

    16
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    Mute Mike Howard
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    Jun 10th 2015, 6:48 PM

    Congrats to this business , I’m sure it will be tastefully presented – there will be no exposure to our children

    14
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    Mute Niall Cassidy
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:12 PM

    Are Safesounds relocating or gone bang?

    13
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    Mute Aaron
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:51 PM

    Safesounds are still going strong & open for business, but they now have a smaller shop at the front.

    10
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    Mute Dvd Dnh
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    Jun 10th 2015, 7:40 PM

    Oh FFS!
    Are the same folks not concerned about the sex shops on Capel St being located next door to buildings where lots of young Asian children live? Of course not.

    Grow up Ireland.
    The normalising of the realities of human sexuality from a young age is a good thing.

    11
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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jun 10th 2015, 10:11 PM

    it’s just a shop that sells sex stuff. ….what’s the problem? …..they won’t be forcing kids to become customers. ….the kids probably know more about sex than most adults anyway

    11
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    Mute Aoife Gregg
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    Jun 10th 2015, 7:04 PM

    Oh come on!!!! They are hardly going to be luring the kids in at the school gates are they. Lighten up everyone…. Look at it that it’s a good sign of the economy, a new business opening!!!

    10
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    Mute Liz Finn
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    Jun 10th 2015, 8:44 PM

    I dunno, I heard one of the people working there is gonna stand outside the school gates with a big net dressed as the child catcher from chitty chitty bang bang….purple monkey dishwasher

    12
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    Mute J's Back
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:10 PM

    Amazing how different the reactions were when it’s a mcdonalds that tries to set up anywhere near a school! Sex shop is ok but McDonalds is a big no no to journal commies.

    10
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:22 PM

    That’s because a sex shop is highly unlikely to serve their young kids, while fast food outlets, on the other hand, will often put on “school lunch specials” or Happy Meals aimed directly at them.

    40
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    Mute J's Back
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    Jun 10th 2015, 5:56 PM

    Sexualisation of our youth is a massive problem even more so then them scoffing down chicken nuggets at lunchtime.

    10
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Jun 10th 2015, 7:28 PM

    Maybe it is, Js, but sex shops are one of the few places that don’t play any hand, act or part in that sexualisation, as they are strictly adults only.

    21
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    Mute Liz Finn
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    Jun 10th 2015, 8:42 PM

    It’s alright j, the kids will be so out of shape from all the fast food they won’t have the energy to sexualised…..

    12
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    Mute just readin
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    Jun 10th 2015, 6:31 PM

    There is a pub and a separate off-license close to there , but I suppose they are grand because they are for adults…

    before I forget there are a number of fast food outlets there , might as well move tem on while we are at it too…

    9
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    Mute goo
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:49 PM

    Sure it is ok aren’t the selling rubber johns

    7
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    Mute Russell Stein
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    Jun 10th 2015, 8:43 PM

    Down with that sort of thing and careful now. Nuff said.

    5
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    Mute Mary O Sullivan
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    Jun 10th 2015, 10:14 PM

    Anyone who knows this area can tell this poor misguided man that there may be a lot of traffic but there is f**k all parking in this area. No way is his thinking clever.

    5
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    Mute John Reese
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:55 PM

    McDonald should be allowed across from a school too.

    5
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    Mute Maurice Dancer
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    Jun 11th 2015, 2:07 PM

    Nothing but prudes in this country. How do other countries manage with graphic displays in sex shop windows? A load of Irish whinge bags

    3
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    Mute MJ MJ
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    Nov 28th 2016, 9:15 PM

    Hi JuicyCherries HERE.
    Each of us likes sex, so let’s stop pretend that we do not like to do. Access to pornography today is so very easy that we should not hide it.

    2
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jun 12th 2015, 1:14 AM

    Please Ms, have you a rubber lol.

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    Mute Mick Bacon
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:29 PM

    Where do you work these days ?

    1
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    Mute Ron North
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    Jun 10th 2015, 4:58 PM

    I’m still working in Kehoe & Co, why?

    7
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    Mute philobrien
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    Jun 11th 2015, 1:38 AM

    They should move the school

    1
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