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US BUSINESS MAGAZINE Forbes has removed an article about John and Patrick Collison from its website after it was criticised for describing Limerick as “stab city”.
The profile piece about the two tech billionaires, who founded the financial services company Stripe, outlined how the pair had “escaped” the city and “made $11 billion”.
“Some call it stab city,” it read.
“Many folks think Ireland is all rolling green hills and five-star golf courses. But in the middle of the Irish countryside is a city called Limerick — known as the ‘murder capital’ of Europe.”
The article further described Limerick as a “warzone” because of a gang feud, and claimed that “shootings, pipe bomb attacks, and stabbings” happened there every night.
“Some bad neighbourhoods are even walled off by a dirty graffitied 10-foot-high barrier, like the Berlin Wall,” it continued.
“It’s the kind of place, as my grandfather says, ‘Where even German Shepherds walk around in pairs’.”
The article want viral online last night, prompting a backlash from both Collison brothers, local TDs and other residents of the city.
“Not only mistaken about Limerick but the idea of ‘overcoming’ anything is crazy. We are who we are because we grew up where we did,” Patrick Collison tweeted.
John Collison described the piece as “daft”.
Limerick TD and Minister for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief Patrick O’Donovan called on Forbes and the author of the piece to apologise to the people of Limerick “for the insult and hurt caused” by the article.
“I am calling on them to come to Limerick where I will gladly set the record straight in respect of what our county and city has to offer as opposed to what your work of fiction depicts,” he said. “Please let me know when suits to visit.”
Fianna Fáil’s Niall Collins, who is Minister of State at the Department of Higher Education, described the piece as a “disgraceful description of Limerick, home to so many fine and decent people”.
The article was later removed from Forbes’ website last night.
Writer and editor need to apologise for this. I’m sure neither had ever been here
@Garreth mc mahon: parts of the city have issues and some of that continues, but “ministers all…” and “whole of Irish media”, “all out war”? Watching too many movies I think.
The city(like many places) has a bad element but this is a great town and the people here deserve better. The active was removed and even the subject of the piece called it daft. He was there.
@Adrian O’Keeffe: would’ve been a very very long if he explained every areas issues in the story
@Garreth mc mahon: that writer was going for a “city of god” vibe, sad.
@Garreth mc mahon: but the lads aren’t from limerick. They are from tipp. They went to castletroy college Which is not the part of the city that would have been seen as a crime hot spot. This article on Forbes seems like lazy journalism and a personal gripe from the author. Limerick people marched through the city stating that they had enough and it was through great work by the gardai and the courts that the place was cleaned up.
@Brian Madden: I know, I think they where educated in limerick and that’s where the affiliation comes from
@Adrian O’Keeffe: shameful article. “Murder capital of Europe”?? Stabbings and pipe bombs every night? A 10 foot high graffiti wall? So much nonsense! At least the term “stab city” was used once upon a time and has some form of truth to it, although I haven’t heard it for a long long time.
@Adrian O’Keeffe: I knew it as Stab City growing up and I had never been there. The name isn’t reserved for people who had been there and been stabbed you know.
@Garreth mc mahon: Again misinformed writing Limerick was never the capital of murder nor had it the most stabbings in the country it was a label given but not deserved.
Yes we have our issues but the difference is the gardai reacted well and to this day it is peaceful for years now..
Maybe come down and see yourself
Any td or journalist who say those tags are a disgrace
@Adrian O’Keeffe: The writer is from Dublin (living in the US)
@Sportmad: I’ve been to limerick a few times and enjoyed it, I don’t get offended when I see and hear all the bad press even when made up or exaggerated about Dublin and now I live in Monaghan I don’t get annoyed by the press reports that come out
@Garreth mc mahon: Dublin has never been targeted from the media/general public in the same way Limerick had. Limerick obviously went through a bad patch many years ago, but It was very unfair and unjustified the amount of stick that was thrown at it.
@Munsterman: north inner city gets it
District k
@Adrian O’Keeffe: does anyone where my comment went, nothing wrong said in it and yet taken down, is the journal getting worse at sanctioning comments, if so they are going to loose a lot content viewers
@Adrian O’Keeffe:
You all need to seriously cop on to yourselves. An 99 year aul fella died yesterday and half the dopes who commented in this rag were delighted and had nothing good to say.
Now this article makes a reference to the nick name of a place and you all go mental. Ah seriously yous are all fooked in the head.
Typical Irish way of always making ourselves out to be the injured victims. It’s always poor aul Ireland with yous lot isn’t it. Yous should be all ashamed of yourselves with this snowflake carry on.
You literally all make me ashamed to be Irish. Yous a disgrace.
@Football in the Groin: there was more to the article than that. Would expect more from forbes
@Garreth mc mahon: I had nothing to do with that, must’ve been the mods
@HonestGrump: 1.read the article. 2. Are you blaming me for comments on said 99 YO? ‘Yous’? Read a book. 4. Not playing victim at all, not in the least. 5. I’m not from limerick, but living here a long while so can claim objectivity.
@HonestGrump: tool
@Adrian O’Keeffe: ruins a good comment thread
@Garreth mc mahon: after what he said I think its justified. Gfys
So disappointed that the article was written by a Dublin man. When I read it first I assumed it was an American the way it even read but really uncalled for and frankly st-pid to write those things as a Dublin person.
@Ruby: I’ve been looking online and can’t find anything that says he’s from Dublin or even Ireland. Do you have a link?
@Ruby: I take it back. I found an article where he says he is from Dublin. Sorry.
Amazing how a name sticks. Despite Dublin long since taking the title of Stab City.
Just another opportunity for the snobs to feel good about their perfect neighbourhoods ans use Limerick as a punchbag.
Its actually a decent city to live and work in with the same share of social problems as any city in Ireland or the planet.
Great sporting county also.
Luimneach Abu.
@Lotus: well done on deflecting their insult and placing it on Dublin. You’re just as bad as the people who wrote the article.
@Ann Mc Shane: Did he say anything wrong?
@Shaun Gallagher: let me guess, Cork man
@Ann Mc Shane:
Tough to read something like that isn’t it.
I would argue Cork and Galway are above on the league table as well.
Have a nice day
For God sake they are from Tipperary. Shannon airport is in Clare and Bunratty castle is also in Clare. Jesus, the claiming by them
@TommyC:
I know not a single Limerick person who would claim any of those places.
It just never happens.
@Ann Mc Shane: far from it
@Ann Mc Shane: I’d say you are projecting
and deflecting.
@UK Hurling Bloke: your disecting
@Ann Mc Shane: ooh, fixated on Cork aren’t you? I wonder why that is. Embarrassing stuff
(And you were wrong, lol)
@Liam MacSuibhne: o man, you win. Enjoy your party
@Ann Mc Shane: No disrespect but…you’re dissecting?
@TommyC: I’m guessing they were born in the Maternity Hospital in Limerick, and it will say that on their Passport. Gatwick Airport is in Surrey, but guess what, it’s called London Gatwick, not Surrey Gatwick, Shannon Airport was selected there because it needed to be an Airport serving a city (Limerick) and also have a flat profile for a long distance runways accommodating Trans Atlantic aircraft. Shannon Airport was not built there because the Government thought people of Clare deserved to have it. I’m also guessing they shopped for Computer Programming books in Easons / O’Mahoneys in Limerick City Centre, used the Library in Limerick City Centre, went to Hospital in Limerick if they were sick, went to Sports venues in Limerick if they were interested in Sports.
@Lotus: every city in Ireland has problems, bar Galway. Galway is perfect.
@Luan Willis: butt out, your interrupting
@Lotus: I’m from Limerick, but you’re comment is as bad as the article
@Lotus: don’t forget donkey fords while you are at it
@Ann Mc Shane: *you’re
@Luan Willis: good wan
Looks like Frank Mccourt was right after all
@Kyle: Yes, he said “the world can’t interfere with the inside of your head”
@Kyle: the two brothers are from tipperary, close to lough derg. The were partly educated in limerick. They were barely born when limerick was labelled “stab city”. As for frank mc court. He had an alcoholic father who drank the money. I think under those circumstances there would be poverty issues wherever in Ireland he was in that period.
@Brian Madden: I’m extracting the urine Brian
That description is not the Limerick I know.
@Paul: me neither
@Paul: It’s a layer cake of fake news for bored people with zero ambition (75% of the Irish population)
@Paul: Limerick is one of the friendliest places in Ireland. Full of chats buying a newspaper
Poor headline Journal. It reads like the brothers themselves called it stab city, not the article itself.
@John Sheahan: john the headline is no accident, Dubs have always despised limerick for whatever reason, no point stooping to their level.
@Marc Walsh: your generalising a little pal, you don’t speak for the million or so people who live here. Plonker
@Marc Walsh: I don’t know a single dub that despises limerick so don’t know were your getting that from, been a couple of times and loved it and a ridiculous article to write by whoever wrote it
@Marc Walsh: Not sure how you come to that conclusion? Never heard any dub speak poorly of Limerick. Now Cork on the other hand….
@Marc Walsh: Lived in Limerick for 6 years, great place and great people. Every city has good and bad parts as we all know. The article is accurately described by one of the lads as daft. I’m a Dub and don’t know any Dubs who have any ill feeling towards Limerick. Your comment is an inaccurate and daft as the article was.
@Warren Mcdermott:
Thank you
@John Sheahan: While I am one of many that wishes The Journal would recruit some proof readers, there is nothing wrong with this headline. The use of the word which determines that was the forementioned article that called Limerick out, not the Collison brothers.
@Aisling Lohan: I was referring to the way it was phrased, not the use of the word.
@Aisling Lohan: actually I just read it again, the headline has been edited since this morning and rephrased better now.
@John Sheahan: The phrasing clearly implies the article called out Limerick not the Collisons!
@John Sheahan: Not surprising of The Journal!
@Warren Mcdermott: only ever hear stab city said by Dubs in Dublin. It’s not said by anyone else anymore.
@Ben L: haven’t heard anyone say that in years and am sure some dubs do say it just as some country people say all sorts about dublin doesn’t make it true
Are they not from Tipp?
@CarmelOh: yeah dromineer
@CarmelOh:
Tipp are welcome to them.
@Lotus:
I mean that in a lighthearted way. Lot of time for Tipp to be fair. Great success story by 2 young lads who lived for a time in Limerick.
Fair play to them.
Saw an interview with 1 of them lately and found him a bit cringe TBH. Just my bag I suppose.
@CarmelOh: Straight outta Dromineer
The person that wrote this article is, to coin a Limerick phrase, a bit of a ghoul.
@Dave Murph: Gowl
@Gordon Fitzpatrick: my bad! I love the phrase, though, especially when said in a Limerick accent!
@Dave Murph: gowl is from Cork
Maybe forbes are getting their information from the irish media.
The irish media have for years tried to paint limerick as some sort of Chicago in the 30s.
It was irish media that gave it the name stab city years ago all just to sell papers shameful.
And in doing this a whole generation grew up thinking limerick is a kip .
And the only reference people had to know what limerick was like as a place was a tabloid rag .
And also the young kids growing up in limerick believing the hype and BS being printed
@Eoghan S Quinn: someone above said it was a man from Dublin who wrote the article but yeah Forbes shouldn’t have let him say that.
@K C: and if you notice that post has the most likes the second a dub is mentioned in bad light the anti DUBS are on clicking in force .lol
@Eoghan S Quinn: not at all. One person from Dublin writing an article doesn’t represent the whole of Dublin.
@Eoghan S Quinn:
Gay Byrne coined the phrase in his Radio show. Throw enough you know what and it eventually sticks
@Eoghan S Quinn: No they are getting their information or should I say mis information from this fine tulip…. https://www.riskhedge.com/post/how-two-brothers-escaped-stab-city-and-made-11-billion
Very poor Journalism, considering the Colliston brothers are from a small village in Tipperary , Dromineer, Co. Tipperary. Their Father is an Engineer and Mother a Microbiologist. Did the reporter even bother to do any research.
Limerick like most cities had its problems with crime gangs and certain areas of city were affected , if I were from Limerick I would be furious with Forbes for publishing this.
A term I’ve only ever heard used by Dubs which is ironic considering they’re the ones living in one of the most dangerous and troubled cities in Europe in recent times.
@Rochelle: It isn’t one of the most dangerous cities in Europe
@Rochelle: you are just as bad as the person who wrote the article. Throwing around baseless bull about a city with no evidence.
Can you show me some research that states Dublin is one of the most dangerous cities to live in Europe?
The article in Forbes should never have been written. By all means shame the writer for being so focused on a false narrative…and blame the tabloid media for creating that narrative in the first place. But don’t go creating a false narrative yourself in retaliation.
@Rochelle: Stick to Munster rugby Rochelle.
@Rochelle: what a loud of nonsense you speak it may be troublesome compared with ballygo backwards but in the real world it’s a great city https://www.irishtimes.com/news/dublin-is-18th-safest-city-1.350717
Wow, I expected better from Forbes, not some trashy Daily Mail article.
Dee should be more research before writing stuff like that.
Even in the height of its problems Limerick was never a ‘warzone’ but people need to be entertained and it’s far enough away from the majority of the national media-buying population to be a target. Don’t mention people defecting openly on public streets 100 yards from Irelands ‘greatest ever’ tourist attraction, we just don’t wana hear about it.
Awful article to read as a limerick person, thank god it was taken down and the fact it was a Dublin person that wrote it is not surprising. Shame on him on a world stage slating a city in his homeland. He could have gone any way with this article but chose to lie about us. I dare him come visit the city.
Its not like Irish media and the public haven’t jokingly called Limerick stab city for years. But all of a sudden when an American article publishes it we are somehow ‘outraged’. Classic “its stab city, but its OUR stab city” feeling to it all.
@Paul Cunningham: it’s absolutely detested in Limerick though, and was never based on fact. You’ll never hear a Limerick person say it’s our stab city. And such a shameful lazy and factually incorrect article in Forbes could have a big impact on Foreign Direct Investment. It’s a big deal
Great Tipp men, the 2 Collison brothers, absolute geniuses. As a person with Limerick blood, it pained me to hear disparaging comments about the City, as I find Limerick people to be fantastically warm. Hope the 2 lads can help with the regeneration of the place.
In 2008 the irish ndependent published an article calling limerick the murder capital in Europe and stab City.
@vanc: The indo is a tabloid rag tho. Just because they say it, doesn’t make it true.
@vanc: “Dublin is the country’s crime capital with a well-above-average number of offences per capita. It has the highest rates for robberies, theft, drug and fraud offences.” From some other article.
The guy who wrote this article must have just awoken from a long sleep. It is a long time since Limerick was a place where violent crime took place. I think he needs to look at his Own Dublin where people are living in fear of being shot for the last number of years
Well it does fit the story ‘they’ like to tell about the success is borne out of a tough, uncompromising background. It doesn’t matter where you come from it just matters that you work towards your goal and you will be a great success, make gazillions, live in the Sun. Is it one step from being a fairy tail or the Great American Dream? You would half expect a better class of journalism from such a respected publisher though, disappointing, they’ll have interns looking through Apology Templates immediately on this one (if one of our ‘Senators’ complains, they might respond even faster).
@Tom Hogarty: Can I vote for a ‘quick review’ option on posts in future please? one that gives a final opportunity to catch those little grammatical errors and typos? just a thought (I’m trying to figure what could be even faster that immediately in this instance)
Well yeah actually some do still call it stab city, so factually its correct, but there’s an issue? Cancel culture alive and well. See it now, Stripes shares and profits are wiped cause Forbes offended Limerick.
@Gavin Mckenna: It’s just opinions, cancel culture is fake news, another way of antagonising people to feel a sense of satisfaction in other peoples misfortune. Sorta like what you’re doing there.
The definition of lazy journalism and even lazier editoralism
Seems reasonable
My grandmother used to call it the city of piety and pox
@DJ François: a salty lass I’m sure
There is not a City, Town or Village in Ireland that has not been visited by the pox of drug abuse.
Limerick has been under siege from drug warring ‘families’ and then got that unfortunate name of ‘stab city’.
As a Corkman I think Limerick is the second best city in Munster !
Are they not from Dromineer in Tipperary
Was a poorly written article in general. But the comments about limerick were untrue. As a cork man, I can honestly say I’ve always felt safe in limerick. It’s a lovely city and the people are so friendly. Shame on Forbes
And the precious snowflakes get upset. Ah me heart bleeds.
Stab City is a kip. Get over it.
@HonestGrump: wow why don’t you tell us how you really feel …wait don’t bother nobody cares
@HonestGrump: You could always move somewhere else if you don’t like it Forest.
Also all articles and so called history, referring to the alleged broken treaty should be removed. Implying as they do that one of the ‘Cultures’ on our island and their leader William of Apple inc. were nothing but a bunch of treaty breaking, land grabbing, back stabbers
I think it’s awful how people get annoyed by simple little things nowadays
Ive read it and truly shocked. ‘Pipe bombs attacks every night? Limerick is the last place you want your kids growing up? ‘
Who edited and even sub-edited this?
@Csilla: I worked there and many friends, I can just confirm this, Limerick wasn’t a place of safety. Far from it. Same like Dublin city center. Would never go back.
A fine cut & paste done by Forbes https://www.riskhedge.com/post/how-two-brothers-escaped-stab-city-and-made-11-billion
Something or someone from Limerick has done something to wrinkle this tulips cravat.
@Clurichaun: that’s just daffy
@Garreth mc mahon: damn the original post disappeared
Why is the commentary on the article limited to the bullsh*t about Limerick? It would be great and helpful if the advertising included in the piece was reported on rather than the defamatory statements about Limerick. The Journal should try to show/highlight how their own reporting standards and detail oriented factual journalism is superior to the Forbes article rather than participate further in the click bait approach.
I’m sorry but that is what Limerick was generally known as couple years back. So stop melting.
@Joe Dobias: you can easily Google “Limerick STAB City” there isn’t a year a article doesn’t come up. Spotlight was on the organised crime and the moniker due to multiple stabbings over the years assigned to just a few groups.
have your say