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Irish Examiner
25-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork crime and jail time
TThe northside southside divide in Cork city has been laid bare again by new research on jail sentences. An analysis of just over 1,400 jail sentences which were reported on in The Irish Examiner and The Echo shows that of those people with addresses in Cork city who were jailed in the study period: Most lived on the northside their average jail sentence was longer compared to someone living on the southside; and some of the city's youngest offenders had an address on the northside; Gurranabraher had the youngest average age of those jailed during the study period. Seven of the top 10 jail term suburbs are in parts of the city classed as 'disadvantaged' or 'very disadvantaged' in the 2022 Pobal Deprivation Index, with higher rates of unemployment and lone parenting, and lower rates of school completion and third level participation. The data underlines a striking disparity between the city's northside and southside, and raises fresh concerns about the ongoing inequality and the socio-economic divide that continues to shape life in the city, despite decades of investment in disadvantaged areas. The Irish Examiner analysed over 5,000 court reports which were published in the paper and in its sister publication, The Echo, between 2020 and 2024, and identified over 1,400 cases were jail terms which were imposed. Among the items analysed was the address of the person jailed. The data shows that people with a northside address got a longer average sentence in five of the six key crime categories compared to those with an address on the southside, with just one exception – southsiders got a longer average jail term for assault. The data shows that a total of 360 jail sentences were imposed on people with an address on the northside, compared to 194 on the southside, during the study period. The average age of a person with a northside address at the time of sentencing was just under 33 years of age, with southsiders just over the age of 34. The average sentence for a person with a northside address in that time was just over 22 months, but it was 18 months on the southside. Previous convictions were mentioned almost equally across the city – in 65% of all the cases involving someone with a northside address and in 63% of cases involving someone with a southside address. The analysis also identified the most mentioned crime categories and the areas in which those convicted of the crimes were living at the time. It shows that Gurranabraher accounted for the highest number of jail terms imposed over the five years, and it had the youngest average age in the city for someone jailed for an offence, at just under 29-years of age. It was followed by Mayfield, Knocknaheeny, and Blackpool, all on the northside, and by Mahon in the south east. The headline crime issues on the northside were theft (mentioned in 35% of cases), assault (17.5%) burglary (15%), public order (14.7%), weapons and explosives (13.3%), drugs for sale or supply (12.5%), road traffic (10%), drugs for personal use (9.4%), and criminal damage (8.9%). The big crime issues mentioned in cases involving people with a southside address were theft (33%), negligence (21.5%), three times the rate of the northside, public order (16%), drugs for personal use (13.3%), drugs for sale or supply and weapons/explosives offences tied at 11.8%, criminal damage, robbery and burglary, (all at 6.2%), and road traffic (5.6%).
Irish Examiner
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: Cork crime series reveals a city divided by neglect of the northside
This week, we have been running the results of a lengthy assessment of crime statistics in Cork, breaking down more than 1,400 court reports published in these pages and by The Echo. Our analysis has revealed some striking results, not least the disparity between the the two sides of the city. One significant takeaway is that people with an address on the northside of Cork City receive longer prison sentences, on average, than those from the southside. As noted by Eoin English here yesterday, this raises concerns about the ongoing inequality and the socioeconomic divide. It can hardly come as a surprise, however, given the disparity in the way the two sides of the city are treated. For decades, the allocation of resources and facilities to the northern half of the city has been almost laughable. Older readers may recall that, in the 1980s, the northside was one of the few places in Ireland to lose an entire hospital when the North Infirmary was closed down, and an attitude of neglect persists. That attitude is visible in real time for Cork natives even now. The much-vaunted light rail system which was unveiled recently for Cork crosses the River Lee to serve Kent Station but in real terms avoids the northside of the city almost entirely. Inconsistencies in official perspectives are visible in comments from hapless local officials, who suggested the demand for light rail did not exist on the northside even though Apple, which employs thousands of people, has been calling for improved transport links for years. A long-overdue northern distributor road may take seven to 10 years to realise, according to one of those local officials. It is hardly a surprise, then, to see crime and deprivation take stubborn root in pockets of an area so badly served by central government and local authorities. The complacency and indifference illustrated by the failures of officialdom are truly indictable offences. Ireland's high-cost economy As we get deeper into the summer, many readers will become more and more familiar with the following scenario: Meeting a friend or relative who has been abroad for a holiday, and who is still reeling in surprise at how cheap food and drink are in some foreign destinations. That surprise is well founded. A new report from Eurostat has found that Ireland is the second most expensive country in Europe after Denmark, with the cost of Irish goods and services 38% higher than the EU average. In real terms, that means paying almost 15% more for groceries, 17% more for energy, and 105% more for alcohol and tobacco than average prices in other European countries. There are some reasonable explanations on offer for some of those disparities. As an island remote from the European mainland, our costs are higher for transporting goods here, while the war in Ukraine following its illegal invasion by Russia underscored our essential vulnerability in areas such as energy. However, the high costs are not entirely the result of circumstances either. Our high energy prices may rise further as a result of choices, such as our new embrace of data centres. Those centres now account for a staggering 22% of all metered electricity in Ireland. This is putting pressure on an electricity infrastructure which is already creaking. A recent Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) report suggested planning and regulatory delays for new projects are adding up to 10% to wholesale electricity costs, echoing the points made by Sean O'Driscoll of the ESRI here recently about the need for radical action to address our infrastructure crisis. Is there a broader challenge lurking behind these specific issues? It is worth pointing out that the housing and accommodation crisis is a significant point of difference with some of the European countries used for comparison purposes here. The effective regulatory framework which governs long-term renting in many of those countries compares unfavourably with the naked exploitation of renters in many parts of Ireland, exploitation which contributes hugely to the high cost of living here. What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here New life for Dingle cinema Good news for the people of Dingle this week, with Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy and his wife, the artist Yvonne McGuinness, detailing their plans to return one of the last family-run cinemas in the country back to a 'repurposed' version of its former glory. Last year, the couple bought the town's Phoenix cinema, which closed down during the pandemic, which Ms McGuinness said they plan to reopen the venue as a not-for-profit arts centre hosting films, concerts, and a range of community events and workshops and 'flexible spaces', adding that it will take about three years to repurpose the cinema. It is a happy ending for locals, who rallied to try to buy the cinema when it was put on the market three years ago. At that time, the Ionad Phoenix CLG group was formed with the express intention of turning the building into an arts centre, so the new owners' commitment to a similar scheme will be welcome. Dingle is lucky in that it has local residents with a strong attachment to the cinema — and pockets deep enough to purchase it. However, turning a vacant building into an arts centre, with all its attendant benefits, may be a workable template for other towns and villages around Ireland, even those without Oscar-winners living nearby.
Irish Examiner
24-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork crime: Men jailed for twice as long as women, court data over five years reveals
Men accounted for 87% of jail terms analysed from the Cork courts over the last five years, averaging a 23-month sentence — just over twice as long as the average sentence imposed on women. This is one of the key findings from a major analysis of thousands of court reports published in the Irish Examiner and The Echo between 2020 and 2024. The data shows that, of the just over 1,400 cases where jail terms were imposed, men were involved in 1,232 of the cases — representing a total of 87% of all data analysed. The average man sent to jail in that time was aged 34. He was most likely to have been charged with theft, assault, public order, or drugs offences — which were mentioned in the vast majority of the jail terms. And he was most likely to be of no fixed address, or a resident of Cork Simon, or to have an address on the northside of the city. Men by crime This is one of the articles published in the 'Irish Examiner' in print and online here on Day 2 of the three-day Cork Crime series. The average woman jailed was also aged 34, with 61% of the cases analysed involving a sentence for theft. The average woman had previous related convictions, and was also most likely to be struggling with addiction, with alcohol or drugs mentioned in 52% of the cases. Jail terms The average jail sentence handed down for a man was just over 23 months, over twice the average jail term imposed on women — most likely because men were involved in more serious types of crime. Previous convictions were a factor in almost 67% of cases involving a woman, but they were a factor in 56% of the cases involving men. Addiction affecting men and women alike Addiction issues were evenly spread between men and woman, the research found, with a mention of addiction, alcohol, or drugs in two thirds of the cases involving women, but in almost three quarters of the cases involving men. A breakdown of the headline crimes for men and women reveals some interesting trends, with theft mentioned in almost two thirds of the jail sentences involving women, but in just over a quarter of the cases involving men. Theft is women's top crime category Women by crime The top crime category for women was theft, which was mentioned in almost 61% of the jail sentences imposed, almost three times more than the next category — public order. Public order was mentioned in a fifth of the cases involving women, with assault mentioned in 15% of the cases, followed by burglary and criminal damage tied in fourth place then drugs for personal use, road traffic offences, drugs for sale or supply, offences against the government or court, and dangerous driving. Assault and public order offences However, for men, while theft was also the most often mentioned offence, it was involved in just 27% of the cases, followed by assault, and then public order — a reverse of the second and third most frequently mentioned offences involving women. Assault and public order were mentioned much more frequently in men's jail terms — assault in just over a fifth of the cases analysed, with public order mentioned in almost 17% of the cases. Combined, these three offences were mentioned in about half of all the sentences involving men, followed by drugs for sale or supply, weapons and explosives, burglary, criminal damage, drugs for personal use, offences against the government or the court, robbery, harassment, and dangerous driving. For men, there were 34 sentences for murder attempts or threats, 18 sentences for rape, 14 sentences for negligence, eight life sentences for murder — almost three times the rate for women — eight sentences for child pornography, six for dangerous driving causing death, and five manslaughter sentences. Women accounted for three life sentences handed down for murder during the period analysed.
Irish Examiner
24-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork crime: Men get 87% of jail sentences and for terms twice as long as those given to women
Men accounted for 87% of jail terms analysed from the Cork courts over the last five years, averaging a 23-month sentence — just over twice as long as the average sentence imposed on women. This is one of the key findings from a major analysis of thousands of court reports published in the Irish Examiner and The Echo between 2020 and 2024. The data shows that, of the just over 1,400 cases where jail terms were imposed, men were involved in 1,232 of the cases — representing a total of 87% of all data analysed. The average man sent to jail in that time was aged 34. He was most likely to have been charged with theft, assault, public order, or drugs offences — which were mentioned in the vast majority of the jail terms. And he was most likely to be of no fixed address, or a resident of Cork Simon, or to have an address on the northside of the city. This is one of the articles published in the 'Irish Examiner' in print and online here on Day 2 of the three-day Cork Crime series. The average woman jailed was also aged 34, with 61% of the cases analysed involving a sentence for theft. The average woman had previous related convictions, and was also most likely to be struggling with addiction, with alcohol or drugs mentioned in 52% of the cases. Jail terms The average jail sentence handed down for a man was just over 23 months, over twice the average jail term imposed on women — most likely because men were involved in more serious types of crime. Previous convictions were a factor in almost 67% of cases involving a woman, but they were a factor in 56% of the cases involving men. Addiction affecting men and women alike Addiction issues were evenly spread between men and woman, the research found, with a mention of addiction, alcohol, or drugs in two thirds of the cases involving women, but in almost three quarters of the cases involving men. A breakdown of the headline crimes for men and women reveals some interesting trends, with theft mentioned in almost two thirds of the jail sentences involving women, but in just over a quarter of the cases involving men. Theft is women's top crime category The top crime category for women was theft, which was mentioned in almost 61% of the jail sentences imposed, almost three times more than the next category — public order. Public order was mentioned in a fifth of the cases involving women, with assault mentioned in 15% of the cases, followed by burglary and criminal damage tied in fourth place then drugs for personal use, road traffic offences, drugs for sale or supply, offences against the government or court, and dangerous driving. Assault and public order offences However, for men, while theft was also the most often mentioned offence, it was involved in just 27% of the cases, followed by assault, and then public order — a reverse of the second and third most frequently mentioned offences involving women. Assault and public order were mentioned much more frequently in men's jail terms — assault in just over a fifth of the cases analysed, with public order mentioned in almost 17% of the cases. Combined, these three offences were mentioned in about half of all the sentences involving men, followed by drugs for sale or supply, weapons and explosives, burglary, criminal damage, drugs for personal use, offences against the government or the court, robbery, harassment, and dangerous driving. For men, there were 34 sentences for murder attempts or threats, 18 sentences for rape, 14 sentences for negligence, eight life sentences for murder — almost three times the rate for women — eight sentences for child pornography, six for dangerous driving causing death, and five manslaughter sentences. Women accounted for three life sentences handed down for murder during the period analysed.
Irish Examiner
24-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork crime: Northsiders get longer jail sentences than southsiders, 'Irish Examiner' study reveals
People with an address on the northside of Cork City receive longer prison sentences on average than those from the southside, research from the Irish Examiner suggests. The analysis of more than 1,400 court reports published by The Irish Examiner and The Echo highlights a striking disparity between the city's northside and southside. It raises fresh concerns about the ongoing inequality and the socioeconomic divide, despite decades of investment in disadvantaged areas. This is one of the articles published in the 'Irish Examiner' in print and online here on Day 2 of the three-day Cork Crime series. The breakdown of the 554 convictions between 2020-2024, shows: 360 had an address on the northside and 194 lived on the southside The average jail sentence was longer on the northside (22.1 months) compared to 18 months on the southside Some of the city's youngest offenders had an address on the northside; Gurranabraher had the youngest average age of those jailed during the study period The breakdown of the main crime categories shows an even greater disparity when it comes to sentencing. The data shows: Theft 127 jail terms in which theft was mentioned were imposed on people with an address on the northside. Average sentence – 11.8 months. 65 mentions of the same offence involving people with an address on the southside. Average sentence 8.7 months. Burglary 54 jail sentences mentioning burglary involving someone with a northside address. Average jail term of 32 months. 12 mentions of the same offence involving someone living on the southside. Average sentence of 25 months. Public order 53 jail sentences mentioning public order offences involving people with a northside address. Average sentence of 9.5 months. 31 sentences for the same offence involving someone living on the southside. Average sentence of 5.5 months. Weapons and explosives offences 48 jail terms in which weapons and explosives offences were mentioned, involving someone with a northside address. Average sentence of 29.3 months. 23 involving someone living on the southside. Average sentence of 27 months. Drugs for sale or supply 45 jail terms mentioning drugs for sale or supply involving some living on the northside, with an average sentence of 40.7 months. 23 mentions of the same offence involving someone with a southside address - average sentence of 29 months. Assault 63 jail terms involving a person with a northside address. Average jail term of 26.2 months. 42 mentions of the same offence involving a person living on the southside. Average jail term of 27.6 months. This was the only major crime category where sentences were harsher on the southside. Of the top 10 jail-time suburbs, seven are in parts of the city classed as 'disadvantaged' or 'very disadvantaged' in the 2022 Pobal Deprivation Index, with higher rates of unemployment and lone parenting, and lower rates of school completion and third-level participation. The average age of a person with a northside address at the time of sentencing was just under 33 years of age, with southsiders just over the age of 34. The average sentence for a person with a northside address in that time was just over 22 months, but it was 18 months on the southside. Previous convictions were mentioned almost equally across the city – in 65% of all the cases involving someone with a northside address and in 63% of cases involving someone with a southside address. Addiction However, the data shows that addiction does not respect any geographical boundaries and is a citywide problem. Addiction was mentioned in 54% of cases involving northsiders, and in 52% of cases involving southsiders, with alcohol mentioned in 37% of cases both northside and southside, and drugs mentioned in 45% of cases both northside and southside. Addiction, alcohol or drugs was mentioned in 72% of cases on the northside, and 74% of all cases in the southside. The analysis also identified the most mentioned crime categories and the areas in which those convicted of the crimes were living at the time. It shows that Gurranabraher accounted for the highest number of jail terms imposed over the five years, and it had the youngest average age in the city for someone jailed for an offence, at just under 29 years of age. It was followed by Mayfield, Knocknaheeny, and Blackpool, all on the northside, and by Mahon in the southeast.
