Lonely Planet has warned people who visit Dublin’s O’Connell Street that the area is “troubled” and that they may encounter “visible drug use”. 

The travel bible is hugely influential but is less than positive about the capital’s most famous street. 

While noting O’Connell is replete with history,  it added that crime and dilapidation are also huge issues. 

On The Claire Byrne Show,  the profile’s author, Fionn Davenport, said he believes locals share his concerns. 

“I think it's what most Dubliners have been concerned about for, unfortunately, quite a long time,” he said. 

“I think it's a city that during the day is a hive of activity; there's loads of stuff going on.

“But then if you look around, you look up and there's a little partial dereliction. 

“There's undeveloped buildings, there's a sense that O'Connell Street has lost that faded grandeur - once upon a time, this was Dublin's grandest boulevard.” 

O'Connell Street. Picture by: Sue Heaton / Alamy.

Mr Davenport added that the street has “struggled” especially with social problems in recent decades. 

“What do I see when I walk up O'Connell Street?” he said. 

“I have on more than one occasion seen open drug use in the middle of the day, in the little alleys or the little side streets of O'Connell Street. 

“I appreciate Dublin isn't alone in this; most cities have their problems.

“But this is my city and I think it's jarring to see.” 

Mr Davenport said that he tried to record his views “as accurately and as fairly as possible” and that he is “not trying to do Dublin down”. 

He noted that he is a Northsider and that his father was born “100 yards from O’Connell Street.  

“Lonely Planet is a guidebook for visitors to Dublin - it's not a forensic social analysis of Dublin, the city,” he said. 

“What I try to do is I try to give an overall impression and try to be as accurate and as fair as I possibly can. 

“I owe a responsibility to my readers to try and reflect exactly what kind of experience they might have when they come to Dublin.”

Main image: O'Connell Street. Picture by:  Alamy.com.